More than 3 M EUR in FWO infrastructure grants to strengthen cancer research

In 2025, the FWO launched a call for large- and medium-scale research infrastructure, defined as ‘all facilities and resources that support cross-border and strategic basic research across all scientific disciplines.’

We are delighted to announce that that the jury decided to grant over 3 M EUR in total to several CRIG teams for cutting-edge research infrastructure (an overview of the medium-scale infrastructure projects can be found via this link).

As these new infrastructures can benefit researchers across the wider CRIG network, we have listed the funded projects below together with a short description:

• Prof. Frank Vanhaecke — Ultrafast femtosecond cryogenic laser ablation: a next-generation sample introduction system for ICP-mass spectrometry, enabling rapid elemental and isotopic imaging of solid materials. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is the benchmark technique for ultra-trace elemental analysis (down to sub-ng/L range) owing its high sensitivity, multi-elemental capabilities, and wide linear dynamic range. Standard ICP-MS configurations use a peristaltic pump to deliver liquid samples to a nebulizer and spray chamber, generating a fine aerosol that is introduced into the plasma. When coupled with a laser ablation (LA) system, LA-ICP-MS becomes a powerful tool for direct solid sample analysis, eliminating the need for sample dissolution. In LA-ICP-MS, a high-energy pulsed laser removes material from the sample surface in a controlled way (ablation), producing a dry aerosol that is carried into the plasma by a carrier gas flow. LA-ICP-MS excels in delivering spatially resolved elemental data, enabling detailed chemical imaging. The funding received from FWO is intended for the acquisition of a femtosecond LA-unit with a cryostage. In combination with ICP-MS instrumentation, this set-up will enable high-resolution (down to 1 µm) elemental bio-imaging of cryopreserved tissue samples for elemental and isotopic mapping providing information on disease progression and treatment outcome.
   
• Prof. Sandra Van Vlierberghe — MORPH: Multispectral Orthogonal Volumetric Printing for Controlled Integration of Structure, Function, and Biology. The acquisition of the multiwavelength volumetric 3D printer will provide a unique platform to fabricate highly complex, biomimetic tissue models with spatial control over material composition, mechanical properties, and bioactivity. By enabling the integration of multiple materials within a single construct, this technology can better replicate the heterogeneity of tumor microenvironments, including gradients in stiffness, vascularization, and biochemical signaling. This capability is relevant for cancer research, as it allows the creation of advanced in vitro tumor models that more accurately mimic disease progression and cell–cell interactions. Such models could improve the study of tumor biology, metastasis, and drug response, ultimately supporting the development of more effective and personalized cancer therapies.
   
• Prof. Celine Everaert — HyperSpace: a High-Throughput Scalable Omics Platform for Accelerated Exploration and Clinical Translation. In recent years, spatial transcriptomics and proteomics technologies have become integral to fundamental research, offering unprecedented insights into RNA and protein expression within tissue architecture and enabling detailed mapping of cell-cell interactions. These advancements have led to breakthroughs across various fields, including immunology and oncology. Unbiased or high-plex platforms are particularly valuable during the discovery phase, allowing broad screening. However, translating these findings into clinical applications or generating 3D spatial maps requires a higher throughput by faster turnaround times and reduced costs. This can be achieved by transitioning from high-plex discovery platforms over intermediate mid-plex solutions to oligoplex platforms. The proposed instrumentation spans this entire spectrum. The Lunaphore COMET system supports 40- plex imaging of up to 20 samples per week, while the combination of the Leica autostainer and the Akoya HT PhenoImager enables 9-plex imaging of up to 80 samples per day. This project brings together the spatial omics expertise of the VIB-UGent campus and the histology proficiency of the Core ARTH at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
   
• Prof. Tom Taghon — Spectral and imaging-based high-end cell sorter for biomedical research. The BD FACSDiscover S8 Cell Sorter with BD CellView Image Technology and BD SpectralFX Technology, is the first spectral flow cytometer sorter with sort-capable image analysis. This instrument therefore expands the power of cell analysis and sorting to new dimensions by combining spectral flow cytometry with real-time spatial and morphological insights. This empowers scientists to address previously impossible-to-answer questions. The instrument will be equipped with 5 lasers and 78 fluorescent detectors and will also contains 6 image detectors. More info available via this link. The instrument will be fully integrated into the Ghent University Flow Cytometry Core facility and installed on the UZ campus. Booking and management will go through the CFMS platform.
   
• Prof. Dieter Deforce — A novel multi-omics approach to probe the metabolome–epigenetic connection in cancer. ProGenTomics will acquire the state-of-the-art ZenoTOF 8600 mass spectrometer from AB SCIEX to decode cancer beyond the genome. The new instrument will power a unique multi-omics platform that simultaneously profiles the histone epigenome, the metabolome, and the proteome from the same biological sample — three deeply intertwined molecular layers that together define how a cancer cell actually behaves. This integrated view is particularly compelling in oncology, where altered metabolism is not merely a bystander of tumor development but an active driver that rewires the epigenetic landscape and reshapes protein expression. By capturing all three layers at once, ProGenTomics aims to map the molecular networks that underlie different cancer phenotypes, with Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a key disease model. Check out their BioRXiv preprint that demo's the data that you can expect from your own samples via this link! This new capability will be made broadly accessible to the Belgian cancer research community through the UGent core facility infrastructure, and was obtained in collaboration with leading experts in proteomics and metabolomics at VIB-KU Leuven and Ghent University (Prof. Bart Ghesquière and Prof. Bryan Gonzales).

If you believe one of these infrastructures could support or enhance your research, please do not hesitate to get in touch.