The Leuven vaccine is based on the yellow fever vaccine. This vaccine is used since 1937, making it one of the oldest and safest vaccines in the world. Scientists from KU Leuven have now converted the yellow fever vaccine in such a way that it offers protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

For 32 years it has been World AIDS Day on December 1. The day when the world takes a moment to consider the fight against AIDS, and we call for more solidarity for people with HIV and AIDS. This is still necessary because the search for a well-functioning vaccine is not over yet.

The year 2020 will go down in the books as the first year of active spread of the West Nile virus in the Netherlands. Now it remains to be seen whether the virus survives the winter. If necessary, there are at least a few concept vaccines ready on the shelf. Partly thanks to monkeys from BPRC.

Genetics is an important line of research within BPRC. For example, we investigate the MHC. MHC stands for major histocompatibility complex, and these genes play a central role in the immune system.

In the wild, young adult male macaques leave their natal group to join a group of unrelated females. This is a biological process to prevent inbreeding. How can this best be simulated in captive macaques? It was the central question in Dr. Astrids thesis. Today she defended her thesis in the Academy Building of Utrecht University.

‘Exploring protective and pathogenic immune responses in the non-human primate model of tuberculosis.’ This is the title of the thesis for which Dr. Karin obtained her PhD. In this thesis she describes how, with the help of a macaque model, she has obtained new insights into protective and pathogenic immune responses in tuberculosis.

Already for decades, BPRC has been striving for virus-free breeding colonies. And now the time has finally come. Thanks to a lot of testing and good colony management, there are no longer any carriers of SRV (simian retrovirus), STLV (simian-T-lymphotropic virus) or B virus in the breeding groups. We can safely speak of a milestone here, because something like this is not easily achieved.

Malaria in Belgium? That is not something you would expect. When you think of malaria you think of a tropical country far away from here. But in this case, it is really true. A couple contracted malaria in Belgium and died.