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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.

Researchers from KU Leuven and the universities of Pittsburgh, Stanford, and Penn State (US) have identified fifteen genes that determine our facial features. The findings were published. Our DNA determines what we look like, including our facial features. That appeals to the popular imagination, as the potential applications are obvious.

Bone cells do not just form new bone, they also influence the blood sugar level. Leuven scientists have now discovered a new mechanism that controls this link. The metabolism of bone cells determines how much sugar they use; if the bone cells consume more sugar than normal, this can lower the glucose level in the blood.

Vrije Universiteit Brussel launches a new study into the influence of stress and burnout on the quality of our relationships and sexual experiences. "The pressure on our personal lives nowadays is so significant that inevitably has consequences on our sexual wellbeing. Recent studies have shown that our sexual activity has diminished to 2-3 times per month," researcher and sexologist Bert Van Puyenbroeck of Vrije Universiteit Brussel explains.

The findings are an important next step in understanding the relationship between the two inflammatory diseases and to developing effective therapies. Scientists from VIB-UGent have discovered insights for a possible new therapy for eczema that also reduces the severity of asthma. The findings are an important next step in understanding the relationship between the two inflammatory diseases and to developing effective therapies.

KU Leuven scientists present a new way to generate oligodendrocytes, building blocks of the brain that play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. The method makes it much easier to study these cells and explore their therapeutic potential. KU Leuven scientists present a new way to generate oligodendrocytes, building blocks of the brain that play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS.

KU Leuven scientists present a new way to generate oligodendrocytes, building blocks of the brain that play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. The method makes it much easier to study these cells and explore their therapeutic potential. All stem cells are immature, and pluripotent stem cells are the most immature among them: they can give rise to all different cell types of the body.

Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! 1.

Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! 1. World first: surgical robot performs precision-injection in patient with retinal vein occlusion Eye surgeons at University Hospitals Leuven have been the first to use a surgical robotto operate on a patient with retinal vein occlusion.

In 2016, one in four civilians killed in the Syrian conflict was a child. A team of researchers at the UCL Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters analyzed data about more than 140,000 violent deaths between 2011 and 2016 in areas not controlled by the Bashar al-Assad regime. Their findings were published today, 6 December 2017 , in The Lancet Global Health journal.

Researchers from UHasselt and KU Leuven have developed a brand-new method to detect soot particles in the human body. Recent research has shown that, each year, over 4.2 million individuals around the world die prematurely due to air pollution. "This type of pollution can lead to a lower weight at birth, decreased cognitive functions in children, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases, among other things," says Professor Tim Nawrot (UHasselt).