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

GIGA-Institute, ULiège - FNRS - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
" The main objective of our research program is the identification of human genetic factors impacting the COVID19 pandemic. Within the COVID-19 host genetics initiative (https://www.covid19hg.org/), we will establish a shared set of phenotypes to be combined with genomic data for standard GWAS and further meta-analysis. Field of expertise of our laboratory : genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, immune-response related diseases. In addition, the GIGA Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute from the ULiege devoted to academic excellence in the biomedical sciences to foster ground-breaking medical innovation. It comprises 583 members attached to six faculties (Medicine, Science, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Agbiotech, Psychology) that are organized in four disease-based (neuroscience, cancer, infection-inflammation-immunity, cardiovascular) and two method-based thematic units...

Read more: Souad Rahmouni, Doctor

ULB - FNRS
" Germanium is widely used for attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier infrared transform spectroscopy (FTIR). We developed a simple way using calixarenes to functionalize these Ge surfaces and transform them in high quality and sensitive biosensors. The detection being done by ATR-FTIR allows the high sensitivity but also can quantify different molecular species in a mixture as well as their different secondary structures, both being extremely important for epidemiology study (it has been demonstrated that FTIR can discriminate different Ig proteins in a mixture). The recording of the spectra takes only few seconds and their analysis can be easily automatized. Furthermore, our laboratory is equipped for rapid and high-throughput analysis (fabrication of protein micro-arrays, infrared microscope able to record hundreds of spectra simultaneously, …). This new generation of biosensor has also the great advantage of being extremely stable and recyclable . All these...

Read more: Vincent Raussens, FNRS Senior Research Associate - Ivan Jabin, Doctor - Gilles Bruylants, Doctor -...

ULB and Sciensano - FNRS
" La spectroscopie IR fournit des signatures spectroscopiques spécifiques permettant une détection rapide de biomolécules dans un échantillon complexe, tout en ne requérant que très peu de matériel. La création d'un biosenseur basé sur cette méthode et appliqué aux anticorps contre le SARS-COV-2, permettrait d'étudier de manière beaucoup plus sensible, spécifique et quantitative les réponses immunologiques de la population contre le SARS-COV-2 que les tests sérologiques actuels. C'est un enjeu majeur pour gérer la période de déconfinement. "
Funding: Demande en attente auprès de l'AUF
Contact: Vincent Raussens Senior Research Associate (FRS-FNRS Belgium) Université libre de Bruxelles Structure and Function of Biological Membranes bd. du Triomphe, Access 2 - 1050 Brussels, Belgium T : +32 (0)2 650 53 86 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.