From 9 to 13 June 2025, Brussels will become the international hub for pioneering and animal-friendly health research. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is proud to serve as both organiser and host of the Microphysiological Systems World Summit – a leading global conference that will bring together scientists, clinicians, policymakers and technologists from around the world to explore one central question: how can we achieve medical breakthroughs without the use of laboratory animals? The conference will be chaired by VUB Professor Mathieu Vinken.
The full programme and registration details are available on the official website
The opening of the summit on Tuesday 10 June will be marked by the presence of Flemish Minister for Education and Animal Welfare, Ben Weyts. A vocal advocate for alternatives to animal testing, his attendance underscores the growing political and societal significance of these technologies. “If we have the knowledge to study diseases in a different way, then we have a duty to use it,” the minister stated.
At the heart of the summit are so-called microphysiological systems (MPS) – or in plain English, chips that simulate miniature versions of human organs or tissues. These ‘organs-on-a-chip’ enable researchers to replicate, for example, lungs, livers or intestines and observe how they respond to medicines, viruses or inflammation. And all of this is achieved without the involvement of mice, rats or monkeys. What still sounds like science fiction today is on the verge of becoming reality in everyday medical practice. MPS offer not only an ethical alternative to animal testing, but also a far more precise way to understand how the human body functions.
The first day of the summit, Monday 9 June, will be reserved for closed-door workshops with experts from Belgium and abroad. From Tuesday onwards, the conference will open its doors to a wider audience, with a full week of talks, debates and networking events. There will also be a permanent poster exhibition, offering visitors an accessible introduction to the latest breakthroughs and experimental developments in the field.
The programme will address a broad range of topics – from optimising the technology itself to its use in tackling cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions, and the development of personalised treatments. A major focus will also be on how governments and regulatory bodies can recognise and integrate these new systems into policy. While the technology is evolving at lightning speed, legal and societal frameworks are often slow to catch up.
VUB, which has long championed research that is both innovative and socially relevant, is proud to be hosting this international summit. In partnership with the International Microphysiological Systems Society (iMPSs) and the European Organ-on-Chip Society (EurOoCs), the university aims not only to unite the global scientific community but also to involve the wider public in this crucial step towards research that reduces reliance on animal testing.