Videos

Mónica
Vara Perez
FWO
KU Leuven
VIB

Understanding the self-cannibalism instincts of melanoma

Melanoma is a very common and lethal type of skin cancer. Melanoma cells have a strange, yet effective defence mechanism called autophagy: they can manage to survive by eating parts of themselves. Monica Vara Perez tries to figure out this self-cannibalism mechanism in order to help defeat melanoma.
Shorok
Abdelhameed
FWO
KU Leuven

Studying protein structure thanks to metal oxides

Did you know that our body contains more than 20.000 different types of proteins? These are crucial for vital functions such as wound healing. But when these proteins mutate, they can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer's. To help fight such protein-based diseases, Shorok Abdelhameed investigates methods to study the very complex structures of proteins.
Ewa
Sieliwonczyk
FWO
UAntwerpen

About fluorescent zebrafish and sudden cardiac death

What do zebrafish have to do with sudden cardiac death? Ewa Sieliwonczyk (UAntwerpen) explains that to you in this video.
Ana
Escorza
KU Leuven

A cosmic dance: understanding double star systems

Did you know that more than half of the stars you see in the sky are born with a partner? Just like with humans, the presence of a partner can really have an effect on the life and the behavior of a star.
Robin
Bonné
FWO
UHasselt

Can you build a smartphone from bacteria?

Last year, scientists discovered bacteria in the mud of the North Sea that can conduct electricity. Robin Bonné (Hasselt University - FWO) is investigating whether we can use these 'cable bacteria' to create biodegradable electronic wires.
Jade
Pattyn
UAntwerpen

Detecting cervical cancer through a urine sample?

Jade Pattyn (UAntwerp) wants to make cervical cancer extremely rare. She is working on an alternative to detect cervical cancer more easy: via a simple urine sample instead of a smear. As she states: "many women will agree with me: there are nicer places to lay down than in your doctor's chair"
Laure
Jacquemin
UAntwerpen

Electrical current soothes tinnitus

Ever had a ringing in your ears after a festival or party? If this is persistent, you suffer from tinnitus: a constant -and very annoying- peeping. Unfortunately, tinnitus cannot be cured, but brain stimulation can help to reduce the burden of the tinnitus. That is what Laure Jacquemin (UAntwerp) is working on.
Marwa
Kavelaars
UAntwerpen
UGent

Off to a flying start

Did you know that new parents can learn something from the lesser black-backed gull? A lesson of these caring birds can get them off to a flying start, as explained by behavioral ecologist Marwa Kavelaars.
Hans
Gerstmans
FWO
KU Leuven
UGent

Enzybiotics in drops: a killer combination!

Almost 100 years ago Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic: penicillin. Even then, he warned that there would come a day when bacteria would be resistant to all antibiotics. That day is now very near. Will the 'killer combination' of enzybiotics and water droplets save us from super-bacteria?
Laure
Sorber
UAntwerpen

Blood as a messenger in the fight against cancer

A cancer patient's blood contains valuable information about the cancer tumor, which can help determine the best treatment. However, in order to extract that information properly from the blood in the laboratory, the blood samples need to be treated carefully. Laure Sorber developed a manual for this.
Charysse
Vandendriessche
UGent
VIB

Fewer calories as a weapon against Alzheimer's disease?

Mice that follow a low-calorie diet appear to be protected against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Charysse Vandendriessche is investigating why this is the case to gather more insight in the underlying disease mechanism. This information could into the future contribute to the development of a treatment against this devastating disease.

Nick
Gys
UAntwerpen
VITO

Your smartphone is a gold mine

Did you know that your smartphone contains, among many other precious metals, about 20 milligrams of gold? That may not seem like much, but it's 200 times as much gold as in a small piece of gold ore. Nick Gys (UAntwerpen - VITO) is working on a technique to easily recycle these precious metals from smartphones.