Projects
Development of a peptide nucleic acids-based antisense technology to control bacterial disease by specifically blocking virulence genes Ghent University
Antibiotic resistant infections are currently the second cause of death worldwide, and aquaculture is a major source of antibiotic resistance genes in human pathogens. The aquaculture industry plays an important role in the world’s food supply. However, bacterial diseases cause major problems in aquaculture, with annual losses in the range of several billion US$. Controlling bacterial diseases in aquaculture is therefore essential for food ...
The mega-enzymes non-ribosomal peptide synthetases / polyketide synthases encoded in Lactic Acid Bacteria KU Leuven
The secondary metabolites also known as natural products exhibit a variety of important bioactivities and excellent pharmaceutical properties (as antibiotics, anti-cancers and immune-suppressants) that have successfully been used in the pharmaceutical industry. The secondary metabolites are synthesized by non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) mega-enzymes, which consist of multiple functional ...
The role of elastin-derived peptides in the progression of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease with a focus on autophagy inhibition as contributing mechanism. University of Antwerp
The role of elastin-derived peptides in the progression of arterial stiffness with a focus on autophagy inhibition as contributing mechanism. University of Antwerp
The role of elastin-derived peptides in the progression of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease with a focus on autophagy inhibition as contributing mechanism. University of Antwerp
Mapping the proteostatic collapse caused by aggregation-inducing bactericidal peptides KU Leuven
I was part of the effort to develop a novel class of antibiotics based on the concept that short aggregation-prone regions within the protein sequence drive amyloid-like protein aggregation. I developed antimicrobial peptides called Pept-Ins that trigger an aggregation cascade in bacteria resulting in the formation of inclusion bodies, the collapse of the proteome, and the death of bacteria. Now, my goal is to better understand the ...
The in vivo role of quorum sensing peptides in metastatic colorectal cancer. Ghent University
Quorum sensing peptides are small protein-like compounds, which are used by certain bacteria to communicate with each other. However, this phenomenon is not limited to the bacteria themselves: recent research demonstrates that these compounds interact with human cells as well. As such, these particular compounds potentially can explain the role of bacteria in/on our body in health and disease. Several quorum sensing peptides have recently ...
From a basic understanding of the interactions of antibacterial peptides with the outer membrane towards next generation enzybiotics. KU Leuven
Role of linear azol(in)e-containing peptides in the lifestyle of human pathogens KU Leuven
Linear azol(in)e-containing peptides (LAPs) are a rapidly expanding and largely underexplored class of bacterial ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides, many of which exhibit strong antimicrobial activity. Despite their structural similarity, the mode of action and activity spectrum of LAPs show a remarkable diversity of which the structural basis and functional significance is poorly understood. This PhD project ...