Next stop for our Robbie the Scientist kits: PXL STEM Academy

Our Robbie the Scientist kits made their way to the PXL STEM Academy, where children got hands-on with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

This time, they explored 3D printing, creating spooky Halloween-themed figures out of chocolate! 🍫👻 Even the national news stopped by to see the excitement. You can read the full article here.

Want to spark curiosity in your classroom, camp, or STEM event? Don't hesitate to get in touch to use our science kits! 👉 Contact us via [email protected] !

Our molecular speed camera featured in EOS Wetenschap

Eos Wetenschap recently published an interview about our latest research on a 'molecular speed camera', a novel approach to identifying gas molecules by tracking how fast they move out of nanoporous materials.

Curious to learn more?

💡 Read the full article here.

💡Dive into the details in our paper.

💡Or watch our explainer video below ⬇️.

All eyes on MOFs: our research featured after Nobel Prize

Following the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry — awarded to pioneers in the field of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) — our group has received media attention for our related research.

📺 VRT NWS visited our lab to film and discuss our ongoing work on MOFs and their applications.

📰 In addition, VOKA (Vlaams netwerk van ondernemingen) featured an interview with two of our postdoctoral researchers, highlighting the potential of MOF-based sensing technologies. The interview can be found here (page 16).

Our kinetic selectivity research highlighted in national media

Our research introducing a molecular speed camera to the world of chemical sensors has been featured in the national media! 📰✨

In our latest paper, we demonstrate how a single sensing element can overcome a key challenge faced by state-of-the-art commercial sensors.

💡 Curious to learn more?

📖 Read, 👁️ Watch or 👂 Listen!

Miriam receives ERC Starting Grant for her IMMPACT project

Congratulations to Miriam on receiving an ERC Starting Grant for her IMMPACT project! The project introduces a pioneering strategy: compartmentalizing supramolecular catalysts based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), photosensitizers, sacrificial reagents, and charge carriers within liposome-based nanoreactors.

We wish her all the best in her future endeavors with the V&T Group!

Margot wins first prize at Falling Walls Lab Leuven!

Congratulations to Margot for winning first prize at Falling Walls Lab Leuven 2025!

With her pitch on "Breaking the wall of Selective Gas Detection", she will be representing KU Leuven at the international Falling Walls Lab 2025 in Berlin.

Interested in discovering more about a dog's nose in a sensor? Watch her 3 minute pitch below or read about kinetic selectivity sensing here.

Jennifer receives first prize for best oral presentation!

At the 20th edition of the Young Belgian Magnetic Resonance Symposium, Jennifer was awarded first prize for the best oral presentation. Her talk featured an in-depth 2D HETCOR study on the influence of water on the chemical shift in 31P ssNMR of NU-1000 post-synthetically modified with phenylphosphonic acid.

Congratulations Jennifer!

Our MOFKADD project receives ERC Proof of Concept grant!

We are delighted to announce that we received a European Research Council Proof of Concept (ERC PoC) grant for our MOFKADD project!

Diabetes mellitus is a global health concern affecting 537 million people and resulting in over 6.7 million deaths yearly. Diagnosis currently relies on blood analysis, which is expensive, time-consuming, and invasive. Breath analysis based on the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a promising non-invasive alternative. However, selectively measuring specific VOCs in breath is challenging due to their low concentrations and the presence of interfering compounds. Since current miniature sensors cannot efficiently distinguish between VOCs, there is a need for a novel technology capable of distinguishing a VOC of interest from a complex background. This project aims to address this challenge by combining a highly promising class of porous crystalline materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with sensor technology. A novel sensing concept based on the kinetic selectivity in the pores of the MOFs will be leveraged to mimic nature’s approach to olfaction and enable selective sensing. A demonstrator will be established to enable diabetes mellitus diagnosis and prove the breakthrough potential of this disruptive sensing platform

Víctor receives best oral presentation award @EUROCVD/ BALTIC ALD!

Congratulations to Víctor Rubio-Giménez for receiving the best senior oral presentation award at the EUROCVD / Baltic ALD conference!

Read all about his work on the chemical vapor deposition of Cu-BHT here, or on the publication page.

Rob receives the Laureate of the Academy Award from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts!

Rob is honored to receive the Laureate of the Academy Award from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. Many thanks to the wonderful group members past and present for their commitment!