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Personal/public health

Biomedical/pharma, Clinical care, Oncology, Personal/public health

Using patient data to enable personalized healthcare, ATHENA shows us how!

Personalized healthcare is characterized by tailoring treatments to each individual patient’s needs. Despite evident benefits, implementing such a system is not straightforward. The ATHENA project consortium has successfully devised a set of building blocks to address the challenges associated. Both technological and governance tools were developed that can now be used on a larger scale to catalyze the transition towards personalized medicine and care.

From successful conception to a healthy family – Belgian research raises the bar for IVF

Belgium is one of the top countries in the world for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the high cumulative success rates of these interventions, disproportionally little attention has been given to the health of both mother and child during and after pregnancy. With the HEART (High risk for pre-Eclampsia after Assisted Reproductive Technology) project, Belgian researchers strive to understand why some women have an increased risk for pre-eclampsia after IVF and whether biomarkers can be identified to estimate these risks early in pregnancy or even before conception. They aim to raise the standard from successful conception to improved child and maternal health.

Retaining female talents

While the life sciences environment is adjusting to be able to foster female talents in the workplace, there is still a long way to go to achieve truly egalitarian work conditions. From the ‘motherhood penalty’ to unconscious bias, women can still be made to feel unwelcome in their daily work life. This is what motivated Veroniek Vermeulen to launch Silatha, a company with the goal of creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

This vagina-on-chip model holds the potential to advance yeast infection research

While a vast majority of women experience vaginal yeast infections, research has fallen short in providing an effective treatment approach. However, hope has emerged recently with the development of new model systems that allow exploration of the complex vaginal environment. Organ-on-chip models enable researchers to examine the interactions between human cells and microbes in a more accurate manner, offering the potential for the development of new therapies.

Azalea Vision Secures Prestigious European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition Grant

Innovative Smart Contact Lens Developer Awarded €2.5M in Funding for Groundbreaking Ocular Health Technology

Optimizing the patient care pathway through data-driven insights

The patient’s journey in a healthcare setting is influenced by factors beyond the mere medical aspects of the case. Local variations in care procedures among hospitals and caregivers enable benchmarking and adaptation of practices to optimize outcomes. For effective process modeling, it’s essential to collect data and extract insights. To optimize this process efficiently, collaborative efforts should explore alternative data sources and implement novel tools.

Nutritional labels “in the wild”: how they affect your snack choice

Barely any people stick to a three-meals-a-day plan. Snacking is part of our culture and can even contribute to a healthy diet when choosing the right snacks. But your appetite doesn’t always agree about what’s the “right” snack. Your hands automatically reach for those candy bars, instead of a handful of nuts. Therefore, we investigated whether two different nutritional labels – calorie labels and the Nutri-Score – can nudge you in the right direction.

Beyond gluten-free: a hopeful future for those who suffer from Celiac disease

Gluten-free dietary products contain more sugar and fats but fewer nutrients and are generally more expensive. A gluten-free diet can even lead to social isolation and stigmatization. Scientists are thus looking for a way that allows people with celiac gluten intolerance disease to enjoy the benefits of gluten in a safe manner.

Looking forward: Azalea Vision’s smart lens is a game-changer for ocular disorders

In December 2023, Azalea Vision announced the first test of their smart contact lens on a real person. This demonstration showcased the first functional prototype of their smart lens, known as the ALMA lens, which was developed by the company to address ocular disorders characterized by the inability to effectively filter light.

Azalea Vision announces first on-eye test of ALMA, its revolutionary smart contact lens

In a significant milestone, Azalea Vision, pioneering start-up on a mission to revolutionize the treatment of ocular disorders, announces the successful demonstration of ALMA Lens, the first functional prototype of the Azalea smart contact lens’ platform.

Pioneering Belgian project ATHENA paves the way for Real-World Data reuse in research and personalized care

ATHENA, a VLAIO-funded multi-stakeholder project, clears the path for increased reuse of Real-World Data in scientific research and healthcare, by introducing innovative solutions and responding to current technical and governance challenges. The project has made significant strides in the field of oncology by developing groundbreaking privacy-preserving machine learning techniques for predictive analytics. The project findings will be presented and discussed at the ATHENA symposium on November 23rd, 2023.

Belgian breakthrough in endometriosis research captures investors’ attention

Even though endometriosis impacts millions of women globally, the condition remains poorly understood and researched, leading to delayed diagnosis and lack of effective treatment. Encouragingly, there are promising recent developments in the field coming from Belgium. Professor Hugo Vankelecom’s research group at KU Leuven uses advanced cellular models, known as organoids, to delve into the disease and expedite the drug discovery process. The Danish BioInnovation Institute now offers the team an incubation program to pave the way towards industrial success.

The rise of women’s health

It’s been a Barbie world this summer with crowds of pink-clad moviegoers flooding the cinemas. Simultaneously, we’ve been witnessing a rush of ‘pink’ fundraising for women’s health start-ups. From pre-clinical to clinical: more companies are entering the field and developing solutions for women’s unique needs. But is their focus broad and innovative enough? And are pharma companies paying attention?

Using real-world data for post-market surveillance of drug safety

After a therapeutic drug hits the market, it is crucial to continuously gather, analyze, and report data regarding its safety and potential side effects, a practice known as pharmacovigilance. Unlike clinical trials, this involves real-world data (RWD), presenting unique challenges in terms of both quality and quantity. The Belgian BELpREG project seeks to employ RWD for monitoring drug utilization during pregnancy and investigating potential safety implications for both maternal and child health. This initiative holds great promise, although it faces substantial hurdles on its path to success.

Intelligent dentistry: AI is making surgeries safer

The AIPLANT project aims to reduce complications from dental implant surgery using AI-based preoperative planning. The project is a collaboration between the Centre for Dentomaxillofacial Imaging at UZ Leuven, AI startup Relu, and Xentro Dental.