Projects
Valorization of a design methodology for humans and nonhumans HOGENT
Novel plant-based nanomaterials for advanced biocompatible coatings with antibacterial properties. Ghent University
New polymer- and plant- functionalized coatings will be fabricated. Porous inorganic nanoparticles will be also added to this polymer matrix to obtain coatings antibacterial coatings with dual functionality – natural plant and remote temperature activation. With developed knowledge, these coatings should be feasible to fabricate even in a low-tech environment, yet, they are self-cleaning antibacterial coatings, tissue engineering, and ...
Effects of habitat fragmentation on nectar composition in the butterfly pollinated orchid species Gymnadenia conopsea. KU Leuven
Assessing genetic and phenotypic diversity of Brettanomyces yeast KU Leuven
Brettanomyces yeast species, with Brettanomyces (Dekkera) bruxellensis being the most important, are generally reported to be spoilage yeasts in the beer and wine industry due to the production of phenolic off-flavors. The aromas imparted, which can be described as ‘medicinal and ‘barnyard’, are colloquially known as “Brett” character and are generally considered negative for beer and wine quality. However, ...
Eco-evolutionary analysis of persistence in P. aeruginosa KU Leuven
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that is able to cause serious complications in patients with an impaired immune system or in some chronic infections, e.g. in cystic fibrosis patients (CF). In fact, P. aeruginosa is recognized as the most abundant bacterium in pulmonary infections of CF patients. Successfully treating chronic P. aeruginosa infections, however, can be hard due to the ...
Assessing the impact of lianas on aboveground wood production in tropical forests: scaling from individual to stand-level Ghent University
Tropical forests store nearly 30% of global terrestrial carbon and contribute to 40% of the global terrestrial carbon sink. Lianas impact the carbon balance of these forest by affecting tree growth and survival. Currently the rate of liana infestation is increasing putting tropical trees under additional stress. This stress can significantly affect the fate of the tropical carbon balance, and
negatively influence the forests’ uptake of ...
Tidal marshes: bio-geomorphic self-organization and its implications for resilience to sea level rise nd changing sediment supply (TIGER). University of Antwerp
SEAKING: Towards discovery and exploitation of novel marine-based bio-actives. KU Leuven
This project supported submission of a H2020 project 'SEAKING' in the Blue Growth BG-03-2014 call. Outcome: not financed.
Marine biodiversity is far from being fully explored. The potential of the marine environment as a source of novel drugs holds great potential due to the specific physical and chemical conditions of the marine ecosystems. Through close cooperation between 6 SMEs, 5 academic partners and 5 research institutes, the ...
Adaptation and speciation in unicellular algae and their interaction with ecology Ghent University
Two model species of unicellular algae will be used to study population differentiation and adaptation by (1) determining the genetic structure of natural populations from contrasting environments and (2) experimental evolution, after which consequences of adaptation and genetic diversity for invasion resistence and productivity are determined experimentally. Finally, niche differentiation and reproductive isolation between closely related ...