Videos

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.

Where does the clean, potable water flowing from our taps actually come from? "In Flanders, we extract our drinking water from various raw water sources, such as underground reserves, canals and rivers. This water is then thoroughly purified by drinking water companies so that it is safe for consumption," explains VITO researcher Joni Dehaspe. She explains why it is important to continuously monitor raw water quality in real time.

Every machine, from your phone to rockets in space, heats up and needs to cool down. To keep your devices from overheating, heat exchangers and heat sinks play a crucial role in absorbing and dissipating excess heat. But how can we make these systems even better? Samanwitha Kolli is keeping it cool with 3D-printing technology!

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.

Did you know that 1 in 4 products that surround you contains precious metals? Think about your phone, laptop, or car. "Since these metals are rare and expensive, we urgently need better ways to recycle them", says Omar Martinez (VITO - KU Leuven). His PhD has led to a breakthrough solution: he developed a new, sustainable method, called GDEx, which allows for the selective recovery of these precious metals, with nearly 100% efficiency.

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?

Cows burp - a lot. Those burps contain methane, a potent greenhouse gas that, like CO2, causes global warming. Can we make cows produce less methane? "Yes, by adjusting their feed," Nico Peiren (ILVO) explains in this video.

For a farmer, a soil brimming with life, such as bacteria, fungi, and other organisms, is important for growing crops. But how do you get such a healthy soil? That's what Koen Willekens (ILVO) digs into in his research.

How many antibiotics are in the environment? And which antibiotics can be found? The Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) thoroughly mapped this out for the first time. What emerged? "Antibiotics are widespread in the environment. We often find them in manure and in the soil, sometimes in fairly high concentrations. This is less the case in water and vegetables," researcher Geertrui Rasschaert explains.

To reduce the use of antibiotics on farms, we need to prevent animals from becoming sick as much as possible. This involves changing how farmers keep their animals, such as rethinking housing and transportation, adjusting their diet, and allowing young animals to stay with their mothers longer. However, these changes can be difficult for farmers because they might increase costs. Fanny Baudoin, a researcher from ILVO, spoke with farmers and others involved to understand these challenges. She aims to make recommendations on how to overcome these difficulties, helping us decrease the need for antibiotics on farms.

Did you know that laying hens stay on a laying farm until they are 18 months old? "But maybe this could be 4 months longer, provided their health, welfare, and egg quality are still fine," says Karolien Langendries (ILVO). Together with her colleagues, she investigates what support old laying hens need so that they can lay good eggs for longer.

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.