Projects
Cholinergic modulation of the mucosal immune system. KU Leuven
Lung-gut connection: mucosal immune cross-talk leading to disease in distant organs KU Leuven
Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases are often manifested as overlapping conditions. The respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts have many similarities, which may account for some common pathological features observed in diseases affecting these two systems. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and asthma, two common disorders of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, respectively, are associated with increased mucosal immune activation. ...
Interaction of Escherichia coli fimbriae with carbohydrate receptors of porcine enterocytes and the fimbriae-specific mucosal immune response Ghent University
Piglets are very susceptible to infection with pathogenic EScherichia coli strains that adhere with their fimbriae to small intestinal enterocytes, colonise the intestine and cause diarrhoea by toxin secretion. The aim of this project is to identify fimbrial receptors and to analyse the interaction of these pathogens with the mucosal immune system of the host.
The role of the Ly49E receptor in mucosal immunity and intestinal tumour immune response Ghent University
Bidirectional communication between the enteric nervous system and elements of the immune system in inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders. University of Antwerp
Dissecting and interfering with the molecular pathways involved in the crosstalk between the enteric nervous system and immune cells. KU Leuven
One of the main tasks of the immune system is to appropriately react to “danger” or “non-danger” signals. This is even more relevant in the intestine, where immune cells are constantly presented with foreign substances as food. Hence, the balance between immune activation versus tolerance should be tightly regulated to maintain intestinal homoeostasis and to prevent indiscriminate immune activation against the gut content. Loss of this ...
Unraveling the adaptive role of amphibian antimicrobial peptides in the immune system and antipredator defense. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Using Lactococcus lactis to target the intestinal immune system Ghent University
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a human enteric pathogen responsible for diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremia syndrome. Lactococcus lactis, a non colonizing, non pathogenic, bacteria, has been successfully used for mucosal delivery of antigens. In our project recombinant L.lactis will be investigated for their potential to deliver animal models of EHEC infection.
The duodenal microbiome in health and disease: composition and dynamics in relation to the bile salt pool, mucosal physiology and therapy in functional and inflammatory disorders of the duodenum. KU Leuven
FD is a common disorder with unknown pathophysiology, hampering a conclusive diagnosis and development of effective drugs. In this PhD-project, we studied duodenal and systemic factors in FD. We focused on the duodenal lumen and mucosa, as luminal changes have been proposed to initiate or maintain mucosal alterations. We also separated the duodenal luminal and mucosa-associated microbiota composition. Effects of first-line therapy or PPI were ...