Projects
GVD-necroptosis as a driving process of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease KU Leuven
Accumulation of misfolded proteins and the associated neuronal dysfunction and loss are considered as most important hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Specific for AD is the extensive deposition of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). These changes are associated with marked neuro-inflammation and cerebral atrophy. While neuronal cell death is very ...
Development of next-generation 3D brain organoids for the study and modulation of immunemediated neurodegeneration in cerebrovascular disease. University of Antwerp
System xc- as a novel therapeutic target to limit neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease Vrije Universiteit Brussel
antiporter system xc- as a possible target for ...
Synaptic density, tau deposition and multi-parametric PET-MR after traumatic brain injury: implications for diagnosis, prognosis and development of chronic neurodegeneration. KU Leuven
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a heterogeneous condition, originating from external force impact, consisting of a broad spectrum of functional disorders with highly variable outcome. TBI incidence is rising and it forms a prominent cause of mortality and morbidity, leading to great personal suffering and high healthcare costs. Furthermore, epidemiological and postmortem studies showed that episodic and repetitive TBI can lead to a specific ...
Brain-resident lymphocytes: the role of Regulatory T cells in brain plasticity and neurodegeneration. KU Leuven
Imbalance in the immune system has been reported in a variety of neurodegenerative, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders. One common feature of those brain diseases is cognitive impairment. Cognitive dysfunction is believed to be associated with malfunctioning of the nervous cell in brain (neurons) and disruption in the contact points between them (synapses). Nevertheless, the link between the immune system and synapse function has ...
The hAPP KM670/671NL x TDO knockout mouse model: genetic interference with tryptophan metabolism and proteome ageing in neurodegeneration. University of Antwerp
Study on the role of macrophages in neurodegeneration during aging KU Leuven
Tissue resident macrophages have long been known for their role in host defense and pathogen clearance, but only in recent years have we come to appreciate that these cells can develop a surprising degree of functional specialisation, thereby fulfilling tissue-specific functions in the organ in which they reside. The instruction of such specific functions is largely imprinted via signalling from surrounding cells, the so-called macrophages ...
Unraveling the pathophysiological role of alpha-synuclein aggregation, transmission and neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration. KU Leuven
To date, Parkinsons Disease (PD) cannot be cured, instead therapy is directed at alleviating symptoms. A major challenge for the future is therefore the development of disease modifying therapies which halt, or at least slow down, disease progression. Since the identification of genetic factors as a cause of PD, our understanding of pathogenic
mechanisms involved in PD pathogenesis has increased tremendously. In addition, these studies ...
Maintaining synaptic function for a healthy brain: Membrane trafficking and autophagy in neurodegeneration KU Leuven
Neurodegeneration is characterized by misfolded proteins and dysfunctional synapses. Synapses are often located very far away from their cell bodies and they must therefore largely independently cope with the unfolded, dysfunctional proteins that form as a result of synaptic activity and stress. My hypothesis is that synaptic terminals have adopted specific mechanisms to maintain robustness over their long lives and that these may become ...