Since adult zebrafish retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) can fully regenerate upon axonal injury, these neurons form the ideal subject to study what is driving the recovery process. The use of an adult zebrafish retinal cell culture in a microfluidic set-up enables to create a neuronal network, mimicking

Last updated on: 02-03-2020 - 16:01

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development
Organotypical culture models, such as retinal explants, is an ideal alternative for in vitro retinal cell cultures and preclinical animal models, as they provide the necessary compromise between these two model systems. The major advantage of explant cultures is that cells are kept within their

Last updated on: 21-02-2020 - 14:51

Contact: Evy Lefevere
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
We have developed and validated yeast models to study aspects related to protein folding diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. These models allow to gain further insight in the cellular processes involved in the etiology of these disorders and as such identify potential new bio-markers

Last updated on: 11-02-2020 - 11:17

Contact: Joris Winderickx
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The method enables to quantitatively assess the invasion of endothelial cells in extracellular-matrix mimicking hydrogels, such as collagen or polyethylene glycol, and to measure the forces exerted by the cells that enable them to invade. Endothelial cells are seeded on the side of a hydrogel and

Last updated on: 11-02-2020 - 08:55

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Patient-derived explants of prostate cancer provide an ex vivo model that retains the architecture and microenvironment of the native tissue. It enables the evaluation of drug responses on individual patient’s tumors ex vivo without passaging in animals. It is compatible with all molecular analysis

Last updated on: 07-02-2020 - 15:55

Contact: Johan Swinnen
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: University of Adelaide
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a form of isolated lung perfusion in normothermic conditions and can be achieved with a pump-driven perfusion machine that recirculates a preservation solution through the vasculature of the lung in addition to mechanical ventilation. EVLP is based on a physiological

Last updated on: 07-02-2020 - 15:50

Contact: Arne Neyrinck
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have successfully set-up the iPSC technology and are able to derive human cortical neurons for the study of neurodevelopmental disorders e.g. the MECP2 duplication syndrome (published) and other projects in the lab (ongoing). We also create isogenic lines using CrispR-Cas technology. All lines

Last updated on: 07-01-2020 - 15:23

Contact: Hilde Van Esch
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Identifying drug-target interactions is a crucial step in drug repositioning, the process of suggesting new indications for known drugs. There are about 9000 FDA-approved and experimental small molecule drugs and more than 500.000 protein records available. Performing in vitro experiments would be

Last updated on: 06-01-2020 - 17:04

Contact: Daniele Parisi
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Biotech/TU-Dresden, Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik Saarbrucken
Status: Still in development
FIBEr (Flanders Institute for Biomechanical Experimentation) is a laboratory that investigates the mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, microstructure) of biological tissue, in casu bones, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, etc. A quantitative characterization of the mechanical behavior of

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:45

Contact: Nele Famaey
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
Aortic aneurysms consist of a localized dilatation of the aorta resulting from compromised structural integrity and are characterized by a diameter increase of at least 50% compared to a reference diameter. When left untreated, aneurysms tend to progressively enlarge, with an increased risk of

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:11

Contact: Nele Famaey
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal