ULB - FNRS
" - I use my expertise in clinical research to set up and coordinate the reception/labeling and encoding station at the COVID diagnostic platform at ULB - As new president of the BSRM, I coordinate the writing and diffusion o recommendations for the reproductive centers in Belgium regarding COVID-19 pandemic "
Contact: https://actus.ulb.be/fr/actus/recherche/tests-de-diagnostic-covid-19-plus-de-250-chercheurs-mobilises BSRM website (https://bsrm.be)
Comment: My role as president of the BSRM to manage the COVID-19 crisis and my participation as coordinator at the COVID diagnostic platform (ULB) are completely independent.

ULB Hôpital Erasme - FNRS
" Genetic modifiers of the clinical response to infection by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The project is part of a global effort of the human genetics community to generate, share and analyze data to learn the genetic determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility, severity and outcomes in all patients, as well as identify genetic errors that make some younger patients especially vulnerable to the virus. DNA samples and clinical data for COVID-19 patients are collected for GWAS analysis, whole exome, and/or whole genome sequencing. Such discoveries could help to generate hypotheses for drug repurposing, identify individuals at unusually high or low risk, and contribute to global knowledge of the biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease. "
Funding: -ULB -Fondation Erasme
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.

ULiège - FNRS
" Our solution for SARS-CoV-2 induced disease is to develop small molecules able to disrupt interactions between CoV-2 proteins and human interacting proteins. We anticipate that these molecules will substantially affect CoV-2 virulence and associated lung inflammation. "
Funding: none
Contact: Dr.Jean-Claude TWIZERE University of Liege GIGA -Molecular Biology of Diseases Viral Interactomes Lab 1 Avenue de l'Hopital B-4000 Liege Belgium
Comment: We are looking for funding as well as potential collaborations in an "OPENSCREEN" strategy.

UCLouvain - FNRS
" In collaboration with the University of Rwanda, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines will be measured in the plasma of COVID-19 patients and their level will be correlated with the severity of the disease. "
Funding: ARES-CCD
Publication References: Ndoricyimpaye EL, Tuyishimire J, Vanwambeke S, Mutesa L, Nyandwi E, Rujeni N, Coutelier J-P. L'épidémie de SARS-CoV-2 en Afrique sub-Saharienne, questions, craintes et espoirs. Louvain Médical, submitted.
Contact: Prof. J.-P. Coutelier de Duve Institute Universite Catholique de Louvain SSS/DDUV - ICP Av. Hippocrate 75, bte B1.74.05 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgique tel 32 2 764 7437 fax 32 2 764 7430 e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UCLouvain - FNRS
" In collaboration with the Central University of Ecuador, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines will be measured in the plasma of COVID-19 patients and immunology pathways markers will be analysed by PCR. These results will be correlated with the severity of the disease. "
Funding: Requested to FNRS
Contact: Prof. J.-P. Coutelier de Duve Institute Universite Catholique de Louvain SSS/DDUV - ICP Av. Hippocrate 75, bte B1.74.05 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert Belgique tel 32 2 764 7437 fax 32 2 764 7430 e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Comment: This project is pending

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

ULB - FNRS
" Computational analysis of the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the renin-angiotensin system. "
Funding: FNRS
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.

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....

Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain
" The objective of our project is to describe the nasopharyngeal (NP) microbiota and virome of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients at diagnosis through unbiased nextgeneration sequencing analysis and to correlate microbiota and virome profile with COVID-19 infectious phenotype. At a second stage of our project, provided additional findings are raised, those data will be enriched by NP transcriptome analysis of infected patients, and background genomic determination. Integration of those data and analysis through systems biology approach will enable better understanding of multidirectional host-pathogen interactions. "
Funding: FNRS CUR requested. Additional funding will be requested for further steps.
Contact: Pr L.Belkhir This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 02/7642198 --- Pr P.Cani 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...

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.

GIGA-Institute, ULiège - FNRS
" In this project, we study the epitranscriptomic regulation of the SARS-CoV-2. Based on analyses of the viral genome, we investigate the cellular machineries required for the viral replicative cycle. Our goal is to identify possible viral vulnerabilities that can be exploited for the development of innovative anti-viral therapeutic strategies. We investigate possible new therapeutic opportunities based on the analyses of the viral genomic organization and evolution. We speculate that specific cellular machineries are needed to support the viral replicative cycle. Our goal is uncover new antiviral therapeutic strategies based on the viral epitranscriptomic regulation, mRNA translation and protein expression. "
Funding: WELBIO & ULIEGE
Publication References: Rapino F, Delaunay S, Rambow F, Zhou Z, Tharun L, De Tullio P, Sin O, Shostak, Schmitz S, Piepers J, Ghesquière B, Karim L, Charloteaux B, Jamart D, Florin A, Lambert C, Rorive A, Jerusalem G...

Read more: Pierre CLOSE, FNRS Research Associate - Francesca RAPINO, Doctor

ULB - FNRS
" Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented number of genomic sequences of the causative virus (SARS-CoV-2) have been publicly released. The resulting volume of available genetic data presents a unique opportunity to gain real-time insights into the pandemic, but also a daunting computational hurdle if analysed with gold-standard phylogeographic methods. We here describe and apply an analytical pipeline that is a compromise between fast and rigorous analytical steps. As a proof of concept, we focus on Belgium, one of the countries with the highest spatial density of sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes. At the global scale, our analyses confirm the importance of external introduction events in establishing transmission chains in the country. At the country scale, our spatially-explicit phylogeographic analyses highlight an impact of the national lockdown of mid-March on both the long-distance dispersal events and the dispersal velocity of viral lineages. Our...

Read more: Simon Dellicour, FNRS Postdoctoral Researcher

ULB, Hôpital Erasme - FNRS
Lung injury, endothelial dysfunction and the role of RAAS during SARS-CoV-2 invection. " The first case of a person infected with SARS-Cov-2 virus can be tracked back on November the 17th, 2019, in China. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. On April 13, COVID-19 is affecting 210 countries and territories worldwide, about 2 million positive cases have been officially declared along with 115.000 deaths. The real number of infected and deaths is scarily higher, considering that up to 65% people are asymptomatic and thus, not tested. The percentage of patients with COVID-19 needed for intensive care unit (ICU) varied from 5 to 32% in Wuhan, China. It was up to 9% in Lombardy, Italy. According to available data from Lombardy, 99% of patients admitted to the ICU needed respiratory support (88% invasive ventilation, 11% non invasive ventilation). In this unprecedented time, while SARS-Cov-2 virus is halting...

Read more: Sofia Morra, FNRS Research Fellow

ULB, UCLouvain, UNamur - FNRS
" Since early March, we have monitored spatial features of the epidemic, and various possible spatial determinants of its progression, including demographic, socio-economic and environmental indicators. We are also investigating the predictive and explanatory value of various indicators of mobility. Since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic in Belgium, we observed strong spatial patterns in the disease case incidence. Before confinement measures came into effect mid-March, spatial predictors such as population density, as expected, were correlated to incidence. After the confinement came into effect, many such predictors no longer affected recorded incidence. We have assembled a rich database of demographic, socio-economic, and environmental indicators at the municipality level to identify spatial correlates of disease transmission. These are expected to differ pre- and through confinement, and to change further after confinement. We are also working...

Read more: Sophie Vanwambeke, Professor - Catherine Linard, Professor - Marius Gilbert, FNRS Senior Research...