Name Responsible Activity "Antwerp Systems and software Modelling (AnSyMo)" "Hans Vangheluwe" "Our world and society are shaped and governed by systems and software. Almost all devices, machines and artifacts surrounding us incorporate software to some extent. Additionally, the numerous organizations, businesses and enterprises we encounter on a daily basis could not function without software. Examples of software systems are numerous: worldwide web applications and desktop software but also embedded systems like pacemakers, cell phones, train control systems, and automotive components. AnSyMo is a research group investigating foundations, techniques, methods and tools for the design, analysis and maintenance of such software-intensive systems. The nature of these systems, however, has changed considerably in the last few years. Firstly, the availability of more computational resources, including parallel computation and interactive behavior has enabled one to tackle ever more complex applications. Secondly, the need to consider interactions of software with physical components has led to the study of hybrid systems, adding even more complexity. Finally, the view that a software system is a static entity has given way to the view that software needs evolve, i.e., that changes in requirements or platforms can be accommodated easily. RESEARCH THEMES MODELS One way to tackle the increased complexity of systems is to represent all knowledge about their structure and behaviour explicitly in the form of models. This allows for rigorous reasoning and enables automated manipulation. Models should be constructed at the most appropriate level(s) of abstration and using the most appropriate language(s). Consequently, we design new techniques and build tools for comparing these models, checking their consistency, transforming them into one another, simulating them efficiently, etc. Domain-specific modelling languages are of particular interest as they help bridge the gap between domain and solution. LANGUAGES While some models only contain static, structural information, an important class of models describes systems (or system components), which are dynamic. Dynamic should be understood in the sense that they exhibit behavior. This is the realm of programming languages in the traditional sense, but also of formalisms such as Petri nets or Statecharts. We contribute to recent work concerning modularity concepts (such as aspects), their semantics and implementation. Ideally these concepts can serve as a tool to turn a model-based system description into a functioning program. EVOLUTION The model centric view for tackling complexity, may suggest that software systems should be constructed like engineering products: e.g., like cars and bridges. Software systems however should be seen as living and evolving artifacts, designed, developed and maintained by people. Consequently, it is crucial to have high-level, easy-to-modify models in all stages of the lifetime of a software system. We investigate how the availability of models (especially featuring new modularity concepts) may be used to improve the maintainability and evolvability of software systems. RESOURCES The availability of more but smaller computational devices and the interaction with (physically) external system components has led to the study of hybrid systems. These systems typically consist of distributed components with limited resources; hence computation should be scheduled carefully. We study how models (and simulations thereof) can be used for the efficient management of resources such as memory, time and energy. These four research themes (models, languages, evolution and resources) are not investigated in isolation. Rather we envision them as mutually reinforcing themes so that the whole becomes more than the sum of the parts." "Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation" "The Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), the research institute of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) conducts applied and fundamental hypothesis-driven conservation research in various zoological disciplines. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of wild and zoo animal populations, and to support, develop and implement new and innovative tools for small population management and conservation breeding." "Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation" "The Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), the research institute of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) conducts applied and fundamental hypothesis-driven conservation research in various zoological disciplines. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of wild and zoo animal populations, and to support, develop and implement new and innovative tools for small population management and conservation breeding." "Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation" "The Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), the research institute of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) conducts applied and fundamental hypothesis-driven conservation research in various zoological disciplines. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of wild and zoo animal populations, and to support, develop and implement new and innovative tools for small population management and conservation breeding." "Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation" "The Antwerp Zoo Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), the research institute of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) conducts applied and fundamental hypothesis-driven conservation research in various zoological disciplines. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of wild and zoo animal populations, and to support, develop and implement new and innovative tools for small population management and conservation breeding." ArcK "Liesbeth HUYBRECHTS" "ArcK is the research group for the domains of architecture and interior architecture of Hasselt University. Domains which imply a spatial synthesis of material, cultural, aesthetic, social, urban, and societal aspects within a given situation or context. We believe that research within these domains should reflect this complexity. As a multidisciplinary team (including designers, urbanists, art historians, engineers, psychologists, and philosophers), we address theoretical and empirical research questions in their proper context. We use a wide range of research methods and emphasize the possibilities afforded by designing as a research method. Our approach is centered on the human aspect, embodied by both the spatial designer and the user, with particular attention to an inclusive and sustainable design process and design result.The main topics of ArcK center around five clusters, which partly overlap but also share the same ambition of generating knowledge that is useful for designers in order to create innovative visions of the future that will ultimately benefit society as a whole:Adaptive reuse deals with theoretical and designerly questions relating to aspects of reuse, transformation, or conservation of historical, abandoned, or underused buildings or sites. Capacity building (collaborative design processes) deals with how to actively include and engage users, future users, and other stakeholders in different stages of the complex process of design practice. Designing for More (user-space interaction) centers around the following questions: How are spatial environments experienced by their users? How do they affect people on a perceptual, cognitive, and emotional level? How do they interact with diverse groups of people, and how can they increase their well-being ? Sustainability (in design product and process) deals with the question how different aspects of sustainability can be incorporated in both the design process and the resulting product, and in the way we can support designers and architects to effectively deal with these issues. FRAME, the research line in collaboration with MAD-research, focuses on artistic research methods. FRAME wants to explore unconventional forms of knowledge in order to develop new ways of thinking in/about space and image." "Manufacturing Processes and Systems (MaPS)" "Joost Duflou" "Manufacturing Processes and Systems Research topics:Sheet processing: CNC controlled processesLaser cuttingLaser convertingBendingIncremental conversionCAD / CAM and automated work preparationDesign-supporting methods and techniques: Ecodesign and Life cycle engineering: methodology developmentLife cycle costing: predictive techniquesKnowledge management: methods and algorithmsCreativity-enhancing techniques" "Molecular biotechnology" "Biological role of ECM1 in the human skin. The extracellular matrix proteine 1 gene (ECM1) was isolated in our laboratory in 1994 and encodes for a secreted glycoprotein with a typical cystein CC-(X7-10)-C pattern. Four splice variants have been described so far: Ecm1a (540 aa), Ecm1b (415 aa), Ecm1c (559 aa) and a truncated protein of 57 aa. Ecm1 has been shown to play a role in endochondral bone formation, morphogenesis of the nephron and is a stimulator of vascular endothelial cell growth in tumour stroma. In human skin ECM1 interacts with multiple proteins and proteoglycans (fibronectin, perlecan, laminin 332, collagen IV, fibulin-3, MMP-9) of the basement membrane and may act as a ""biological glue"" to maintain skin integrity and function. Furthermore,its importance in human skin is highlighted by the identification of loss-of-function mutations in ECM1 as the cause of the rare genodermatoses lipoid proteinosis (LiP) and auto-antibodies against ECM1 in lichen sclerosus, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin. However, the precise role of ECM1 in human skin is still unknown. Our research is focused on the physiological role of ECM1 in the skin and its relevance to epithelial-mesenchymal communication. Objectives: - To study the biological role of ECM1 using skin equivalent models - To determine the specific protein binding partners of ECM1 in human skin - To develop a mouse model for lipoid proteinosis - To study the photoprotective effect of ECM1 Methods: Basic molecular and cell-biological techniques (cloning, Southern-, Northern-,Western blot analysis, PCR- techniques ¿). Yeast two hybrid technology. In vitro transcription/translation and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Functional analysis : RNAi technology in human primary keratinocytes and cell lines. Immunohistochemical analsis of human skin equivalents and mouse skin (after UV-irradiation and woundhealing)." "Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp" "The Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen / Societé Royale de Zoologie d'Anvers) is a registered charity founded in 1843. The society currently manages Antwerp Zoo, Planckendael Animal Park, The Queen Elisabeth Concert Hall and the Serpentarium Blanckenberge. The RZSA plays a prominent role as a leading conservation organisation by managing the first Flemish nature reserve “De Zegge” and its own scientific institute the Centre for Research and Conservation." "Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp" "The Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen / Societé Royale de Zoologie d'Anvers) is a registered charity founded in 1843. The society currently manages Antwerp Zoo, Planckendael Animal Park, The Queen Elisabeth Concert Hall and the Serpentarium Blanckenberge. The RZSA plays a prominent role as a leading conservation organisation by managing the first Flemish nature reserve “De Zegge” and its own scientific institute the Centre for Research and Conservation."