VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology Messens Lab

Lab life

G-ReXS, 8th WC Hydrogen Sulfide in Biology, and GRC 2026

Daria is getting the attention of the audience of the G-ReXS Daria presents the mechanism of PersIc Pari and Daria at the poster session Naemi at her poster Julia at her poster Naemi explaining her poster to Bruno Andre Poster flash talk of Naemi at the GRC Naemi's flash talk certificate Julia presents her hetero-decameric-Prdx story Explaining the effect of PTMs Julia answers interesting questions Isra at his horizontal poster at the Hydrogen Sulfide conference

Potluck lunch and visit Dasha Kotova

potluck lunch under a tree on the VUB campus Goodbye gifts for Nerea Everybody eats well in Belgium A taste of Belgium Joris introduces Daria Kotova Daria presents her research topic at the university of Leiden How do Julia and Joris compare in size to the cryo-EM microscope?

PhD defence Tzu Keng Shen

Shen started his presentation Explaining the chemistry Cellular dynamics Chair, promoters and jury members Shen during the degree declaration Shen gets two PhD degrees! Shen signs his ULB PhD certificate Joris's speech for Shen Shen listens to how science and cuisine are related You did it! Congratulations! Another postdoctoral researcher in the lab A wonderful team!

BCRB Spring Symposium 2026

Group picture Joris teaches how to model proteins with a disulfide bond PersIc Joris presents the PersIc models Isra present PersIcFLEX The role of sulfur a collaborative effort

May 2026 festivities at the Messens lab

Daria opens her birthday gift A board game! The science of spice for Joris's birthday Laboratory test tubes filled with spices! Isra cuts the birthday cake Happy birthday Daria, Joris,and Nlandu! Celebrating our scientific achievements Good food, drinks, and fun The Redox lab connects with friends at Brasserie Surréaliste

PhD defence of Israel Pérez Chávez

Isra's PhD defence being announced Isra is ready to take off Isra teaches Isra teaches Being not alone Answering questions Joachim is challenging Isra Isra receives his certificate from Remy, the chair Line-up of promoters and jury Joris explains how an emotional lover of dinosaurs can survive the Redox Lab Isra tests a fluorescent biosensor in dinosaurs Isra with his fluorescent dino Daria introduces us to Isra's writing style Daria presents Isra's Whatsapp style Daria hugs Isra Esteban hugs Isra Isra is surrounded by the redox team Isra gets carried away Isra shows proudly his new title

PhD defence of Julia Malo Pueyo

Julia presents her thesis The jury members dress in their gowns, and the show begins Julia is ready to take off Julia presents a protein resembling a string of pearls The string of pearls folds The jury is paying close attention Wim, the chair, presents the PhD certificate Wim, the chair, congrats Julia with her PhD degree Joris congrats Julia Julia is surrounded by the jury members Joris is delivering an appraisal speech for Julia Flowers for Julia Isra is having fun At the party Julia is happy!

Epiphany 2026

Shen is cutting the pastry cake Siska selects the pieces of the cake Elena found a little donkey statue in her piece of cake Julia crowns Elena Elena is the Epiphany Queen of 2026 Enjoying the cake filled with frangipane

Invisible friends 2025 with Quiz

potluck party The gifts Elena serves drinks Isra our invisible friend master Johanna unwraps Siska and Johanna enjoying Helping Shen Helping Quentin Helping Daria Invisible friends group photo Ready for the quiz The quiz team Visiting the Christmas market

Messens lab @EMBO-workshop on thiols-based redox switches

the location the location arriving at the workshop Julia presenting Joris presenting Shen presenting Siska presenting early morning swim Seva and Joris discussing science Seva and Joris discussion life flying out

Master student Olivier presenting

going back in time master thesis defence teaching master thesis defence

Lab retreat 2025 @Pairi Daiza

Mountain View at the dino's Julia and Siska exploring looking for animals taking a break making photo's ice cream for the redox team ice cream for the redox team Isra in his habitat Having lunch our new friend Happy team members

Spring cleaning 2025

Naemi Siska Shen Siska Daria

Presenting our scientific topics

Daria and Siska @ Msc thesis fair - hunting for students Shen's talk @ULB Isra's talk @ULB On our way to the VIB seminar At the VIB seminar More than just a stink: The benefits of fart odor Explaining the thiol protection mechanism Shen with his protecting cap Shen carefully dots the 'i'

Visit Vladi - February 2025

Introduction of Vladi's talk pizza with our guest speaker Discussing science during the pizza lunch

Make your invisible friend visible - 2024

Isra is again our Invisible Friend master Homemade food Gifts waiting to be exchanged Who will be my friend this year? Waiting for the gift exchange Khadija is telling a story What to choose from all the delicious food? Enjoying the potluck food party Escape room team one Escape room team two Escape room team three Our certified elite secret agents

From Lab to Life: A Symphony of Redox Sensations - 13 September 2024

The Messens lab proudly hosted the 15th Brussels Center of Redox Biology Fall Symposium, paired for the first time with the 3rd Biosensor Brussels Symposium! 

Redox biology has long been at the forefront of advancing our understanding of oxidative stress, cellular signaling, and disease progression. Meanwhile, biosensor technology is revolutionizing how we detect and measure biological processes with incredible precision, monitoring cellular events at the organelar level in real-time. The general theme, "From Lab to Life: A Symphony of Redox Sensations," reflects the exciting intersection of these two dynamic fields.
 

group photo Pre-symposium drink Pre-symposium dinner In the lecture hall Discussing science Shen brings an exciting persulfidation story Coffee break Happy team after a great symposium A gift for Julia, our symposium organiser Julia did a great job! She is a talented organiser! Daphne meets Bruce Olga's biscuits for our team Drinks after the symposium BBQ salades BBQ Kicker game at night

The Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling GRS/GRC 2024

The Messens lab shined at the Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling GRS/GRC in Spain! Julia and Shen wowed the audience with their contributions. Julia won the best talk award (GRS) ?and Shen took home the best poster prize (GRC) and an award for the best scientific question (GRS)! ? #RedoxRegulation #ScienceExcellence #ProudMoment

GRC group photo GRS group photo Julia with her best talk award Shen with his best scientific question award GRC poster award for Shen View from the hotel Excellent Spanish food @ the beach bar the beach @ night Barcelona: night view from Montjuïc

Our youngest Redox team member

Visiting Daria and Daphne a new team member Daria and Daphne Daphne A redox baby!

PhD defence of Anna Caccamo

Anna's first slide Superhero APX2 is the protagonist of her story Convincing data Answering the questions of the jury A Superhero speech for Wonder Woman Anna Spiderman speech for Wonder Woman Wonder woman has shown how to defeat the enemy The battle came to an end - Congratulations Anna! Anna after the defence apéro

Make your invisible friend visible - 2023

invisible friends virtual room 3 virtual room virtual room 2 danger

Julia presents her doctoral research project on the Prdx2:STAT3 complex

Julia excelled at the Düsseldorf Redox Biology Meeting

Julia at her poster Julia explaining her scientific approach Julia explaining the reaction mechanism Discussing at the bar Julia on stage (1) Julia on stage (2) Julia on stage (3)

Presenting our latest findings at IMOB23 Biosensor conference

The glycolysis-gluconeogenesis balance HYLighted Daria presenting HyPerFast

Ahmed and Ariana aced their Master thesis defense

Ahmed's defense Ariana's defense Ariana and Ahmed A wake-up call for Ahmed unwrapping a special tea mug We take pride in Ariana and Ahmed's outstanding performance

Ting's public PhD defence

Answering questions Answering questions Daria's laudatio for Ting Ting as Adam interacting with the Redox lab - Daria's slide show The BCRB T-shirt gift Cheers! Group photo with the jury Group photo with the Redox lab Group photo Group photo with his Jaitip Thai restaurant experience after the defence

Ting's goodbye lunch

Chinese sweet ice tea Ting and Shen Plenty of excellent Chinese food

Public PhD defense Trung Nghia Vo

PhD defense Nghia PhD defense Nghia PhD defence Nghia PhD defense Nghia

'My name is Bond, Disulfide Bond'

Daria found a cute dunky and gets the crown Epiphany 2023 Our invited speaker Jing Yang - 16 December 2022 Biosensors Brussels Symposium 2022: Tuning the fluorescence of a β-barrel Julia supervises Cara @ the Biotech Summer School 2022 Redox picnic July 2022 Redox picnic July 2022 Redox picnic July 2022 Redox picnic July 2022 Coffee break @ 2022 BCRB Spring Symposium Julia presents her data @ 2022 BCRB Spring Symposium Anna presents her data @ 2022 BCRB Spring Symposium Goodbye lunch for Nghia Master thesis fair 2022 Goodbye drink Aram @VUB Virtual room escape in our virtual escape game @ the restaurant In Brussels with the Tobias' lab Making chocolates Escape Hunt @ the restaurant Escape Hunt Perpignan Hiking in Perpignan Daria at the beach Messens Lab goes Scottish Going Scottish A strong team Archery Cooking together Tasting our prepared dinner Ready for our kayak adventure Paddles up On the river Helping Brandan Lost our kayaks Vib New Year event Messens lab 2014 Messens lab 2008 Messens Lab 2013 Messens lab 2009 Messens lab 2006 My name is Bond, Disulfide Bond Messens lab 2005