Projects
Purification, characterisation and valorisation of novel antifungal compounds secreted by soil microorganisms KU Leuven
Experimental evolution in Candida biofilms: does drug tolerance facilitate drug resistance development in fungi?Experimental evolution in Candida biofilms: does drug tolerance facilitate drug resistance development in fungi? KU Leuven
Invasive fungal infections pose a profound and growing public health threat with treatment failure and mortality estimates often surpassing 50%. Only three major antifungal drug classes are available to treat lethal fungemia and the incidence of resistance to these drugs has risen significantly in recent years. Moreover, multidrug resistant (MDR) ‘superbugs’ like Candida auris have emerged. Despite these alarming concerns, fungal infections ...
Optimization and validation of collateral sensitivity based alternative treatment strategies for multidrug resistant Candidemia KU Leuven
New and innovative antimicrobial solutions against microbial biofilms and fungal infections, with applications in the medical and agrochemical domain KU Leuven
The primary aim of this IOF mandate is the identification of novel antifungal and/or antibiofilm molecules. Focus is on novel molecules or combinations of molecules that are effective against resistant fungi and/or fungal biofilms; and on the unraveling of their mode of action. This research forms the basis for valorisation in the following domains (i) treatment/control of fungal infections in human, animal, and plant context; as well as (ii) ...
Investigation of the molecular mechanism by which iron availability in the mitochondria affect tolerance towards the anti fungal drug fluconazole in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans KU Leuven
Striking Essential Oil: Novel tools and new insights to study the biological activities of essential oils (EOs) and their components (EOCs) KU Leuven
The increasing level of antimicrobial resistance poses the threat that no suitable antimicrobials will be available for systematic treatment of common diseases. More and more Candida infections are caused by intrinsically and multi-resistant Candida isolates. There is clearly renewed scientific interest in discovering drugs from natural sources, although natural product-based drug discovery is considered intrinsically ...
Exploring evolution dynamics in multidrug resistant Candida species: a focus on fitness-resistance associations and collateral sensitivity KU Leuven
Identification and mode of action of natural products from Chinese medicinal plants active against biofilms of Candida species pathogenic for humans. KU Leuven
Triazole-resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus: evolving epidemiology and influence on disease progression. KU Leuven
Aspergilli are ubiquitous fungi found in the environment and cause a whole spectrum of human diseases including invasive life threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts, like cancer or transplant patients. Triazole antifungal drugs are currently the cornerstones of prophylaxis and treatment of Aspergillus-related diseases but global emergence of triazole resistance is a concern. Exposure of Aspergillus fumigatus to ...