Projects
Dynamics in the Central Plant Cell Metabolism KU Leuven
Sabbatical Patrick Degryse: Micro-analysis of cultural artifacts: sourcing antimony used in late Bronze age pyrotechnology KU Leuven
Antimony minerals were frequently used from the 5th millennium BCE onwards, as a resource in metallurgy and glass making. Nevertheless, questions concerning technology and provenance have not been satisfactorily answered. To provenance antimony ores used in ancient technology, the group of P. Degryse developed Sb isotopic analysis (AIA) to compare ores to artefacts, next to using more established lead isotope analysis (LIA). The former ...
Shelf ecosystems along the U.S. Atlantic Coastal Plain prior and during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum KU Leuven
Projections of anthropogenic global warming predict extreme impacts on ecosystems, including loss in biodiversity, fluctuations in hydrological cycles, and variations in duration and intensity of seasons. Climate prediction, and resulting mitigation needs depend on the accuracy of climate models, which in turn rely on trustworthy climate data from the past. The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is considered one of the best analogs for ...
Carbon materials tailored for 225Ac/213Bi separation and their use in radionuclide generators KU Leuven
Cancer is a significant public health issue and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Accordingly, developing effective cancer treatment strategies is of critical importance. One emerging approach involves targeted alpha therapy, which offers the potential of introducing highly cytotoxic effects on cancer cells and minimal damage to surrounding healthy cells. Bismuth-213 (213Bi) is a promising candidate for targeted alpha therapy. But ...
Unraveling the natural isotopic fractionation of Fe accompanying different homeostatic processes for understanding the effect of impaired Fe regulation on its isotopic composition in biological fluids. Ghent University
Understanding the source bio-mechanisms of Fe isotopic fractionation in the human body is crucial knowledge for developing diagnostic tools of one's Fe status. Now, quantification of serum ferritin levels is relied on, but results may be often misleading as they can be affected by inflammation, infection and liver disorders. Isotopic analysis of blood/serum Fe is gaining potential as a robust and reliable indicator of the Fe status. However, ...
Platform for interdisciplinary isotopic research by means of multi-collector inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry Ghent University
As a hybrid mass spectrometer, MC-ICPMS combines an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) plasma source, an energy filter, a magnetic sector analyzer, and multiple collectors for the measurement of ions. The ions are produced by introducing the sample into an inductively coupled plasma which strips off electrons thereby creating positively charged ions. These ions are accelerated across an electrical potential gradient (up to 10 KV) and focused ...
Modelling lianas as key drivers of tropical forest responses to climate change Ghent University
Tropical forests are essential components of the earth system. Yet, much uncertainty exists about the exact
role of this biome in the global carbon cycle. Our limited understanding of tropical forest functioning is
reflected in uncertain global vegetation model projections. A large source of uncertainty in these models is
their representation of ecosystem demographic processes. Interestingly, fieldwork has ...
Nuclei under extremes. KU Leuven
The natural K, Fe, and Cu isotopic response to Pt-based chemotherapeutic drug resistance in ovarian cancer Ghent University
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and in the EU, and was responsible for an estimated one in six deaths in 2018. Early diagnosis plays an important role in determining cancer treatment outcomes, but the diagnosis of ovarian cancer poses significant challenges; the routine screening of asymptomatic average-risk women is not recommended by any professional society. Chemotherapy using Pt-based compounds (e.g. carboplatin, ...