Science

Abstracts

Where is The Book hidden?

By Prof. dr. Ignacio Barros

Paul Erdös used to talk about The Book, a fictional massive volume containing the most beautiful proofs of all mathematical theorems. We, working mathematicians, only glimpse at shadows of small parts of The Book. In this talk, I will try to convince you that such a book must exist by showing you an example of a proof that establishes a surprising connection between the algebraic structure of moduli spaces of curves and an old equation governing the motion of water. I will finish by talking about some of the many open questions on the geometry of these spaces.

Can Artificial Intelligence Unlock the Secrets of the Molecular Universe?

By ​Prof. dr. Wout Bittremieux

Mass spectrometry is an essential analytical technique to analyze the molecular composition of complex biological samples. Despite its power, current techniques are often lacking, identifying only a fraction of the molecules present in large-scale studies and limiting our understanding of the intricate biological tapestry. Therefore, to unlock the full potential of these data, we need novel computational strategies capable of asking and answering today's pressing scientific questions. 

Individual letters have little meaning, however, when taken in the context of words, sentences, and stories, vast amounts of information can be gleaned. Similarly, in mass spectrometry analysis the prevailing strategy of analyzing each mass spectrum in isolation is inherently limited. 

Instead, I will describe several innovative solutions leveraging the power of AI to derive novel scientific knowledge from community-scale mass spectrometry data, by unlocking patterns and insights that individual studies, in isolation, could never reveal. I will describe recent approaches to jointly analyze hundreds of millions of mass spectra in proteomics and metabolomics, use deep learning to understand our immune system, and harness the latest advances in large language models—such as ChatGPT—to translate mass spectra into molecular sequences. 

Together, these foundational advances are ushering in a new approach for mass spectrometry-based research, powered by AI, supporting myriad applications across the life sciences.

Specks of dust

By ​Prof. dr. Erik Neyts

Space is all but empty. The so-called interstellar medium (ISM) consists of various components, with particle densities varying between 0.2 cm-3 and 106 cm-3, at temperatures between roughly 10 K and 10000 K. This ISM also exhibits a rich chemistry determined by those extreme conditions. Of particular interest are the so-called molecular clouds: the star-forming nurseries of our universe. The conditions in such molecular clouds are very special: the temperature is around 8 - 15 K and the pressure is lower than the lowest pressure ever obtained in a laboratory on Earth.  

Molecular clouds not only consist of gas, but also contain sub-μm dust grains, usually covered by a mantle of ice. It turns out that surface processes on such dust particles largely determine the chemical composition and evolution of the cloud. A striking example is the very existence and abundance of H2 in space: the gas phase reaction is far too slow to explain the measured concentrations, and these icy dust particles are required for H2 formation to happen. Understanding the surface chemistry of these icy dust grains is therefore an essential component for understanding the chemical evolution of our universe – and eventually, how life as we know it came to develop. 

How can microbes help us solve urban health problems?

By Prof. dr. Irina Spacova

​Modern urbanization has reshaped our interactions with natural microbial communities. Reduced microbial contact has been linked with the surge in allergic and inflammatory disorders in urbanized environments. In this lecture, we will explore how contact with beneficial microbes can improve urban health through the lens of the biodiversity hypothesis. We will then delve into microbe-based strategies to address viral and allergic diseases in urban settings.

Seeing old art with new eyes: can advancements in chemical imaging help us to better understand our cultural heritage?

By Prof. dr. Steven De Meyer

​Painted works of art are widely considered to be immensely valuable to society, be it for their cultural impact, economic value or aesthetically pleasing outlook. They are however also dynamic objects that can change in appearance over time due to various physicochemical processes. Uncovering the root cause of degradation phenomena such as discoloration or crust formation through chemical analysis is extremely relevant for art conservators and for future preservation of the artwork. Chemical analysis of artworks also provides us with new insights into the history and painterly style of the artwork through characterization of the artists’ palette, by revealing hidden paint layers or through differentiating original from restored materials. 

For these reasons scientific research into cultural heritage has grown significantly in importance over the past few decades, in particular the use of non-invasive macroscopic imaging techniques. This presentation will focus on how chemical imaging techniques can contribute to a better understanding and preservation of our cultural heritage and how recent advancements allow us to look even more closely at the chemistry inside the artwork.

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