Projects
Harnessing Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics to Uncover Novel Insights into Intestinal Barrier Breach in Cirrhosis KU Leuven
Unravelling aberrant host-microbiota interactions underlying intestinal epithelial barrier failure in cirrhosis KU Leuven
A progressive failure of the intestinal epithelial barrier and dysbiosis parallels the progression of cirrhosis. This patient population faces an increased risk of enteric bacteria translocation, sepsis, and death, with a mortality rate of 60% after one year. Herein, we will address the fundamental question of how the intestinal epithelial barrier fails in patients with cirrhosis. We will apply single-cell sequencing to survey the ...
Exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial translocation in cirrhosis KU Leuven
MICROBiome-based biomarkers to PREDICT decompensation of liver cirrhosis and treatment response KU Leuven
Decompensation of liver cirrhosis and progression towards acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) causes 1.2 million deaths/year. Microbiome is causally involved in cirrhosis progression and is for drugs the first interaction point with the patients. Drugs can alter the microbiome leading to unwanted effects or even facilitating their effects, but the microbiome metabolizes the drugs, shapes their effects and possibly determines the host ...
Cirrhosis on single cell level: transcriptional and metabolic profiles in the peritoneum unraveled KU Leuven
We aim to fully understand alterations in a cirrhotic peritoneum by analyzing a decompensated cirrhosis and a unique healthy control group in parallel.
Work package 1
We aim to characterize peritoneal immune cells at a single cell level, creating a complete map of the immunomodulatory properties of these cells.
Work package 2
In addition, we will create an overview of metabolic and immunologic substrates in the ...
Defining single cell signatures in the gut that promote intestinal barrier dysfunction during cirrhosis KU Leuven
Cirrhosis is associated with bacterial translocation progressively leading to immune dysfunction. However, patients are not equally sensitive to bacterial infections. Understanding the immune response to spontaneous bacterial infections, inflammation and injury is crucial to establish risk assessment and targeted therapies for cirrhotic patients, especially for SBP patients as they have a short time span of survival.
As bacterial ...
Role of ER stress in the angiogenesis associated with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension Ghent University
Models of portal hypertension and cirrhosis are used to study the role of ER stress in the development of angiogenesis and fibrosis in the liver and splanchnic circulation. We hypothesize that in PHT and cirrhosis, strategies inhibiting ER stress (by using silencing RNAU+2019s or JIK/Tao3K knockout mice) can decrease inflammation and hypoxia leading to less angiogenesis and fibrosis formation. But that on the other hand, strategies ...
Role of angiogenesis and angiogenetic factors (VEGF, PLGF) in portal hypertension and fibrosis formation in animal models of cirrhosis, steatosis and portal hypertension Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Role of angiogenesis and angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, PLGF) in portal hypertension and fibrosis formation in animal models of cirrhosis, steatosis and portal hypertension Ghent University
Models of portal hypertension and cirrhosis are used to study prevention and reversibility of collateral formation (in peripheral, splanchnic and pulmonary area), by treating mice with anti-PLGF and by using PLGF knock-out mice. Fibrosis formation and the role of hepatic stellate cells in the angiogenesis setting will be studied. In mice models of NASH will be the role of angiogenesis in fibrosis and colalteral formation studied in different ...