Projects
Role of linear ubiquitination in intestinal inflammation and disease Ghent University
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic conditions characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. IBD patients suffer from increased intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) apoptosis and exhibit a hyperactivated NF-kB pathway leading to immune system activation and proinflammatory cytokine production. Recent studies have indicated that linear ubiquitination is a key regulatory mechanism of NF-κB signalling and cell death. ...
Development of hybrid molecules targeting glucocorticoid and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-based heterodimers to combat inflammation Ghent University
According to the World Health Organization, chronic inflammatory diseases should be regarded as one of the greatest threats to human health. Glucocorticoids have widespread use in the clinic and constitute the primary treatment option for e.g. asthma, allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately, prolonged glucocorticoid treatment at higher doses is severely hampered by side effects and a ...
Fibrosis, inflammation and thrombosis in Fontan failure: the Fontan INFINETx study. KU Leuven
The INFINETx study is an international, multicenter study involving UZ KU Leuven and UCL in Belgium, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris in France, and Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle in the UK. It consists of translational research in patients born with a single ventricle palliated with a Fontan circulation. The approach will be multiscale, from lab research in collaboration with Prof. Kim Martinod to unravel pathways causing ...
MoodBugs: How our gut microbes influence how we feel – bacterial metabolites and inflammation as mediators of human microbiota-affect relationships KU Leuven
Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota communicate with the brain through various mechanisms including the production of short-chain fatty acids. Apart from regulating inflammation, this microbiota–gut–brain axis has raised the question whether it may also influence feelings and emotion-based responses. The MoodBugs project proposes to investigate the association between specific microbiota profiles and mental health. By combining ...
Leukocyte trafficking in the resolution of inflammation KU Leuven
Training of young scientists in the Biological regulation of the chemokine network to improve treatment of ACTIVE inflammation KU Leuven
The Functional Characterization of Immune Cells-Astrocyte Interactions during CNS Inflammation KU Leuven
Neurological function and dysfunction are controlled by complex biological responses involving the coordinated activities of multiple cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). Evidence points to the importance of the reciprocal communication between CNS-resident cells and the immune system for CNS physiology. One area of particular underexplored potential is the role of neuroimmune interactions between astrocytes and immune cells in ...