Projects
Directed evolution of mesophilic DNA polymerases with altered substrate specificity KU Leuven
Many parts of biology are universal: present in every organism, made by the same processes, based on the same chemistry and following the same rules. Rules that emerged very early in evolution such as the genetic code and the storage of genetic information in DNA and RNA. Nevertheless, that universality does not imply that biology has explored every possible chemical
reaction or every possible permutation. Thus, if a viable alternative ...
Functional genomics. University of Antwerp
Delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 mRNA-based therapy into the inner ear by lipid nanoparticles: Cure deafness by disrupting mutant COCH expression in a humanized DFNA9 mouse model. University of Antwerp
Unraveling the molecular pathway of the E3 ligase DA2/GW2 in Arabidopsis and rice Ghent University
How plants grow from a small seed to their final stature appeals to the imagination of many people.
Plants are indispensable for our daily needs, therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms
that drive plant growth and identify molecular links between genes that enhance final organ size. In
this project, we will study the central growth regulator DA2. DA2 limits leaf and seed size in
Arabidopsis and rice and ...
Artificial genetic systems with stereocontrolled sugar-phosphate backbone: towards advanced therapy and synthetic biology. KU Leuven
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are among the most remarkable biomolecules since they provide the molecular basis for all life through their unique ability to store and propagate genetic information. In this information system, the genetic alphabet is formed by 4 nucleobases, each appended to a sugar moiety. Phosphodiester linkages connect successive sugars in strands of variable lengths. Natural DNA and RNA are quickly ...
Pharma4S - Advanced Optimisation of Recombinant Protein Bioproduction: Multi-Scale Systems Biology Study for Pharmaceutical Proteins KU Leuven
The production of proteins by using genetically modified organisms has become a multibillion-euro industry thanks to the multitude of applications. Specifically in the pharmaceutical industry, proteins are being produced in this manner to obtain a reliable and cost-efficient production process. However, the optimisation of these complex production processes is not yet taking advantage of the state-of-theart computational techniques that are ...
Assembly and optimization of synthetic pathways Saccharonmyces cerevisiae: aurones case study Ghent University
In the last decades, the industrial or white biotechnology which uses micro-organisms and enzymes for the sustainable production of industrial relevant compounds is on the rise. One
group of such interesting compounds are flavonoids, plant secondary metabolites with promising bioactive properties for treatments against viral and bacterial infections, cancer
and inflammation. As such, these molecules attain huge attention for ...
Development of artificial nuclear receptors, the synthetic yeast approach KU Leuven
The field of synthetic biology has demonstrated to be a valuable tool in research as well as in medical and industrial applications. Nowadays, it’s not only possible to replace an organism’s genetic material with synthetic DNA but also to engineer the function of that synthetic DNA and establish genetic circuits that respond to either external or internal stimuli. A well-characterized orthogonal sensing system is the ON-switch, which induces ...
Drosophila knock ins in a month without DNA manipulation. KU Leuven
A normal functioning nervous system is crucial for organismal health and dysfunction in parts of the nervous system can affect movement, memory formation and mood. Identification of genes responsible for inherited neuronal dysfunction permits to study their function in model organisms. Drosophila melanogaster is renowned for its powerful genetic tools for studying neurological diseases and allows investigation of these genes’ ...