Waffles in the vending machines

Coffee break.

I knew I had made it to Belgium when I saw the waffles in the vending machine at the airport in Brussels. Maybe it’s a stereotype, but if so, I’m glad it’s one that’s true. I was excited to be in Belgium to visit the people and facilities at IMEC. My research advisor, Dr. Konstantopoulos, had asked me if I wanted to go to Leuven for a week to talk about potential projects with our collaborators at IMEC and do some preliminary experiments, and I jumped at the chance. Specifically, I brought cell migration devices fabricated in our lab to IMEC to perform proof-of-concept experiments with Nicolas Barbera, who works for Dr. Konstantopoulos, and member of Dr. Liesbet Lagae’s lab. Although the trip was short, I had great time, saw several interesting places, and met many wonderful people.

When I arrived in Leuven, I took a stroll to find some food and acclimate myself to the city. I eventually made it to the Leuven city center and enjoyed some steak and frites, a popular Belgium dish. I really enjoyed Leuven, with its historic city center and university town vibe. It is a very walkable city, and nearly everyone I ran into spoke English.

More later....

Blog post by Colin Paul