Cognition enhancers: key in the recovery of MS patients?

About the research

When we think of MS patients, we often think of people in a wheelchair. This is because multiple sclerosis is a so-called neurodegenerative disorder, a disease that affects brain functions. MS affects the transmission of signals from our brains to our muscles. This reduces the motor functions of the patients, as a result of which they often end up in a wheelchair. Together with her UHasselt colleagues, Melissa Schepers is determined to banish that image of people with MS in a wheelchair to the past. She studies cognitive enhancers, medicines that have proven their worth in other diseases, and that could prove to be key in recovery of MS patients.

Health

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UHasselt

Melissa Schepers

FWO - UHasselt

Solving challenging research questions in health and disease was the trigger for Melissa Schepers to study biomedical sciences at the University of Hasselt. During summer holidays she worked in a rest home where she was confronted with the impact of neurodegenerative diseases on patients as well as on their families and friends. That is why she chose to study molecular and functional recovery in multiple sclerosis in the group of Professor Niels Hellings and Professor Jos Prickaerts. A research she is able to conduct thanks to funding from the Charcot foundation, the Flemish and Belgian MS League and the Transnational University of Limburg.

Contact Melissa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-schepers-748477121/

Cracking the code of kidney stones

As a child, Zhao Yuheng (VUB) often endured excruciating kidney stones, requiring frequent hospital visits. Now, she is a chemist dedicated to decoding these painful formations. Her goal is to help doctors diagnose kidney stones early and tailor treatments, sparing millions from unnecessary pain.

Frederick

Van Gestel

VUB

Superpowered brain surgery: seeing the invisible

On his very first night shift as a brain surgeon, Frederick Van Gestel faced a daunting task: placing a life-saving drain in the middle of a patient’s brain. It made him wonder, “What if I had futuristic X-ray vision to see exactly where to go?” Now, during his PhD, Frederick is developing just that. Using Augmented Reality and special glasses, his technology displays the patient’s internal anatomy to the surgeon, along with crucial surgical waypoints and landmarks— think of it like a GPS for navigating the human brain.

Dora

Chigoho

VUB

Alpacas' antibodies to fight cancer

Did you know alpacas are more than just cute and fluffy? 🦙 They create special antibodies that can help us fight cancer! 🎗️ These tiny but mighty "nanobodies" are 10x smaller than regular antibodies, meaning they can easily reach hidden cancer cells in the body. But there's a catch: nanobodies tend to stick around the kidneys for too long, potentially causing damage. Researcher Dora Chigoho (VUB) tries to understand better why this happens. Her goal is to help develop nanobodies that track down cancer and don't stick in the kidneys at all.

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