ULB and European Center for prevention and Control of Diseases fellow - FNRS
" In support of clinical biology laboratories, the ULB has set up a diagnostic plateform in both Erasmus and Gosselies campus to face the epidemic of SARS-CoV2. The diagnosis relies on the detection of viral RNA in nasal swab. The COVID plateform has the capacity to analyse 500 samples per day, 7 days a week and relies on the expertise and skill of more than 200 volunteers. "
Contact: Anne.Botteaux@ulb.be Cyril.Gueydan@ulb.be Arnaud.Marchant@ulb.ac.be Frederic.Paulart@ulb.be Stanislas.Goriely@ulb.ac.be Anne.Op.De.Beeck@ulb.be geraldine_demuylder@hotmail.com
Comment: List of all the volunteers who are working in the COVID plateform

UCLouvain - FNRS
" We intend to evaluate the applicability of muon tomography for rapid and non-invasive monitoring of lung status in patients with acute pneumonia. This enhances treatment and helps to manage the flow of patients in an epidemic situation. Muons are elementary particles, freely and naturally produced in cosmic-rays interactions in the upper atmosphere. A collaboration has recently been set up between the muon tomography group of UCLouvain, the University of Tartu (UT), the National Institute for Chemical Physics and Biophysics (NICTP) in Tallinn, and the start-up company GScan, to study a new approach in muon tomography. Although originally developed for the detection of explosives and drugs in luggage-size objects (patent application PCT / EP2019 / 055333, deposited by the Estonian partners), we have indications that this method can be used to assess the lung status of covid-19 patients. The advantages of the method are: it is sensitive to material and density, there...

Read more: Andrea Giammanco, FNRS Senior Research Associate

UNamur - FNRS
" Professors and researches from the Department of Mathematics and the naXys research institute of complex systems at UNamur gathered their skills and expertise in mathematical modeling, dynamic systems, statistics, control theory and numerical optimization to develop prediction and unlockdown monitoring models of the Covid-19 epidemic. They set up a consortium in mathematical modeling of the Covid-19 epidemic bringing together all the universities of the Wallonia Brussels Federation, in synergy with its equivalent in Flanders. "
Contact: Annick Sartenaer (annick.sartenaer@unamur.be) Alexandre Mauroy (alexandre.mauroy@unamur.be) Nicolas Franco (nicolas.franco@unamur.be) Sébastien Clesse (sebastien.clesse@unamur.be) Morgane Dumont (morgane.dumont@unamur.be)

UCLouvain, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc - FNRS
" "Telomeres are non-coding DNA sequences located at the end of chromosomes. In highly dividing cells, like embryonic stem cells and germ cells, telomeres are maintained by the telomerase complex. In the absence of telomerase activity in normal somatic cells, telomeres shorten after each cell division, ultimately leading to cell senescence or apoptosis. Telomeres are thus considered as ""molecular biological clocks"", closely related to ageing. Short telomeres syndromes (STS) have been identified, that are linked to genetic mutations affecting compounds of the telomerase complex, or proteins with crucial roles in telomere protection, and resulting in various conditions including lung fibrosis and aplastic anaemia (1). Bone marrow failure in STS results from the premature exhaustion of hematopoietic stem cells and, overall, tissues from STS patients suffer from premature senescence that likely drives the organ failures...

Read more: Antoine FROIDURE, Professor - Jean-Philippe DEFOUR, Professor - Anabelle DECOTTIGNIES, FNRS Senior...

UCLouvain and Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc - FNRS
" Anosmia has been reported to be a major symptom of COVID-19. Since high viral loads are found in the nasal cavity of patients and since single-cell analyses found that olfactory sustentacular and stem cells highly express ACE2 and TMPRSS2, it is suspected that cells of the olfactory neuroepithelium are a preferred target of the virus. Some COVID-19 patients present with neurological symptoms. Interestingly, it has been reported that the former SARS-CoV, can ascend intracranially, possibly via the olfactory nerves. Since olfactory receptor neurons form a direct connection between the nasal cavity and the brain, we hypothesize that these cells act as a gateway towards the brain in some patients. The main aims of the projects are (1) to investigate the pathophysiology of COVID-related olfactory dysfunction and (2) to investigate whether olfactory receptor neurons could be the entry site of SARS-CoV2 to the brain. "
Funding...

Read more: Caroline Huart, MD, PhD - Bernard Hanseeuw, MD, PhD - Valérie Hox, MD, PhD - Pascal...

GIGA - ULiège - FNRS
" Covid-19 is associated with a high risk of thrombotic disease, both in the venous and arterial circulations. As President of the Belgian Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (BSTH), I am coordinating the creation of national algorithms for thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulation of Covid-19 patients by a group of experts. These algorithms will be included in the Sciensano Covid-19 guidelines. "
Publication References: In preparation
Contact: Cécile Oury, PhD President of the Belgian Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research Director F.R.S.-FNRS Head of the Laboratory of Cardiology GIGA-Cardiovascular Sciences University of Liège (B34) 1 Avenue de l'Hôpital 4000 Liège (Sart-Tilman) Belgium Tel: +32 (0)4 366 24 87 cecile.oury@uliege.be

USL-B et ULB - FNRS
" My research focuses on the protection of the rule of law in the EU. I am notably analysing the tools at the disposal of the EU to fight against the rule of law backsliding currently at work in several Member States. The Coronavirus crisis has amplified the challenges in that regard : several states have been using the fight against the epidemic as an excuse to restrain the guarantees flowing from the rule of law. I will tackle this issue in my research. "
Funding: F.R.S.-FNRS
Contact: cecilia.rizcallah@coleurope.eu

Institut Jules Bordet, ULB - FNRS
" Cancer patients under active treatment are thought to be highly vulnerable with regards to the current pandemic of COVID-19 disease. Their management has drastically changed over the past weeks, as clinics have been forced to adapt their care strategies according to national guidelines, postponing all non-essential consultations and having patients avoid the clinic altogether as much as possible. However, it is currently unclear if cancer patients are indeed at a higher risk of developing COVID-19 disease, and if systemic oncological treatment contributes to more severe disease because of suppression of the immune system, or rather protects against fatal cytokine release storms and acute respiratory distress syndromes. This information is absolutely crucial for the safety assessment of using cancer treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the monitoring of cancer patients during this period. Therefore, this project is a non-interventional...

Read more: Christos Sotiriou, FNRS Research Director

UCLouvain - FNRS
" We developed protocols to measure the interaction between single virus and living cells and monitor the effect of blocking molecule interfering with the virus binding. "
Contact: Dr. David Alsteens UCLouvain/ LIBST david.alsteens@uclouvain.be

ULB - FNRS
" During the Covid-19 crisis, I participated in a multidisciplinary research group (biology, medicine, economy) whose objective was to define a deconfinement strategy taking into account public health and economic requirements. We have published several articles for policy makers (VOX-EU), scientists (Nature medicine) and the general public (The Conversation). "
Publication References: Rapidly identifying workers who are immune to COVID-19 and virus-free is a priority for restarting the Economy. Dewatripont, M., Muraille, E., Platteau, J.-P., Goldman, M. VOX-CE, 23 March 2020. https://voxeu.org/article/rapidly-identifying-workers-who-are-immune-covid-19-and-virus-free-priority-restarting-economy Preparing for a responsible lockdown exit strategy. Gilbert, M., Dewatripont, M., Muraille, E., Platteau, J.-P., Goldman, M. Nature Médicine, 2020. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0871-y Covid-19 : comment une stratégie de doubles tests permettrait de sortir du...

Read more: Eric Muraille, Docteur en Science, FNRS Senior Research Associate

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...

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,...

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: gdarcis@chuliege.be

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: gdarcis@chuliege.be

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, gregoire.lits@uclouvain.be https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/ilc/ilc-covid-19.html