Around one in every ten people suffers from fingers that turn completely white when exposed to cold weather. This condition is known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, and thankfully, it‘s (mostly) nothing to worry about.
Few people have heard of it: peritoneal cancer. However, the disease, especially as a metastasis of another cancer, affects many patients. Unfortunately, it is often too late once the diagnosis is made: existing treatments achieve very little. Groundbreaking research by Professor Wim Ceelen is now resulting in new and promising treatments. And all thanks to the inheritance of a former patient.
1.22 million Belgians take antidepressants daily. That’s more than 1 out of every 10 people in the entire population. What’s remarkable is that many continue to take the pills for years. Tapering off is recommended, but hardly any research has been done into how one best goes about it. General practitioner and clinical pharmacologist Ellen Van Leeuwen thinks there is an urgent need to invest in helping people discontinue the use of antidepressants.
The signs coming from our bedrooms are far from positive: between fifteen and twenty per cent of adults suffer from chronic sleeping problems. And Covid has only made things worse. The impact it has had on our bodies and minds cannot be underestimated. But the good news is: you can train your sleep.
Alumna Danaë Delbeke is developing a solution that can improve the lives of millions of people with diabetes. The entrepreneur raised 38 million euro last year with the UGent spin-off Indigo Diabetes. The goal: to put a workable product on the market by 2024.
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.”
“Stay out of the sun, avoid physical activity during the hottest time of day and have plenty to drink: with these three guidelines you will easily survive a hot sunny day and avoid sunstroke – or even worse: heatstroke”, says An De Sutter, head of general medicine (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences).
Sweating without the annoying smell? In fact, it’s possible! Much is to do with the bacteria living under the armpit. Chris ‘Doctor Armpit’ Callewaert explains.
There are currently an estimated 35,000 cases of Parkinson’s in our country. This figure increases every year. In fact, it is the fastest growing neurodegenerative illness, yet we know so little about it. Professors Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke and Patrick Santens are looking to gain knowledge of the disease with their research. “But that means that particularly large sums of money are required, and these are often unavailable”, they confirm.
Do you change your underwear every day? The chances are that you do. Did you know that this is actually unnecessary? Less laundry but more targeted, that’s the message from Ghent University researcher Chris Callewaert.
What if patients and doctors don't understand each other? With that as a starting point, 45 students set to work to come up with innovative solutions during Comon's Makers Marathon. Speech therapy student Emma is one of those students. Together with her team, she came up with Dolox, a smart device that registers physical pain at the moment you experience pain.
Cysticercosis is a little-known disease, which can lead to epilepsy and much worse. Annually, it causes the death of 28,000 people. Particularly in Africa, although it is discovered here too on some occasions. Pork tapeworm is the culprit. Professor Sarah Gabriël and her team are tackling this tapeworm and the havoc it causes. “However, everything depends on the governments’ resources and priorities.”
