Projects
Elucidating the role of 1-dimensional metal-oxide chains in the physical and chemical properties of porous metal-organic frameworks by means of density functional theory calculations Ghent University
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are nanoporous materials consisting of metal clusters linked by organic molecules. The possible variation of these building blocks provides great opportunities for focussed design, demanding detailed insights in the role they play in the MOFs’ overall properties.
Atomic scale modelling provides a powerful tool for the investigation of the role these separate building blocks play. I will investigate this ...
Software development for arthroplasty preparation Ghent University
In this doctoral plan a software what will aid the physicians in the pre surgical planning of a total arthroplasty will be developed. This software will automatically segment the patient’s bone and predict his performance over a broad spectre of commercialized prosthesis.
Antimicrobial mechanism of trans-cinnamaldehyde and other essential oil compounds in Listeria monocytogenes KU Leuven
Natural antimicrobials enjoy an increasing interest in view of the trend towards healthy, minimally processed food that has a natural image and a conveniently long shelf life. They can be integrated in a hurdle concept of multiple mild food preservation strategies, which address the challenges of this trend in terms of microbiological stability and safety. Studies on natural food preservatives have so far been mainly descriptive, reporting ...
Function and evolution of plant peptides and protein interactions KU Leuven
In this thesis work, we try to understand the function and evolution of small/short plant peptides that are induced under oxidative stress and to further understand the functions of members of two plant transcription factor (TF) families viz. the MADS domain and AT-Hook proteins. An important feature of plant stress response comprises the production of peptides with signaling, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Our primary aim ...
Unravelling the molecular function of the Arabidopsis thaliana LSU peptide family in the plant stress response using an interactomics-based approach. KU Leuven
Plants defend themselves against pathogens and abiotic stresses using a wide arsenal of defence mechanisms. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has four members of the LSU (Low Sulfur Upregulated) gene family (LSU1-4) encoding small proteins with 59-89% sequence similarity and homologues in several other plants and major crops.
Originally, the LSU peptides were characterized as induced during sulfur deficiencies, but ...
Exploring the potential of plant defensins as basis for diagnosis and treatment of fungal diseases KU Leuven
Each year, invasive fungal infections cause 1.5 million of deaths worldwide and this number is still increasing. Besides the increasing number of immunocompromised patients, the increased use of implants and other invasive devices is also an important factor resulting in the increased prevalence of fungal infections. In general, 80% of the microbial infections is thought to be biofilm-based. Biofilms are groups of cells that are embedded in a ...
IDENTIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF DRUG-TARGET INTERACTIONS USING CRISPR/CAS-MEDIATED GENOME EDITING KU Leuven
Drug discovery and development are cornerstones of the pharmaceutical industry. However, these processes are difficult, time-consuming and costly. Many new drugs fail during clinical development due to insufficient demonstration of their clinical benefit and efficacy. One of the major reasons for this failing is the lack of robust understanding of a drug’s mechanism of action. In addition, phenotypic drug discovery is experiencing a revival ...
Neuromotor markers of pathological gait in children with cerebral palsy: An integrated multidisciplinary approach to support clinical decision making. KU Leuven
In children with cerebral palsy, primary and secondary neuromotor deficits adversely affect normal development of functional activities such as walking. The overall goal of this research program is to develop and improve an integrated multidisciplinary framework to evaluate the interaction between neuromotor impairments and gait pathology, thereby advancing and combining current and innovative methodologies in clinical motion analysis and ...
In vitro and in vivo analysis of the mode of action of a new Pseudomonas aeruginosa antipersister molecule KU Leuven
The increasing rate of antibiotic resistance, together with the limited number of novel antibacterial compounds, is causing a true public health crisis where treatment options for patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria are down to only a few last-line antibiotics. Greatly contributing to the difficult treatment of these bacterial infections is the presence of a small fraction of persister cells; phenotypical variants which are ...