In October 2024, the VIB blog published an article highlighting the success of the Twin4Promis project, with a particular focus on the fruitful collaboration between the NHRF and VIB. Specifically, the article explored the scientific partnership between the Skretas Lab, led by Dr. Georgios Skretas at the Institute of Chemical Biology, NHRF, and the Twin4Promis advanced partner, the Switch Lab at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, led by Dr. Joost Schymkowitz and Frederic Rousseau.

As mentioned in a previous article, this summer the Switch Lab hosted Effie Karyda, a junior PhD student from the Skretas Lab, for a three-month research visit. Effie’s PhD research focuses on the interactions between crystallins—the main proteins in the eye lens—which, when aggregated, can lead to cataracts. She is studying these interactions in relation to specific peptides identified in the Skretas Lab.

Moreover, in early October, several of Effie’s colleagues had the opportunity to visit the Switch Lab for a Biophysics Workshop. The event, designed for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from Greece, consisted of three days of hands-on, expert-led sessions. Participants also had the chance to apply the new techniques to their own samples, gaining valuable practical experience.

Twin4Promis would like to thank the VIB blog for sharing these milestones and highlighting the project’s efforts to enhance the skills of young scientists and junior researchers from its expanding network of partners. The core mission of Twin4Promis lies not only in strengthening the young scientific community but also in fostering vital synergies to address the challenges of protein misfolding.

Find the full article here.