‘Open science’ and ‘open access’ are two key concepts in the contemporary scientific landscape. At Ghent University, the Boekentoren library has become a forerunner in both, thanks to the enormous steps it has taken in terms of digitalisation. And that is something from which everyone has benefitted, and above all researchers.
Researchers at Ghent University (UGent) have discovered enzymes that can cure age- and diabetes-related blindness. Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from these diseases. Thanks to financial support from one UGent alumnus and the Industrial Research Fund (IOF), the researchers are now working on eye drops made using these enzymes.
Scientific research can often provide solutions to social challenges. But is society sufficiently involved in the process? Participative research, in which there is active involvement of the people concerned or those for whom the research is being done, allows researchers to be better connected with the community. It is also the subject of the inspiration dag for researchers that is organized by the IDC's on 1 October 2021.
The Ghent University Boekentoren tower is a 64 metre high architectural masterpiece. But the tower is so much than just a monument. “It is a beacon of science, a fountain of knowledge for both researchers and students,” says head librarian Dries Moreels.
A large quantity of water, energy, and nutrition is lost during the processing of vegetables and potatoes. Too much water. At a time when we’re trying to minimise waste, and water is a scarce resource, we need to be smarter about how we manage these losses. The VEG-i-TEC research centre is therefore reviewing the processing method from start to finish.
A new development in agricultural robotics has the potential to make the sector more sustainable and profitable. Researchers at Ghent University have developed technology that enables agricultural robots to make site specific adjustments in real time, from soil analysis to soil cultivation, sowing, fertilising and the spraying of pesticides.
Professor Veerle Cnudde’s smartphone is full of photos of old, weathered stones. Mostly of natural stones, used in the construction of old buildings like the Gravensteen, as the aim of her research is to better protect the stones – and therefore the buildings too. Because “if you simply leave them in their current condition, over time there won’t be much left.”
The Doping Control Lab at Ghent University is an international authority in the field of doping research. The lab will be sending a delegation to the Olympics in Tokyo this year, just like it did during previous editions. But why is this necessary? Why aren’t athletes free to choose what they do with their own body? DoCoLab’s manager, prof. Peter Van Eenoo, sheds some light on these questions.
Imagine that bar service is allowed again and you can choose between two different drinks counters at a festival. One has orderly lines marked with posts, the other is entirely at random. Which option should you choose in order to get your drink fastest?
Combining high-level sport with studying: it is not easy. But some Ghent University students do it successfully. This year, no less than 8 students from Ghent University are going to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
It is always important to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, but even more so in the summer. But what kind of sun cream is it best to use?
Wild waving and shouting as their head bobs in and out of the water. Is that how to see that someone is drowning? Well, it is in the movies. Sadly, it’s much harder to spot someone drowning in real life. Why’s that? And what can we do about it?
