Projects

Since 2002, we know that many heat-treated foods contain acrylamide, which means that everybody is exposed to this compound. In rodents, acrylamide causes cancer and toxic effects to the nervous, developmental and reproductive system. It is still unclear whether acrylamide at dietary doses causes adverse health effects in humans. There are concerns that it may cause adverse effects on fetal growth and neurotoxic effects in children and this ...

Species showing multiple morphs present a challenge for evolutionary theory. Current explanations for the evolution of female-limited polymorphism do not suffice to account for the recently observed variation in female morph frequencies, which is far greater than previously appreciated. Focus on variation in density and frequency in relation to morph-specific fitness, behaviour and morphology should allow reaching a more general explanation.

The project aims to gain insights into the origin of individual differences in impuls control and self regulation. We test the hypothesis that activity in three hypothesized brain regions correlates on the one hand with dopamine receptor gene polymorphisme, and on the other hand with stable personality traits reflecting motivated, persistent, and adaptive behavior.

Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a genetic disorder presenting with thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), causing abnormal widening of the aorta, which leads to aortic rupture or dissection, a life-threatening complication that occurs unexpectedly. LDS is caused by genetic defects in six different genes of the TGF? pathway (TGFBR1/2, SMAD2/3, TGFB2/3), which is vital in the proper development of the body's connective tissue. Despite the progress in ...