Projects
Development and validation of a dynamic model describing the stem diameter variations related to water and sugar transport in woody plants Ghent University
The aim of this project is to extend an existing model which describes stem diamter variations related to water transport and growth with sugar transport. This extended model will describe the dynamic volume changes of the xylem and phloem tissue related to water transport, phloem transport, loading and unloading of sugars and irreversible growth. Experimental setups will be built to quantify the dynamics between sugar transport and stem ...
Dynamics of the stem diameter variation as a diagnostic tool for the fundamental analysis of the plant-water relations and the carbon metabolism of woody plants Ghent University
Biosensors (i.e. online plant sensors) can be succesfully used as diagnostic tools to evaluate the physiological plant health status and are, therefore, of practical importance for the development of advanced phytomonitoring systems. A promising sensor is the LVDT, which can be used to measure online and with great precision stem diamter variations, including radial stem growth. The LVDT measurement reveals useful information on both the ...
Biomechanical and bioengineering approaches in titanium implant osseointegration. KU Leuven
Implant therapy is a well-established treatment option for replacing missing teeth. Although its overall high success rate, successful implant osseointegration is not straightforward at anatomical sites and in pathologies associated with compromised bone and bone healing capacity such as diabetes and osteoporosis. Optimization of implant osseointegration in impaired bone conditions is one of the challenges remaining in implant dentistry. In ...
“My body defines who I am”: An identity perspective on the body (ID-BODY) KU Leuven
Although the link between one’s body experiences and identity development has been highlighted repeatedly, little integrative work has been conducted. Further, existing research lacks theoretical and methodological sophistication. To remedy these shortcomings, the ID-BODY project upholds a differentiated and nuanced perspective on identity and the body using longitudinal and mixed-methods designs. The main research question of ID-BODY is: How ...
A Combined Multibody and Plantar Pressure Approach to Estimate and Predict Foot Kinematics Applied to 3D-printed Insoles KU Leuven
In Europe, over 200 million people suffer from disabling foot and ankle pain caused by a variety of pathologies as overloading injuries, degenerative joint disorders and systemic diseases (e.g. diabetes). Foot orthoses (FOs) or insoles are a popular conservative treatment to alleviate pain and prevent further deterioration of the pathological condition; the goal is to optimize a patient’s foot function by relieving symptoms and slow down or ...
EXPERT tool: proof-of-concept implementation of a market exploration with an interactive tool for prescribing cardiovascular rehabilitation Hasselt University
The neurovascular link: an unexpectedly important role of metabolism. KU Leuven
Food for the future. KU Leuven
By 2050, the world population will have increased by an estimated 30% and the average world citizen will more than today live in urbanized environments. Society in general and the food supply chain in particular will face even greater challenges tomorrow than today. To name just three:
- the increasing prevalence of undernourishment, obesity, metabolic syndrome and associated health diseases (e.g. type 2 diabetes) some of which are ...
On the Interplay among Psychosocial, Biological, and Medical Factors in Different Populations: Charting Developmental Interdependencies and Trajectories from Childhood through Emerging Adulthood KU Leuven
The long-term purpose of the research program is to expand our understanding of the various processes linking psychosocial functioning to several physical and medical parameters from childhood through emerging adulthood in different community and clinical populations. Such a developmental focus on the interface between normative psychosocial issues and physical or medical outcomes is of critical importance in understanding why certain ...