Isabel Beets

Isabel Beets is an Assistant Professor at the KU Leuven, affiliated with the Department of Biology under the Faculty of Science. She leads the Neural Signaling and Circuit Plasticity research group and is a member of the KU Leuven Brain Institute. Her roles include promotor for multiple research projects focused on neuropeptide signaling, GPCR interactions, and neuroimmune responses in C. elegans.

Her research explores the molecular mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and behavior in C. elegans through neuropeptide-GPCR networks. Key projects include decoding neuromodulatory networks, functional characterization of peptide GPCRs, and mapping organism-wide neuromodulatory signaling. Her work spans evolutionary biology, systems neuroscience, and pharmacology, with a focus on conserved signaling systems and their implications for human health.

Recent publications highlight advancements in virtual screening of GPCR agonists (DeorphaNN), analysis of neuropeptide signaling dynamics, and the role of glycoprotein hormone-like systems in intestinal rhythmicity. Her studies integrate single-cell transcriptomics, in vivo neural dynamics, and computational modeling to unravel principles of nervous system structure and function.

She teaches courses in Biology and Biotechnology and mentors collaborative research initiatives. Her lab’s funding includes grants for projects like Peptide Biodiversity: Advancing Human Health Through Nature’s Pharmacological Treasures, emphasizing evolutionary and translational approaches to drug discovery.