news 2018

Ghent University scientists, in collaboration with American and Japanese researchers, unraveled the "grounded running" pattern, which drastically reduces the loading on the musculoskeletal system compared to the "classical" running pattern. Benefits (and disadvantages) of running Distance running is one of the most popular forms of physical activity, with health benefits given as one of the main reasons to go for a run.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the philanthropic endeavour led by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and his partner Priscilla Chan, has announced the launch of its Neurodegeneration Challenge Network. This new network brings together experimental scientists from various biomedical research fields, computational biologists, and physicians to understand the underlying causes of neurodegenerative disorders.

The non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), developed to detect Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities in unborn children, can also detect blood cancers. Not just in pregnant women but in everyone. This is because the test examines the DNA that is circulating in the blood - and that may include the genetic material of cancer cells.

One cannot overcome malaria without adrenal gland. Malaria affects the sugar metabolism and this has fatal consequences without the help of the adrenal gland. The study of the Laboratory of Immunobiology (Rega Institute) explores a new field within malaria research and was published. Malaria is still one of the most important infectious diseases.

( 31-10-2018 ) To the search for an effective remedy to combat HIV, the HIV Cure Research Center at UZ Ghent has made groundbreaking contributions. The HIV Ontrafelen Fund represents an indispensable link to enable this research work to continue. As a progressive and pluralistic institution, Ghent University is committed to contributing via research to the exploration of solutions to social and economic problems.

( 26-10-2018 ) Belgian researchers elucidated the three-dimensional structure of an assembly of proteins operating on cells that dampen immune responses. They also discovered how an antibody can block this assembly and the immunosuppression it induces downstream. Such an antibody could serve to stimulate immunity against tumor cells in cancer patients, triggering the destruction of their tumors by immune cells.

Belgian research groups from the UCLouvain and WELBIO, VIB and Ghent University, and the biotechnology company argenx elucidated the three-dimensional structure of an assembly of proteins operating on cells that dampen immune responses. They also discovered how an antibody can block this assembly and the immunosuppression it induces downstream.

VUB thesis exposes power dynamic in doctor-patient relations The internet as a source of information about health is no panacea for creating patient empowerment. That's the conclusion reached by Edgard Eeckman in the doctoral thesis he defended at VUB's Communication Science faculty. He researched the power balance in the doctor-patient relationship and the influence of online and offline information about health, in a study that reveals the power dynamics associated with being ill.

Television programmes about cooking, famous chefs and their dishes are very popular among both young and old. Research conducted at the universities of Antwerp and Leuven has now shown that cooking programmes aimed specifically at children often feature unhealthy dishes. But the study also found that seeing good examples on screen encourages children to eat more healthily.

Cobalt mining comes at a great cost to public health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. New research reveals that children are particularly vulnerable: their urine and blood samples contain high concentrations of cobalt and other metals. In past years, the demand for cobalt has been on the increase due to its many applications.

KU Leuven researchers have discovered a novel mechanism that prevents oxidative stress and therefore provides protection against joint, brain and bone diseases. When the cells in our body have a normal metabolism, this results in the production of chemically reactive molecules that contain oxygen, also called reactive oxygen species.

Conditions in developing countries often make it difficult to properly diagnose people. That's why a simple yet accurate technology is needed that can be used on the spot. Researchers at KU Leuven are developing a flexible chip that is able to detect infections and viruses in the blood. The project was awarded funding through the Grand Challenges Explorations initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Macrophages are specialised immune cells that destroy bacteria and other harmful organisms. KU Leuven scientists have come to the surprising conclusion that some macrophages in the intestines of mice can survive for quite some time. Most importantly, these long-lived macrophages are vital for the survival of the nerve cells of the gastrointestinal tract.

Far too often, cancer cells manage to become resistant to doctors' treatments. Researchers at KU Leuven have now discovered a new mechanism that makes cancer cells more resistant to therapy. Fortunately, they also came up with a way to by-pass this problem. Their research was published Communications.

The lifespan of a transplant kidney has significantly improved over the last thirty years. Between 1986 and 1995, 75% of the transplanted kidneys still functioned five years after the transplant. Between 2006 and 2015, this number had already risen to 84%. However, an international study lead by kidney specialist Maarten Naesens of KU Leuven shows that the progress is stagnating.

A major discovery at UCL in the fight against bacterial infections: Jean-François Collet and his team have discovered a new protein, CnoX, which plays a major role in defending bacteria against our immune system. Thanks to this discovery, UCL researchers will be able to develop a system that neutralises this protein and thus weakens the defence of bacteria against immune system attacks and contributes to the development of new antibiotics.

Researchers and clinicians at VIB, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven have identified a genetic mutation that causes a rare form of the autoimmune disease lupus. They discovered the mutation in one Belgian family's DNA. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues.

Scientists from KU Leuven and UCLA reveal why male and female cells behave differently after being reprogrammed into stem cells. Using a patient's skin cells to restore his vision? Thanks to a promising technique known as cell reprogramming, this science fiction scenario may soon become reality. The technique allows scientists to make stem cells from, for instance, a patient's skin cells.

Approximately 4 million people worldwide currently suffer from Parkinson's disease, and this number is only expected to increase. The most frequent genetic causes of the illness are mutations in the gene responsible for controlling the production of protein LRRK2, which includes two enzymes: a kinase and a GTPase.

The new technique was developed by Professor Tom Francart and his colleagues from the Department of Neurosciences at KU Leuven in collaboration with the University of Maryland. It will allow for a more accurate diagnosis of patients who cannot actively participate in a speech understanding test because they're too young, for instance, or because they're in a coma.