ULB
" Inhaled ivermectin against COVID-19 study. Development of solution for nebulisation - preclinical safety and efficacy in animal models and clinical evaluation. CORONAVIRUS 2020 (CUR) research project submitted to FNRS on May 1, 2020. "
Funding: FNRS (requested)
Contact: Professor Karim Amighi Laboratory of Pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Faculty of Pharmacy Campus Plaine, CP-207 Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels - Belgium This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULiège
" Since SARS-CoV-2 testing began at the CHU of Liège we have been carrying out regular whole genome sequencing (WGS) of COVID-19 samples. At the time of writing we have uploaded 187 viral genomes to https://nextstrain.org/ (almost half of the 393 from Belgium). We have carried out regular WGS to monitor the evolution of viral haplotypes. Where possible we have concentrated on health care workers with the goal of identifying clusters of transmission. This included a cluster of seven individuals who were tested on the Roche cobas® instrument using the SARS-CoV-2 test, all were positive for the ORF1ab assay, but negative for the second E-gene assay. To date we have WGS data from four of these individuals, all share identical viral genomes and a SNP in the E-gene has been identified as the most probable cause of the test failure. This observation highlights the importance of redundancy in SARS-CoV-2 assays, especially as some testing regimes recommend an E-gene assay as a primary...

Read more: Keith Durkin, Dr - Maria Artesi, Dr - Sébastien Bontems, Dr - Marie-Pierre Hayette, Dr- Vincent...

Covartim
"In the global effort to help the healthcare professionals in the fight against the Covid pandemic, we are providing documents to help manufacturers that are not familiar with medical devices to properly document their work to help them in their product development and achieving compliance. These templates are derived from our technical file documentation and include some reference to guidances (mostly applicable in Belgium) for devices and accessories to answer to hospital products shortage."
Contact : Covartim www.covartim.be This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULiège - FNRS - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" Massive infiltration of activated macrophages is associated with the development of a cytokine storm that leads to severe acute respiratory syndrome induced by SARS-CoV-2. Based on our results demonstrating the key role exerted by epigenetic regulation in the activity of macrophages, we propose to study the methyltransferase EZH2 in the pathogenesis induced by SARS-CoV-2. We have also shown that the PD-1 immune checkpoint is responsible for the macrophage anergy induced by the absence of EZH2. The goal of the project is to temper the excessive inflammatory responses associated with macrophages by interfering on the EZH2-PD-1 axis. "
Funding: Decision pending (FNRS Crédit Urgent de Recherche 40002642)
Publication References: - Inhibition of EZH2 methyltransferase decreases immunoediting of mesothelioma cells by autologous macrophages through a PD-1-dependent mechanism. Malik Hamaidia, Hélène Gazon, Clotilde Hoyos, Gabriela...

Read more: Luc Willems, FNRS Research Director

ULiège + Mesylab SRL
" How to securely return to normalcy at work? All countries consider to lift the lockdown, but few have executed it. There are no "best practices". Questions abound: What are the risks? What are the most effective measures? Will communities follow? What are the consequences for our individual lives? Who decides how to proceed? AIMS OF THE PROJECT GIGA aims at defining the best possible approach to opening up again by involving its members. Your opinion matters. GIGA has sought assistance in conducting this real time experiment from political scientists, philosophers, lawyers and medical doctors. "
Contact: This project is supported by the GIGA office and is coordinated by the ad hoc Advisory Committee made up of expert political scientists in participation (Dr. F. Thoreau, Dr. C. Parotte, Dr. P. Delvenne, Dr. C. Fallon), a political and ethicist philosopher (Dr. F. Caeymaex) and doctors (Dr. Y. Beguin, Dr. G. Darcis).

BECARV SA
" BECARV supplies and install solution and equipement for labs, such as modular biosafety cabinets, air purifier for containment of a room, filter units, etc "
Contact: www.becarv.be Michaël Jeanty This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULiège, CHU, Obstetrics and Gynecology - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" The primary objective of the project is to assess the risk of maternal-fetal transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The secondary objectives are to analyze the impact of COVID-19 infection on the course of pregnancy as well as that of the newborn. This is a prospective study of a positive COVID-19 pregnant patients cohort in a population of 2,500 patients who give birth in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department at CHR-Liège. Samples will be taken from the mother, the newborn and from the placenta during childbirth from patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy or when they were admitted to the delivery unit. Obstetric and neonatal repercussions will be analyzed. "
Funding: Fondation Leon Fredericq
Contact: Pr Michelle Nisolle This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bordet Institute
" On April 11th, 2020, four patients hospitalized for more than 7 days developed fever some of them respiratory symptoms compatible with Covid-19 infection and were detected positive for SARS-CoV2. A 5th patient was also detected positive , had minor symptoms and was admitted 2 days earlier for collecting PBSC As a consequence of this mini-outbreak a screening of healthcare workers at this Unit revealed 2 staff members positive for SARS-CoV2. Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome Coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV2), causing Covid19 pandemic is rapidly spreading from person-to-person, via respiratory droplets, direct contact with mucous membranes or indirect contact through touching infected surfaces and then touching own eyes, nose or mouth. Airborne transmission after generated aerosols (intubation, bronchoscopy, tracheal aspiration,…) have been previously reported for other Coronaviruses(SARS-CoV1, MERS) and has been postulated for SARS-Cov2. In critical units such as the...

Read more: Mickael Aoun, Infectiologist

ULB - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" The project aims at understanding why men are more affected than women. Compelling evidences indicate sex-bias in SARS-CoV2 with male representing the majority of severe cases requiring intensive care. Excessive inflammatory symptoms attributed mainly to cytokine storm is the hall-mark of disease progress. We ask whether differences in genetic fitness between male and female patients could contribute to sex-bias and we focus, in particular, on potential role of microRNAs in fine tuning the type and magnitude of the inflammatory response "
Funding: Current application to FNRS IRIS research
Publication References: - Chamekh M, M Deny, M Romano, et al. Differential Susceptibility to Infectious Respiratory Diseases between Males and Females Linked to Sex-Specific Innate Immune Inflammatory Response. Front Immunol. 2017; 8: 1806. - Casimir, G. J., Lefèvre, N., Corazza, F et al. J. Sex and inflammation in respiratory diseases : a clinical...

Read more: Mostafa Chamekh, Professor (coordinator of the project) - Georges Casimir, Professor - Francis...

LHUB-ULB - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" "The purpose of this study is to map the healthcare workers exposure risk in Saint-Pierre University Hospital by combining molecular methods with serological assays. In summary, the short-term objective is threefold: (1) Provide an estimate of the sero-prevalence at baseline among high-risk health care workers (2) Determine prospectively the incidence of new SARS-CoV-2 infections among high-risk health care workers (3) Estimate the healthcare worker exposure to the virus by serological data to help our five partner hospitals in their day-to-day management of the ongoing pandemic The mid-term objectives are: (1) Establish an accurate mapping of the spread of the virus among our population allowing to identify the chain of transmission, (2) Identify predictive immunological markers of susceptibility to infection and disease severity to inform vaccine strategies and, (3) Establish solid diagnosis algorithm that will help adequate lockdown...

Read more: O. Vandenberg, Pr. - N. Clumeck, Pr. - C. Montesinos, Pr. - N. Dauby, MD, PhD - C. Gilles, MD - C....

ULB/ERASME
" Severe COVID-19 patients have a greater risk of long-term health issues and sometimes develop permanent lung damage or fibrosis needing a long treatment to enhance their quality of life. The project aims to better quantify the breathing parameters of a patient to assess his revalidation evolution. A 3D image acquisition based system, provides contacless and non invasive measure. The system can be used as a complementary diagnosis tools as well for a quantitative follow up. "
Funding: So far the project is supported by volunteering inside the ULB/Laboratory of Image Synthesis and Analysis (LISA) and the Erasme Hospital
Contact: Olivier Debeir < This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> & Olivier Van Hove < This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

ULB
" We are developing a prototype, upon the request of Médecins Sans Frontières | MSF Belgique, with aim to monitor key parameters of a patient's health - levels of oxygen saturation in the blood, heart rate and temperature - in order to detect a potential covid19 infection, and to adapt the patient care accordingly. The prototype is wearable, battery powered, and send its data wirelessly. In this regard, the patient can be remotely monitored. "
Funding: Own funds
Publication References: None.
Contact: Primary contact: Antoine Nonclercq - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ULB BEAMS (Oriane Bastin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & Ken Hasselmann - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & Antoine Nonclercq - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & Michel Osée - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & François Quitin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) ULB LISA (Olivier Debeir - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & Rudy Ercek - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) ULB Smart Campus (Jean Landercy - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

ULiège, CHU - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" Nous faisons face à une pandémie d'infection COVID-19. Ce virus pathogène est source de complications pulmonaires aggravant fortement le pronostic de nos patients. De nos jours, tant les mécanismes physiopathologiques en cause que les marqueurs de sévérité de l'atteinte restent indéterminés. Il apparaît donc comme urgent de pouvoir identifier des marqueurs diagnostiques, pronostiques et prédictifs pour nos patients. Dans ce contexte, plusieurs voies rapidement explorables nous apparaissent comme critiques. Le but final de cette étude est de contribuer à une prise en charge plus ciblée des patients porteurs d'une infection au SRAS-Cov-2. "
Funding: Fonds Léon Frederic
Publication References: Dix publications représentatives : 1) Prevention of murine radiogenic thymic lymphomas by tumor necrosis factor or by marrow grafting. HUMBLET C, GREIMERS R, DELVENNE P, DEMAN J, BONIVER J, DEFRESNE MP. J Natl Cancer Inst 88 (1996), 824-831. IF...

Read more: Ph. DELVENNE, FNRS Research Director / Chef de service Anatomie pathologique - J. GUIOT, Chef de...

GSK - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" Support covid international: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/resource-centre/our-contribution-to-the-fight-against-2019-ncov/ Support covid en Belgique: https://be.gsk.com/media/915368/cp-gsk-contributions-majeures-de-gsk-a-la-lutte-contre-le-covid-19.pdf NA NA "
Funding: NA
Contact: Philippe Denoel - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB, UR2NF - Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit affiliated at CRCN - Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences and UNI - ULB Neurosciences Institute - FNRS - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
" The aim of the study is to examine day-to-day associations between subjective sleep quality and daytime functioning during the large-scale confinement measures taken in Belgium given the current Covid-19 pandemic in Europe. In particular, we are interested in assessing the interplay between altered patterns of sleep timing, duration and quality, and daytime behaviour, cognition, and affect for 2 weeks during the confinement period. Longitudinal data are obtained in Belgium, Hungary and Spain "
Funding: internal resources
Publication References: ongoing project
Contact: Project : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Peter Simor: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Philippe Peigneux : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.