Projects
Spherical deconvolution of high-dimensional diffusion MRI for improved microstructural imaging of the brain. University of Antwerp
Whole Genome Sequencing to streamline TB diagnosis, improve TB surveillance and optimize individualized TB treatment: a pragmatic trial. University of Antwerp
The Causal Effect of School Resources on Efficiency and Effectiveness. An Intertemporal Analysis in case of Imperfect Compliance KU Leuven
Despite the significant spending on education, school systems operate in a context of scares resources, which urges policy interventions to be efficient. In the efficiency literature, schools are evaluated for their ability of transforming inputs (e.g., teaching hours) into outputs (e.g., school certificates). The overall objective of this research is to investigate the effect of increasing and reducing school resources on the efficiency and ...
Biomechanics-based diagnosis and prognosis of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms KU Leuven
An aortic aneurysm is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by a permanent dilatation of the aortic wall. This condition may lead to fatal acute aortic syndromes, i.e. dissection or rupture of the aortic wall. Current clinical practice dictates surgical intervention when the measured diameter exceeds a critical threshold. For ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms, the surgical procedure involves a highly invasive and risky open surgery ...
Single-cell omics in high throughput and at spatial resolution KU Leuven
A human body comprises 10 to 100 billion cells (= 10 to 100 x 1000.000.000.000 cells). As most of our organ functions are executed by the concerted action of those individual cells in a spatially organised context, it is paramount to research individual cells in their native spatial context. This is not only important to understand normal organ development and function, but also to investigate how (subpopulations of) cells are perturbed in ...
Imaging synaptic plasticity in therapeutic sleep deprivation for major depression (SleepLess). University of Antwerp
Role of c-Myc-PP2A negative feedback control in liver biology: new avenues for improved treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. KU Leuven
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly cancer with limited treatment options. This project exploits our recent discovery of spontaneous HCC development in mice lacking the B'65 subunit of PP2A, a phosphatase family with tumor suppressive functions. The observed HCC phenotype was causally linked to loss of a negative feedback loop between the oncoprotein c-Myc and PP2A, which, due to PP2A inactivity, results in full-blown c-Myc ...
Molecular determinants of attenuation of chikungunya virus in mosquitoes and potential role of the mosquito in the emergence of drug resistance. KU Leuven
Arboviruses can cause severe diseases such as hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis and arthritis. Some arboviruses, including the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), are significant global health threats because of their high disease burden, their widespread (re-)emergence and the lack of vaccines or therapeutics. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge on the potential emergence of antiviral drug-resistant arboviruses once such drugs may become ...
How does experience shape brain representations? An fMRI comparative investigation in human and nonhuman primates KU Leuven
Throughout evolution, our species developed unique cognitive abilities that set us apart from other nonhuman primates. Behavioural and cognitive differences must be reflected in the brain’s functional organization. Yet, accumulating evidence points towards homologues brain organization across species. Do monkeys represent the world the way we do? In a series of functional neuroimaging (fMRI) studies, we will investigate how different types of ...