Projects
A way out of the reagents shortages: an MS-based diagnostic test focused on corona protein detection Ghent University
CoVid-19 patient diagnosis is currently performed almost exclusively by qPCR-based approaches. This is leading to a world wide restraint on patient testing and a global shortage in reagents required for such assays. We here propose to detect corona proteins instead, using mass spectrometry. We have already proved its applicability, and now need to scale up the assay.
Improving the guidance and support of transfer students in engineering: A validated diagnostic test and effective interventions KU Leuven
In order to stimulate flexible lifelong learning, the educational system of Flanders provides alternative ways to enter a Master’s programme, next to the traditional academic Bachelor’s programme. Students who obtained a professional Bachelor’s degree can enrol in an academic Master’s programme provided that they successfully complete a transfer programme. In general, these transfer students enter university for the first time, just like ...
Towards improved monitoring of human soil-transmitted helminthiases by serology: Translating a proven veterinary diagnostic test to human medicine Ghent University
In pigs, we showed that serology has a clear added value in the detection of soil-transmitted helminths and estimating the impact of infections in these animals. In this project, we want to evaluate whether our serological test also provide additional insights into the epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminth infections in humans and whether it can be used to monitor deworming programs.
Development of a minimally-invasive test for accurate diagnosis of Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) using DNA methylation profiling Ghent University
Three to five percent of people who are confronted with cancer will be diagnosed with Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP); a metastasized cancer of which the tissue-of-origin cannot be determined. If possible, a biopsy of the tumor will be taken for pathological examination, but this can take up to two weeks to plan, execute and analyze. Diagnosis usually requires multiple rounds of immunostaining, a slow and costly method that leaves about 34% ...
Anaesthesia-related allergy: from new insights in pathomechanisms to reliable diagnostic instruments. University of Antwerp
Molecular Epidemiology of tuberculosis at Human-Animal interface in the pastoral areas of Ethiopia with subsequent development of improved diagnostic approach KU Leuven
Against the available diagnosis and treatment advances, tuberculosis remains a relentless disease that is one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent worldwide. More importantly, the highest burden of tuberculosis is attributed to low- and middle-income countries such as Ethiopia, where limited resources and high population density intersect. Since zoonotic mycobacteria have numerous host ranges that serve as ...
Contemporary diagnostic challenges in general internal medicine: focus on updating the approach to fever and inflammation of unknown origin KU Leuven
Fever of unknown origin (FUO) and inflammation of unknown origin (IUO) are challenging clinical syndromes characterized by a duration of at least 3 weeks, either fever of 38.3°C (FUO) or elevated inflammatory markers without high-grade fevers (IUO) on several occasions, and no diagnosis despite a baseline workup. The underlying causes are typically categorized as infections, malignancies, noninfectious inflammatory disorders, and ...
The performance of saliva specimens for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 and a saliva pooling strategy as a diagnostic tool for epidemiological studies in current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Ghent University
Nasopharyngeal swabs are recommended for the molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 but offer disadvantages such as dire shortage. Therefore, we aim to validate saliva as an alternative specimen. We further plan to design a saliva pooling strategy as a part of a diagnostic tool for largescale
real-time epidemiological testing. Such strategy will be of value in the management of current pandemic.