Videos

As cities grow, getting enough food to everyone becomes a bigger challenge, especially in fast-developing places.In places like Kampala, Uganda, reaching markets is a challenge due to inadequate infrastructure and traffic. Lisa-Marie Hemerijckx (KU Leuven) studies how people in fast-growing cities access food, to help planners improve food availability and make urban growth more sustainable.

In the near future, floating solar panels will be installed on the North Sea to boost green energy production. But what will happen to the marine organisms living underneath? That's the question Ee Zin Ong (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) is investigating. By studying the effect of different floater materials on these organisms, he wants to help design eco-friendly solar panels that generate energy without harming marine life.

Ebola is an extremely deadly virus. 1 in 2 patients do not survive infection. It is crucial to protect healthcare workers, who are on the frontline, from this disease. Did you know that two vaccines are now available that can be deployed during outbreaks? But what if we preventively vaccinated healthcare workers before they come into contact with the virus? Thats' what Ynke Lariviere (UAntwerpen) figured out.

Many young people in community settings struggle with mental health problems, such as the need for therapy or medication. Elien Craenhals (UAntwerpen) investigates how these institutions can offer young people the right care. Her recommendations aim to help vulnerable young people regain the prospect of a better future.

A hole in your sock 🧦, your memory 🧠, your hand 💸 ... We've seen it all. But what about a hole in the eardrum of your ear? 👂 "You wouldn't expect it, but such holes are common, especially after chronic ear infections," explains Pieter Livens (UAntwerpen). He studies such holes to see how we can smoothly repair the eardrum. Hear hear!

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.

A new study on Helsmoortel-Van der Aa syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting brain development, offers hope through a nasal spray containing the so-called ADNP protein. Using a mouse model to mimic the condition, Claudio D'Incal (UAntwerp) discovered defects in the hippocampus and brain cell structure that impact learning and memory. Early tests with the spray show promise in restoring ADNP levels, potentially improving learning.

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!