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François Reniers, Professor - Carine Van Lint, FNRS Research Director - Anne Op De Beeck, Professor

ULB - FNRS
" Inactivation of viruses on surfaces, textiles, surgical Tools, or any 2D or 3D object cannot always be performed using chemicals. This project aims at inactivating viruses using various atmospheric plasma sources, and study these mechanisms of inactivation. "
Funding: ULB Walloon Region (requested)
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Françoise Mascart, Professor - Véronique Del Marmol, Professor - Véronique Corbière, Doctor

Hôpital Erasme and ULB - Faculty of medicine
" A translational prospective research project was initiated to characterize longitudinally the immune responses of patients with COVID-19, to identify the mechanisms underlying progression to severe disease. Blood samples are collected at three different time points from two groups of patients, those with a flu-like disease, and those with respiratory symptoms (mild to severe). They are stored in a biobank after appropriate treatment to be further available for different research projects. The first one will focus on the characterization of the phenotype of innate cells (dendritic cells, monocytes, NK cells) and T lymphocyte subpopulations, and on the analysis of the concentrations of IFN-a and a panel of other cytokines, to investigate the importance of the kinetic of pDC mobilization and type I IFN production before the appearance of the cytokine storm. "
Funding: - ULB - COVID-19 special call - FNRS - crédit urgent de recherche...

Frédéric Debiève, Professor (MD, PhD) - Arthur Colson, PhD fellow (MD) - Christophe Depoix, Postdoctoral (PhD) - Pierre Sonveaux, FNRS Senior Research Associate (PhD) - Corinne Hubinont, Professor (MD, PhD)

Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc - UCLouvain - FRIA - FNRS
FD and CH are members of the cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc (CUSL). CD is a postdoctoral researcher at UCLouvain. AC is a PhD Fellow of the Belgian Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture (FRIA). PS is a Senior Research Associate of the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S-FNRS). - FNRS

" The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is a global public health emergency. In several months, the infection has spread dramatically to the entire world and resulted in a major epidemic. In this context, pregnant women require particular attention in term of emerging infections because of the physiological changes in their immune and cardiopulmonary systems. The first analysis of 38 pregnant women with COVID-19 is quite reassuring since it did not report any maternal deaths, increased complications or vertical transmission. However, specific prospective studies about...

Frédéric Dierick, Dr - Nicolas Velings, Dr

Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (HELHa) - CeREF
" The aim of the Interreg FWVl project called "NOMADe" (https://nomadeproject.eu) is to develop an ecosystem for e-learning and research & developement in the field of neuro-musculo-skeletal disorders (NMSD). By essence, NOMADe has a strong interest in online and sensor-based developments of physiotherapy. It is the reason why we have recently written an opinion paper about the relevance of telerehabilitation for the care of NMSD. This topic has become particularly important because of covid-19 isolation period. Physiotherapists have indeed been forced to stop usual consultations and the need for alternatives has become obvious. Our opinion paper is based on a review of the literature and promotes the use of telerehabilitation by identifying the situations in which it is efficient. It has been cited in the opinion paper of the "Conseil Fédéral de la Kinésithérapie" / "Federale Raad voor de Kinesitherapie" regarding a phased approach to...

Frédéric Silvestre, Professor

UNamur
" The main scientific question of this project aims to understand this inter-individual variability in the response to 2019-nCoV in human population, first during ageing process, second among population of same age. The first hypothesis that will be tested in this project is that epigenetic differences among human population can, at least partly, explain differences in the individual responses to SARS-CoV-2, and that this virus differentially affects the epigenome of different individuals during the infection. The second hypothesis that will be tested is that changes in the epigenome during ageing could increase the susceptibility of patients to SARS-CoV-2. "
Funding: To be searched
Publication References: - Fellous A, Earley RL, Silvestre F. Identification and expression of mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) histone deacetylase (HDAC) and lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) genes. Gene, 691 (2019), 56-69. - Fellous A, Earley RL, Silvestre F. The Kdm/Kmt gene families in...

Géraldine Dessilly, PhD - Benoît Kabamba, Professor

UCLouvain/IREC/MBLG
" The objective of this project is to perform SARS CoV-2 infection of cells from Vero E6 line. With a view to -Study the information of the infection on the immune activation pathways and the metabolic pathways within the cells - Perform virus viability assays in different environments and analyze the effectiveness of the hygiene measures taken to prevent transmission of the virus into the environment. - Study the neutralization and the cytopathogenic effect by antibodies from clinical samples "
Funding: own funding
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Professor UCLouvain/Cliniques universitaires St-Luc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., PhD UCLouvain

Gilles Bruylants, Professor - Ivan Jabin, Professor - Vincent Raussens, Professor

ULB- FNRS
" This project aims at developing soluble anti-SARS-CoV-2 virus immunoglobins (IgM and IgG) detection systems based on calixarene coated silver nanoparticles functionalized with viral antigens. These particles could advantageously replace gold nanoparticles (10x more efficient in light extinction) in Lateral Flow ImmunoAssays and Immunoturbidimetry tests. "
Funding: ULB Special COVID-19 Call
Publication References: "Controlled Functionalisation of Gold Nanoparticles with Mixtures of Calix[4]arenes revealed by Infra-red Spectroscopy". Valkenier, H.; Malytskyi, V.; Blond, P.; Retout, M.; Mattiuzzi, A.; Goole, J.; Raussens, V.; Jabin, I.; Bruylants, G., Langmuir 2017, 33, 8253-8259. "Extremely robust and post-functionalizable gold nanoparticles coated with calix[4]arenes via metal–carbon bonds". Troian-Gautier, L.; Valkenier, H.; Mattiuzzi, A.; Jabin, I.; Van den Brande, N.; Van Mele, B.; Hubert, J.; Reniers, F.; Bruylants, G.; Lagrost, C.; Leroux, Y., Chem. Commun. 2016, 52...

Gilles Darcis, FNRS Post-doctorate Clinical Master Specialist

ULiège, CHU - FNRS
" We aim to compare various diagnostic tools (swabs, saliva, serology, antigen detection) in order to define the best one depending on the clinical presentation and the duration of the disease. "
Funding: Fonds Léon Fredericq FNRS
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Gilles Darcis, FNRS Post-doctorate Clinical Master Specialist

ULiège, CHU - FNRS
" We aim to define the clinical characteristics associated with the production and the level of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in COVID19 recovered patients. In particular, we will investigate whether the development of a strong and persistent humoral immune response takes place in severely affected, individuals with mild symptoms or asymptomatic individuals. We will also study the study the persistence of NAbs overtime. "
Funding: Fonds Léon Frédéricq FNRS
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Gilles Parzibut, Doctor

ULiège, CHU
" La recherche de biomarqueurs fiables, sensibles et peu invasifs est un enjeu de premier ordre pour la médecine moderne. En effet, ces biomarqueurs ont le potentiel de transformer la prise en charge médicale en améliorant le dépistage et le diagnostic, mais aussi en permettant de mieux appréhender la physiopathologie d'une pathologie ou sa réponse à un traitement donné. Fort de nos travaux précédents, nous proposons de réaliser une étude prospective sur une population adulte souffrant d'un SDRA modéré à sévère post SARS-COV2 afin de caractériser une signature exosomique plasmatique propre à cette population. "
Funding: FLF FIRS CHU de Liège
Publication References: hankar-Hari, M., Fan, E. & Ferguson, N. D. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) phenotyping. Intensive Care Med. (2018). 45;(4): 516-519. Thompson BT, Chambers RC, Liu KD. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(6):562–72. Johnstone RM, Adam M, Hammond JR, Orr L, Turbide C. Vesicle...

Grégoire Lits, Professor - Louise-Amélie Cougnon, Doctor - Alexandre Heeren, FNRS Research Associate - Bernard Hanseeuw, Professor

UCLouvain - FNRS
" Our interdisciplinary project (communication science, psychology, medical science) aims at measuring the evolution of the Covid-19 infodemic in Belgium through quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. One work package of the project focus on French-speaking Belgium only (three waves survey, interviews). Another work package covers all Belgium (two waves survey) as part of an international comparison project in 8 countries. "
Funding: None at the moment.

Publication References : ORM Research report (May 2020) : Analyse de « l’infodémie » de Covid-19 en Belgique francophone URL : https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/wsuj3/
Contact : Grégoire Lits, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/ilc/ilc-covid-19.html

Guy Jerusalem, Professor

CHU Liege/ULiège
" La nouvelle pandémie COVID-19 modifie la prise en charge des patients oncologiques. Le premier objectif de notre projet est d'étudier la sécurité de la poursuite des traitements systémiques anti-tumoraux dans le contexte actuel de pandémie. Le deuxième objectif est de comprendre les inquiétudes et les ressentis de nos patients par rapport au risque d'attraper l'infection et leurs conséquences. Le troisième objectif est d'évaluer le taux d'infection et de séroconversion asymptomatique chez nos patients en comparaison à la population globale. Le quatrième objectif est de mieux comprendre les raisons de détresse du personnel soignant en oncologie afin de mieux organiser des mesures de soutien psychologique. "
Funding: Fondation Leon Frederic Fonds propres Oncologie Médicale
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Haruko Takeda, Senior Scientist

ULiège 
Development of rapid and reliable alternative diagnostics for wide-scale COVID-19 testing. " Wide-scale implementation of rapid, reliable, low-cost diagnostic tests would help epidemic containment and mitigation strategies. The current gold standard in COVID-19 diagnostics employs quantitative reverse transcription (qRT) PCR which through cyclic reactions at different temperatures detects segments of the SARS-CoV-2 genome from RNA extracts from nasopharyngeal swabs. Though reliable, this procedure requires special sampling devices, purification of RNA, qualified personnel, sophisticated equipment, and a six hour turnaround time to result. By leveraging on university expert capacities such as molecular biology and protein science, our team has performed a series of controlled experiments to assess the specificity and sensitivity of loop- mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)- and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-based tests in comparison with the qRT-PCR procedure...

Henri-François Renard, Professor - Pierre Morsomme, Professor

UNamur and UCLouvain
" The project will aim at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of coronavirus endocytosis. Although Covid-19 and SARS are known to bind to ACE2 receptor at the surface of various epithelial cells, little is known about the molecular details of the endocytic mechanism of these viruses. One of our hypotheses is that the Spike protein of beta-coronaviruses are able to interact with glycosylated molecules at cell surface (lipids, proteins), induce a clustering mechanism and deformation of cell membrane for endocytosis. This mechanism could be similar to the previously described endocytic mechanism of other lectins (mammalian galectins, bacterial lectins such as Shiga toxin,...), as Spike proteins often contain a galectin-fold. The project has three objectives: 1°) Explore the ability of Covid-19 and other beta-coronaviruses to bind sugars; 2°) Explore the ability of coronaviruses' Spike proteins to induce receptor clustering at the host cell surface and endocytic...

Hugues Guyot, Professor

ULiège
" The aim of the project is to test the sensitivity and specificity of canine olfactory detection of SARS-CoV-2 on axillary sweat samples from either negative patients or from patients recognized as positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR. Dog training is underway and no results are available at this time. This study is organized according to a protocol equivalent to the NOSAÏS project (Pr. Dominique Grandjean, ENVA, France) and will be carried out in collaboration with it. Preliminary results of the NOSAÏS project are expected before starting the collaboration of cynotechnic teams from rescue areas (firefighters and/or civil protection and/or police. In this second stage, specific training of dogs is essential and need the participation of specialized firms. The detection of people contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 by tracking dogs can be of interest: - to identify people affected asymptomatically in public spaces, such as an airport; - as part of an intervention, to ensure a "pre-screening"...

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info@COVID19-WB.be

Brussels & Wallonia against COVID19