A5047544490- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Malaria Research and Control
- Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
- CAR-T cell therapy research
- Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Renal cell carcinoma treatment
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Management of metastatic bone disease
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
- Renal and related cancers
- Video Analysis and Summarization
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Video Coding and Compression Technologies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Travel-related health issues
- Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde
2019-2025
Ghent University
2006-2024
Ghent University Hospital
2015-2023
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
2021
Institute of Natural Sciences
2016-2019
Abstract The increasing urbanization process is hypothesized to drastically alter (semi‐)natural environments with a concomitant major decline in species abundance and diversity. Yet, studies on this effect of urbanization, the spatial scale at which it acts, are present inconclusive due large heterogeneity taxonomic groups scales relationship has been investigated among studies. Comprehensive analysing across multiple animal rare, hampering assessment how biodiversity generally responds...
Body size is intrinsically linked to metabolic rate and life-history traits, a crucial determinant of food webs community dynamics1,2. The increased temperatures associated with the urban-heat-island effect result in costs are expected drive shifts smaller body sizes 3 . Urban environments are, however, also characterized by substantial habitat fragmentation 4 , which favours mobile species. Here, using replicated, spatially nested sampling design across ten animal taxonomic groups, we show...
The increasing conversion of agricultural and natural areas to human-dominated urban landscapes is predicted lead a major decline in biodiversity worldwide. Two conditions that typically differ between environments the surrounding landscape are increased temperature, high patch isolation habitat turnover rates. However, extent spatial scale at which these altered shape biotic communities through selection and/or filtering on species traits currently poorly understood. We sampled carabid...
When environments change, populations may adapt surprisingly fast, repeatedly and even at microgeographic scales. There is increasing evidence that such cases of rapid parallel evolution are fueled by standing genetic variation, but the source this variation remains poorly understood. In saltmarsh beetle Pogonus chalceus, short-winged 'tidal' long-winged 'seasonal' ecotypes have diverged in response to contrasting hydrological regimes can be found along Atlantic European coast. By analyzing...
Abstract Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. Here we investigate a widely cited example of adaptation, Culex pipiens form molestus , also known as the London Underground Mosquito. Population genomic analysis ∼350 contemporary and historical samples counter popular hypothesis that originated belowground less than 200 years ago. Instead, show first adapted human aboveground Middle East over course >1000 years,...
In Europe, the air-borne accidental introduction of exotic mosquito species (EMS) has been demonstrated using surveillance schemes at Schiphol International Airport (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Based upon these findings and given increasing volume air transport movements per year, establishment EMS after via aircraft is being considered a potential risk. Here we present airport results performed by Centre for Monitoring Vectors Netherlands, Exotic Mosquitoes (MEMO) project in Belgium,...
In arthropod-associated microbial communities, insect-specific viruses (ISVs) are prevalent yet understudied due to limited infectivity outside their natural hosts. However, ISVs might play a crucial role in regulating mosquito populations and influencing arthropod-borne virus transmission. Some studies have indicated core virome mosquitoes consisting of mostly ISVs. Employing single metagenomics, we comprehensively profiled the native invasive species Belgium. This approach allowed for...
Current first-line standard of therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma is platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Pembrolizumab in phase III has demonstrated a promising overall response rate 21.1% patients with progression or recurrence after Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that radiotherapy systemic anti-cancer immune effect can increase the level PD-L1 tumor infiltrating lymphocytes microenvironment. These findings gave rise to hypothesis anti-PD1 treatment could lead...
The primary objective was to determine maximum tolerated radiation dose in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma on pazopanib treatment. Treatment-naïve received according standard of care. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) delivered concurrently the largest lesion at day 8, 10 and 12. SBRT doses were escalated 3 levels (24 Gy/3, 30 Gy/3 36 Gy/3). Dose level assigned using Time-to-Event Continual Reassessment Method target dose-limiting toxicity rate set 0.25. Thirteen included....
Antibodies blocking programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) have encouraging responses in patients with metastatic melanoma. Response to anti-PD-1 treatment requires pre-existing CD8+ T cells that are negatively regulated by PD-1-mediated adaptive immune resistance. Unfortunately, less than half of melanoma tumours these characteristics. Combining other immunomodulating treatments activate is therefore vital importance increase response rates and long-term survival benefit patients. Both preclinical...
The present study aimed at identifying the members of Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) occurring in Belgium. Therefore, second internal transcribed spacer nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) loci were sequenced 175 111 specimens, respectively, collected between 2007 2019. In parallel, suitability two species-diagnostic PCR-RFLP assays was tested. identified specimens included: An. s.s. (N = 105), daciae 62), atroparvus 6)...
Abstract Background Aedes japonicus has expanded beyond its native range and established in multiple European countries, including Belgium. In addition to the population located at Natoye, Belgium, locally since 2002, specimens were recently collected along Belgian border. The first objective of this study was therefore investigate origin these new introductions, which assumed be related expansion nearby western Germany. Also, an intensive elimination campaign undertaken Natoye between 2012...
We report an outbreak investigation of two fatal cases autochthonous Plasmodium falciparum malaria that occurred in Belgium September 2020. Various hypotheses the potential source infection were investigated. The most likely route transmission was through infectious exotic Anopheles mosquito imported via international airport Brussels or military Melsbroek and infected who lived at 5 km from airports. Based on genomic analysis parasites collected cases, origin Gabon Cameroon. Further,...
This survey reports on the DNA identification and occurrence of Culex torrentium Cx. pipiens s.s. in Belgium. These native disease-vector mosquito species are morphologically difficult to separate, biotypes indistinguishable. were identified using COI ACE2 loci. We recorded 1248 401 specimens from 24 locations Belgium (collected between 2017 2019). molestus, their hybrids, differentiated fragment-size analysis CQ11 locus (956 227 molestus biotype specimens, 29 hybrids). Hybrids observed at...
Adaptation to a previously unoccupied niche within single population is one of the most contentious topics in evolutionary biology as it assumes simultaneous evolution ecologically selected and preference traits. Here, we demonstrate behavioral adaptation contrasting hydrological regimes sympatric mosaic Pogonus chalceus beetle populations, argue that this may result nonrandom gene flow. When exposed experimental inundations, individuals from tidal marshes, which are naturally subjected...
Abstract Culiseta (Allotheobaldia) longiareolata (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) is an ornithophilic mosquito species that occurs in the southern Palaearctic Region from Azores to Central Asia, Ethiopian Region, India, and Pakistan. Although it has a widespread distribution range, was only recently reported Western Europe. Between 2017 2020, larvae, pupae, adults of Cs. (n = 161) were found at 13 distinct locations Belgium 4) The Netherlands 9). Collected mosquitoes morphologically...
A thorough knowledge of the presence and spatio-temporal distribution patterns vector species are pivotal to assess risk mosquito-borne diseases in Europe. In 2018, a Culex larva was collected during routine monitoring activities intercept exotic Aedes mosquito port Antwerp (Kallo, Belgium). The larva, from pond mid-September, morphologically identified as modestus, this identification subsequently confirmed by COI barcoding. It is first record West Nile virus bridge Belgium. present study...
Abstract Urbanization is a major human-induced environmental change which can impact not only individual species, but also the way these species interact with each other. As group, terrestrial molluscs frequently wide diversity of parasites, yet interactions vary across space and in response to pressures poorly documented. In this study we leveraged recently discovered defence mechanism, by snails trap parasitic nematodes their shells, explore how snail-nematodes may city life. We examined...
In order to efficiently deal with the heterogeneity in current and future multimedia ecosystem, it is necessary that content can be adapted a format-agnostic manner. A first step toward solution, able fulfill just mentioned requirement, rely on scalable video codec describe high-level structure of resulting bitstreams such way every terminal understand it, particular by using XML. This paper describes how descriptions generated making use media format independent BintoBSD tool MPEG-21 BSDL...
Monitoring of Exotic MOsquitoes in Belgium' is a sampling event dataset published by the Institute Tropical Medicine (ITM) Antwerp, Belgium. It forms part early detection exotic mosquito species (EMS) along high-risk introduction routes Belgium, where data are collected at defined points entry (PoEs) using standardised protocol. The MEMO contains counts performed between 2017 and 2020. MEMO+2020, an extension dataset, only Aedes albopictus trap Here, we present these as Darwin Core archive,...