Videos

Will we beat the next pandemic with a nasal spray? Yes, if it depends on Ilke Van Tente. She is working on new vaccines in the form of nasal spray. Because why administer vaccines via injections, and thus into the blood, when viruses such as the COVID virus enter our bodies through the nose?

Does the Nutri-Score help us make healthier food choices, or is it just a marketing stunt? Elke Godden (UAntwerpen) is conducting experiments to find out. She discusses her findings in this video.

Did you know that researchers can rebuild white blood cells in the lab to fight cancer? Professor Eva Lion (UAntwerpen) explains how she pulls out her scientific toolbox to equip white blood cells with the right tools to track and kill cancer cells.

Will a miniature device implanted in the brain help stroke survivors in their recovery? That is what Ugur Kilic (KU Leuven - FWO) researches in her PhD. Find out more in this video!

Jasper Smet is working (out) in the lab: he wants to grow 3D human muscles to help those with muscle diseases and injuries. By piecing together tiny muscle sections in the lab, he aims to create realistic human muscle models. These could be used to unravel how muscles work, test the effect of drugs, and one day perform transplants in people with severe muscle injuries. Muscle up!

Did you know that growing up, one in four children worldwide experience a traumatic dental injury? Current treatments for these injuries aren't optimal, nor long-lasting, and render the tooth brittle, leading to possible tooth loss. But what if teeth could heal themselves? That's what Una Ivkovic sinks her teeth into: a hydrogel that guides stem cells to the injury to generate new dental tissue and restore the damaged tooth 🦷

The saxophone, a Belgian invention by Adolphe Sax, is nearing its 180th birthday, but evolution has stalled in the last 100 years. Until now! Enis Ukshini built a saxophone robot, a fully automatic saxophone virtuoso. The robot helps him study a small part key to the sax's unique sound: the mouthpiece with the vibrating reed.

Why do some people get a cold every month, while others seem immune, even in the wintertime? 🤧 "The answer lies in our genes," says Alejandro Correa Rojo. "Each of us carries a unique genetic code, that can tell how you will respond to a disease." After studying the DNA of thousands of people, Alejandro developed a Genetic Risk Score. This single number tells how you are at risk for a specific disease compared to others. Find out more in the video.

Chemical pollutants such as PFAS or UV filters are omnipresent. They are used in cosmetics, toys, or food packaging materials. But we don't understand how they affect the human body because we don't have a clear picture of how they interact in the body. This is why Andrea Rodriguez Carrillo wants to follow the journey that chemicals take from the moment they enter your body.

Do you know what happens with your blood sample after a visit to the doctor for a check-up? Your blood sample undergoes testing for common biomolecules like cholesterol, glucose, or vitamin D. Modern technology allows for testing beyond these basics, generating vast amounts of data. Dries Heylen is developing visualizations and analytical techniques to help researchers make sense of this complex data, providing deeper insights into how specific biomolecules relate to diseases and which ones are crucial to monitor. Bloody genius, right?

Farmers constantly need new knowledge in this rapidly changing world, for example on how to deal with climate change or what to do with new pests and diseases that threaten their crops. "Research shows that the best way for farmers to meet these challenges is to learn from other farmers," Simon Lox explains. That's why Simon organises Farm Demonstration Networks. Watch him explain what all that entails.

Why do scientists sometimes call microalgae "the green gold"? Well, in addition to biofuels and astronaut food, you could use them to make sunscreen. These tiny algae contain substances that protect them from sunlight, which can also come in handy for humans. Unfortunately, they don't naturally produce enough of those substances. Elke Vereecke researches how to grow microalgae packed with those sunlight-protecting components.