In silico methods in biofluid transport and biomechanics

The scope of our research ranges from the study of flow and transport processes in blood and biological fluids in the cardiovascular system and artificial organs to biomechanical aspects of the cardiovascular and the skeleto-muscular system and medical devices. All research tracks explored by our

Last updated on: 17-11-2025 - 12:19

Contact: Patrick Segers
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
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High-throughput in-flow imaging of intact organoids and tissue (mimics) with cellular resolution

Modern cell and developmental biology increasingly rely on 3D cell systems such as organoids. However, the inability to characterize these specimens at the cellular level with high throughput hampers their integration in routine screening settings. To address this bottleneck, we have developed a

Last updated on: 17-11-2025 - 10:45

Contact: Winnok De Vos
Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
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Next generation risk assessment of hair dye HC yellow no. 13: Ensuring protection from liver steatogenic effects

This Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) approach integrates in vitro bioactivity data, in silico modelling, and exposure-based modelling to assess the liver steatosis risk of the cosmetic hair dye ingredient HC Yellow No. 13. The workflow follows the principles of animal-free, exposure-led

Last updated on: 07-11-2025 - 14:30

Contact: Sara Sepehri
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
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Living myocardial tissue slices

Myocardial tissue slices (300 µm thin, 1 cm x 1 cm) are living, three-dimensional primary tissue explants prepared using a high-precision vibratome. These slices retain the full cellular complexity and native tissue architecture of the heart, preserving physiological and functional characteristics.

Last updated on: 05-11-2025 - 16:16

Contact: Eef Dries
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
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A robust bacterial high-throughput screening assay to identify pharmacological chaperones targeting human homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase missense variants in alkaptonuria

We developed a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay to identify small molecules that stabilize mutant homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD), the enzyme deficient in alkaptonuria (AKU). The method uses Escherichia coli cells expressing human HGD variants and measures the conversion of homogentisic

Last updated on: 03-11-2025 - 08:56

Contact: Sien Lequeue
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Partners: RWTH Aachen
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
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Human intestinal enteroids as a model for viral infection

Human Intestinal Organoids (HIOs) are in vitro 3D cell cultures arranged in a crypt-villus structure that incorporate many physiological features of the intestinal epithelium, including the presence of different cell populations (enterocytes, goblet cells, enteroendocrine and Paneth cells). HIOs can

Last updated on: 15-10-2025 - 15:34

Contact: Joana Rocha-Pereira
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
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Human organoid-derived Gut-on-Chip model for studying Virus–Host interactions

Organ-on-Chip (OoC) systems are an emerging cell culture technology that bridge the gap between conventional 2D culture and animal models or patients. These microfluidic systems typically consist of one or more compartments containing tissue-specific cells grown on scaffolds such as membranes or

Last updated on: 15-10-2025 - 15:28

Contact: Joana Rocha-Pereira
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation (DMIT) - KU Leuven
Status: Still in development, Internally validated
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Human testicular organoids

Testicular organoids are a promising tool for studying testicular function and the effects of toxicants. Immature testicular cells are currently the most efficient at forming organoids that closely recapitulate seminiferous tubule-like architecture and functions. However, the scarcity of human

Last updated on: 15-10-2025 - 15:20

Contact: Samuel Silva
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
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3D artificial heart tissue

Current pre-clinical drug safety evaluation methods remain costly, inefficient, and unreliable, with 80–90% of compounds ultimately failing in human trials — often due to poor predictive models and safety concerns. Scaffold-based 3D organ models offer a more promising and physiologically relevant

Last updated on: 02-10-2025 - 14:55

Contact: Jolanda van Hengel
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent), Ghent University hospital (UZ Gent), Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum (IMEC), University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Still in development
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SEmi-dynamic Nutrient In vitro ORogastrointestinal digestion for older adults

Older adults are characterized by specific metabolic changes, altering their nutritional needs (i.e., lower calorie but higher protein requirement). Adapted nutrition is of crucial importance for this group. To develop foods adapted to the nutritional needs of older adults and test the impact of

Last updated on: 01-10-2025 - 16:20

Contact: Dorine Duijsens
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
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