iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Nederlandse taalvaardigheid ontstaat op de lagere en middelbare school. Maar, bro, helaas gaat de lees- en schrijfvaardigheid enorm achteruit. De universiteit kan dit niet repareren. De politiek is aan zet. Verbiedt de gsm op het lager en middelbaar onderwijs en vervang het door een boek en een pen.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Daarnaast doet de universiteit aan outreach activiteiten, zoals Dag van de Wetenschap, om resultaten van onderzoek voor een lekenpubiek toe te lichten.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Toegankelijkheid van wetenschap vergroot je niet door in het Nederlands te publiceren. Je schaadt er eerder de internationale impact mee. Het is de taak van wetenschapsjournalisten (bestaan er nog wetenschapsredacties bij kranten?) om een vertaalslag te maken voor het algemeen publiek.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Een aantal internationale professoren aan KU Leuven, waaronder ik, schreef dit opinie-artikel in De Standaard. Deze krant had onlangs kritiek op de 'verengelsing' van de academische wereld - onder andere het publiceren van PhD thesissen in de Engelse taal. www.standaard.be/opinies/vlaa...

standaard.be

Vlaanderen futureproof maken lukt alleen met Engelse taalvaardigheid

Door het Engels te omarmen als lingua franca in academisch onderzoek wissen we onze Vlaamse wortels niet uit, schrijft een groep internationale professoren van de KU Leuven. We zetten de deuren open voor samenwerking, investeringen en talent.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

The chemistry prize must be respected!

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

After a close friend was diagnosed with cancer, medical student Emeric Bomans at KU Leuven decided to run the Antwerp full marathon on October 19, 2025. I am joining this year as well. Please consider donating to Emeric’s cause. And any gift above 40 EUR is tax deductable (in Belgium).

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Some journeys are even tougher – getting diagnosed and facing a battle with cancer, for example. Fortunately, I have never encountered this, but many people have.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Run for tomorrow - donate.kuleuven.cloud/crowdfunding... You may know that I am an avid runner, for >35 years. The older, the more motivated I became. Last year, I ran my first full marathon. When I crossed the finish line, I thought: "This was the toughest thing I’ve ever done (beside a PhD)."

donate.kuleuven.cloud

Run for Tomorrow: Antwerpen Marathon tegen kanker

Ik ben Emeric Bomans, student in mijn tweede bachelor geneeskunde aan de KU Leuven. Kanker vormt één van de grootste uitdagingen in de geneeskunde. Maar voor mij werd deze ziekte plots ...

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Because phosphonate esters can be steered in their selectivity, we think that these molecules will find future use for real-time imaging of various serine proteases in dynamic processes.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Congrats to first author JP, who did the bulk of the work during his PhD, from chemical synthesis of these challenging molecules, to biochemistry and cell biology. Thanks also to Jonathan, Marcin and Dimitris who performed experiments at the revision stage.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

This year, we ran 14.25 km, referring to the year that KU Leuven was founded, now 600 years ago.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Because of preparation for the new semester haven't had time yet to write about this. Two weeks ago, I participated in the yearly University Trail @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social with post-doc Roeland Vanhoutte, PhD student Femke Speelman-Rooms and her co-promotor Flore Sneyers

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Reposted by Verhelst Lab

Virtual ChemBioTalks @chembiotalks.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

The 5th Virtual @chembiotalks.bsky.social on September 30th are one week away. We have an exciting program including our keynotes Sarah O'Connor (@oconnorlab.bsky.social) and @craigmcrews.bsky.social. Make sure to register for free: web.cvent.com/event/... #ChemSky #ChemBio

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Monday, during the first session of the Polish Peptide Symposium, there was a power outage. Speaker Anna Wardowska went in front of the audience anyway and held an impressive talk without slides about peptides as immune regulators. Fortunately for other speakers, electricity was back within 20 min.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Polish peptide symposium at a wellness hotel in Szklarska Poreba. Starting the day well with a 1.5h treadmill run...

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

There are still 6 days left to apply for these two positions in my lab! 1 PhD student position in Organic Synthesis (focus on carbohydrates) and one in Cell Biology/Biochemistry.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Congrats to all authors and thanks to Michel Sanner and Stefano Forli at Scripps for the collaboration.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

We think that the SODA building blocks are beneficial because the ID-ing of modification sites is now independent of probe structure, which is particularly attractive for probes that are prone to fragmentation, such as peptide-based probes.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

In silico docking revealed that residues in close proximity to the diazirine nitrogen were also amongst the modified residues detected in the LC-MS3 measurements.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

As proof of principle, we incorporated the SODA building blocks into Pepstatin A, a natural product that targets aspartic proteases. We were able to covalently modify target proteases, optimize sulfoxide cleavage, and identify the modification site on the target protease.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Our latest manuscript has now appeared in Analytical Chemistry! We designed SODA (sulfoxide-diazirine). It enables photoaffinity labeling and subsequent MS-based cleavage of the probe, leaving a small fingerprint on the modified digested peptide. pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

pubs.acs.org

Sulfoxide-diazirine (SODA) as a Cleavable Photoaffinity Group To Enable the Identification of Photolabeled Modification Sites via LC–MS3

Photoaffinity labeling is a common approach in chemical proteomics for the identification of small-molecule probe targets. However, the modification site on the target protein remains difficult to ide...

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Are you interested in chemical biology approaches and like to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment, with excellent scientific training possibilities? See above links for details on the projects and how to apply!

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

My lab has two open positions! One in Organic Chemistry (focus on carbohydrates), one in Cell Biology/Biochemistry. Deadline Sept 3rd, 2025! PhD student Organic Synthesis: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... PhD student Cell Biology/Biochemistry: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

kuleuven.be

PhD student in Organic Synthesis

Organic synthesis in chemical biology project

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Vacation to Norway (by train and ferry) without laptop. Only replied to emails if highly urgent. It was a relaxing vacation with nature, museums and running. On the evening I got back, exhausted, I went into the moshpit a Therapy? concert in my hometown Leuven. Feeling 17 again. Battery recharged.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Our department has an open position for a research professor in Translational Research on Molecular Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer. For more details, see: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... Deadline for application: Sept 2, 2025

kuleuven.be

Research professor in Translational Research on Molecular Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer (BOFZAP)

The Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine – KU Leuven is recruiting a professor in Translational Research on Molecular Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer.

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Reposted by Verhelst Lab

Virtual ChemBioTalks @chembiotalks.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

We are about to finalize the program for this year's Virtual ChemBioTalks and we are very excited about the lineup we have been able to put together including our keynotes Craig Crews and Sarah O’Connor. Already mark your calendars for September 30th at 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. CEST! #ChemBio #ChemSky

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

The policy and decisions of the current US president have nothing to do with democracy. Republicans in congress should take a good look in the mirror and stand up against his actions, because I am sure this type of ruling of the country is not what any party in the US actually wants.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I cannot stay quiet about what happens in the US. Today, I read that the current US president bars Harvard University from enrolling international students. As an undergraduate, I spent 6-7 months at Harvard in the lab of Hidde Ploegh. This has had a bit impact on my career.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

What gives energy and what drains energy? Aim to incorporate more of those things in life that give rather than drain energy!

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

This resonated well with me, because being a scientist to me does not feel like a job, it feels like an identity. I do take some papers home to review for journals. But once in a while, I also take my kids to the lab to have them build molecules with a molecule building kit in my office.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

As a post-doc at Stanford, I followed a course on how to become a PI. One of the thoughts of (I think) Prof. John Boothroyd, was to take a bit of work to home, but also to take a bit of home to work.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I also run - since I was 10 or 11. And it is rewarding to see that 2025 has been my best running year so far - with new best times at the half marathon, the 10k and the 5k. For the 5k, a distance that I hadn't run since my late teens, I am now faster my 16-year-old self.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

First of all, I aim to read a lot of fiction. Non-fiction teaches you about the world, but fiction teaches you about yourself. Would you do the same as the protagonist in a novel? I try to read (average) 3-4 books a month (including the occasional book of poetry)

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Me? I like to set goals. But you should set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Not: I want to get fit (not specific and measurable), but: I want to bike **km in ** time within the next ** months.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Balancing academic life - what does that mean? I think this is highly dependent on you as a person! What are your needs? What do you want to do or achieve outside your job?

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I am happy to share that my post-doc Denise-Liu Leone, who very recently joined my lab, obtained a @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social junior post-doc fellowship. Her enthusiasm and dedication are inspiring, and I look forward to working with her.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I went there as a synthetic chemist, but came back as an aspiring life scientist.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

My time in his lab - which only stretched 6-7 months - has had a lasting impact on my career. It was there, that I fell in love with proteases, I met my later post-doc advisor @mbogyo.bsky.social, performed my first cell culture under guidance of @kesslerbenedikt001.bsky.social, and learned a lot!

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Last Saturday, I attended - unfortunately not live, but hybrid - the retirement symposium of Prof. Hidde Ploegh. I enjoyed presentations of @kesslerbenedikt001.bsky.social @mbogyo.bsky.social, Domenic Tortorella, various other alumni of the lab, and of course of Hidde himself

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I was happy to hear that my talk resonated well with the audience.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Last year, I was promoted to full professor. Nonetheless, I still have doubts about myself very often. This is what keeps me - hopefully - improving myself throughout the years. So doubt yourself, and keep on improving!

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Conducting science equals having doubts. So it is normal to doubt yourself and your own ideas. If you don't doubt your own preconceived ideas, you may know less about the world than a monkey (see Hans Rosling's inspiring talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVim...)

youtube.com

The best stats you've ever seen | Hans Rosling

YouTube video by TED

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Rewarding to see how undergraduates, PhD students and post-docs that I have trained in the lab, find their way in their future career. This can be academia such as @mbarniolx.bsky.social @mprothiwa.bsky.social but also industry or consulting. When they achieve their goal, I have been successful.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

It turned out, I had too many ideas than my two hands could perform, so I pursued the academic track. I am sure I would have been happy in other roles as well, but I admit - despite the work pressure - that I enjoy my academic journey.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

After my PhD, I did not have a clear idea of my career path. Hence, I did a post-doc, guided by my friend @mbogyo.bsky.social who I met at Harvard Medical School when I performed an undergraduate internship.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I would like to emphasize that getting therapy or a mental coach should become a sign of strength, not weakness. Nowadays, it is well accepted to hire a coach for physical strength, for weight lifting etc, so why not for mental fitness?

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I discussed how I struggled as a PhD student. Colleagues who started later than me were getting papers published, which made me doubt myself. I had a hard time focusing and getting things done. But I persevered because of a mental coach, sports, friends, reading fiction and writing fiction.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I deliberately put a screenshot of the movie This is Spinal Tap! on my title slide, specifically the quote "It's such a fine line between stupid, and, eh... clever." That is science. We brainstorm, and sometimes the idea is not viable, sometimes, the idea turns out to be brilliant.

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Verhelst Lab @verhelstlab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Last week, I attended a networking event of the lab where I did my PhD: Biosyn in Leiden, since early 2000s led by Hermen Overkleeft. My presentation was about balancing academic life. Because I had the feeling, at several points in my career, that I was on the edge of failure and success

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