Name Activity "Department of Environmental Building Performance" "TOPIC A : Model Development and Model Validation (Van de Perre R.) non-empirical validation methodology empirical whole model validation methodology building energy simulation tests and diagnostic method software accreditation procedures design tools (simplified and detailed) TOPIC B : Simulation Technology for the Building Sector (Verstraete P.) appropriate use of building simulation tools training of young graduates in new technologies TOPIC C : Information Technology for the Building Sector (Van Doninck T.) design support environments knowledge based user interfaces TOPIC D : Pre-normative Research for the Building Sector (Van de Perre R.) CEN-TC89-WG6 CEN-TC89-WG4 TOPIC E : Component development - design optimisation - test procedures (Van de Perre R.) thermal dynamical behaviour analysis of building components definition and test-procedures for component thermal characteristics TOPIC F : Energy savings and Comfort evaluations in Buildings and Horticulture (Van Loeij J.) integration of solar energy systems in residential and office buildings, swimming pools, cattle sheds, ... (new built and renovation) design and control optimisation for conventional and renewable energy systems (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) energy audits / accounting and comfort evaluations energy demonstration projects for buildings and horticulture" "Department of Surgery" "The Gastrointestinal Surgery Department (GIHK) provides the surgical treatment of good and malignant disorders of the gastrointestinal tract consisting of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. The service has built an international reputation in the field of extensive or complex surgery, working closely with other specialists such as an oncologist, internist and radiotherapist.In addition, the GIHK service is for bariatric and metabolic surgery (treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2).Within the service, a team of child surgeons is responsible for the child's surgery. These surgeons are fully committed to the surgical treatment of this vulnerable patient group and work closely with the pediatric service." "Carmeliet Lab" "Peter Carmeliet" "Unraveling the molecular and cellular basis of the formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) in health and disease, and in particular the role of vascular heterogeneity and vascular metabolism herein, identify novel therapeutic pro- or anti-angiogenic treatments." "Exercise Physiology Research Group" "Katrien Koppo" "Research Exercise Physiology is one of the five units of the departement of Movement Sciences. The specific research lines of each research group all relate to the two central themes: Health & Well-being and Sports & Performance. As such, the two overarching research themes constitute the explicit link between the research groups." "Experimental Anatomy" "The department of Experimental anatomy is a basis for fundamental research of topographical, functional and clinical anatomy, polarised around the human body and its body composition. Both dissections (a detailed study of the interior human body) and plastine studies (made of prepared parts of the human body) are elements of every students' contact with anatomy. The research findings (Anatomical variations and detailed mapping experiments) keep updating in function of this type of education, with variable accents in clinical anatomy and anatomy in vivo. Furthermore its application towards rehabilitation sciences, sport sciences (performance analysis and analysis of the human motor behaviour) and ergonomics (simulation conditions and task analysis) are domains that are explored on a continuous basis. The use of electromyography, the caption of the muscular activity by means of surface electrodes, is a means to approach and study applied biomechanics which reveals the magnificent world of the interior of the living body while it is in a static or dynamic context. EXAN is also home of the GGS Manuele Therapie, arthrokinematics, isokinetics, body composition,..." "Proteinchemistry, proteomics and epigenetic signalling(PPES)" "The cluster Proteinscience, proteomics and epigenetic signalling is active on three domains: neurodegeneration, infection and inflammation. For the first part the cluster studies for example the effects of hypoxia/ischemia and the role of hemeproteins herein and how this is perceived in metabolic active tissue such as brain. In the second part the virus-ghost relationship will be studie on intra- and extracellulair level. In the final part the effects of external influences (like endocrine disruptors, hormones, oxidative stress, hypoxia, nutrients,..) will be studied in relation to the protein(signal) function and (epi)genomic regulation of inflammation in immune cells (monocyte, macrophage), cancer cells (CLL, myeloma, breast cancer, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma). All these studies will be performed at the protein, proteome and epigenome level. Following topics will be handled: ¿ Intracellular anti-HIV responses that are mediated by TRIM19 are being studied at the level of protein-protein interactions. A short amino acid sequence is attached to the PML protein, enabling the purification and characterization of PML-associated proteins from virus infected or uninfected cells. Expression and distribution of other anti-HIV proteins such as TRIM5a and APOBEC3G is being studied in immune cells (CD4+, CD8+, monocytes¿) of uninfected, HIV-infected and HIV-resistant individuals (ESN or Exposed Seronegatives). ¿ Extracellular anti-HIV responses. Proteins and peptides of cervico-vaginal washings from healthy individuals are being studied in order to catalogue the many different antimicrobial peptides and proteins that are present in the cervico-gaginal fluid. This work lies the basis for further research on biomarkers for cervix carcinoma (comparison of samples from healthy patients versus samples from precancerous patients). Furthermore, by comparison of cervico-vaginal proteomes from uninfected vs. ESN individuals, we aim to correlate proteome profiles of ESNs and their anti-HIV status. ¿ Proteomics of human adult progenitor cells In collaboration with Regenesys BVBA (Heverlee, Belgium) and Fertipro NV (Beernem, Belgium) we recently started a project wherein growth conditions of human adult progenitor cells (MultiStem®), isolated from human bone marrow, are being studied. In order to meet European guidelines, these cells must be grown in a complete synthetic medium without addition of animal substantia (eg. FCS) as is now the case. Proteomics techniques are therefore applied to identify the secretome of these cells after which growth-promoting and/or differentiating capacities of some characterised proteins on the progenitor cells will be investigated. ¿ Hypoxia/oxidative stress. The effects of hypoxia and the role of hemeproetins herein will be studied in metabolic active tissues such as the brain. The neuroprotective role of neuro- and cytoglobin will be studied in vivo and in vitro using transgenesis (knock-out, overexpressing Mouse models and cellular systems) and differential proteomicanalyses in hypoxia and ischemic mouse models. ¿ Study of the structur/function of globin based oxygensensors. The correct sensing of the oxygen concentration and its changes is of fundamental importance to the cell. One of the potential techniques for oxygen sensing is the use of globin coupled sensors (GCS). Potential oxygen sensors from bacterial systems, Caenorhabditis elegans and vertebrates will be studied at the structural and functional level. The kinetics of ligand binding, conformational changements upon ligand binding, the three dimensional structure and potential binding partners of these sensors will be studied with the goal to perceive a better understanding of this process in the eukaryotic cell. ¿ Study of epigenetic programming of inflammation. Controlled inducible expression of inflammation responsive genes is essential during immune responses and immune homeostasis. In contrast, deregulated chronic inflammatory conditions in various cell types frequently result in cancer, cardiovascular or neurological disease. Selectivity, strength and time dependency of gene expression largely depends on activation and interaction of transcription factors/cofactors (i.e. NFkB, AP1, Sp1, HDAC, HMT, SIRT, jmjd HDMT, dnmt, etc.) and their posttranslational modifications with the chromatin environment. Furthermore, chromatin regulation (nucleosome dynamics, histone modifications), noncoding RNAs and epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation of CpG motifs) integrate various input signals (infection, inflammation, stress, metabolism, nutrition) which are ultimately recorded and imprinted into the epigenome. Unraveling the epigenetic interplay of the environment (diet, stress, pathogens, toxins, ...) with the genome in inflammation-cancer models or cardiovascular disease is the major focus of this research topic.Identifying specific protein interactions and signaling functions in relation to epigenetic marks in in different in vitro/ in vivo cell models, representative for cancer, cardiovascular or neuroimmunological disease, is an absolute requirement for translational approaches aiming at identifying small inhibitor molecules (for example derived from medicinal plants) for preventive or therapeutic applications. Our cluster mainly uses proteomics, (epi)genomics and proteinscience technologies. For example we have available a flash-photolyses setup which anables us to determine the ligandbindingkinetics which is unique in Belgium. Specific protein(signaling)functions can be analyzed using different expression- and interactionstudies of recombinant proteins in vitro/in vivo. For the epigenomics studies we will apply new chromatin-proteomic approaches (posttranslational histon/cofactor modifications) and new DNA-methylation-detectionmethods (pyrosequencing, MALDI, AIMS, RLGS, MSPA, bisulfietsequencing)" "Applied Nuclear Magnetic Resonance" "The research group for ""Applied Nuclear Magnetic Resonance"" has a number of own research topics as well as collaborations with many other groups inside and outside the university which take advantage of the available infrastructure. The group specialized in the NMR spectral study of nitrogen containing organic substances. These compounds are being synthesized in close collaboration with the ""Organic Synthesis"" group of the university. In most cases palladium catalyzed reactions are used with or without flash microwave heating. This research topic is related to the search for new compounds with biological activity against malaria. A new project deals with the NMR spectral study of biological liquids such as for example cerebrospinal liquid. This project is being started making use of the recently acquired new equipment. The NMR infrastructure of the group and the interuniversitary collaboration with other groups enable us to carry out a number of other studies on request. In this case the subjects of study can be very different going from small quantities of isolated natural compounds to inorganic complexes or synthetic polymers." "Molecular Imaging, Pathology, Radiotherapy & Oncology (MIPRO)" "The department of Oncology houses research topics in - Oncology (most recent projects: Validation of Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) as a therapeutic target and biomarker; Molecular characterization of circulating tumour cells in patients with breast cancer.) - Pathological anatomy - Nuclear medicine - Radiotherapy." "VIB Metabolomics Core Leuven" "Ghesquiere Bart" "Contemporary mass spectometry-based metabolomic services and customized solutions for specific experimental setups." "Advanced Rehabilitation Technology & Science" "The Advanced Rehabilitation Technology & Science research group involves six research groups of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Four groups are part of the faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, one group is part of the faculty of Medicine and one of the faculty of Engineering. "