Projects
ERA NET HIVERA Towards immune reconstitution in functional cure of HIV infected patients through targeting of the virulence factor Nef Ghent University
TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF SECRETION MECHANISMS IN E. COLI (Cytoplasmome/secretome divide in E. coli and in vitro reconstitution of the Type 3 Secretion in EPEC) KU Leuven
To function properly, proteins need to reach their final sub-cellular destinations and acquire their final folded state. Therefore, protein targeting and transport are essential cellular processes in all kingdoms of life. Understanding how proteins become transported and folded into a functional state reveals the fundamental aspects of cellular protein biology, like cell wall biogenesis, cell division, molecule-export/uptake/degradation ...
Purification of the Secretory Pathway Ca2+/Mn2+ ATPases for Functional Analysis and Drug Discovery KU Leuven
The organellar P2-type Ca2+-transport ATPases, namely Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and Secretory Pathway Ca²⁺ ATPase (SPCA), are essential to maintain a low resting cytosolic Ca2+ level. At the same time they load respectively the intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi stores with Ca2+. This allows Ca2+ signaling to occur and it supports several organellar processes such as protein folding and maturation. ...
Specific contribution of transgene plasma and platelet von Willebrand factor in haemostasis and thrombosis: from functional studies to gene therapy. KU Leuven
The rheology and accessibility of nutrients in relation to structural characteristics of plant based food systems. KU Leuven
Molecular mechanism of Type 3 protein targeting and secretion KU Leuven
Type III secretion (T3S) is a specialized protein export and delivery system for bacterial protein toxins. These effectors are directly injected in the cytoplasm of host eukaryotic cells, through a dedicated nanosyringe, the injectisome, that spans two bacterial and one eukaryotic membrane. T3SS is one of the most complex protein secretion systems known. To become functional, up to 40 different proteins, in hundreds of copies, interact and ...
Characterization and exploitation of the mycothiol redox system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Understanding the role of Base Excision Repair mechanisms in fetal liver and bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells. KU Leuven
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ensure the lifelong process of hematopoiesis, which continuously generates all mature blood cells. Self-renewal potential and long-term multilineage differentiation are critical functional properties of HSCs, which underlie the clinical therapeutic utility of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation in immunocompromised and/or cancer patients. Consequently, HSPC functionality is tightly ...
Establishing in-depth structure-function relationships of oat proteins in food systems KU Leuven
The United Nations predict that the world population will rise to almost 11 billion people by 2100. Given the strain the global food system already imparts on our planet, a major transformation in this regard is a necessity. Shifting from animal to plant protein based foods is expected to be a key pillar of this transformation. However, replacing animal by plant proteins in food systems has proven challenging. Cereals are one of the major ...