UCLouvain
" Disaster events threaten our lives and economies. This paper focuses on the response of individuals and ventures to Covid-19 as an unexpected pandemic. Serious concerns about potential negative externalities are therefore making the front page of the newspapers every day: slowdown in activity, liquidity and solvency problems and bankruptcy. These risks exist. However, in addition to value destruction, such kind of unexpected event might also trigger value creation. In this study, we explore individuals and ventures' development of spontaneous initiatives as a response to Covid-19. Our findings suggest that the conditions of Covid-19 prompted individuals and ventures to show resilience. They adapt and develop initiatives able to create value from adversity. Our study identifies differences in the (a) magnitude, (b) timeline, and (c) kind of value that is created. It also describes specific activities allowing the quick response of these initiatives. Theoretical and...

Read more: Amélie Wuillaume

ULB - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
"The study is conducted within the framework of an international project on communication (production and reception of scientific, media, political discourse) on COVID-19. It aims to outline the role of semiotics in understanding the meaning of the social and cultural changeover the citizen is experiencing with the pandemic. A special attention is paid to the relationship between sign systems and axiologies.
Funding: Journal Degres ReSic (Research Center of ULB)."
Publication References: Special Issue of the journal DEGRES to be published in the summer 2020
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULiège - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
"The Centre for Protein Engineering (CIP, ULiège), through its two technological platforms, has been involved in the production of reagents (i.e. proteins) for diagnostic and analyses of SARSCoV-2 infection. In particular, Protein Factory has produced a pure and highly active enzyme (CAS12) for a CRISPR/CAS assay, which, in combination with classical PCR technology allows rapid detection of the virus. Automated screening is currently performed at Robotein for optimal formulation of CAS12. The production of complementary protein reagents for such tests is underway. Furthermore, in a collaborative effort with Dr Arnaud Marchant at Institut d'Immunologie Médicale (ULB), the CIP is involved in the design and production of recombinant SARS-COV-2 antigens towards the development of a platform for high dimensional systems serology analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies."
Contact: André Matagne This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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

Institut Jules Bordet
" Contribution to the application and implementation of a novel Covid-19 diagnostic testing method developed at the GIGA/FARAH academic research institutes. Starting with a handful academic scientists from different disciplines, we established a Covid diagnostic lab with the goal of increasing the testing capacity in Belgium during the heaviest period of the crisis. The lab was entirely and exclusively build by training academic volunteers dedicating their time and energy to a joint effort to "beat the virus". Today the lab has a testing capacity of > 3000 samples/day, 7days/7. The diagnostic lab contributed - and still contributes - to the federal Testing Task Force as one of the five partners involved in screening nursing homes and more recently "centres de triage". We believe extensive testing may be critical to assist and better understand the nascent "deconfinement". Making available our expertise in virus-associated diseases accumulated over years of...

Read more: Anne Van den Broeke, Doctor

Institut de Recherche Santé et Société (IRSS), UCLouvain
" In this period of confinement, the daily life of any parent who has to combine professional life and coordination of family life at home requires a whole reorganization. This reality is more intense when a parent accompanies a child with a serious illness or with a disability. The beginning of confinement rhymed with the end of the respite periods for these numerous families, since most of the institutions active in "Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles" cannot currently fully fulfill their mission or offer their home help services as they usually do. We hear it through the media, these parents are calling for help. A small group of pediatric professionals, experienced in respite care, is at the initiative of this approach: Répit-Solidaire, a platform intended for parents of sick or disabled children in French-speaking Belgium. It comes in the form of a website and a Facebook group. The main objectives are to provide information on...

Read more: Anne-Catherine Dubois, Infirmière pédiatrique et Doctorante en Santé Publique - Maëlle Boland,...

ULB 
" L'une des décisions majeures actées par le gouvernement fédéral en début de crise sanitaire a été l'annulation de toutes les activités récréatives, culturelles, folkloriques, privées ou publiques, pour une période indéterminée. Afin d'étudier la situation du secteur culturel à court, moyen et long termes, la filière de Gestion culturelle de l'Université libre de Bruxelles est à l'initiative d'une enquête auprès d'un ensemble d'intermédiaires de la culture (tous secteurs artistiques confondus), actifs en Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, et avec lesquels elle a pour habitude de collaborer depuis de longues années. L'objectif de l'enquête est de collecter des données auprès de ces opérateurs, non seulement afin de faire remonter de l'information du terrain, mais plus important encore, de mener une réflexion critique à plus long terme sur les répercussions, les enjeux et les opportunités que cette crise va avoir sur le secteur culturel qui s'annonce d'ores et déjà comme l'un des plus...

Read more: Anne-Sophie Radermecker, Doctor - Emilie Garcia-Guillen, Research Assistant

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 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Alexandre Mauroy (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Nicolas Franco (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Sébastien Clesse (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Morgane Dumont (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

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
" Breath4Life is a voluntary, non-profit, and open source effort by a distributed team of engineers, doctors, industry players, to design, test and spread medical ventilators - low cost but as close as possible to existing medical devices. Starting from international standards and guidances, we designed and tested successfully functional prototypes with Volume Controlled Ventilation for intubated patients. We now focus on more advanced modes (including respiratory assistance for patients breathing spontaneously), on intensive testing, and on writing the documentation required for supporting partners around the world to adapt, build and validate their replica. "
Contact: http://breath4life.org/ 

ULiège
" Study of the legal consequences of Covid 19 on the execution of construction contracts in Belgium "
Publication References: B. KOHL, "L'épidémie de Covid-19 et l'exécution des marchés de construction", Journal des Tribunaux, Brussels, Larcier, 2020, pp. 361-371
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHU Liège
" Multicenter randomized trial to assess the efficacy of CONvalescent plasma therapy in patients with Invasive COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure treated with mechanical ventilation " 
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UNamur - Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
" UNamur researchers have developed a procedure for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The protocol has been approved by the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP). As successfully realized within UNamur, the method can be implemented in a molecular biology research lab to be used for diagnostic purposes on clinical samples. It requires little technological development and allows to overcome reagents shortage or availability of automated systems. To support the implementation of the diagnostic procedure, the required equipment and logistical means have been described in a "starting pack" document accompanying the protocol. "
Publication References: The protocol and starting pack can be downloaded here: https://www.narilis.be/news/sana-sars-cov-2-namur
Contact: Virginie Bourguignon This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB 
" Within the INOCS team (ULB and INRIA Lille), we currently build expertise on methods to develop optimal design of group testing experiments. "
Contact: Bernard Fortz This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alphadia s.a.

" PCR test to segment Covid-19 patients "  and " qRT-PCR to segment Covid patients Cytokines storm "
Funding: No funding requested
Contact: Bernard Noirhomme BDM & Administrator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +32 471 55 62 24