Katrien De Bock

Stimulatrix: An open-source automated platform for high-throughput functional characterization of engineered contractile tissues

Stimulatrix automates the functional analysis of engineered muscle tissues using video acquisition, electrical stimulation, and deep learning to quantify contractile properties over time.

HIF1α gates tendon response to overload and drives tendinopathy independently of vascular recruitment

Mechanical overload activates hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1a) in tenocytes to drive tendinopathy independently of VEGFA-mediated vascular ingrowth, and tenocyte Hif1a deletion prevents overload-induced tendon degeneration in mice.

Sulfur Amino Acid Restriction Enhances Exercise Capacity in Mice by Boosting Fat Oxidation

SAAR improves exercise capacity in mice by enhancing fat oxidation and substrate availability through VEGF signaling and CD36-dependent fatty acid transport.

Disrupted astrocyte-endothelial crosstalk drives hemangioblastoma lesions in VHL disease

This study shows that loss of Vhl in astrocytes disrupts astrocyte-endothelial crosstalk, leading to hemangioblastoma formation in VHL disease.

Context-dependent response of endothelial cells to PIK3CA mutation

This study shows that PIK3CAH1047R mutation causes clonal expansion in capillary and venous endothelial cells but not in arterial cells, revealing stage-dependent responses and a protective mechanism against arterial damage.

Piezo2 in sensory neurons influences systemic and adipose tissue metabolism

This study shows that Piezo2 in sensory neurons regulates brown and beige fat metabolism, preventing systemic hypermetabolism and improving insulin sensitivity.

Onco-fetal protein Nogo-A restricts human and mouse glioma vascularization and growth via VEGF-Notch-hippo-metabolic signaling

This study identifies Nogo-A as an onco-fetal protein that inhibits glioma vascularization and growth through VEGF-Notch-Hippo-metabolic signaling in human and mouse models.

Impaired glycolysis in aged endothelial cells is associated with reduced neovascularisation upon tissue ischemia

This study identifies impaired glycolysis in aged endothelial cells as a factor limiting neovascularization during tissue ischemia.

Molecular atlas of the human brain vasculature at the single-cell level

The paper constructs a molecular atlas of the human brain vasculature using single-cell RNA sequencing, revealing molecular heterogeneity and disease-related alterations in vascular cells.

Recurrent training rejuvenates and enhances transcriptome and methylome responses in young and older human muscle

This study shows that recurrent resistance training can restore age-related methylome and transcriptome changes in human muscle, with greater responsiveness in previously trained muscle.

Nucleolin is expressed in human fetal brain development and reactivated in human glial brain tumors regulating angiogenesis and vascular metabolism

This study identifies Nucleolin as a factor reactivated in gliomas that promotes angiogenesis and endothelial metabolism by regulating glycolysis through p53-TIGAR-HK2.