A5028178296- Birth, Development, and Health
- Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Infant Nutrition and Health
- Energy and Environment Impacts
- Advanced Proteomics Techniques and Applications
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Neonatal Respiratory Health Research
- Mesenchymal stem cell research
- Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
- Sodium Intake and Health
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Dietary Effects on Health
- Interstitial Lung Diseases and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Family Support in Illness
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
Hasselt University
2016-2025
Mentaal Beter
2023
KU Leuven
2018-2020
Ghent University
2016-2020
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
2018-2019
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
2018
Belgian Development Agency
2018
Environment Agency
2018
Flemish Institute for Technological Research
2018
UCLouvain
2018
Telomere length is a marker of biological aging that may provide cellular memory exposures to oxidative stress and inflammation. at birth has been related life expectancy. An association between prenatal air pollution exposure telomere could new insights in the environmental influence on molecular longevity.To assess particulate matter (PM) with newborn as reflected by cord blood placental length.In prospective cohort (ENVIRONAGE [Environmental Influence Ageing Early Life]), total 730...
Newborn telomere length sets for later life. At birth, is highly variable among newborns and the environmental factors during in utero life this observation remain largely unidentified. Obesity pregnancy might reflect an adverse nutritional status affecting offspring outcomes, but association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) with newborn length, as a mechanism obesity, on next generation has not been addressed. Average relative lengths were measured cord blood (n = 743)...
The ENVIRONAGE birth cohort is supported by the European Research Council [ERC-2012-StG.310898], and funds of Flemish Scientific council [FWO, G.0.733.15.N]. Bianca Cox, Janneke Hogervorst Karen Vrijens have a postdoctoral fellowship from Foundation - Flanders (FWO).
BackgroundTelomere length (TL) is considered a biological marker of aging and may indicate age-related disease susceptibility. Adults children show fixed ranking tracking TL over time. However, the contribution an individual's initial birth to their later life unknown. We evaluated change from child- adulthood.MethodsTelomere at was measured using qPCR in two independent prospective cohorts. After median follow-up period 4 years ENVIRONAGE (n = 273) we assessed leukocyte telomere (LTL) after...
Studies often evaluate mental health and well-being in association with individual behaviours although evaluating multiple that co-occur real life may reveal important insights into the overall association. Also, underlying pathways of how lifestyle might affect our are still under debate. Here, we studied mediation different or factors on its effect core markers ageing: telomere length (TL) mitochondrial DNA content (mtDNAc).In this study, 6054 adults from 2018 Belgian Health Interview...
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and telomere length are putative aging biomarkers sensitive to environmental stressors, including pollutants. Our objective was identify, from a set of exposures, which exposure is associated with leukocyte mtDNA in adults. This study includes 175 adults 50 65 years old the cross-sectional Flemish Environment Health study, whom were determined using qPCR. The levels seven metals, 11 organohalogens, four perfluorinated compounds (PFHxS, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS)...
<h3>Importance</h3> Low socioeconomic status is associated with higher all-cause mortality and risks for aging-related diseases. Biological aging a potential process underlying health conditions related to social disadvantages, which may be present from birth onward. <h3>Objective</h3> To evaluate the association of parental telomere length (TL) at birth, marker biological aging. <h3>Design, Setting, Participants</h3> This prospective cohort study was conducted among 1504 mother-newborn...
Telomere attrition is extremely rapid during the first years of life, while lifestyle adulthood exerts a minor impact. This suggests that early life an important period in determination telomere length. We investigated importance early-life environment on both tracking and adult Among 184 twins East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey, length placental tissue buccal cells young was measured. Residential addresses at birth were geocoded residential traffic greenness exposure determined....
We present a low-cost integrated nanophotonic lab-on-a-chip platform suitable for point-of-care (POC) biomarker analysis.
Telomere shortening has been associated with several lung diseases. However, telomere length is generally measured in peripheral blood leucocytes rather than tissue, where disease occurs. Consequently, dynamics have not established for the normal human nor diseased tissue. We hypothesized an age- and disease-dependent of tissue telomeres. At time (re-)transplantation or autopsy, 70 explant lungs were collected: from unused donors (normal, n = 13) patients cystic fibrosis (CF, 12), chronic...
Abstract Telomere length is considered a biomarker of biological aging. Shorter telomeres and obesity have both been associated with age-related diseases. To evaluate the association between various indices leukocyte telomere (LTL) in childhood, data from 1,396 mother-child pairs multi-centre European birth cohort study HELIX were used. Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) 4 adiposity markers children at age 8 (6–11) years assessed: BMI, fat mass, waist circumference, skinfold...
While previous studies have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to environmental stressors is associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation, more recent investigations are questioning the accuracy of methylation assessment and its biological relevance. In this study, we investigated placental mtDNA while accounting for methodological issues such as nuclear contamination, bisulphite conversion, PCR bias. From ENVIRONAGE birth cohort, selected three groups participants (n = 20/group)....
Telomere length is a molecular marker of biological aging.Here we investigated whether early-life exposure to residential air pollution was associated with leukocyte telomere (LTL) at 8 y age.In multicenter European birth cohort study, HELIX (Human Early Life Exposome) ([Formula: see text]), estimated prenatal and 1-y childhood nitrogen dioxide particulate matter aerodynamic diameter [Formula: text] proximity major roads. Average relative LTL measured using quantitative real-time polymerase...
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal lung disease characterized by progressive formation of fibroblastic foci in the interstitium. This strongly associated with telomere dysfunction but extent shortening and consequent chromosomal damage within IPF lungs regional severity remains unknown.Explanted (n = 10) were collected from transplant surgeries six samples per analysed to capture heterogeneity ranging mild severe disease. Non-used donor 6) as "healthy" controls. Structural changes...
Rationale: Fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP) is an interstitial lung disease caused by sensitization to inhaled allergen. Objectives: To identify the molecular determinants associated with progression of fibrosis. Methods: Nine fHP explant lungs and six unused donor (as controls) were systematically sampled (4 samples/lung). According microcomputed tomography measures, cores clustered into mild, moderate, severe fibrosis groups. Gene expression profiles assessed using weighted gene...
BackgroundThe Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 called for innovation in addressing age-related disabilities. Our study aimed to identify validate a urinary peptidomic profile (UPP) differentiating healthy from unhealthy ageing the general population, test UPP predictor independent patient cohorts, search targetable molecular pathways underlying chronic diseases.MethodsIn this prospective population study, we used data participants Flemish on Environment, Genes...
Telomere length (TL) has gained attention as a biomarker for longevity and productivity in dairy cattle. This study explored the association between neonatal TL Holstein calves lifetime parameters (lifespan, milk production, reproduction). Blood samples were collected from 210 (≤10d old) across four farms Flanders, Belgium. was measured using qPCR analyzed continuous variable three groups: 10% shortest, longest, remaining 80%. Survival analyses showed no lifespan (p = 0.1) or groups 0.8)....
Telomere length is an important indicator of biological age and a complex multi-factor trait. To date, the telomere interactome for comprehending high-dimensional aspects linked to regulation during childhood remains unexplored. Here we describe multi-omics signatures associated with length. This study included 1001 children aged 6 11 years from Human Early-life Exposome (HELIX) project. was quantified via qPCR in peripheral blood children. Blood DNA methylation, gene expression, miRNA...