Name Activity "Brussels Diabetes Research Pole" "Brussels Diabetes Research Pole is focused on studying the mechanisms of dysfunction, death and regeneration of pancreatic beta cells in diabetes and the discovery of new biomarkers for beta cell imaging in diabetes:Beta cell imaging based on novel biomarkers, specific Nanobodies, and imaging by SPECT-CT;Identification and characterization of synthetic phytochemicals augmenting beta cell mass and preventing beta cell death in diabetes;Beta cell death, dedifferentiation and regeneration during diabetes;Development of iPSC cells to study monogenic forms of diabetes." "Diabetes Pathology & Therapy" "Bart Keymeulen" "Our unit develops knowledge, methods and strategies for early diagnonis, prevention and treatment of diabetes. This objective is addressed through projects that integrate basic research, preclinical development and clinical trials, and benefit from a multidisciplinary expertise in the fields of cell biology and pathology, animal models of disease and therapy, clinical biology and diabetology. A Functional Cytomics Core BioBank stores human samples and data in three sections, the Blood and Data Base, the Tissue and Histopathology Bank, and the Beta Cell Bank. Our projects are undertaken within the VUB-Diabetes Research Center, which includes also the VUB-units ""Beta Cell Neogenesis"" (BENE, head H. Heimberg) and ""Differentiation"" (DIFF, head L. Bouwens). They form part of the international Center for Beta Cell Therapy with its coordination unit on the VUB-medical campus. They offer master and PhD students a profound training with broad exposure to various disciplines in translational medicine." "Diabetes Clinic" "Diabetes is increasing worldwide.  There is currently no curative treatment available, but strict monitoring of sugar levels and care can help significantly reduce the discomfort and the effects of the disease.  At the Diabetes Clinic patients are welcomed and treated every day by an extensive team of specialists, including diabetologists, diabetes educators, dieticians, psychologists and administrative staff.The multidisciplinary Foot Clinic allows patients to call on a Chiropodist and on a Vascular and/or Orthopaedic Surgeon, both for preventative and therapeutic interventions.  In cases of diabetes-specific complications patients will receive multidisciplinary treatment. The Diabetes clinic offers the latest techniques and treatments, possibly through participation in scientific studies (e.g. transplantation of island cells), a field in which this centre occupies a leadership role" "Immunology & Infection" "Immunology & Infection" "Jerome HENDRIKS" "Within the capacity group immunology and infection we study the molecular and cellular pathways underlying the pathology of diseases involving the immune system such as multiple sclerosis, reumatoid arthritis and spinal cord injury. We apply the 'from bench to bedside' principle in which clinically relevent questions are addressed in cell culture models and are validated in animal models and patients. With our research we aim to improve the diagnosis, therapy or treatment of these diseases." "Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology" "Christophe Matthys" "The action of steroid hormones (more specifically androgens and vitamin D) and of polypeptide hormones (more specifically calcium regulating hormones); the regulation of these hormones and their significance in human disease; the role of these hormones in normal and abnormal cellular differentiation. Development of new techniques for the measurement of hormones, hormone-binding proteins and hormone receptors. Development of new vitamin D analogues with specific effects on differentiation and immunomodulation." "Medical Biochemistry" "Diabetes mellitus is in many cases a disease state of the pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells, which are either destroyed by an auto-immune assault (type 1 diabetes) or fail to produce and secrete sufficient amounts of insulin under different physiological conditions (type 2 diabetes). Reseach performed within the VUB-unit BIOV is situated within the Diabetes Research Centre (DRC) and has as general aim to better understand how normal beta cells work and how these cells fail during the development of diabetes. Two different aspects of this problem are studied. First, the research unit 'Molecular Pharmacolgy' within BIOV (spokesman F. Schuit) is interested in the molecular mechanisms by which normal beta cells are regulated in their secretory action. We focus on nutrients (glucose) and neutrotransmitters or hormones (glucagon, GLP-1, GIP) or pharmacological tools which mimck or counteract these natural substances. We presently study the signaling pathways of nutrients, and agents which raise cyclic AMP and focus on gene-expression networks that mediate beta-cell regulatory steps. A second part of the BIOV team (Spokesman: Bart Van der Auwera) studies the genetic factors associated with beta cell destruction and development of type I diabetes. This investigation is situated within the framework of the Belgian Diabetes Registry." "Pathologic Biochemistry and Physiology" "The department of Pathologic Biochemistry and Physiology is responsible for (post)graduate teaching in this field. It also plays a co-ordinating role in the organisation of courses and training in medical research. Within its own laboratories, the department offers training to Master and Ph.D. students in research projects in the field of diabetes. The research activities are undertaken within the broader framework of the Diabetes Research Centre.The team is composed of the university staff of the department and personnel allocated by research programmes. It has developed technical expertise in flow cytometry, cell purification, cell function and toxicity tests, protein analysis and assays, in vitro and in vivo disease models, autoantibody detection. Current projects are focused on the following subjects: 1. The analysis of pathogenic processes leading to diabetes, in particular at the level of insulin-producing ß-cells; 2. The identification and biologic significance of disease markers, and their use in clinical biology; 3. The induction of human ß-cells neogenesis; 4. The testing of pharmacologic interventions at the level of the ß-cells; 5. The development of ß-cell transplantation for treatment of diabetes." "Gene Expression Unit" "We are interested in RNA expression of mammalian insulin producing pancreatic beta cells in order to explain how these cells function in normal health and how dysfunction can cause inappropriate release of insulin and diabetes.  We study the profound phenotypic changes that occur in rodent beta cells during pregnancy.  One of these changes concern serotonin production and secretion by a subpopulation of a heterogeneous beta cell population.  We want to understand why only part of the beta cells produces serotonin and what could be the physiological function of this phenomenon.   Second, we are interested in genes that are preferentially or specifically expressed in beta cells (the zinc transporter ZnT8 being an example).  Third, we discovered by serendipity that genes exist that are expressed in all tissues, except in one tissue.  We found for instance that some genes are specifically repressed in beta cells, this in order to prevent the release of insulin under circumstances that this is not appropriate.  We were the first to report the existence of these so called “disallowed genes” and we want to better understand how these genes are regulated in normal beta cells and if environmental changes can cause a change in repression." "Department of Movement and Sports Sciences" "The Department of Movement and Sports Sciences is part of the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Ghent University. The research is strongly developed around a number of lines of research: Movement learning, Exercise physiology and Training theory, Sport management, Physical activity, fitness and health."