Projects
Target validation and drug discovery towards a therapy for the Rett Syndrome. KU Leuven
Rett syndrome (RTT) (OMIM 312750) is a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly affects girls and is caused by loss-of function mutations in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). To date only symptomatic treatment is available. In this project we will validate on the one hand the direct interaction between the transcriptional co-activator lens epithelium-derived growth factor p75 (LEDGF/p75) and MeCP2 as a putative ...
Genome-wide genotype-phenotype associations in Drosophila for neurodegenerative disease pathway and drug target discovery. KU Leuven
The increase in life expectancy in the Western world has seen a growing number of individuals suffering from neurodegenerative disorders. Many of these disorders are associated with the accumulation of toxic protein species, such as amyloid beta (aß) peptides in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), microtubule-binding Tau in AD and frontotemporal lobe degeneration (FTLD), a-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and TDP-43 in amyotrophic lateral ...
Rational discovery of drug compounds targeting the chromatin-reading function of LEDGF/p75 towards the treatment for acute MLL-rearranged leukemia KU Leuven
Mixed-lineage leukemia rearranged (MLL-r) is an acute leukemia mostly affecting children and associated with poor survival. The disease is caused by rearrangements in the MLL gene resulting in malignant fusion proteins. LEDGF/p75 serves as an epigenetic reader and tethers transcription complexes containing MLL to chromatin via its PWWP domain. Recent studies demonstrated that this process is essential for the onset of MLL-r leukemia, yet it ...
Development and validation of a repurposing platform for drug discovery to treat cardiomyopathy. KU Leuven
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. A subset of CVDs that remain particularly challenging to treat are cardiomyopathies (CMs) or ‘diseases of the heart muscle’. CMs are heterogeneous in origin and phenotype and mostly caused by an ever increasing number of gene mutations. The long-term benefits of current generalised pharmacological approaches are uncertain and these drugs only relieve symptoms instead of ...
Carboxypeptidase U - a new drug target for the improvement of treatment in acute ischemic stroke. University of Antwerp
Carboxypeptidase U - a new drug target for the improvement of treatment in acute ischemic stroke. University of Antwerp
The PHF6 - TLX1 cooperativity and the IL7R-JAK3 signaling axis as drug target in PHF6 deficient T-ALL Ghent University
T -cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T -ALL) arises from uncontrolled proliferation and arrested differentiation of precursor T-cells. Since many factors contributing to the pathogenesis of T-ALL are still unknown, a comprehensive analysis of the molecular pathways involved in this disease will be crucial to fully understand the mechanisms of malignant T-cell transformation and to develop novel strategies for targeted and less toxic ...
Discovery and mechanism of action of novel hEag1 potassium channel lead molecules with anti-cancer activity. KU Leuven
Cancer remains an important cause of mortality and economic losses worldwide. For an improved cancer therapy, a permanent need for the discovery of new-generation, refined anticancer agents is needed. Exploitation of genuinely novel classes of cancer targets with new mechanisms of action provides great opportunities for the discovery of new anticancer drugs. Targeting the voltage-gated potassium channel hEag1 in cancer is one of the most ...