Projects
Molecular pathomechanisms of HSPB1 and HSPB8 mutations in motor neuropathies: study of protein-protein interactions and axonal transport in cellular and animal models. University of Antwerp
Treatment of autophagy deficits in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease caused by mutations in the small heat shock proteins HSPB1 and HSPB8. University of Antwerp
Study of the pathomechanisms of HSPB1 and HSPB8 mutations in iPSC derived motor neurons of Charcot-Marie-Tooth patients. University of Antwerp
Targeting radionuclides to tumors expressing extracellular Hsp90 using rationally designed peptide probes KU Leuven
Radiopharmaceuticals are a powerful class of drugs that requires new molecular probes to expand the array of targets it can be used for. Peptides are a perfect fit for the role of a molecular probe due to their high target specificity and favorable pharmacodynamics. Hsp90a was identified as a biomarker of cancer with ectopic cellular localization. Targeting the pool of extracellular Hsp90 provides a promising strategy for cancer diagnosis and ...
Translational investigation of the role of Hsp90 in neurodegenerative proteinopathies using positron emission tomography (PET) KU Leuven
Heat Shock protein-90 (Hsp90) is an ubiquitous "chaperone" protein responsible for (re)folding of client proteins to prevent them from degradation. Hsp90 is expressed at high levels in brain and recent research suggests a role of Hsp90 in neurodegenerative diseases. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular imaging technique that allows in vivo quantification of the body distribution of radioactive tracers. We recently developed PET ...
Unfolding the role of Hsp90 in brain: a multidisciplinary translational approach KU Leuven
Development of TRNT radiopharmaceuticals targeting Hsp90 KU Leuven
Pancreatic cancer and advanced glioma are life threating diseases, currently untreatable and with high chance of recurrence or dissemination. There is a clear need for new treatment strategies. In this respect, targeted radionuclide therapy can offer solace. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) has been widely investigated as a target in different cancers as it display characteristics which only occur in malignant cells (higher expression, increased ...
Hsp70 in host-microbial interactions Ghent University
This project will use new gnotobiotic model systems for in-depth study of the mechanisms of interaction between host and microorganisms. These models will be used to study the innate immune system and in particular the ability to prime the immune system of aquatic larvae
Structural studies of human small heat-shock protein HSPB1, its disease-related mutants and complexes with client proteins. KU Leuven
Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are an important class of molecular chaperones found in all kingdoms of life. sHSPs bind partially unfolded proteins in an energy-independent fashion and prevent the formation of insoluble, toxic aggregates inside a cell. The human genome encodes ten different sHSPs the activities and mis-regulation of which are important for human health. In particular increased levels of one member, called HSPB1, has been ...