Videos

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.

Would you be able to perform CPR if a loved one suddenly collapses due to a cardiac arrest? Not enough people are properly trained in CPR; even when they are, they often feel reluctant to act in high-stress situations. "Standard CPR training is done on a manikin and doesn't prepare you for a real emergency, full of stress and chaos", says Anne-Astrid Agten. She wants to change this using virtual reality.

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 🦷

You know the feeling of having to pee when you just went to the bathroom 20 minutes ago? Then you may be suffering from an overactive 'bladder'. The problem is not so much in your bladder, but well over a meter higher, as it's your brain that decides when you need to pee. Anugrah Santoso looks for abnormal brain patterns that can lead to this recurring urge to pee.

3 billion times. That's how many times a heart beats on average in a lifetime. Unfortunately, that does not apply to everyone. As many as one in 10 Belgians die prematurely from cardiovascular disease. Nicholas Cauwenberghs wants to do something about that. He wants to enlist medically untrained volunteers to help determine your risk of cardiovascular disease with a user-friendly kit in the supermarket.

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?

Have you ever tried to unlearn an old habit, such as nail biting? That is easier said than done. This is also the case with bad oral habits, such as pushing your tongue against your teeth when swallowing. This can cause problems to your teeth, such as an upset position of your teeth. Charis Van der Straeten how a speech therapist can help children unlearn their bad mouth habits.

More than half of the older population has to take at least five medicines a day. This often leads to mistakes, for example medicines interacting badly, increasing the risk of falls, hospitalisation, or even death. The key is medication optimisation: doctors should review medication intake, but unfortunately, they just don't have the time to do this for every patient. That is why Cheima Amrouch is working on a different approach.

Do you have a lot of fast or rather slow muscle fibers? No worries if you don't know the answer. But for athletes, this is crucial info as it determines how best to train. Only there is one big problem, about 15 centimeters big to be precise .... That's how long the needle, used to remove a piece of muscle to find out someone's muscle fiber type, is. Sounds painful and it is. That's why Freek Van de Casteele is looking for new, reliable, and painless methods.