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Health - Life Sciences - 04.04.2024
Once upon a time, there was a cerebral blood vessel...
Once upon a time, there was a cerebral blood vessel...
A ULB team has discovered how blood vessels in the brain are formed and how they differ from other vessels in the body. A major breakthrough that could lead to new therapeutic approaches . Cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke, is the world's leading cause of death, claiming around 18 million lives a year.

Health - Pharmacology - 04.04.2024
Stool transplantation shows promise for Parkinson's disease
Stool transplantation shows promise for Parkinson’s disease
Dr. Arnout Bruggeman (VIB-UGent-UZ Gent), Prof. Debby Laukens (UGent), Prof. Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke (VIB-UGent) en Prof. Patrick Santens (UZ Gent) Clinical study shows stool transplantation of healthy gut bacteria reduces Parkinson's disease symptoms. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects millions worldwide.

Health - Life Sciences - 26.03.2024
XCT protein is key link in inhibiting pancreatic cancer growth and limiting mood disturbances
XCT protein is key link in inhibiting pancreatic cancer growth and limiting mood disturbances
VUB researchers show xCT protein is key link in inhibiting pancreatic cancer growth and limiting mood disturbances The xCT protein, which plays an important role as a transport molecule in the cell, could play a part in cancer treatment in the future, researchers at VUB have discovered. Their work is the result of a collaboration between the research groups of neuroscientist Ann Massie of the Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy and pancreatic cancer expert Ilse Rooman of the Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology.

Health - Sport - 07.03.2024
Taking women's bodies into account: the impact of the menstrual cycle and contraception on sports performance
Taking women’s bodies into account: the impact of the menstrual cycle and contraception on sports performance
Researcher Marine Carpentier (Laboratoire de physiologie cardio-respiratoire à l'effort) tackles a blind spot in motor science research: the influence of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception on sports performance. On this International Women's Rights Day, she shares her findings, initial hypotheses and research prospects with us .

Life Sciences - Health - 29.02.2024
A mechanism for healthy brain development
A mechanism for healthy brain development
Scientists at UCLouvain have discovered that the balance between two proteins plays a decisive role in brain development. The study is published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) prestigious journal Science Advances . During embryonic development, cells continuously receive numerous stimuli to which they react via intracellular signals.

Health - Life Sciences - 28.02.2024
Newly discovered protein blocks sleeping sickness
Newly discovered protein blocks sleeping sickness
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions of people and is fatal if left untreated. Most treatments and preventative options, however, are not very effective. New research identifies a protein that could pave the way toward drugs against sleeping sickness.

Life Sciences - Health - 23.02.2024
Essential protein that contributes to liver fibrosis
Essential protein that contributes to liver fibrosis
Chronic liver disease is a serious global health problem that has a severe impact on personal quality of life. A major characteristic of chronic liver disease is liver fibrosis, where certain liver cells, called hepatic stellate cells, become activated and produce scar tissue that damages the liver. At present, no specific drugs are available to treat this condition, partly because we know too little about the activation process for the stellate cells, and no specific targets have been identified to date.

Chemistry - Health - 22.02.2024
Fighting disease with digital simulations
Fighting disease with digital simulations
What is a lipid membrane? Lipid membranes are ubiquitous structures in the cells of all unicellular and multicellular organisms. Take, for example, the cell wall, also known as the plasma membrane, whose function is to separate the inside of the cell from the outside: in a way, it's the cell's armor.

Health - 09.02.2024
Researcher aims to ease discomfort around end-of-life suffering
Researcher aims to ease discomfort around end-of-life suffering
Death and the process of dying are increasingly the remit of clinical and medical professionals, creating a cultural and social distance. This distance from death has a major impact on how comfortable or uncomfortable many people feel about the idea of dying. What do you say to someone who is seriously ill and wants to talk about death? What do you do when you see someone suffering significant mental deterioration? Often, our attitude makes us feel insecure and we choose to avoid those people.

Health - Pharmacology - 16.01.2024
Breaking the Cycle of Negative Feedback to Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy
KU Leuven researchers discover how to break the negative feedback loop to improve cancer immunotherapy. Over the past years, immunotherapy has improved the outlook for many cancer patients. However, not all cancers respond to current immunotherapies. A research team led by KU Leuven discovered a key mechanism behind this lack of response, and it came up with an innovative solution.

Health - 11.01.2024
Lung cancer: molecular advances
New discoveries in the treatment of lung cancer: the role of the Bcl-xL protein in the aging of neutrophils, the white blood cells that contribute to tumor development . Neutrophils are white blood cells essential to our defense against bacterial infection. These cells patrol the body for 1 or 2 days, then die and are replaced by new neutrophils.

Health - Life Sciences - 20.12.2023
Discoveries about our cells: the ability to feel relief
Discoveries about our cells: the ability to feel relief
How are our cells able to detect tiny asperities in their support, the extracellular matrix, which bind them together - By what mechanism - Do they manage to modify their behavior in response to these small reliefs - These are the questions to which a team of cell biology researchers from UNamur and UCLouvain have provided major answers, which have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal Science Advances.

Life Sciences - Health - 14.12.2023
Crack in the wall of WHO’s top priority pathogens
In a breakthrough discovery, scientists from VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology unraveled the mysteries of SlyB, a tiny but mighty protein found in the outer membrane of certain bacteria. When bacteria face stress, SlyB acts as a crucial guardian to protect the bacterial cell from dying. This discovery not only deepens our understanding of bacterial survival mechanisms but also paves the way for potential applications in antimicrobial research.

Health - Pharmacology - 06.12.2023
Towards a new leukemia therapy?
Towards a new leukemia therapy?
A major discovery in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of leukemia. Research led by François Fuks - Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, ULB Faculty of Medicine, ULB Cancer Research Center and Institut Jules Bordet, H.U.B . In Belgium, around 1,300 new cases of leukemia are diagnosed every year, a type of blood cancer that affects the entire population.

Life Sciences - Health - 15.11.2023
First wireless map of worm’s nervous system revealed
Researchers have built the first ever map showing how every single neuron in the nervous system of a tiny worm communicates wirelessly. This huge step forward in understanding how neurons communicate through extremely short proteins called neuropeptides will help scientists understand how our emotions and mental states are controlled, as well as widespread neuropsychiatric conditions like eating disorders, OCD and PSTD.

Health - 14.11.2023
VUB maps complexity of pancreatic tumours 
VUB maps complexity of pancreatic tumours 
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumour that is very difficult to treat and has low survival rates. Previous studies show that there are two major subtypes of tumour: classical and basal. Basal tumours tend to be more aggressive and are more associated with invasion and metastasis. Much research is being carried out to determine whether the two subtypes respond differently to the most common chemotherapies, which would mean they should each receive targeted treatment.

Health - Life Sciences - 08.11.2023
Next generation of fluorescent medical imaging
Next generation of fluorescent medical imaging
Researchers Maarten Kuijk and Hans Ingelberts of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel are leading the international European consortium CoDaFlight (Colouring the Dark in Fluorescent light). The consortium's aim is to lay the foundation for the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging in medical procedures such as image-guided surgery and monitoring disease-related processes.

Health - Life Sciences - 27.10.2023
Intercellular messengers start revealing themselves 
The cells in our body continuously keep each other informed. They do this by exchanging, among other things, virus-like vesicles. Pascale Zimmermann's group, from the Department of Human Genetics, has been studying these vesicles for many years. Her fundamental research is necessary to use these intercellular messengers in medicine.

Life Sciences - Health - 22.09.2023
VUB increases commitment to 3Rs principle in animal testing policy
Participation in regional action plan motivates university in ambition to replace, reduce and refine animal testing As a humanist university, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) believes that science and empathy go hand in hand. In research that involves animals, respect and welfare are paramount. VUB recently committed to be part of the regional action plan of Flemish Animal Welfare minister Ben Weyts to reduce animal testing.

Chemistry - Health - 29.08.2023
Safe alternative to controversial building-block chemical
Safe alternative to controversial building-block chemical
The chemical compound BPA (bisphenol A), commonly used in plastic products, has been controversial for years due to its adverse health effects. KU Leuven researchers have developed a BPA alternative with similar functionality that has no harmful effects on health or the environment. From lunch boxes, reusable water bottles and cutting boards to snuffle mats for dogs and children's bibs, anyone searching online for "BPA-free" products will be spoilt for choice.