Publications
Evolutionary epidemiology of schistosomiasis: linking parasite genetics with disease phenotype in humans Institute of Tropical Medicine KU Leuven
Here we assess the role of parasite genetic variation in host disease phenotype in human schistosomiasis by implementing concepts and techniques from environmental association analysis in evolutionary epidemiology. Schistosomiasis is a tropical disease that affects more than 200 million people worldwide and is caused by parasitic flatworms belonging to the genus Schistosoma. While the role of host genetics has been extensively studied and ...
Genetic profiling of human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells after in vitro expansion in clinical grade human platelet lysate Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic cells that have a broad therapeutic potential. To obtain sufficient cells for clinical application, they must be expanded ex vivo. In the initial expansion protocols described, fetal calf serum (FCS) was used as the reference growth supplement, but more recently different groups started to replace FCS with platelet lysate (PL). We investigated in this study the impact of the culture ...
Textbook of Human Reproductive Geneticx Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Genetic genealogy comes of age - Perspectives on the use of deep-rooted pedigrees in human population genetic KU Leuven
Genetic and epigenetic factors which modulate differentiation propensity in human pluripotent stem cells Vrije Universiteit Brussel
BACKGROUND: Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines are known to have a bias in their differentiation. This gives individual cell lines a propensity to preferentially differentiate towards one germ layer or cell type over others. Chromosomal aberrations, mitochondrial mutations, genetic diversity and epigenetic variance are the main drivers of this phenomenon, and can lead to a wide range of phenotypes.
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: Our ...
The consequences of recurrent genetic and epigenetic variants in human pluripotent stem cells Vrije Universiteit Brussel
It is well established that human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can acquire genetic and epigenetic changes during culture in vitro. Given the increasing use of hPSCs in research and therapy and the vast expansion in the number of hPSC lines available for researchers, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has recognized the need to reassess quality control standards for ensuring the genetic integrity of hPSCs. Here, we summarize ...
Expansion, in vivo-ex vivo cycling, and genetic manipulation of primary human hepatocytes Institute of Tropical Medicine Ghent University
Primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are an essential tool for modeling drug metabolism and liver disease. However, variable plating efficiencies, short lifespan in culture, and resistance to genetic manipulation have limited their use. Here, we show that the pyrrolizidine alkaloid retrorsine improves PHH repopulation of chimeric mice on average 10-fold and rescues the ability of even poorly plateable donor hepatocytes to provide cells for ...