Projects
Functional insight in the biogenesis and specificity of the family of outer membrane porins expressed by the bacterial carcinogen Helicobacter pylori Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Structural and functional characterization of Helicobacter pylori outer membrane adhesins and their role in host adaption Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Structure and biogenesis of Helicobacter pylori outer membrane proteins Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Protective gastro-intestinal effects of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteins Ghent University
The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a rich source of bioactive proteins that may have potential for use as bio-active ingredient in both the food and the feed industry. In this research project, proteins from the MFGM will be isolated, characterised and evaluated for their activity against gastro-intestinal pathogens, more in particular the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni and the protozoan Giardia intestinalis.
Extracellular Vesicles and InfLammation: the EVIL two in alpha- synuclein propagation? KU Leuven
For 20 years, researchers and clinicians are unraveling the critical role of α-synuclein (aSYN) in protein aggregation and neuronal death in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recently, they discovered that aSYN facilitates propagation of PD pathology across distinct brain areas, thereby inducing progressive worsening of the disease. This research project is centered on the so-called ‘prion-like hypothesis’ of aSYN propagation and I aim to investigate ...
Influence of microbiota on intestinal stem cell behaviour and differentiation in inflammatory bowel diseases. KU Leuven
Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are the two major forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which are chronic and progressive diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The exact cause is unknown, but it has been suggested that the diseases result from an abnormal immune response towards environmental factors, such as the microbiota, in a genetically predisposed person. Current therapies aim to stop this inflammatory cascade. ...