The first stone ceremony of the new Bio-Accelerator in Ghent has been held on March 6th!

Flemish Minister Philippe Muyters: "With this important investment in new state-of-the-art infrastructure, VIB and Ghent University ensure that our top researchers can continue to make important breakthroughs. Their achievements are, after all, the reason that Flanders is internationally renowned for its high-quality biotech research and a proactive approach to translate the research results into economic and social added value. This can count as a business card!"

The UGent-VIB Research Building FSVM II, named after Ghent biotech pioneers Fiers, Schell and Van Montagu, will be physically connected to the current VIB-UGent Research Building FSVM I. All VIB-UGent research groups will be housed on one site in the centre of the Life Sciences cluster.

SumProject is responsible for the design in co-operation with SVR-Architects.

Facts and figures:

• ±15.000 m² for up to 250 researchers including

• Laboratories and greenhouses

• Office spaces, meeting spaces

• Parking facilities for 150 cars and 200 bikes

• A new UGent-restaurant as a central facility for everyone at the ‘Tech Lane Science Park’, with a capacity of 350 people.