UCLouvain, CHU UCLouvain/UNamur
" Evaluation of the thrombotic risk associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and its management in the intensive care unit: a clinical and biological longitudinal study. Background Since the beginning of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in December 2019, data accumulate regarding the high thrombotic risk associated with this infection, which could explain substantial part of the observed morbidity and mortality (1). Accordingly, a retrospective study suggested that prophylactic anticoagulation could reduce mortality in severe COVID-19 patients with sepsis-induced coagulopathy (2). Furthermore, a European cohort reported a 27% incidence of venous thrombo-embolisms (VTEs) despite systematic prophylactic anticoagulation, raising the question whether deeper anticoagulant regimen would be beneficial in severe COVID-19 (3). Some authors also suggested that fibrinolysis alterations could be a significant determinant of SARS-CoV-2 infection's prognosis, as it is in...

Read more: Francois Mullier, Prof - Alain Dive, Prof - Michael Hardy, Dr - Sarah Lessire, Prof - Isabelle...

ULB - FNRS
" Because of the persistence of viruses on surfaces, they represent Indirect transmission vectors of diseases. If many antibacterial surfaces exist, virucidal surfaces are more challenging. This project aims at developping Superior virucidal surfaces. This project is a collaboration between the ChemSIN (synthesis of surfaces), the laboratory of Molecular virology and the Centre for Diabetes Research of ULB "
Funding: ULB Walloon Region (requested) FNRS (requested)
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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)
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UMONS ; FabLab Mons ; Fab-C Charleroi Métropole ; FabLab Wapi
" Visors for face masks produced at FabLab Mons. In collaboration with Fab-C Charleroi Métropole and FabLab Wapi, FabLab Mons is currently producing visors for nursing staff. These visors extend the life of the masks by preventing splash contamination. This has been made possible with the financial support of the FRMH and the donation of transparent sheets from multiple organisations, which has enabled the FabLab to distribute several thousand visors (23,000+ distributed to date) to medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nursing home staff, opticians and audiologists. "
Contact: FabLab Mons https://fablabmons.be This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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...

Read more: Françoise Mascart, Professor - Véronique Del Marmol, Professor - Véronique Corbière, Doctor

ULiège - GREEnMat laboratory
" Development of a new and fast method for the production of magnetic nanobeads for virus RNA extraction for performing PCR test. We produced more the 500,000 doses for federal testing center and our product has been widly used in Belgium and out of our borders. We aslo develop a method for producing high quantities of lysis buffer, guanidine thiocyanate (hundred liters/week), to release RNA from the virus and allow extraction. "
Contact: Dr BOSCHINI Frédéric Laboratoire GREEnMat University of Liège This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0032-4-366-35-32

ULiège et ULB 
" Belgium, like a large part of the world, is affected by the pandemic of the infectious disease called Covid-19, which is due to the spread of a coronavirus. In this extraordinary context, strong measures have been taken by the different authorities that make up the Belgian federal structure. This "Courrier hebdomadaire" intends to provide some initial legal observations on the way the Belgian State, with its institutional specificities, has begun to react to this extraordinary situation. It covers the period from 12 March to 30 March, during which Belgium gradually saw the establishment of an unprecedented peacetime emergency regime. The contribution is based on four observations. Firstly, the Belgian State has taken strong measures that meet its legal obligation to react to a risk to life of the Belgian citizens. Secondly, providing a centralised response to the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic is, in Belgium, complicated because of the existing division...

Read more: Frédéric Bouhon, Professor - Andy Jousten, PhD candidate - Xavier Miny, PhD candidate - Emmanuel...

AMB Ecosteryl
" AMB Ecosteryl (Mons), specialized in the treatment and sterilization of medical waste, has adapted its technology to develop a machine that decontaminates these masks (and therefore reuse them afterwards). This machine, named "M-steryl", allows, thanks to dry heat, to decontaminate 1.400 masks per day. This machine can easily be installed in hospitals, allowing staff to decontaminate their equipment individually. It requires only a power outlet and is easy to use. Each mask can be decontaminated three times, allowing for greater autonomy in terms of supply and lower costs. "
Contact: http://ecosteryl.com

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...

Read more: Frédéric Debiève, Professor (MD, PhD) - Arthur Colson, PhD fellow (MD) - Christophe Depoix,...

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...

Read more: Frédéric Dierick, Dr - Nicolas Velings, Dr

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...

Read more: Frédéric Silvestre, Professor

ULiège
" Research Paper and associated expertise regarding the setup of a private equity fund aimed at collecting and pooling households' savings in order to restore the solvency of companies hit by the Covid-19 crisis through the subscription of preferred shares "
Publication References: Hübner, G. (2020), "Efficient Resource Allocation in the Context of the Coronavirus Crisis: Towards a Private Equity Fund Financed by Collective Savings", Revue Bancaire et Financière, Online edition 2020/4, 13 p.
Contact: https://www.financialforum.be/fr/articles/efficient-resource-allocation-context-coronavirus-crisis-towards-private-equity-fund

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

ULB
" Support of federal exit strategy team on the problem of short term forecasting of new hospitalizations "
Contact: mlg.ulb.ac.be  
Comment: Collaboration with Pr. M. Gilbert, member of GEES

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...

Read more: Gilles Bruylants, Professor - Ivan Jabin, Professor - Vincent Raussens, Professor