Projects
Genetic mechanisms of human neuronal development and connectivity, in link with evolution and neurodevelopmental diseases. KU Leuven
Neuronal development in the human cerebral cortex is considerably prolonged compared to that of other mammals. It results in extended critical periods of learning and plasticity that have been proposed to play a role in the acquisition of human-specific cognitive features. In mammals, the rate of embryonic development is correlated to the resting metabolic rate as assessed by oxygen consumption. Within the cell, mitochondria are the site of ...
A spatio-temporal simulation model (a cellular automaton) of sealing that will be used in the 3rd phase to explore the future evolution of the sealing process for a number of policy scenarios. KU Leuven
Genetic variation in wild and cultivated Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.): Evolutionary origin, global distribution, and its effect on fungal disease incidence in Southwest Ethiopia KU Leuven
Crop biodiversity, which comprises both the diversity within and between crop species and their wild relatives, is highly valued because of its potential to adapt crops to changing environmental conditions and consumer’s demands. Crop diversity is currently threatened land use conversion and agricultural intensification. The characterisation of the genetic diversity and make-up of the wild and cultivated gene pool of a crop is key to make ...
Experimental Validation of Residual Stress Simulations in Welded Steel Tubes with Digital Image Correlation KU Leuven
As each production process introduces residual stresses in the material, cold-rolled steel tubes are not delivered stress-free. The motivation of this research can be traced back to the laser cutting of tubes. During the cutting process, residual stresses are relieved, which causes deformation of the tube and a reduction of the precision of cut. Residual stresses also play a role in stress corrosion and sudden collapse of tubular ...
Population and landscape genetics in the water flea Daphnia KU Leuven
Summary
The population genetic structure of natural populations in landscapes is the result of a complex interaction between ecological and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, genetic drift and selection, which in turn are shaped by landscape characteristics (environmental gradients and geography), historical processes, or their combined effects. Understanding the relative role of these processes is fundamental to improve our ...
Textural and (bio) chemical changes during conventional ageing and chemical pre-treatments of common beans: towards understanding the development of the hard-to-cook defect KU Leuven
Soaking followed by cooking is a common method to process raw common bean seeds towards consumption. The hard-to-cook (HTC) defect, that can develop in beans during post-harvest storage at adverse conditions (conventionally aged beans) is an important factor decreasing the cookability of beans, therefore hampering their utilisation. In addition, the texture evolution of beans during cooking could be affected by soaking/cooking media. The ...
Monitoring and predicting snail-borne diseases: a multidisciplinary approach KU Leuven
Human activities have become the principal drivers of global change, encompassing habitat destruction and fragmentation, land use change, pollution, overexploitation, and climate change. These processes exert profound influences on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, with climate change, in particular, altering freshwater ecosystems through rising temperatures, increased evaporation, reduced oxygen levels, shifting precipitation patterns, and ...
Prioritizing conservation and restoration targets for freshwater biodiversity in Flanders KU Leuven
Riverine biodiversity is deteriorating rapidly as a result of multiple interacting anthropogenic pressures. Freshwater species are subject to physico-chemical pollution originating from various sources (e.g. agriculture, industries, households), hydro-morphological alterations (e.g. construction of dams, river calibration), and the introduction of invasive species (e.g. topmouth gudgeon, Chinese mitten crab, round goby in Flanders). ...
The origin and maintenance of honest communication signals in insect societies KU Leuven
Social insects are well known for their highly developed social organization and have become a key model in the study of sociality. A key characteristic of their societies is the reproductive division of labor between fertile queens and largely sterile workers, which is regulated by the queen signaling her dominance and fertility through behaviour and pheromones. Recently, it has been shown that cuticular hydrocarbons act as conserved queen ...