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Novel gene discovery strengthens collaboration between SU and KU Leuven
Author: Dr B Loedolff
Published: 05/11/2018

​Dr Bianke Loedolff, a post-doctoral research fellow from the Institute for Plant Biotechnology (IPB), recently returned from a two month research visit to the Katholieke University of Leuven (KU Leuven, Belgium). She was one of three sub-Saharan candidates awarded a Coimbra Group Scholarship that enabled her travels and marked a new collaboration between the IPB and Prof. Wim Van Den Ende (Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Science), an internationally recognised name in the field of fructan research. Dr. Loedolff conducted research in the laboratory that confirmed her discovery of a completely novel gene sequence which has the ability to produce a sugar polymer from raffinose (a complex sugar with pre-biotic functions). During her stay, she was exposed to the inner workings of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spent many hours anxiously “peak watching" on a computer screen. Within this short period, her discovery was confirmed much to the excitement of all stake-holders involved. The outcomes of the visit, has resulted in laying a firm foundation between the two laboratories at SU and KU Leuven which will see numerous collaborative future projects being conducted across the science frontier. The IPB looks forward to the finalisation of the experiments around the discovery between the two research environments.

Apart from the research, Dr. Loedolff also enjoyed an array of culinary delights (not to mention the craft brews….) unique to Belgium, with two of her favourites being the 'luukse' Belgian waffle and smoked river eel. Leuven, a lively town with many activities during summer time, provided a memorable and fun-filled experience with open air markets, fireworks and even a carnival to rekindle the child-like spirit.