Projects

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Insight in mechanisms to unlock omega-3 fatty acids from microalgae. KU Leuven

Imogen Foubert
Microbial and Molecular Systems, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, Bioengineering Technology, Ghent and Aalst Technology Campuses, Centre for Food and Microbial Technology, Biology, Kulak Kortrijk Campus
Microalgal biomass is a rich source of nutritionally interesting components such as ω-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (ω-3-PUFA). Important health benefits are related to these components, but their current average intake is below the recommended level. This raises interest in food enrichment. ω-3-PUFA from microalgal origin can be added to food preparations in the form of extracted oil, or as whole biomass. In order to enhance extractability and ...

Exploiting acquired vulnerabilities in fatty acid metabolism to overcome therapy resistance in castration resistant prostate cancer KU Leuven

Johan Swinnen
Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer

Castration resistant prostate cancer (crPCA) remains refractory to
androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and is invariably lethal. Therefore,
strategies in extending therapy response or overcoming therapy
resistance are sorely needed. Based on solid evidence that androgen
signalling drives fatty acid synthesis, rendering membrane lipids more
saturated and contributing to therapy resistance, we propose to exploit ...

Exploitation of lipid metabolism in improving cancer immune checkpoint therapy response KU Leuven

Johan Swinnen
Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer

Immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI), aimed at enhancing CD8+ T-cell activity against solid tumours, is revolutionising cancer management, providing unprecedented and sustained responses in several cancer types, including melanoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and lung cancer. Unfortunately, only a subset of patients benefits from ICI, emphasizing the need for strategies that sensitise tumours to ICI. Here, by analogy with other ...

The oxidative stability of n-3 LC-PUFA in meat batter model systems enriched with microalgae KU Leuven

Imogen Foubert
Bioengineering Technology, Ghent and Aalst Technology Campuses, Microbial and Molecular Systems, Kulak Kortrijk Campus

The health benefits of omega-3 long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are generally recognized. Unfortunately, in most Western countries, the recommended daily intake of these compounds is rarely met. Therefore, enrichment of commonly occurring foods can boost intake of these fatty acids. Meat products are an interesting target, as they contain high-quality proteins and are a source of iron. Meat products could be enriched with ...

Vision and peroxisomes: how does peroxisomal B-oxidation prevent retinal deterioration? KU Leuven

Myriam Baes
Cell Metabolism, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Laboratory of Peroxisome Biology and Intracellular Communication

Peroxisomes are multifunctional organelles, present in almost every eukaryotic cell. Their importance is highlighted by the life-threatening diseases caused by peroxisomal dysfunction. Patients with mutations in the central peroxisomal β-oxidation enzyme, multifunctional protein 2 (MFP2) exhibit a diverse clinical image. In the worst case, they present with general multi-organ failure and have a life expectancy of less than one year. ...