Projects
Single and combined effects of warming and predator-induced stress in an aquatic insect: from physiology to ecosystem functions KU Leuven
There is increasing awareness that predators not only affect prey through direct consumption, but also without consuming them through ‘fear’ effects. These fear effects, which may even be stronger than direct consumption, operate through physiological stress in the prey. While the general stress response is well-documented in vertebrates, the underlying mechanisms and consequences remain poorly known in invertebrates. By using the damselfly ...
Stress Physiology and HRV biofeedback in Adolescents with Autism KU Leuven
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in identifying the role of aberrant stress regulation and anxiety in neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this context,
increasing reports have emerged indicating a link between aberrant functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a central component of the physiological stress system, and psychiatric
disorders. The current project aims ...
Objectively assessing dyadic biobehavioural synchrony via dual eye-tracking, dual EEG and ANS stress physiology recording, and detailed video monitoring KU Leuven
Mercury exposure, nutritional stress and their combined effect on the susceptibility to a viral disease, physiology, and parental care behaviour: an experimental approach in a wild, long-lived seabird. University of Antwerp
Pre-allocated professorship in Plant Stress Physiology in Cereal Crops Ghent University
To survive in hostile environments, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to protect themselves against abiotic en biotic stress factors. Plant stress tolerance has been positively selected during evolution as it alows a population to better adapt to changing environmental conditions. From an agricultural point of view, cultivars with enhanced stress tolerance, without compromising yield, are the most durable option to suply food to ...
Pinpointing obsessive-compulsive symptom severity: Assessing hypersensitivity for symptom-eliciting visual cues using (frequency-tagging) EEG, eye tracking and stress physiology responses KU Leuven
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder affecting 2-2.5% of the population. It is characterized by anxiety-provoking obsessions and time-consuming compulsions. The clinical expression of OCD is highly heterogenous and available assessment tools entail many limitations. In addition, OCD is associated with numerous comorbidities, which complicate diagnosis and personalized treatment. Against this background, ...
Effects of oxytocin administration paired with social interaction on stress physiology in children with autism and co-occurring intellectual disability. KU Leuven
Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a therapeutic option targeting the impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While initial proof-of concept studies have shown improved functioning after multiple-dose OT treatment in children with ASD (<12 years), confirmatory studies are needed in larger cohorts and to study long-term effects. Moreover, most of the studies excluded autistic individuals with comorbid ...
Using the computing capacity of plants to understand their physiology and stress response Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The use of nonlinear dynamical systems (such as compliant robot morphologies) as physical computing systems is widely spread in the domain of machine learning and robotics. Often, physical reservoir computing is used as a theoretical framework. In this project we have applied the physical reservoir computing for the first time to plants. This allows us to better understand the dynamic ...