ULB is committed to the economic, social, and cultural development of Wallonia, where the University is present on its Charleroi campus as well as the Biopark Brussels South Charleroi. The University plays a major part as a source of technological innovation, including through Walloon research programmes, conducted in partnership with businesses:

 
FEDER

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is one of the European Structural Funds and its aim is to improve economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting imbalances between its regions. Here is a non-exhaustive list of ERDF 2021-2027 projects in Wallonia, in which ULB is involved:

DECARBOWAL 
The DECARBOWAL portfolio is coordinated by Materia Nova in collaboration with ULB, UCLouvain, ULiège, UMONS, CRIBC and CRM. Its aim is to develop new materials and innovative processes to increase the decarbonisation of industrial processes, capture CO2 from ambient air, convert and store renewable energies and Wallonia's natural resources into energy carriers (green hydrogen and e-fuels), and study their combustion. In particular, ULB is active in two clusters of projects in this portfolio:
  • CRUCIAL at ATM - reducing the carbon footprint of Wallonia and its industrial flagships by two complementary means: reducing industrial CO2 emissions at source and developing e-fuels
  • SynFoNHy at ChemSIN - developing a virtuous cycle for the synthesis and use of ammonia for the deferred production of green hydrogen by plasma-catalysis.

ULB Supervisors: Axel Coussement - ATM and François Reniers - ChemSIN

MedReSyst - Network and Systems Medicine

The MedReSyst initiative aims to provide tools, data and clinical prototypes to enable companies in the sector (e-health and pharma) and the healthcare sector in Wallonia to innovate in setting up hospital workflows for network and systems medicine. The tools and data will be made available to industrial partners via a "Smart-Platform" enabling rapid prototyping using existing tools and tools being developed (TRAIL-Factory, biobanks, CyberWal, etc.).

The aim of the MedReSyst-CanPro (Prostate Cancer: Screening and Diagnosis) project is to develop a tool to assist in the screening and diagnosis of prostate cancer and, ultimately, in the management of patients, and to make this tool available to the Walloon hospital network. The aim of this tool is to improve the efficiency of screening, anatomopathological diagnosis and follow-up of patients with prostate cancer by (1) better targeted imaging of biopsy sites and (2) more objective determination of the morphological grade of malignancy of these cancers.

ULB Supervisor: Christine Decaestecker - Laboratories of Image, Synthesis, and Analysis 

PHENIX - Walloon Technological and Analytical Platforms of Excellence in Agri-food

The main aim of the PHENIX portfolio will be to acquire cutting-edge instrumentation that is unique in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. It brings together the expertise of 5 partner institutions and 10 research teams already active in the Strategic Innovation Area "Agri-food chains of the future and innovative management of the environment", and is supported specifically by the Strategic Innovation Initiatives Foodbooster, DigiBiocontrol and PROTEWIN. Each one intervenes in its particular field of competence and brings its specific resources to the project. This undeniably produces important synergy effects. This extremely versatile method of analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, makes it possible to study simultaneously, through clearly differentiated spectral zones, the structure of peptides or proteins, their glycosylations, other post-translational modifications and also the potential lipidation of these peptides.

ULB Supervisor: Vincent Raussens - Structure and functions of biological membranes

WAL-IMAGIN

The WAL-IMAGIN portfolio aims to structure and strengthen preclinical biological imaging in Wallonia, as well as scientific expertise in the fields of immunology, infectiology and vaccinology. By pooling existing resources and strengths, this concerted investment in technological and human resources will enable strategic skills to be deployed for the benefit of all the players involved (academics and businesses). WAL-IMAGIN intends to facilitate the value chain and meet the specific needs of businesses by accelerating the development of the biotherapies of tomorrow through innovative projects and services with high added value. The aim is to support Wallonia's international leadership in this field and to strengthen the existing ecosystems.

ULB Supervisor: Stanislas Goriely - Institute for Medical Immunology

Wal'Prot

The WAL'PROT portfolio, coordinated by CELABOR in collaboration with ULB, UCLouvain, UMONS, ULiège, CETIC, CRA-W and CER Groupe, aims to develop new ways of deriving value from plant proteins and alternative proteins for the human food sector. The aim is to propose cutting-edge solutions to develop new protein sources, not only derived from dedicated crops but also from discarded plant materials, co-products from the agri-food industry, microalgae and insects.

The project led by ULB within the portfolio concerns the development of two tools using digital tools to help develop new protein value chains: bioinformatics software to predict protein allergenicity and a digital twin of a pilot process for protein transformation.

ULB Supervisors: Dimitri Gillis - 3BIO-BioInfo and Frédéric Debaste - TIPs

Wi³ning - Walloon Innovative and Integrated Industrial maNufacturING

The Wi³ning portfolio, coordinated by CRM in collaboration with ULB, UCLouvain, UMONS, ULiège, CRIBC, Cenaero, Materia Nova and Sirris, is a group of research projects and projects to acquire cutting-edge equipment to meet the needs of manufacturing industry companies in Wallonia. It focuses on the development of innovative processes, particularly in 3D printing and manufacturing by technological hybridisation. Wi³ning comprises 4 strands: Functional multimaterials, Repair of aluminium alloy components, Robustness of manufacturing processes, and Sustainable manufacturing. The project led by ULB within the portfolio consists in making 3D printing processes more robust and in particular developing more defect-resistant titanium alloys.

ULB Supervisor: Stéphane Godet - 4MAT

WelBio

WelBio supports programmes of strategic fundamental research of excellence in the life sciences with a view to commercialising the discoveries in industrial applications in all fields of medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary biotechnology. Here is a non-exhaustive list of current projects involving ULB:

AMMON - Mep-Amt-Rh transport proteins: control of ammonium permeability of membranes and proliferation

A major source of nitrogen for microorganisms and plants, ammonium is also a pH regulator in animals and a neurotoxic waste product. Failure of the liver to detoxify ammonium can lead to lethal cerebral palsy. High levels of ammonium are observed in cerebral malaria, Alzheimer's disease and the tumour microenvironment. Proteins in the Mep-Amt-Rh family facilitate the specific transport of ammonium across cell membranes, differentiating NH4+ from the similar K+ ion. Some fungal proteins in this family also act as transceptors, inducing filamentation, which is often linked to the virulence of pathogenic fungi.

AMMON aims to revise the theory that transmembrane movements of ammonium are solely due to passive and uncontrollable diffusion of NH3 and to understand the role played by Mep-Amt-Rh proteins in controlling ammonium permeability and proliferation.

ULB Supervisor: Anna Maria Marini - Biology of Membrane Transport Laboratory

BetaThetaT2D - Mechanisms of β-cell failure in order to identify therapeutic targets for β-cell preservation in type 2 diabetes

BetaThetaT2D is a family-based programme which highlights the genetic risk transmitted from parent to child. Obesity is another major risk factor for the disease. How these risk factors cause diabetes is not clear. Pancreatic islets contain β-cells that make insulin to control glycaemia. T2D develops because the β-cells cannot produce enough insulin. None of the available drugs can solve this problem, and it remains a major unmet need. This project aims to identify the reasons why β-cells fail in T2D and, on the basis of this information, to find new ways of protecting β-cells and slowing or reversing the progression of this disease. The project will study this in a unique collection of human islets and β-cells derived from stem cells, using cutting-edge computer calculation techniques. Using β-cells derived from human stem cells and islets, we will test genes and newly discovered drugs to improve and preserve the function of β-cells in T2D.

ULB Supervisor: Miriam Cnop - ULB Center for Diabetes Research

Brain Motor State at Hand - The state of motor neuronal oscillations, close at hand

Oscillations of the beta sensory cortex are a sign of the sensory brain functions, reflecting motor skills and neurological health. Characterising them generally requires the recording of brain activity using sophisticated and expensive equipment. Guided by the results of fundamental research, the "Brain Motor State at Hand" project aims to develop and characterise a method for measuring the reflection of these oscillations in easily accessible signals such as muscle activity or mechanical recordings of manual force. It will then evaluate the method's potential for monitoring Parkinson's disease and for monitoring rehabilitation and recovery after a stroke. Future applications are also planned in fundamental research, as well as in the assessment and monitoring of disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.

ULB Supervisor: Mathieu Bourguignon - ULB Neuroscience Institute

Cerebral Blood Vessel Development - Molecular and cellular control of cerebral angiogenesis and blood-brain barrier formation

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) tightly controls the transfer of fluids, molecules and cells between the blood and the vulnerable nervous system. BBB dysfunction is a feature of many neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the BBB is a stubborn obstacle to the treatment of many neurological diseases, preventing the overwhelming majority of neuroactive molecules from reaching the brain. It is therefore important to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that shape the anatomy and control the functionality of the BBB in order to develop innovative therapeutic strategies.

The "Cerebral Blood Vessel Development" project aims to untangle the molecular and cellular logic of cerebrovascular development. Previous studies have shown that the developmental regulation mechanisms of the cerebrovascular system provide fertile ground for identifying therapeutic agents targeting the BBB.

ULB Supervisor: Benoit Vanhollebeke - Laboratory of Neurovascular Signalling

CFTR-ALT-DEL - Characterisation of alternative CFTR conformations in order to understand the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis and propose new therapeutic avenues

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease caused by mutations in the CFTR ion channel. CFTR misfolding and degradation are the hallmarks of the most common mutation, F508del, located in the NBD1 ATP-binding domain. The mutation is known to affect NBD1 thermal stability and CFTR domain assembly.

Nanobodies that make it possible to specifically isolate alternative CFTR conformations have been identified, which offers a new understanding of the disease's molecular mechanisms. The "CFTR-ALT-DEL" project aims to carry out a structural study of the alternative CFTR conformations stabilised by the nanobodies, the specificity of these nanobodies and their involvement in the biogenesis of the mutant versions of CFTR and in other mutants.

ULB Supervisor: Cédric Govaerts - Structure and Function of Biological Membranes

DANTE - Dissecting the stress response network of A. baumannii to target new metabolic effectors

Disruption of the stress response network has recently appeared as an innovative strategy to fight superbacteria. The DANTE project proposes a new systems biology approach that combines microbiology with structural biology and modern biochemistry to deconstruct the interactome of the stringent response of A. baumannii and thus reveal new factors that can be exploited to develop new drugs.

A proof of concept experiment has been developed, reconstructing in silico the SpoT interactome of A. baumannii and the methodology for validating this interactome. Its approach includes recent breakthroughs on the molecular mechanism of RSH enzymes in order to implement a strategy that addresses the complex conformational landscape of these enzymes. Artificial intelligence-based approaches will also be used to predict protein-protein interactions and conduct tests on a larger scale.

ULB Supervisor: Abel Garcia Pino - Structure and Function of Biological Membranes

EARLY HUMAN GAMMADELTA - The third immunity protection pathway in humans: development and function of T γδ cells in early life

γδ T lymphocytes are the "third" type of lymphocyte, in addition to αβ T lymphocytes and β lymphocytes, which can rearrange gene segments at DNA level to generate variable antigen receptors. These three cell lineages have apparently been conserved since the emergence of jawed vertebrates over 450 million years ago. A key difference from conventional αβ T cells is that T cells use their TCR (γδ T cell receptor) to recognise antigens in a fundamentally different way, meaning they do not rely on conventional MHC molecules. Based on these past and recent discoveries, the "Early Human Gammadelta" project aims to test various hypotheses concerning thymic development in the foetus and the function of gd T cells (mainly in humans).

ULB Supervisor: David Vermijlen - ULB Center for Research in Immunology

H3K36/H3K4 methyltransferases in cancer - Discovering the role of methyltransferases H3K36 and H3K4 in cancer

A number of genes, often mutated in various cancers such as squamous cell carcinomas and cancers of the lung and kidney, code for methyltransferases. These enzymes are crucial for the methylation of histones H3K36 and H3K4 and play a key role in gene activation and transcription. However, the effects of these genes' loss of function are still not well understood. The project "H3K36/H3K4 methyltransferases in cancer" aims to define the role of these genes' loss of function in the initiation, progression and metastases of these tumours, using in vivo models of squamous cell skin carcinomas.  The dependent and independent functions of methyltransferases will be analysed through complete and specific KOs of certain domains.

ULB Supervisor: Ievgeniia Pastushenko - Laboratory of General Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology

MAGEDDICTION - Maged1 in the thalamus, an essential gateway to understanding drug addiction and improving its treatment

Drug addiction is a chronic and recurring disease of the brain, responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. There are few strategies for treating drug addiction as the mechanistic basis for drug addiction is unknown. Previous studies by Prof. De Kerchove have identified the Maged1 gene as a major player in drug addiction in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT), a region outside the reward circuit. MAGEDDICTION aims to establish the circuit and mechanism(s) of Maged1's role in the PVT, in order to identify new therapeutic targets, firstly through proteomic and transcriptional analyses, and secondly by analysing the impact on the PVT circuit of Maged1 deletion, in particular on cocaine-related behaviour.

ULB Supervisor: Alban de Kerchove - Laboratory of Neurophysiology

Microtubule function in angiogenesis - Understanding the mechanisms supporting microtubule function during angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, the process of forming blood vessels from a pre-existing network, is a central process in development. The dynamics of the cytoskeleton are critical in regulating the morphogenesis of these cells. Despite the intensive use of compounds targeting microtubules in cancer treatments, our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying microtubule function during angiogenesis is far from complete.

The project "Microtubule function in angiogenesis" aims to obtain an integrated understanding of microtubule function during endothelial morphogenesis using real-time analyses in the context of an organism and an innovative functional genetics approach with cellular scale resolution in an intact environment of three-dimensional vascular structure.

ULB Supervisor: Maud Martin - Laboratory of Neurovascular Signalling

New Global GAS Vaccine - A host-pathogen strategy to finalise a new vaccine formulation including conserved and variable antigens against Streptococcus pyogenes

Group A Streptococcal infections are responsible for the morbiditý and mortalitý of more than half a million people every year. Until now, developing a vaccine has been complicated for various reasons. Preserved antigens have not always been considered sufficiently immunogenic, and more variable antigens do not always offer sufficient coverage, particularly in low-income countries. The project "New Global GAS Vaccine" aims to develop a new vaccine strategy combining preserved and variable antigens in the hope of overcoming these obstacles and benefiting from the specific advantages of each type of antigen. A solid scientific foundation in bacteriology and immunology is used to achieve this objective.

ULB Supervisor: Pierre Smeesters - BACMOL - Laboratory of Molecular Biology

R-zymes: peptide rolls for the immobilisation of therapeutic proteins or enzymes

Proteins and enzymes could be much more widely used were it not for their complex structure, which makes them highly specific and apt to perform single functions. The production and purification of proteins involves many steps and, once purified, it is difficult to maintain them in their soluble state, stable and active. Prof. Jurenas recently discovered a large organic structure in bacterial cells that could be genetically modified to become a platform for immobilising and stabilising proteins of interest. The R-zyme project aims to test whether this highly repetitive composition, which provides multiple anchoring points, could be used to bind proteins or entire enzymatic pathways. The structure is already large enough to sediment on its own as an insoluble particle, making it easy to purify or separate from the fermentation mixture for reuse. Engineering methods could also be implemented to detach the recombinant protein and separate it easily from its medium.

ULB Supervisor: Dukas Jurenas - Bacterial Genetics and Physiology

Targeting tumor plasticity - Discovery and pharmacological targeting of mechanisms regulating key tumour states

Within a cancer, different tumour states contribute to different functions such as proliferation, invasion, differentiation and resistance to treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms that control these tumour states and their plasticity are still not well understood. As a result, no pharmacological strategy that specifically promotes or limits these different tumour states has yet been developed. The project "Targeting tumour plasticity" aims to define the molecular determinants controlling different tumour states using CRISPR-Cas9 genetic screens, and will assess the impact of inhibiting or activating these genes on tumour and metastatic growth, as well as on the resistance of cancer cells to treatment. The ultimate aim is to carry out high-throughput chemical screening to identify drugs that block these tumour states and thus prevent tumour growth, resistance to treatment and metastatic progression.

ULB Supervisor: Cédric Blanpain - Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer

Wel-T

Wel-T supports programmes of strategic fundamental research of excellence in engineering, chemistry and physics with a view to developing breakthrough innovations for industrial applications aimed at sustainable transition. Here is a non-exhaustive list of current projects involving ULB:

DeoxyFun - Catalytic Deoxygenative Functionalization Reactions for the Synthesis of Alkenes, Alkenes and Arenes

The majority of synthetic organic molecules, from feedstocks to fine chemical compounds, are derived from petroleum, which poses major problems in terms of sustainable development, economics and the long term. DeoxyFun has been designed to develop a series of efficient and innovative transformations based on catalytic deoxygenation reactions for the synthesis of three major classes of organic compounds from widely available, potentially biobased and renewable oxygenated feedstocks.

ULB Supervisor: Gwilherm Evano - Laboratory of Organic Chemistry

Geo4D - Towards 4D Monitoring of geothermal operations in 4D using passive-based seismic approaches

Energy from geothermal sources is central to current energy investments in view of climate change. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is a key issue, and this renewable resource can be used to heat and also cool buildings. Belgium has recently decided to invest heavily in geothermal energy in several regions and contexts. Geo4D studies the potential of passive seismic methods to characterise geothermal reservoirs and their operations, in 4 dimensions. Based on methodological expertise, the project explores a broad spectrum of temperatures and systems (closed and open), mainly located in Belgium. Geophones and innovative optical fibres are used to probe and image the subsoil. Geo4D explores the sensitivity of these passive seismic techniques requiring no active source (such as explosives) in order to:

  • detect any changes during heat extraction or fluid injection (e.g. stress changes, fluid movements);
  • determine whether it is possible to monitor these changes in 4D;
  • compare the results with additional observations and any earthquakes that occur;
  • explore the origin of these changes using existing digital models;
  • calibrate and improve these models using these innovative observations.
ULB Supervisor: Corentin Caudron - Geochemistry: Tracing by Isotopes, Minerals and Elements (G-Time)
 
LIFETIME - Lifelong learning digital twins for sustainable combustion technologies

The aim of LIFETIME is to develop a data-centred framework for sustainable combustion technologies and renewable fuels in energy-intensive applications. Rooted in a combination of machine learning and physics-based knowledge, LIFETIME will generate a fundamental new understanding of turbulent reactive flows, devise interpretable feature extraction techniques, provide generalisable approaches for designing and locally adapting modelling approaches, and develop robust and predictive digital twins of large-scale combustion systems.

ULB Supervisor: Alessandro Parente - ATM

POLYAPI - A Fresh Look on the Polymorphism of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Polymorphism, the existence of more than one crystallographic form for a given compound, is common among molecular crystals; some organic molecules form several polymorphs while others have only one crystallographic form, for no apparent reason. Despite numerous studies, a fundamental understanding is currently lacking. In the pharmaceutical field, the appearance of new polymorphs of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) – molecules with high industrial potential – can lead to solubility problems for these APIs and therefore to production problems. POLYAPI  aims to study polymorphism within the framework of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, to contribute to the general scientific understanding of nucleation, crystal growth and polymorphism using an unconventional experimental approach, and to discover new polymorphs of interest in important APIs.

ULB Supervisor: Yves Geerts - Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry

Win2Wal

Win2Wal funds industrial research projects within universities, higher education colleges and approved research centres, which will facilitate the creation of a unique deliverable (a scientific and/or technological innovation) to bring about a new product, process or service (PPS) that can be commercialised by the Walloon business supporting the project. Here is a non-exhaustive list of current projects involving ULB:

AgFoTran - Sustainable harvest: transforming waste from agriculture and the food chain into environmentally friendly hydrocarbons

The project aims to transform agricultural and food waste into hydrocarbons through the innovative integration of catalysis, optimisation and liquefaction technologies. The AgFoTran project should provide a meticulously optimised "scaling up" process for the one-step transformation of locally sourced agricultural and food waste by solvothermal liquefaction. It does not require the conventional hydrotreatment stage, which is fairly costly in terms of fossil feedstocks and is carried out in situ. The main aim of the project is to reduce dependence on traditional fossil fuels, while tackling the environmental impact associated with the disposal of waste from agriculture and the food chain. Partner: 2Valorise.

ULB Supervisor: Amin Shavandi - 3BIO-BioMatter

ALCOP - Active Learning for Cooperative Optimization of Predictors for intensive care units

Intensive care units (ICUs) are essential for patients with severe acute conditions but their limits were particularly evident during the Covid crisis. Although intensivists recognise the need for AI to optimise their speciality, it is still an under-explored area despite the large amount of data gathered in intensive care.

The objective of the ALCOP project, led by UMONS, ULB and UCLouvain in partnership with Multitel and Eonix, is to develop decision support systems for ICU staff in various clinical areas such as haemodynamics and vascular, respiratory and infectious pathophysiology. It will also focus on predicting morbidity and mortality, as well as creating scores and indicators to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of individual patients. ALCOP also aims to optimise the organisation of intensive care by predicting lengths of stay and resource requirements. The project will use machine learning technologies to manage complex data and guarantee that the models can be interpreted by medical staff.

ULB Supervisor: Karim Zouaoui - Laboratory of Experimental Medicine

DoxStem - Development of a cell therapy product based on muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells loaded with doxorubicin to combat human gliomas

The DoxStem project, in collaboration with UCLouvain, ULiège and ReVaTis, aims to develop a cell therapy product based on mesenchymal stem cells loaded with doxorubicin as an anti-cancer agent to combat human gliomas. Several innovative methods of loading these stem cells will be studied to investigate possible pharmaceutical development. The efficacy of loading doxorubicin by these methods, their toxicity and the drug delivery properties will be studied, right through to the in vitro efficacy of the products derived from them.

ULB Supervisor: Véronique Mathieu - Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics

IMMUPROMAT

Probiotics, defined by the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization as live microorganisms that are beneficial to health when ingested in sufficient quantities, are essential for restoring the balance of the intestinal microbiota in the event of pathological disorders. The maternal microbiota, in particular, influences the environment of the embryo and the breast-fed infant. A growing number of studies show that the composition of the intestinal microbiota has a significant impact on the host's immune system, both locally and systemically. Early exposure to probiotics can promote the development of balanced adaptive immunity, improve the maturation of the immune system and reduce pro-inflammatory responses, which are harmful to health.

The IMMUPROMAT project, led by ULB and UCLouvain, aims to understand the action mechanisms (involving metabolites and their receptors expressed on the surface of innate immune cells) of selected probiotics which, when administered to pregnant and nursing mothers, confer healthy immunity on newborn babies.

ULB Supervisors: Véronique Flamand - Institute of Medical Immunology and David Vermijlen - Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics

JUPITER - Development of sustainable plant protection strategies based on molecules with anti-pathogenic properties derived from lignocellulosic waste and of interest to biorefineries

JUPITER aims to develop a bio-elicitor or bio-pesticide that works like a vaccine for plants, stimulating their innate immunity to natural pathogens. The molecule is isolated from cellulose or lignocellulose (an agricultural by-product) using an enzymatic bioprocess and tested at lab scale on model plants cultivated against the most disruptive known fungal pathogen: Botrytis cinerea. The most innovative aspect of this bio-elicitor is its ability to boost plant immunity without having to generate hydrogen peroxide (inflammation). This last characteristic enables the plants to awaken their defences without alerting the fungal system, so the pathogen is not given an opportunity to adapt to the new conditions. Partner: Fytofend.

ULB Supervisor: David Cannella - Laboratory of Production and Biostimulation of Cultivated Plants

MDoS - Molecular diagnosis of septicemia

LSepsis causes approximately 11 million deaths every year, including 3 million in children. The current diagnosis method, based on blood cultures, is slow and often uncertain, with a prevalence of culture-negative sepsis in children six times higher than that of culture-positive sepsis. Empirical treatment administered in the meantime leads to frequent therapeutic failures and is contributing to the global problem of antibiotic resistance. The MDoS project aims to develop an amplification technique for the direct detection, in approximately 1 hour and directly in the blood, of the 5 pathogens most often responsible for paediatric community-acquired sepsis, as well as some of their resistance genes, without the need for culture, in order to improve the therapeutic management of sepsis in children and newborns. This strategy could also improve sensitivity in cases of culture-negative sepsis and differentiate metabolically active bacteria from those circulating in the blood in a non-pathological manner. Partner: LaCAR MDX technologies.

ULB Supervisor: Pierre Smeesters - BACMOL - Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Win4Excellence

The Win4Excellence programme for universities, in collaboration with accredited research centres, aims to fund ambitious, structuring research projects that are strongly positioned upstream, on themes relevant to the Walloon Region, for example in the Strategic Innovation Areas of the RIS3, or in areas specifically highlighted in the Regional Policy Declaration, such as space or cybersecurity. Here is a non-exhaustive list of current projects involving ULB:

ARIAC - Applications and Research for Trusted Artificial Intelligence

The ARIAC (Applications and Research for Trusted Artificial Intelligence) project aims to develop an approach to trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) in Wallonia, to meet regional socio-economic needs and increase international competitiveness. ARIAC is a partnership between UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur and 4 research centres (CETIC, CENAERO, Multitel, Sirris). Together, they are rolling out a six-year action plan to promote trustworthy AI, based on internationally recognised scientific excellence and in close collaboration with the local socio-economic fabric.

The project focuses on four main areas: optimised interaction between AI and the user, protection of privacy and personal data, optimised exploitation of sector knowledge, and effective implementation of AI in various sectors such as manufacturing, medicine, the media and mobility. ARIAC aims to develop a common platform, the TRAIL-Factory, to pool research efforts and facilitate technology transfer to industry. This platform will enable greater interaction with economic players, ensuring that advances in AI directly benefit Walloon businesses.

ULB Supervisors: Gianluca Bontempi - Machine Learning Group, Christine Decaestecker - Laboratories of Image, Synthesis, and Analysis & Hugues Bersini - IRIDIA

CyberExcellence - The project for excellence in cybersecurity within the framework of the Walloon Region plan

The CyberExcellence project aims to enhance cybersecurity in Wallonia, responding to the growing threats posed by cyberattacks. This six-year project is a collaboration between UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur and 2 research centres (CETIC and Multitel). It is in line with the objectives of the European Commission and aims to transform research into concrete innovations to improve the competitiveness of Walloon businesses.

The main objectives of CyberExcellence are to develop effective cybersecurity for the socio-economic fabric of Wallonia, improve research skills, create a digital innovation ecosystem and position Wallonia as a leader in cybersecurity. The research programme focuses on 5 areas:

  • Security by Design: Strengthening systems right from the design stage;
  • Detecting and responding to attacks: Securing infrastructures and responding rapidly to threats;
  • Compliance with the GDPR and Open Data: Protecting personal data and participating in the European open data policy;
  • Data protection and encryption: Using advanced encryption techniques and ensuring secure data storage;
  • Cyber ranges for training: Developing laboratories to simulate cyberattacks and train teams.

ULB Supervisors: Jean-Michel Dricot - Embedded Systems Design & Security, Olivier Markowitch - Qualsec, Christophe Petit - Cybersecurity Research Center

EFES - Enhanced Flexibility in Energy Systems

The EFES (Enhanced Flexibility in Energy Systems) portfolio contains 2 thematic clusters: energy conversion and storage technologies and energy flow management within energy-sharing communities. This project is a partnership between UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège and UMONS and the research centres CRM, Materia Nova, CENAERO, and INISMA-CRIBC. The themes covered are:

  • Thermal energy storage
  • Catalyst development and processes for e-fuel production
  • Energy storage in low-temperature geothermal environments
  • Energy storage using metal fuel
  • Integration of energy storage systems into energy systems
  • Development of high-temperature heat pumps
  • H2/electricity/heat energy communities for industrial applications and for buildings
  • Market models for designing hybrid energy communities
  • Energy community management
  • Energy planning

ULB Supervisors: Axel Coussement and Patrick Hendrick - ATM, Pierre Gérard - BATIr - LGM, Pierre Henneaux - BEAMS, Grégoire Wallenborn - Applied geography and geomarketing

FoodWal - Project for agri-food excellence within the framework of the Walloon Recovery Plan

The FoodWal portfolio is one of the foundation projects of IIS PROTEWIN, FOODBOOSTER and DIGIBIOCONTROL of DIS#5 and is coordinated by UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur and 4 research centres (Multitel, CELABOR, CER Groupe, Materia Nova) with support from the Wagralim cluster. FoodWal is made up of 3 interconnected projects aimed at developing major innovations in the field of food that can be transposed to agri-food businesses. ULB is involved in 2 projects:

  • The PROTEBOOST project aims to develop breakthrough technologies in the production, conservation and transformation of fresh protein biomass to develop healthy and attractive food products that are rich in proteins from innovative sources, like purple bacteria.
  • PEPTIBoost aims to promote protein co-products from the food industry in the production chain of functional foods, more specifically bioactive peptides formulated as protein hydrolysates that are applicable for human and animal health.

ULB Supervisors: Frédéric Debaste - TIPs & Vincent Raussens - Structure and Function of Biological Membranes

GT4Health - Disruptive strategic research in gene therapy, for a holistic strengthening of Wallonia internationally, and the sustainability of its value chain

GT4Health aligns perfectly with the ambitions of the DIS "Innovation for improved health" and IIS ATMP Wal, whose biotherapies, in particular ATMP and new production processes, are a strategic priority. The consortium, composed of numerous teams from ULB, ULiège, UNamur, UCLouvain, UMONS, ULB, and CER Groupe, covers the whole gene therapy value chain.

Gene therapy offers innovative solutions for treating hereditary and serious chronic diseases and cancers. However, in order to fulfil its potential, it is essential to anticipate and identify the challenges to come in this ever-changing field. The aim of GT4Health is to develop disruptive technologies as personalised therapeutic solutions to the major challenges facing the gene therapy sector, taking a holistic approach that deals with both viral and non-viral vectors.

ULB Supervisors: Goriely Stanislas & Véronique Flamand - Institute for Medical Immunology, Miriam Cnop & Decio Eizirik - ULB Center for Diabetes Research

Space4Relaunch - Project for space excellence within the framework of the Walloon Region plan

Space4ReLaunch is an integrated project designed to strengthen Wallonia's position in the space sector, in response to the emergence of New Space and the needs of industry in Wallonia. The project is a partnership between UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège and the research centres CENAERO, Multitel and Sirris. The aim of the project is to manage the human footprint on the environment using a constellation of Earth observation micro-satellites, in the context of the hypothetical Win4Earth mission. Space4ReLaunch is organised into a number of Work Packages (WP) divided into two priority areas:

  • Earth observation (EO) with constellations of SmallSats: instruments (WP1), systems (WP2), telecommunications (WP3), and data (WP4)
  • Development of reusable launchers: systems (WP5 - Systems4ReLaunch) and digital twins (WP6 - DigitalTwin4ReLaunch)

ULB Supervisors: Patrick Hendrick - ATM, François Quitin - SDRlab, Stéphane Godet - 4MAT, Carlo Iorio Saverio - CREST, Pierre Coheur - SQUARES

TiNTHyN - Collaborative research of excellence in the hydrogen sector, structured around the IIS e-WallonHY action plan and the associated scientific and industrial challenges

TiNTHyN aims to conduct collaborative, high-level scientific research to develop skills and increase the maturity of the innovative technologies of the IIS e-WallonHY action plan. To achieve this aim, UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS (with support from UNamur), and the research centres (CRM Group, Materia Nova, Cenaero, with support from Sirris) that are active in the priority technologies of the hydrogen sector, decided to collaborate closely on the TiNTHyN project. The project is structured around 3 thematic challenges:

  • Decarbonised hydrogen production
  • Hydrogen transport and storage
  • Use of hydrogen for mobility, industry and stationary applications.
ULB Supervisors: François Reniers and Jon Ustarroz - ChemSIN, Patrick Hendrick and Alessandro Parente - ATM, Benoit Scheid - TIPs, Stéphane Godet - 4MAT
 
Wal4XR - Immersive and interactive technologies for the industries of the future in Wallonia

The WAL4XR project aims to develop breakthrough technologies in the field of virtual, augmented and mixed reality (VR, AR, MR), known collectively as extended reality (XR). The project is a collaboration between UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, and UNamur, along with Sirris and Multitel. It will develop technologies and media that enable greater multi-sensory immersion and user engagement, so that users can collaborate as effectively as possible (with each other or with the computer) in 3D environments created in an accelerated manner (using AI), while complying with cybersecurity, ethical and sustainability criteria.

ULB Supervisor: Gauthier Lafruit - LISA-VR

 

Other programmes: 
 


 
For more information about these funding programmes, please contact Flore Keymeulen, in charge of funding in Wallonia, at ULB-KTO
flore.keymeulen@ulb.be
Updated on October 2, 2024