Projects
Development and application of an inferential account of automatic evaluation and behavior Ghent University
The idea that automatic (e.g., unintentional) behavior such as the automatic evaluation of a stimulus (e.g., a snake), is the outcome of processes that operate on the basis of mental associations whereas reasoning or belief-based processes drive more controlled behavior has proven highly influential in psychological science. Importantly, however, recent findings have challenged key assumptions of these dual-process theories and inspired ...
Functional and structural characterization of the appendage domains of the large endocytic adaptors in plants to achieve a mechanistic understanding of their differential role. Ghent University
The plasma membrane (PM) houses many proteins required to communicate with the outside world. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is an essential process that removes proteins from the PM, thereby providing a way to regulate their activity. In plants, CME is facilitated by 2 protein complexes, the TPLATE complex (TPC) and the AP-2 complex (AP- 2), which have common and distinct roles. Their large subunits have appendages that likely serve as ...
Modeling the temperature anisotropies and differential acceleration of protons and heavy ions in the expanding, turbulent solar wind: comparing numerical simulations with spacecraft observations. KU Leuven
The fast solar wind is the outflow of hot ionized gas, called plasma, which originates at the Sun and travels in the interplanetary space with a typical speed of 600-800 km/s. It consists mainly of electrons, protons and a small fraction of heavy ions, such as double ionized helium nuclei. The solar wind medium is permeated by different electromagnetic waves, which are believed to play important role for particle heating and energization. ...
Mechanisms and eco-evolutionary implications of urban evolution in the water flea Daphnia KU Leuven
Urbanization induces strong environmental alterations and is considered a strong selective agent in current day landscapes. I previously showed that the water flea Daphnia magna genetically adapts to urbanization via the evolution of a higher heat tolerance, a faster pace-of-life, and higher concentrations of energy reserves. Daphnia is an important interactor in freshwater ponds and pools, contributing to the clear-water phase via top-down ...
The genomic basis of rapid change in a functionally significant trait: osteoderm evolution in a girdled lizard. University of Antwerp
Rapid evolution of tolerance to pesticides under warming in an aquatic invertebrate and its gut microbiome KU Leuven
Do the gut microbiota contribute to rapid evolution in tolerance to stressors in its host? Organisms are increasingly exposed to multiple anthropogenic stressors. Pollutants and warming are among the two most important anthropogenic stressors, that moreover magnify each other’s effects: many pollutants are more toxic at higher temperatures. This is of huge concern both for current risk assessment of pollutants in warmer regions and for future ...
Deciphering the evolution of gene regulatory networks and enhancer architectures in neuronal cell types using single-cell deep learning and comparative genomics KU Leuven
Genomic enhancers are key players in gene regulatory networks (GRNs), underlying the differentiation of cell types. On the one hand, genomic regulatory blocks (GRBs) reflect conservation of enhancer-gene pairs for key developmental genes. On the other hand, rewiring of GRNs through the birth, erosion, and repurposing of enhancers is a key driver for evolution across mammals, including the emergence of the neocortex. Recent single cell ATACseq ...
Impact of Bacillus cereus endospore evolution on food safety and stability KU Leuven
The Bacillus cereus (sensu lato) group encompasses important foodborne spoilers and toxigenic pathogens that are able to differentiate into extremely recalcitrant endospores that are often able to withstand the inimical conditions imposed by heat, sanitizers and radiation that tend to be in use throughout the food production chain. These inimical exposures range from being lethal to sublethal, and are therefore bound to constitute an ...
Impact of Bacillus cereus endospore evolution on food safety and stability Ghent University
The Bacillus cereus (sensu lato) group encompasses important foodborne spoilers and toxigenic pathogens that are able to differentiate into extremely recalcitrant endospores that are often able to withstand the inimical conditions imposed by heat, sanitizers and radiation that tend to be in use throughout the food production chain. These inimical exposures range from being lethal to sublethal, and are therefore bound to constitute an ...