When in evolution did hair and nails originate? Ghent University researcher Kris Vleminckx shows that the genetic program to create human hair is at least 50 million years older than currently assumed.
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.
Only forty per cent of assistance dogs in training actually end up becoming a proper assistance dog. This problem not only causes long waiting lists, it also costs a lot of money. A collaboration, in the form of a professorship between professor Bart Broeckx and the non-profit organisation Purpose Dogs aims to find a solution.
While we humans tend to enjoy the hot summer days, it can often be hell for our dogs and cats. What’s the best way to keep those furry friends nice and cool? Common sense will get you a long way, says professor Sylvie Daminet, chair of the Department of Small Pets.
The darker a bird’s wing, the better it can fly. That’s the conclusion reached by Michaël Nicolaï, as a biologist and researcher at Ghent University. “Pigment seems not only to give colour, it also helps in flying for longer.”
Will we soon have dogs sniffing us out en masse in the fight against coronavirus? It’s possible, as tracker dogs appear to be more accurate in detecting coronavirus than traditional tests. Moreover, it is faster and a lot cheaper. “The first results from our corona dogs are very good,” says Ghent University researcher Chris Callewaert. “They achieve an average accuracy of 95 per cent.”
Many dog owners regard their favourite four-footed companion as a member of the family. But we don’t always speak the same language as our dogs. Vet and behaviour specialist Tiny De Keuster, who has been a guest professor at Ghent University for ten years, separates the facts from the fiction.
