Projects
Fine tuning and engaging the immune system to defeat Alzheimer’s disease. Ghent University
Although well-studied, there are still many questions about the origin of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), making the development of a disease-modifying treatment challenging. Looking at AD from a different angle may boost the design of a more rational approach. Emerging evidence now supports the concept that the immune system plays a key role in AD pathogenesis and leads to the idea that specific parts of the immune system must be fine tuned and ...
Dynamic interaction between beta cells, antigens and immune system cells in type 1 diabetes. KU Leuven
Study of the interaction between the gut flora and the mucosal immune system in the earliest lesions of Crohn's disease in the postoperative recurrence model. KU Leuven
Unraveling the adaptive role of amphibian antimicrobial peptides in the immune system and antipredator defense. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The role of the peripheral immune system and LRRK2 in gut-to-brain spreading of alpha-synuclein pathology in Parkinson’s disease KU Leuven
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative motor disorder characterized by dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the midbrain and accumulation of α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates. αSYN misfolding, aggregation, and prion-like propagation are considered key pathological events in the pathophysiology of PD. Evidence suggests that synucleinopathy can initiate in peripheral tissues and spread from the enteric nervous system, via the ...
'Danger-associated molecular patterns': revealing the molecular signals dictating the communication between dying cells with the immune system. KU Leuven
The role of the peripheral immune system on neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in rodent models for Parkinson’s disease KU Leuven
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative motor disorder. No therapy can cure, stop or slow down the progression of the disease, as only symptomatic treatment strategies are available. Identifying pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration will therefore be essential to develop a disease-modifying drug. PD is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the ...
The role of microcirculatory dysfunction, the innate immune system and intestinal permeability in the early onset of acute-on-chronic liver failure. KU Leuven
Amongst digestive diseases, cirrhosis is the most common non-neoplastic cause of mortality in the Western world. Furthermore, its prevalence is likely to increase in the coming decades because of the increasing incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In this project, we focused on the pathophysiology of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF, chapter IA) to gain a further understanding of several of the lethal complications in cirrhosis: ...