Projects
Cell-type-specific omics to understand cellular recycling in ageing KU Leuven
One pertinent question in ageing research pertains to keeping extracellular fluids in optimal homeostatic conditions during longevity. To achieve this, it seems that long-lived organisms rely on superior functioning of dedicated endocytic cells, but there is virtually no knowledge on how these cells and their recycling capacities alter over ageing.
In C. elegans, a popular model organism for ageing research, two different ...
The Exercise and Nutrition for Healthy AgeiNg (ENHANce) project: optimized and individualized anabolic interventions to improve physical performance in sarcopenic community-dwelling older persons. KU Leuven
Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and function with ageing. It is a hot topic in geriatric medicine due to its increasing prevalence and far-reaching consequences such as immobility, falls, fractures and death. To treat sarcopenia, we developed the Exercise and Nutrition for Healthy AgeiNg (ENHANce) project, in which we examine the effect of proteins with or without omega-3 fatty-acid supplements on top of a physical exercise program. The ...
Erasmus+ KA204: Social inclusion through Meaningful ageing (SEE ME) Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Boosting motor learning through sleep and targeted memory reactivation in ageing and Parkinson’s disease KU Leuven
Rehabilitation is an important therapeutic strategy for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), whereby motor adaptations are learned to maintain daily functioning. However, patients often present difficulty consolidating newly learned skills into long-term memory, which reduces the benefits of training. Interventions that enhance consolidation are therefore projected to diminish the impact of PD. Sleep facilitates motor memory consolidation ...
The prenatal exposome and cardiovascular fetal programming: the role of telomere ageing dynamics. Hasselt University
Multimodal neuroimaging investigation of brain ageing biomarkers in late life depression KU Leuven
Understanding the aetiology of medial temporal lobe (MTL) pathology in severe late-life depression (LLD) is crucial for improving diagnostic specificity with respect to dementia and for optimizing treatment. Given the role of tau in neurodegenerative diseases and our recent finding that hippocampal atrophy in LLD is not related to brain amyloid, we will study non-amyloid pathological brain aging in LLD using PET-MRI neuroimaging. We will ...
Quantifying ageing related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment KU Leuven
University of Ljubljana, located in a low R&I performing country, will partner with two internationally-leading organisations, the Medical University of Graz and KU Leuven, to expand the support and coordination capacity for national and European research in ageing-related decrease in brain functions leading to dementia. By 2025 more than 25% of European population will be over 60 years old, with people over 80 increasing most rapidly. ...
Culture, Ageing & Design: Integrating culture and wellbeing in housing design theories for old age (CAD-project) Hasselt University
Textural and (bio) chemical changes during conventional ageing and chemical pre-treatments of common beans: towards understanding the development of the hard-to-cook defect KU Leuven
Soaking followed by cooking is a common method to process raw common bean seeds towards consumption. The hard-to-cook (HTC) defect, that can develop in beans during post-harvest storage at adverse conditions (conventionally aged beans) is an important factor decreasing the cookability of beans, therefore hampering their utilisation. In addition, the texture evolution of beans during cooking could be affected by soaking/cooking media. The ...