KU Leuven news
Stem cells in the pituitary gland can repair damaged tissue
Professor Hugo Vankelecom of KU Leuven and an international team of researchers found that stem cells in the pituitary gland of adult mice respond quickly when the gland is damaged by multiplying themselves and regenerating the damaged cells. The study results were recently published in the scientific journal Endocrinology.
British-American scientist boosts dystonia research at KU Leuven
Dystonia is the third most common movement disorder after Parkinson's and essential tremor. In spite of this, almost no clinical or basic dystonia research is taking place in Belgium. Rose Goodchild aims to change that. The British-American researcher is joining the VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, headed by Bart De Strooper, at KU Leuven. Goodchild unveiled her five-year research plan in an inaugural lecture on 11 May 2012.
Student-artists shine at Faculty STARs finale
On Thursday, 10 May, the 13 Faculty STARs (student-artists-in-residence) revealed their creations to the world during a final event featuring expositions and performances in the University Halls. The student-artists, one from each of the 13 faculties, were selected out of a pool of 105 candidates by a professional jury in consultation with each faculty's leadership. For the past semester, the students were the artistic face of their faculty.
Professor Conny Aerts awarded 'Belgian Nobel Prize' for pioneering research on the evolution of stars
Professor Conny Aerts of the KU Leuven Institute of Astronomy was awarded the 2012 Francqui Prize, commonly referred to as the 'Belgian Nobel Prize' and one of Belgium's most prestigious scientific awards. Professor Aerts leads a team carrying out research in asteroseismology, a young branch of astronomy that studies star evolution on the basis of their vibrations.
Forensics team rounds off search for royal DNA in Burundi
The presence of the KU Leuven forensic team that went looking for the remains of Burundi's last king, Ntare V, did not go unnoticed. "I'm more well-known in Bujumbura than I am at home," laughs Professor Jean-Jacques Cassiman, who led the expedition. "The enthusiasm and positive attitude of the Burundian people already constitute a step forward in the reconciliation process."
Student-athlete Simon Mignolet excels in the goal and in the classroom
The training facilities of Sunderland Football Club are an expansive 800 kilometres from KU Leuven's Faculty of Social Sciences. Yet Simon Mignolet, goalkeeper for the English Premier League club as well as for the Belgian national team, is two exams and a paper away from completing his Bachelor's degree in political science. "I realised all too well that a serious injury could put a quick end to a sports career. I wanted to have something up my sleeve," says Mignolet.
Notes from the field: Saskia Prins and the Mercator telescope
Occasionally, we drop a line on KU Leuven professors, researchers and students working abroad to find out ‘what's on’ in the field. This week, we caught up with Saskia Prins of the Institute of Astronomy. Prins is a member of the Mercator telescope team based on the isolated island of La Palma in Canary Islands, Spain.
Video: Professor Thomas Hertog puts earth in cosmic context during TEDxLeuven
Professor Thomas Hertog of the Institute for Theoretical Physics was one of the keynote speakers at TEDxLeuven in late March. The event brought together big thinkers and provided a platform from which to share stories, vision and passion. In his talk, titled 'Humanity in the Mulitverse', Hertog described our planet in the context of the cosmos and illustrated how a deep understanding of cosmology is of great importance to insuring the future of humanity here on earth – or elsewhere.
American musicologist Joshua Rifkin gives guest performance in Leuven
A sold-out crowd at a concert of religious renaissance music is no real rarity, but there was something quite unique happening on 19 April when the Dutch choir Capella Pratensis took the stage at the Predikherenkerk in Leuven.
New molecules lead to safer, more efficient treatment of hepatitis C
Existing treatments for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a success rate of only 50-70% and tend to have significant side effects. Thanks to a new class of HCV-inhibiting molecules discovered by KU Leuven virology professor Johan Neyts and Professor Gerhard Purstinger of the University of Innsbruck, that outlook is poised to improve. Clinical trials of a new drug developed with the HCV inhibitors show increased effectiveness and reduced side effects.
International delegations in Leuven to discuss development cooperation
The KU Leuven Association received seven university delegations from Cuba, Ecuador, Tanzania and Vietnam for talks on long-term cooperation opportunities. Particular attention was paid to exploring linkages in scientific expertise between the respective countries and Flanders in the areas of biodiversity, ICT development and food security.
"Development cooperation has become a free market"
In his new book 'How Do We Help?', published recently by Leuven University Press, Patrick Develtere provides ammunition to defenders of development cooperation and shows both how it works and that it works. Yet he is not uncritical of the sector. "It is good that countries in the South now realise they do not have to dance strictly to the tune of the traditional donors."
Leuven team wins prestigious international moot court competition
KU Leuven and two other Belgian universities performed exceedingly well at the 2012 European Law Moot Court Competition, one of the most prestigious international moot court competitions in the world and the unofficial world championship for students of European law. KU Leuven’s group of four Master’s students was crowned Winning Team of the contest and other Belgian entrants were successful in auxiliary competitions. It is the first time since 1995 that KU Leuven has taken home the overall team title.
China's top female politician visits KU Leuven
China's top policymakers have found their way to Leuven. The visit by Liu Yandong, China's most prominent female politician, comes on the coattails of Vice President Xi Jinping's visit in October 2009. Ms. Liu is a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and of the State Council, China's highest executive organ, above the ministries. Education, youth and culture fall under her mandate, and in this capacity she plays a key role in the rapid growth of Chinese universities, which number in the several thousands.
A permanent cure for type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is the most prevalent metabolic disorder among young people. Approximately two million Europeans suffer from the disease, and the group of patients grows by an average of 3% annually. The origins of the disease remain unknown, but an effective therapy with permanent results and without side effects may be found in the near future, according to Professor Chantal Mathieu of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology. A new approach using active biopharmaceuticals appears promising.
Research into the bubonic plague in Tanzania receives award
On 28 March, bioengineering student Marianne Hubeau was awarded the Belgian Prize for Development Cooperation for her Master’s thesis on the bubonic plague in Tanzania.
A bitter pill to combat obesity?
Bitter tastes may well be the key to a solution for the growing obesity epidemic. Administering a bitter substance to the stomach does initially stimulate the appetite, but then leads to faster satiation, doctoral research at KU Leuven has demonstrated.
New spin-off develops cough monitor for pigs
The idea behind the Pig Cough Monitor, the first commercial product by SoundTalks, a new KU Leuven-University of Milan spin-off, is simple: microphones hung in a pigsty monitor pigs' coughing patterns and alert the farmer if coughing becomes abnormal. The technology makes it possible to detect and treat respiratory problems quickly and efficiently, resulting in decreased antibiotic use and healthier pigs.
New nano-measurements add spark to centuries-old theory of friction
The phenomenon of friction, when studied on a nanoscale, is more complex than previously thought. When friction occurs, an object does not simply slide its surface over that of another, it also makes a slight up-and-down movement. This finding completes a centuries-old theory of friction dating to 1699 and uncovers a gap in contemporary thinking on friction. The phenomenon – termed lift-up hysteresis – was described in a recent study by researchers Farid Al-Bender, Kris De Moerlooze and Paul Vanherck of the Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation Division at KU Leuven's Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Japanese composite producer endows chair for fundamental research at KU Leuven
Toray, the Japan-based multinational and the world's largest producer of carbon fibre, is investing in a chair for fundamental research in composite materials for Professor Ignaas Verpoest of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering. "We have been looking for collaboration partners in Europe. Professor Verpoest is a pioneer and a 'legend' in the composite material field in Europe," said Yukichi Deguchi, Toray's vice president for research and development.
