Projects
Vaccine & Infectious Diseases Excellence in Antwerp: Infectious disease prevention, control and management in a One Health policy context (VAX-IDEA). University of Antwerp
Infection dynamics in the Anthropocene - tracking super spreaders and infection hotspots in the urban jungle. University of Antwerp
Novel strategies against infectious diseases KU Leuven
Antiviral drugs are only available against infections with herpesviruses, HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses and the influenza virus. For (m)any other viral infection(s) that pose an important treat to human health (including re-emerging & neglected infections), there are no antivirals available (see also WHO BluePrint list). From time to time, novel viruses emerge with the potential to cause large epidemics andmankind will be largely left ...
Immunization of broiler breeders to protect progeny against Campylobacter infections Ghent University
This project investigates the role of maternal antibodies in protecting broiler chickens against
Campylobacter infections. It comprises three work packages: 1/ a cost-benefit analysis, 2/ a field study
on antibody levels in chicks and their relationship with onset of infection, and 3/ immunization of
breeders to look into the protective effect of maternal antibodies against campylobacter infection in
their progeny.
Nanobody-assisted precision delivery of the moonlighting host defense protein lactoferrin to combat infections with pathogenic bacteria. Ghent University
Antimicrobial resistance is a major health threat to humans and animals. There is an urgent need to develop novel alternatives to antibiotics. Lactoferrin is a promising alternative. Here, we will target porcine lactoferrin to aminopeptidase N via nanobodies to increase its bioavailability at the gut epithelium and determine its efficacy to combat infections with pathogenic E. coli and Chlamydia suis.
Development of a safe and efficacious intranasal equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) vaccine based on novel insights in the pathogenesis of EHV-1 infections Ghent University
In this project, we developed a safe intranasal vaccine for protecting horses against EHV-1
associated diseases. The field strain 97P70 was attenuated by deleting the gD gene using CRISPRCas9. The safety and efficacy of the gD-deletion mutant was evaluated both in vitro, in respiratory
mucosa explants, equine primary respiratory epithelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells,
and in vivo in horses.