Projects
Clinical and genetic epidemiology of Parkinson's disease: focus on disease progression and non-motor symptoms. University of Antwerp
A multi-modal and longitudinal approach to study the neurobiological underpinnings of disease onset and progression in genetic ALS variants: from presymptomatic to symptomatic disease stages. KU Leuven
The main goal of this project is to better understand how neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation fit in a sequential model of disease progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with a myriad of disease presentations at the clinical, genetic and pathogenic level. Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration play a key role in ALS pathophysiology, but there is no consensus on the regional and ...
Genetic profiling of patients with neurodegenerative disease to identify markers for (early) diagnosis and disease progression KU Leuven
Peripheral disease triggers and disease progression in multiple system atrophy KU Leuven
Lower urogenital symptoms such as urinary tract infections are a common deferral that are linked with progressive neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). MSA is a rare disease with an unknown cause, but it is hypothesized that MSA could be influenced by environmental triggers that increase disease risk. The prodromal involvement of the urogenital system and the high susceptibility of ...
Longitudinal measurement of synaptic density to monitor progression of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease KU Leuven
Increasing evidence from cell or animal models and postmortem human studies suggests that synaptic pathology is important in the early disease pathophysiology of Parkinson’s (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). PET imaging with 11C‑UCB‑J, targeting the presynaptic protein SV2A, provides an in vivo marker for synaptic density in the human brain. This thesis reports two multimodal imaging studies in people with early PD and early HD ...
Adipose tissue expandability and dysfunction: modulator of liver damage and disease progression in NAFLD? University of Antwerp
Unraveling the specifics of Portal Hypertension in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and its role in disease progression. University of Antwerp
Dynamic modulation of disease progression in chronic gut and joint inflammation in spondyloarthritides Ghent University
In this proposal the relation between gut and joint inflammation in spondyloarthritis is investigated by examininng the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation with focus on mechanical strain and immune regulation. Through miniature ecosystems, i.e. pre-adapted microbial cocktails, we aim to boost immune regulatory mechanisms thereby altering the disease course.