Projects
The beta-cell and the immune system in type 1 diabetes: partners in crime - developing new therapies in type 1 diabetes through better understanding of beta-cell behaviour and use of novel immunomodulators. KU Leuven
The role of peroxisomes in hepatocytes and pancreatic Beta-cells in mouse. Relationship of peroxisomes with mitochondrie KU Leuven
Peroxisomes are plastic organelles, present in almost all eukaryotic cells, which play an essential role in intermediary lipid metabolism. Inherited diseases with defects in peroxisomal function give rise to multiple organ defects which have been mimicked in mouse models for these diseases. However, their particular function in different cell types and tissues remains largely obscure. In this thesis we investigated the consequences of ...
Peroxisomal involvement in lipotoxic pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction KU Leuven
Boosting beta-cell function for treatment of type 1 diabetes KU Leuven
In type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients the pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells are selective destroyed by the immune system, leading to an impaired glucose metabolism. The steep increase in the incidence of this chronic autoimmune pathology especially in young children in the last decades raises serious concerns. To date, insulin therapy is considered the gold standard for the treatment of T1D. Nevertheless, limitations persist, such as the ...
Autophagy in inflammation and inflammatory disorders (ATLANTIS), from basic insights to experimental therapy Ghent University
Autophagy is crucial in the (patho)physiology, including inflammation, infection and cancer. Autophagy functions as a survival mechanism by maintaining viability during periods of stress, and by removing damaged organelles and toxic metabolites, such as protein aggregates or intracellular pathogens. The Atlantis research consortium (AuTophagy in InfLAmmatioN and inflammaTory dISorders) brings together a team of expert investigators from the ...
Translational approaches to disease modifying therapy of type 1 diabetes: An innovative approach towards understanding and arresting Type 1 diabetes – time to harvest. KU Leuven
Physiology and pathophysiology of sensory cells: from the physics to the clinics. KU Leuven
The survival of living organisms relies critically on their abilities to sense and react properly to ever changing environmental conditions, and understanding the mechanisms underlying the functions of sensory systems is key for the development of strategies to improve human health. This research plan aims at investigating the mechanisms of sensory processing, using a variety of theoretical and experimental approaches, at levels from ...
In vivo molecular imaging research (IMIR). KU Leuven
Cell death activity regulation in inflammation and cancer Ghent University
The project aims at a global and integrated approach of the 4 major types of cell death (apoptosis, necrosis, autophagic cell death, pyroptosis) on four levels: the biochemistry of caspases and RIP kinases, the intracellular signal transduction, the intercellular communication and its role in experimental diseaese models using transgenic animals. We will use global approaches involving shRNA, siRNA and miRNA screenings, interactomics, ...