“Learn about Leading Examples: A Roadmap for Regional Development through Continuation and Impact”

This Newsletter features a special interview with Dr. Lieve Ongena, Senior Science Policy Manager and Head of the International Grants Office at VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) in Belgium, who also serves as a member of the Toyama Pharmaceutical Consortium Advisory Board.
Uncover the secrets behind Belgium’s transformation into a major life sciences hub through this exclusive discussion. This article details VIB’s successful model, showcasing how dedicated long-term funding for biotechnology research drives remarkable economic growth and innovation. The insights here are highly relevant for the Toyama Pharmaceutical Valley Development Consortium’s mission of regional revitalization.

• This special interview is available for download as an English PDF from the link below:
  https://kusuri-consortium.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Newsletter_TOYAMA_eng.pdf

• For the complete interview in its original Japanese format, please refer to the following articles:
  Part 1: https://kusuri-consortium.jp/column/vib_part1/
  Part 2: https://kusuri-consortium.jp/column/vib_part2/
  

• This Newsletter is a revised version of articles originally published in “KTT Tsushin,” our email newsletter, on October 7 and October 15, 2025.
• Reference: VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) https://vib.be