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The lab of professor Xavier Saelens (VIB-Ghent University) is quickly mobilizing to try to find a treatment for the viral infection caused by the corona virus. Since the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak was reported by China in December 2019, the number of confirmed cases of the virus is increasing rapidly, with cases now reported in 28 countries.

Ghent's focus is on Van Eyck and the Ghent Altarpiece in 2020. Lots of people from Ghent University are also involved in this year of celebration. We have been putting a number of them in the spotlight. This week: Peter Vandenabeele. In Ghent, it's all about Van Eyck and the Ghent Altarpiece in 2020.

Insect-based fat is a sustainable and healthy alternative to butter. When in bakery products less than half of the butter is replaced by insect fat, one can hardly taste the difference, according to research at Ghent University in Belgium.

Ghent's 2020 focus is on Van Eyck and the Ghent Altarpiece. Lots of people from Ghent University are involved in this year of celebration.

Why are Ghent University researchers studying the motor skills of sports journalist Maarten Vangramberen? Much has to do with the matter of how world records are made.

In Ghent, it's all about Van Eyck and the Ghent Altarpiece in 2020. One of the highlights is undoubtedly the return of the restored painting to St. Bavo's cathedral.

Researchers from VIB-Ghent Universitiy Center for Medical Biotechnology and other collaborators, developed a novel approach to better understand a basic defense mechanism of our immune system. Central is ISG15, a small protein with a role in the immune system. With the newly developed method, scientists can now identify and study proteins tagged with ISG15, allowing them to unravel its many functions in fighting disease, potentially leading to novel antimicrobial drugs.

Researchers from the Photonics Research Group (imec, Ghent University) and MIT have integrated single photon emitters in 2D layered materials with a Silicon Nitride photonic chip. Even for moderate quantum yields, dielectric cavities could be designed such that the single photon extraction into the guided mode can reach unity.

Prof. Van Speybroek highlighted as one of the strong Women of Catalysis The ChemCatChem journal, one of the premier journals in the field of catalysis, highlights the strong contributions of women-lead research groups in Catalysis Science. They placed 67 strong female researchers in the picture in a special issue: "Woman of Catalysis".

By stabilizing perovskites -man-made crystals that can convert sunlight into electricity- they absorb sunlight and can be used in efficient solar panels. Perovskites are semiconductor materials that have many applications. They show particular promise in harvesting solar energy. Currently, most solar cells are made with silicon crystals, a relatively straightforward and effective material to process for this purpose.

Imec, UZ Leuven, KU Leuven, Ghent University, Agilent, Western Digital and BlueBee develop unique hybrid cloud platform for fast and cost-efficient whole genome sequencing and analysis. Today, on the occasion of the international DNA day, imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, and its partners revealed their Genome Analytics Platform (GAP) platform, a unique platform that can perform a full genome analysis of 48 samples in only 48 hours and at an acceptable cost.

A team of Belgian and French researchers is back from a 6-week mission studying Antarctica on a sailing ship. Key conclusions include: the benefits of this type of ship, an abundance of biodiversity, and a troubling increase in tourism. They made it back in Belgium a few days ago, after several weeks exploring the coasts of the Antarctic.

The impacts of climate warming are buffered inside forests due to the thermal insulation of forest canopies. These results are based on an international study led by Ghent University researchers. Temperature difference of 4 degrees Scientists of eight universities have quantified the temperature difference between sites within forests and outside, for the first time across the globe.

What happens inside a cell when it is activated, changing, or responding to variations in its environment? Researchers from the VIB-Ghent University Center for Inflammation Research have developed a map of how to best model these cellular dynamics. Their work not only highlights the outstanding challenges of tracking cells throughout their growth and lifetime, but also pioneers new ways of evaluating computational biology methods that aim to do this.

A new treatment for a common type of stroke may soon be possible, thanks to a discovery by an international team of researchers. In a study published today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine , researchers successfully used a new approach that significantly minimized brain damage caused by stroke in mouse models.

Today Belgian researchers set sail for Antarctica. Their goal is to take a census of marine biodiversity and to study the presence of plastic in the Southern Ocean.

Breathing in sea air helps to beat cancer and to prevent a high cholesterol, research shows by Ghent University and the Flanders Marine Institute. Have you ever heard of sea spray? That's what researchers call vaporized sea water in the air. Sea spray contains natural substances produced by algae and bacteria, which are good for your health.

Ghent University scientists, in collaboration with American and Japanese researchers, unraveled the "grounded running" pattern, which drastically reduces the loading on the musculoskeletal system compared to the "classical" running pattern. Benefits (and disadvantages) of running Distance running is one of the most popular forms of physical activity, with health benefits given as one of the main reasons to go for a run.

imec, Ghent University, and SEED Co. Ltd. have developed a contact lens with autonomous electronics, opening the door to unique applications such as lenses with sensors and/or drug-delivery systems for the treatment of eye disorders. At the imec technology forum Japan (ITF Japan 2018), imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, Ghent University, and contact lens manufacturer SEED Co.

Researchers of Ghent University are teaching Ghanaian cocoa farmers how to produce better and more cocoa beans in a sustainable way. With a share of 20% of the premium cocoa beans on the international market, Ghana plays a significant role in the global cocoa production. However, the last couple of years Ghana has suffered low productivity rate and limited profit margins in its cocoa production.