Kevin Verstrepen

Kevin Verstrepen has established himself as a leading figure in genetics, genomics, and beer research, currently serving as Director of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology and the Leuven Institute for Beer Research (LIBR). After completing his biological engineering studies and PhD at KU Leuven, he pursued postdoctoral research at MIT under genetics pioneer Gerald Fink, focusing on yeast genome instabilities. His career trajectory led him to Harvard University as a Fellow and Lecturer, where he taught industrial microbiology and earned recognition for his teaching excellence, including Harvard's Derek Bok award. Since returning to KU Leuven in 2009, he has made significant contributions to understanding rapid evolution and yeast genetics, particularly in brewing applications. As director of LIBR since 2012, he oversees comprehensive beer-related research spanning raw materials, fermentation, and brewing processes. His scientific achievements include receiving highly competitive grants from ERC and HFSP, an EMBO YIP fellowship, and the Leo Errera Award for general biology research. His research group maintains an extensive yeast collection and conducts groundbreaking work in characterizing industrial yeasts and mapping their genetic properties. Beyond his research, Verstrepen actively mentors students and has fostered successful careers among his former team members, with many now holding prestigious positions in academia and industry. His impact on the field is reflected in his extensive publication record of over 100 scientific papers and his role in developing innovative brewing technologies and superior yeast strains.