Projects
Concepts of good contracting in view of (non)successful private equity-backed buy-outs. KU Leuven
Buyouts by private equity firms as “an increasingly important phenomenon of the contemporary corporate landscape” (Kaul, Nary and Singh (2017)). Private equity is a form of equity investment in mature private (i.e. not listed on the stock exchange) companies with stable cashflows. It is a medium to long-term investment, characterized by the concept of active ownership (Bruining, Verwaal and Wright (2013)). Private equity builds better ...
The role of non-coding RNAs in nematode-induced transgenerational priming in rice Ghent University
Rice is one of the most important staple crops in the world. With our growing world population,
food security becomes even more important. Due to environmental concerns, rice cultivation is
shifted from flooded fields to well-drained soils, which poses problems with soil-bound nematodes
(and other diseases) that majorly jeopardize rice yield. Plants have many mechanisms to defend
themselves against these nematodes and ...
The Rhetoric of Election and Separation in the Book of Genesis. A Narrative-Critical and Intertextual Analysis KU Leuven
This project sets out to demonstrate that God’s election of Isaac as the son of inheritance and his separation from Ishmael is central in Genesis 16-18:15 and 21:1-21 and connects other motifs. It also identifies and evaluates the narrative motifs that the narrator(s) employ(s) to emphasise God’s election of Isaac. It argues from a narrative-critical, theological, and intertextual perspective that in the Ishmael-Isaac narratives (Gen. ...
SMAD1/5 in lymphatic vessel function and disease KU Leuven
The lymphatic system drains interstitial tissue fluid back into the blood vascular system to maintain fluid homeostasis and prevent tissue swelling. A dysfunctional lymphatic vasculature is associated with development of lymphedema affecting worldwide more than 170 million people. Unfortunately, no real cure exists. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate lymphatic vessel patterning and differentiation of organ-specific lymphatic ...
Controlled delivery of connexin43 mimetic peptide by nanocontainers for therapy of systemic inflammation Ghent University
Acute systemic inflammation is often associated with many severe life- threatening diseases. We found that connexin43 mimetic peptides are effective when applied prophylactically, while they lose their effectiveness when injected after the onset of systemic inflammation. We aim to develop nanocontainers capable of high loading of connexin43 peptides and their sustained release to ameliorate the signs of systemic inflammation.
Interpretation of mobile mapping data for the creation and update of spatial databases of the public domain KU Leuven
During a construction project on the public domain there are many different stakeholders who have to cooperate. To ensure this, a centralized reference database is needed. For this we have the GRB in Flanders, a spatial database which is used as reference for all project plans. Having such an important role, it is essential to keep the GRB up to date. The objective of this research project is to automatically create and update these spatial ...
From Biological Beings to Covenant Beings: An Eco-critical and Eschatological Reading of the Animal Subjectivity in Genesis 1-11 KU Leuven
This project attempts to interpret the animal subjectivity in the first eleven chapters of Genesis and the gradual change that this concept undergoes in the narrative progress of the primeval history in Gen 1-11. The project commences with a thematic analysis of animal subjectivity prominently in the secular literature as the biblical literature does not offer sufficient literature related to this concept. With reference to the concepts of ...
Classic and new strategies to fight arboviruses: effect of antiviral drugs and skin bacteria on virus infectivity KU Leuven
The past decades the world has experienced a large increase in outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses, such as chikungunya virus (CHIKV) of the Alphavirus genus and Zika virus (ZIKV) of the Flavivirus genus. Due to increased travelling, climate change and adaptation of the mosquito vectors to urbanization, their geographic distribution has expanded and is still augmenting worldwide. Despite the important global health threat, ...
Interface Engineering for Performance Enhancement in 2D Field Effect Transistors KU Leuven
2-dimensional (2D) semiconductors such as 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2) have recently drawn much attention in the field of nano-electronics due to their potential for superior electrostatic control and heterogeneous integration. However, current MX2 devices suffer from high source and drain contact resistance, high defect density and low capacitance/charge build-up in the channel. To mitigate these challenges, it would be ...