Artificial reproduction methods, such as IVF and ICSI, have already been successfully applied in humans. But this has not been the case for many domestic animals. In horses, for instance, it has seemed to be an impossible task for a long time to fertilise the eggs outside the body. Until Ann Van Soom and her team started focusing on it.
Do you suffer from hay fever? You are not alone: no less than 1 in 3 people worldwide have an allergy, particularly to pollen or dust mites. For people aged between 20 and 45 this amount is as much as 40%. “In fact, we expect this number to keep growing in the future”, predicts professor Philippe Gevaert (department of Head and Skin), clinical head of the Ear, Nose and Throat department at Ghent University Hospital. “But, don’t worry: a solution is on the way.”
Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and ALS are devastating neurodegenerative diseases with no prospect of recovery. Clinical geneticist, physician and Ghent University professor Bart Dermaut is making a breakthrough with his scientific research that could push future therapies in a new direction. This is partly thanks to donations and legacies from patients.
Our homes need to become a lot more sustainable. Besides insulation, the heat pump is the latest ‘big’ thing when it comes to new construction and renovation projects. But is the heat pump worth the hype?
Eline Pottie is addicted to drugs, well to researching them anyway. As a postdoc, she is investigating how psychedelics work and where the effects come from. “I find it fascinating that we still don’t know why these drugs make us hallucinate,” she says.
Professor Martin Valcke is facing his very last exam period after a career spanning many years. As an expert, we asked him for the ultimate tips for you to get through the exam period successfully.
The advent of spring also means the return of many migratory birds after a winter in warmer countries. But in journeys that are often thousands of kilometres long, how do these birds find their way? Not with Waze or Google Maps, but thanks to the sun, a kind of built-in compass and highways.
There are more student associations in Ghent than might you think. Heard of Engage already? With their activities, they want to make you think critically about different social issues. Board members Hayat, Kezban and Yousra talk passionately about their mission.
Ghent student life has a rich tradition. Among the more than 100 associations in our city, there are also some unique ones. Moeder Theepot, for instance, has been bringing student tea lovers together for 10 years.
Ensuring that every child learns how to code, that is the common goal of several UGent researchers and the educational platform CodeCosmos. They developed a digital co-teacher together for the popular programming language Scratch. A world-first because this is the first tool that can automatically evaluate Scratch exercises. “Coach CoDi goes light years beyond all other feedback tools”, says UGent professor Christophe Scholliers.
Writing a bachelor or master's thesis is quite a challenge. Medicine students Emma Coene and Frédéric Claerhoudt are experts by experience and are happy to share some tips to make your thesis a success too.
Every year Harvard WorldMUN (Model United Nations) brings together young people of all nationalities and backgrounds, this year in Paris, to spend five days debating current issues.
