Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, ULB, Faculty of Medicine - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
" In recent years epigenetics has become an essential component of biological research, playing key roles in many physiopathological conditions. Recent work in viral epigenetics highlighted these modifications as an essential mechanism in modulating many viruses life cycles. To date, whether this holds true also for SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown, let alone the potential use of epigenetics inhibitors as novel antiviral therapy against SARS-CoV-2. • To address these unanswered questions and to respond to the current international urge of new therapeutic approaches against COVID-19, our study, which would uncover a link between epigenetics and SARS-CoV-2, aim to provide innovative advances for SARS-CoV-2 biology and therapy: • Overall, we will generate a comprehensive dataset aiming at expanding further our understanding of the biological functions of epigenetic modifications in the SARS-CoV-2...

Read more: François Fuks, Full Professor

ULiège - FNRS
" L'atteinte rénale semble fréquente et précoce dans la COVID-19. Sa physiopathologie est inconnue. Le but de cette étude est de caractériser cette néphropathie nouvelle causée par le SRAS-Cov-2. Nous réalisons une biopsie rénale post mortem chez tout patient décédé dans le cadre d'une infection COVID-19 en salle d'hospitalisation ou aux soins intensifs (SI). L'étude se focalise sur la corrélation anatomo-clinique. L'étude histologique inclut (i) une description conventionnelle des compartiments glomérulaire, tubulaire et interstitiel ; (ii) une détection immuno-histochimique des antigènes viraux du SRAS-Cov-2 et leur distribution préférentielle dans chaque segment du néphron ; (iii) une caractérisation de l'infiltrat inflammatoire éventuel ; et (iv) une microscopie électronique. "
Funding: Fondation Léon Frédéricq ULiège (21.600 euros) FNRS (en attente) Société Francophone de Néphrologie (en attente)
Contact: Pr dr François JOURET Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de...

Read more: François JOURET, Professeur - Pierre Delanaye, Professeur - Jean-Marie Krzesinski, Professeur...

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)
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.

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.

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

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,...

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

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- 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

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
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

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.

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...

Read more: Haruko Takeda, Senior Scientist