Projects
The best of both worlds: boosting the potential of CASCs with DPSCs for true cardiac repair. Hasselt University
From gene to function: Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer-associated ABCA7 risk variants in microglia biology using patient-derived iPSCs and chimeric mice models. University of Antwerp
Exploration of differentiated iPSCs as peptide antigen source for tolerizing immunizations in autoimmune disease Ghent University
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central (CNS) nervous system. While its etiology remains unknown, it is considered to be the result of an auto-inflammatory reaction targeting oligodendrocytes (ODCs), the myelin producing cells of the CNS. Current approved therapies rely on general immunosuppression, leading to a wide range of side effects. Evidence in experimental autoimmune ...
iPSC: Therapeutic target identification for FTD/ALS using human induced pluripotent stem cell models KU Leuven
The development of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell models (iPSC) of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Fronto Temporal Dementia (FTD).
It takes two to tango_ a decryption of Marfan cardiomyopathy using human iPSC- derived cardiac cells and engineered heart tissues Ghent University
Marfan syndrome is a systemic disorder caused by defects in fibrillin-1, a matrix protein. Cardiovascular manifestations, particularly in the aorta, are the most life-threatening consequences. Moreover, accumulating evidence indicates that Marfan syndrome is causing a primary cardiomyopathy. Importantly, the cardiac stroma, consisting of cardiac fibroblasts, is increasingly considered to be an active player in heart development, cardiac ...
Neuronal network and mitochondrial activity in IPSC models for neurodegeneration KU Leuven
In this project, we will make use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to address questions related to the role of the gut-brain connection in Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this context, we will study neuronal activity, morphology and mitochondrial transport in iPSC-derived neurons as a way to assess the impact of PD-relevant mutations on neuronal health and function. Furthermore, we will use advanced neuroimaging tools to ...
INTEGRATED multi-OMICs applications on 2 and 3D IPSC models to unravel the role of the immune system and energy metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis KU Leuven
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Patients suffer from progressive muscle weakness and usually die within 2-5 years after disease onset. The mechanisms of motor neuron death are only partially understood. The use of stem cell models using patient-derived cells are accelerating our knowledge about disease mechanisms.
The primary ...
in vivo model for MECP2 - related diseases using iPSC and xenotransplantation KU Leuven
Given the uniqueness of the human brain and the difficulty to study the brain of patients at the cellular and molecular levels (neuronal material/brain biopsy), the advent of human pluripotent stem cell (PSC) has offered new opportunities to study human neural development in health and disease. We apply since 2014 the iPSC technology, to model neurodevelopmental disorders in vitro, such as MECP2 duplication syndrome and Rett syndrome. In this ...