Projects
School adjustment trajectories at the transition from kindergarten to elementary school. KU Leuven
Studying Dscam function in synaptic connectivity at single cell level. KU Leuven
Axonal branching is an essential mechanism in nervous system function, as it allows a single neuron to connect to multiple post-synaptic targets and thus increases the complexity and connectivity of neural networks. Collateral formation could be a therapeutic target to promote functional recovery in a wide range of nervous system diseases and injuries. However, the mechanisms allowing the formation and stabilization of specific ...
Synaptic dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease and neurodegeneration. KU Leuven
Parkinson’s disease is an incurable neurodegenerative, lethal movement disorder affecting ~10 million people. Familial disease is caused by mutations in >20 genes and these map to a limited number of diverse molecular pathways. Using new and extensive collections of fruit flies and iPS cells we are studying the mutations in these genes that cause disease, with the ultimate goal to understand the underlying pathogenic pathways. In addition, ...
Zebrafish as a Model for Glycosylation Defects. Fishing for the Role of TMEM165 KU Leuven
Characterization of the bacterial community composition in drinking water production and distribution systems, emphasizing Acinetobacter species. KU Leuven
The production and delivery of safe drinking water is challenging. The quality of drinking water is influenced by its chemical and microbial composition which in turn may be affected by the source water and the different processes applied in the production of drinking water. Important bacterial waterborne pathogens include members of the genera Legionella, Mycobacterium and Acinetobacter. Acinetobacter ...
Learning from Structured EEG and fMRI Data Supporting the Diagnosis of Epilepsy KU Leuven
Physiological role of the ATP13A2 gene product. A putative Mn2+ transporter. KU Leuven
The P5‐type ATPases are a subfamily belonging to the large family of P‐type transporters and are probably the least characterized. One of the most intriguing members is ATP13A2, a lysosomal membrane protein in which mutations underlie various neurological disorders, including Kufor‐Rakeb syndrome, Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis and Early‐Onset Parkinson’s Disease. It has previously been described that ATP13A2 deficiency is involved in a ...
ZIZO KU Leuven
The role of furin in beta cell proliferation. KU Leuven
The prevalence of diabetes has reached pandemic proportions, affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Pancreatic beta cell dysfunction is a hallmark of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, thus completely understanding the mechanisms that govern normal beta cell function and death is critical for the development of novel therapies.
This thesis focuses on the in vivo functional characterization of the proprotein convertase (PC) ...