BELGIAN RESEARCH 2023

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE.

Anticipating the future is what Howest has in mind. This is also reflected in the research that is dominated by new trends & technologies with an impact on business and society. The result is applied research that is supported by creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and interdisciplinarity.

Discover in this magazine our innovative projects in XR, Smart Tech Research & Active Health

“WHERE TECHNOLOGY MEETS CREATIVITY “

CREATIVITY

TECHNOLOGY

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1st Quarter 2023 -

It pays off to invest in top researchers and letting them follow their scientific curiosity

European Commissioner

Innovation, Research, Culture,

an innovation leader in Europe

It pays off to invest in top researchers and letting them follow their scientific curiosity

Interview with Mrs Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

of Horizon 2020. These evaluations will cover a broad range of thematic areas, including excellent science, widening of the European Research Area, digital and industrial transition, green transition, resilient Europe and innovative Europe. I look forward to the results.

What investments have been made through the ERC to encourage disruptive research projects and breakthrough innovations? Could you give us some examples?

Firstly, I would like to stress that it pays off to invest in top researchers and letting them follow their scientific curiosity. The European Research Council (ERC) supports excellence in frontier research through a bottom-up, individual-based, pan-European competition. Its total budget over the last three EU research and innovation programmes (from 2007 to 2027) is equal to €36.5 billion, with over 12,000 top researchers funded through its grant schemes since its creation. This year there have been 3 ERC grantees amongst the winners of the Nobel Prizes which brings the number of ERC grantees winning a Nobel Prize to twelve since the EU launched the ERC in 2007.

What is your mid-term assessment of the Horizon Europe programme? It is still too early to draw full conclusions. However, I am happy to already share that Horizon Europe has already attracted more than 20 thousand participants from over 120 countries around the world. We observe a very encouraging improvement in the proposals’ quality compared to Horizon 2020: more proposals have scored above the threshold and the success rates has increased.

Overall, Horizon Europe has been highly relevant in responding to the world’s most pressing challenges. It has made available emergency funding for urgent research into coronavirus variants; it has helped deliver on the European Green Deal through partnerships and EU missions; it has promptly supported the Ukrainian researchers and innovators and their communities, in these difficult times.

On 1 December, the Commission has launched its largest ever public consultation on EU research and innovation. It covers Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe’s performance as well as the next Horizon Europe Strategic Plan. Anyone with an interest in research and innovation can participate and their participations can make a difference: it is time to get involved and let their voices be heard!

Overall, to better capture the performance and impacts of the EU research and innovation programmes over time, we are undergoing an in-depth interim evaluation of Horizon Europe. It is due in autumn 2024 and will be preceded in 2023 by the final evaluation

Researchers based in Belgium have received 433 ERC main grants, for a total value of €770 million and 59 Proof of Concept Grants. Examples include Michaël Gillon from the University of Liege who discovered a whole planetary system made of seven planets around an ultra-cool dwarf star. And Liesbet Lagae, from IMEC in Leuven, who after a Consolidator and a Proof of Concept grant teamed-up with the early-stage technology start-up Sarcura to develop transformative cell therapies harnessing a patient’s own living immune cells to attack cancer.

What is the status of the development of the European Research Area in cooperation with the Member States?

The European Research Area (ERA) has undergone a deep reform, from the Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe to the 20 actions of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024

Let me detail them better. The new Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe sets out a list of ten principles and values that must under pin European research and innovation policies. They cover areas such as ethics and integrity, freedom of scientific research, the pursuit of excellence and socio-economic valorisation, gender equality, free circulation or career conditions for researchers.

The 20 actions of the ERA Policy Agenda cover various priorities identified in the Pact for Research and Innovation, including research careers, gender, infrastructures, synergies with the European Education Area, international cooperation and accelerating the green and digital transitions. We are working on the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda together with the ERA Forum, a group of representatives

© European Commission

from EU Member States, Associated Countries, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions as well as stakeholders.

The commitment of Member States to 16 actions, so far, is a strong political signal and an excellent basis for the Agenda’s implementation. To this regard, I am pleased to mention the strong Belgian commitment and support to the Agenda and almost all of the ERA actions. In the months to come, the ERA action’s implementation will be closely monitored, and we are already working on a new monitoring and evaluation framework together with the ERA Forum to make this happen.

How are you supporting the development of the creative industries through the Creative Europe Programme?

Let me first of all state that I am glad to see the increased importance given to the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI) across EU policies. Increased importance proved by the increased funding under the various EU programmes, notably Creative Europe and Horizon Europe, for the period 2021-2027. This translates for example into the newly created Knowledge and Innovation

Community (KIC) “Culture and Creativity”, the cultural components included in the national plans for Recovery and Resilience, or the EU Pact for Skills.

Now, concerning our flagship programme, Creative Europe, supports the culture and audio-visual sectors with a budget of EUR 2.4 billion for the period 2021-27. It supports transnational cooperation projects, European networks and platforms. It offers opportunities for cultural and creative operators to develop innovative trans-border initiatives, both technologically and artistically, with a view to exchanging, co-producing and distributing European works and making them accessible to wide and diverse audiences.

The cooperation projects scheme, one of the key pillars of the programme, represents around 70% of the Creative Europe budget. It connects organisations, helps the circulation of artists and works, gives rise to co-productions and artistic creations and contributes to the dissemination of professional and artistic good practices in Europe.

But that is not all.

Creative Europe also supports targeted actions to respond to shared needs within the EU in those cultural and creative sectors whose specificities or specific challenges require a more targeted approach, such as the music, book and publishing, or design and fashion sectors.

And in October this year, the European Commission launched Culture Moves Europe It is the largest European transnational mobility scheme for artists and cultural professionals and will ulti mately support around 7,000 cultural mobility projects within three years, 6,000 individual projects and 1,000 projects taking place within a residency. The impact of mobility for the professional development of artists and cultural professionals will range from getting inspiration, boosting creativity, promoting ideas and circulation of artistic works, developing and reaching new audiences and markets, getting visibility and recognition to increasing collaborations, job opportunities and instilling innovation.

Let me also mention Creative FLIP, which stands for Finance, Learning, Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights for CCSI. It is a Preparatory Action, co-funded by the EU together with project partners to build a stronger, more resilient cultural and creative sector, by further strengthening its overall ecosystem. As of the end of 2023, the action will also be supported under the Creative Europe Programme.

And last but not least, Creative Europe has launched the CulturEU Funding Guide With this user-friendly, interactive guide that we have set up to function in all EU languages, the European Commission wants to ease access to the funding opportunities available for the cultural and creative sectors across all the funding sources of the European Union available in 2021-27. The aim is to help players in these sectors identify the most suitable sources of EU support for their projects. In three clicks, the tool gives access to 75 funding opportunities.

Could you give us some examples of research projects involving Belgian actors and supported by the European Commission?

Next to the ERC examples I have already mentioned, Belgium is also significantly participating in the European Innovation Council calls for proposals. Belgian start-ups and SMEs are covering multiple technological fields, with a particular focus on energy storage, green techs, and edge computing. An inspiring example is the “E-PEAS”

project. The company behind it, EPEAS, has been recently selected for EIC Accelerator funding, including a €2.5 million grant and a significant potential investment. The project aims to deliver/industrialise the world’s first integrated Internet of Things platform. It uniquely combines energy harvesting, edge computing and computer vision with ultra-low-power consumption.

Beyond ERC and EIC projects, let me mention the PAVITRA GANGA project, coordinated by the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). It has successfully piloted and monitored new wastewater treatment technologies in India to bring significant health and environmental benefits to citizens.

I would also like to highlight the SUPERA project which promotes the use of Gender Equality Plans in the research and innovation system. The project focuses on the gender gap by addressing the inequalities, stereotypes and discrimination involved. This is important work, as per our latest She Figures report, women outnumber men as students and graduates, yet only one third of researchers, and only a quarter of full professorship positions are held by women.

I cannot forget the PoSeID-on project which puts data privacy back in citizens’ hands. It has developed a new Privacy-Enhanced Dash board which will make it easier for citizens to exercise greater control over their personal data, across a wide range of public and private services.

How can the Horizon Europe programme contribute to meeting the current health and energy challenges?

Let’s start with the health challenges. Horizon Europe’s partnerships will support research and innovation in areas like transforming health and care systems, rare diseases, personalised medicine, antimicrobial resistance and pandemic preparedness. In particular, we have the EU Mission on Cancer with its goal to improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, cures, and, for those affected by cancer, to live longer and better. Horizon Europe will provide €378.2 million until 2023 to maximise the research and innovation potential and bring novel solutions in our fight against cancer.

On the energy challenges, REPowerEU is our plan to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, and will help us move towards renewable energy sources and green hydrogen. It will make Europe more resilient and independent while providing sustainable, secure and affordable energy for all.

Moreover, at least 35% of Horizon Europe funding is dedicated to climate actions. Horizon Europe invests €1 billion in the new Clean Hydrogen Partnership for research and innovation to produce clean hydrogen at a price equivalent to the alternatives, by 2030. We also have the BATT4EU Partnership to establish an innovation ecosystem and boost a competitive, sustainable and circular European battery value chain. And among the EU missions, the ambitious Cities Mission aims to transform 100 cities by 2030 in climate-neutral and smart cities.

Finally, EU R&I investments will also contribute to reducing our dependency on the imports of raw materials through promoting circularity and recyclability; supporting non-technological innovations to support the societal dimension of the transitions and focussing on education and skills, in line with the 2023 European Year of Skills

The EU-funded Opencorona project tests a therapy that protects against COVID-19.

Flanders: innovation at the service of the economy

Flanders is and will remain an innovation leader in Europe

Interview with Mr. Jo BROUNS, Flemish minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture

Belgium remains in the leading group of ‘innovation leaders’ within the European Union in 2022. It holds fifth place there, preceded only by Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands. This is according to the European Innovation Scoreboard 2022. As Flemish Minister for Innovation, how do you respond to this?

It is clear that years of joint efforts by knowledge institutions, companies and governments are paying off. But for an analysis of Flemish performance, we will have to wait for edition 2022 of the Scoreboard. From that year, the European Commission will also publish a Regional Innovation Scoreboard. The 2021 edition already showed that Flanders was an innovation leader. Out of 240 regions, it ranked 27. With the investments we have made in research and development in recent years, we can be sure that Flanders will also be an innovation leader in Europe in 2023. In doing so, we can certainly also be proud of our leading position in terms of investments. In 2020, Flemish companies, knowledge institutions and the government together invested 9.6 billion euros in research and development. That is 3.6% of gross domestic product - a growth of 0.25% compared to the previous year. As a result, we jumped over Sweden and became the absolute number one in Europe.

Can you highlight some investments?

It is difficult to choose, but characteristic of the investments we have made in recent years is that we have resolutely chosen sustainability. For instance, the transition to a circular and sustainable economy is one of the spearheads of our policy.

Similarly, hydrogen will become important in the coming years, to further make industry and heavy transport more sustainable. With the strategic location of our ports and the expertise of our companies, research and educational institutions, we have all the assets to become the hydrogen hub of Western Europe. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss. Among other things, we have already signed a cooperation agreement with the government of Tasmania for enhanced cooperation around research and development of green hydrogen and its export to Flanders.

Both our industry and educational and research institutions have built up a lot of knowledge and expertise in the hydrogen domain in recent years. For example, the ‘Hydrogen Industry’ cluster already reached 120 members who cooperate and share knowledge on hydrogen storage and use. But we also have knowledge and expertise here to make sustainable hydrogen cheaper, for example through innovations in that so-called electrolysis cell. Flemish expertise is therefore highly coveted internationally and a valuable export product - perhaps even our most valuable export product. I like to take the example of wind turbines as inspiration, which we were early adopters of in our country. Now our companies are placing them abroad.

Towards companies, too, ‘sustainability’ is a focus we focus on fiercely. For instance, the Flemish government recently invested 5.9 million euros to strengthen innovative companies and make Flanders future-proof in terms of sustainability and digitalisation. Entrepreneurs and companies are essential for the further expansion of prosperity in Flanders. By supporting, guiding and strengthening our companies, we help them in the sustainable and digital transformation of their business.

Companies have a lot of potential to tackle societal challenges. Think of circular and sustainable business, with respect for people and planet, where innovative companies with a green mindset make the difference.

Digital transformation will also remain a top priority in the coming years, with creative SMEs fully exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence but at the same time facing cybercrime. Our policy aims to support Flemish companies in realising innovative projects that have a positive impact on the future of us all.

Internationally, Flanders is considered a water deficit region. How does your policy respond to this?

The drought was more urgent this summer than ever before. That’s why we now provide free water scans for SMEs to raise awareness and support them in water-saving measures. It is clear that companies can save water through many different ways. However, sometimes companies do not have the time or technical knowledge to map their water use and identify possible water-saving measures.

The water scan is a first-line scan that addresses this. Through the preparation of a water balance, a water scan visually maps a company’s water use. If appropriate, this can also be substantiated via flow measurements. Moreover, the water scan provides concrete suggestions for saving water through water-saving devices, using alternative water sources or reusing water. In a water utilisation plan, these suggestions come together in a concrete and economically substantiated step-bystep plan that a company can take further.

Flanders, as you yourself confirm, is an innovation leader in Europe. Yet it is too little known in Europe. How would you like to raise Flanders’ profile? To show the world that we are a technology country, we will organise the FTI (Flanders Technology & Innovation) festival in Flanders in 2023. There we will show the world what we have to offer. We must also inform and enthuse our own citizens and young people about research, innovation and technology. Young people can thus help build a better future. We need their brains and hands, which is why the FTI must also become an enthusiasm story for our youth.

Will these ambitions also be expressed more directly through education? Knowledge remains Flanders’ most important export product. Our colleges are indispensable pivotal figures to transfer innovation to

existing and new companies. They anchor themselves in the local economy and create a positive impact for everyone around them. They are an important link between research and practice because of their geographical spread and their connection to local SMEs. Every euro we invest in these, we earn back twice over in the living standards of our entire society.

In 2022, we invested heavily in new research infrastructure, totalling more than 120 million euros, for the five Flemish universities, the knowledge institutions imec, Vito, Flanders Make and the Institute of Tropical Medicine. Also in 2022, as part of the relaunch plan ‘Flemish Resilience’, we invested another 3 million euros in the research infrastructure of university colleges. Investing in this infrastructure is an important part of the Flemish coalition agreement, but within the relaunch plan we can shift up a gear with the Flemish Government. After all, top-class research increasingly requires top-class research equipment as well. Universities of applied sciences can receive up to 80% of the total estimated cost as a subsidy, with a ceiling of 300,000 euros per project. This way, we support our institutions to acquire top equipment - a cost that pays off multiple times over: both in training, in human capital, in knowledge generation and in the practical and economic application of new innovations. Our grey matter is our greatest export product.

Interview with Johan Hanssens, Secretary-general of EWI

What are EWI’s core tasks?

The Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) is responsible for policy preparation, policy follow-up and policy evaluation for the sectors of economy, science and innovation within the Flemish government. In this framework, our most important goal is to allow Flanders to evolve into one of the most progressive and prosperous regions in the world.

Our three levers in this are the promotion of excellent scientific research, an attractive and sustainable business climate and a creative, innovative and entrepreneurial society. EWI strives towards excellence in fundamental research, strategic knowledge development and the exploitation of this knowledge. Prerequisites for this are human capital and research infrastructure. In addition, we follow up the policy themes that are related to the development of an attractive and sustainable business climate and the stimulation of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The focus of the Flemish cluster policy is on a limited number of large-scale and ambitious spearhead clusters. These spearhead clusters will develop and implement an ambitious long-term strategy and competitiveness programme for the Flanders strategic domain, in collaboration with companies, knowledge centres and the government. Catalisti is our spearhead cluster for sustainable chemistry and synthetics, SIM is involved in materials, Flux50 in energy, VIL in logistics and transport. For agrifood we have Flanders Food as our spearhead cluster. Blue Cluster is focussing on blue growth. Medvia – the most recent cluster, founded in 2021 – crossovers in biotech, medical and digital technologies or, more generally expressed, in health and care. It aims to develop and promote economic activities in the health tech domain, in particular the development of an internationally leading ecosystem around the convergence of technologies at the interfaces between biotechnology, medical technology and digital technologies. The four themes Medvia focuses on are personalized medicine, digital medicine, disruptive health solutions and value-based efficient health and care. In 2021, fourteen cooperative R&D projects were positively evaluated for a total support of € 4.7 million with funds of Medvia.

How does EWI carry out fundamental and strategic basic research? Excellence is very much the keyword in scientific research. The ambition of Flanders is to finance the most excellent research using this criterion. Flanders has a number of different instruments for the funding of fundamental and strategic basic research at the Flemish public knowledge institutions such as universities, strategic research centres and other research institutions. Based on this, the EWI

department implements a clear policy, coordinates and evaluates these funding mechanisms.

Assignment of a specific grant or subsidy to a researcher takes place through the knowledge institutions themselves or through our agency FWO. In addition to this funding, it is naturally also important to be able to have excellent researchers and research infrastructure. For this reason, we are also investing in our human capital and in state-of-the-art research infrastructure in Flanders and internationally.

Can you give some examples of research funds/ programmes?

The Industrial Research Fund (IRF) is an internal designation fund of a university association (a university and one or more colleges) whose resources are used for strategic basic research and applied scientific research. The objectives of an IRF are – in the short to medium term –to stimulate the interaction between the association and the business world and to build up a portfolio of application-oriented knowledge within the association. In the medium to long term, an IRF must result in better coordination of the strategic basic research and applied scientific research with the economic needs and the application and exploitation of the profile of business knowledge built up. The IRF thereby fits into the broader whole of efforts to strengthen the interaction between higher education institutes and economic players.

The Odysseus programme aims to bring researchers with a foreign career to Flanders via early-stage funding for scientific research. This may involve both leading researchers with international recognition - who lead the way and have a post at a foreign university –and researchers who have the potential to be among the world’s best in the near future. For a period of five years, they are able to build up their own research group. The organisation of the Odysseus programme is in the hands of the Fund for Scientific Research - Flanders. Universities take the initiative to nominate candidates. They provide an academic position, the infrastructure, offices etc. Universities can also nominate a candidate together. Approved projects receive between 100,000 and 1,500,000 euros a year for a five-year period.

What is the importance/added value of strategic research centres?

Strategic research centres (SRCs) have formed thanks to the excellent and relevant results of academic scientific research in a wide range of scientific fields in micro- and nano-electronics, biotechnology, digital technologies, environmental topics and our manufacturing industry. With a view to economic and social valorisation, we continually

EWI: Excellence is the keyword in scientific research

strive for an appropriate balance between targeted and non-targeted research. In that regard, the strategic research centres have an important bridging function between fundamental and applied research. SRCs therefore also play an important role in the transformation of the Flemish economy. The marketing of their knowledge through the (co)-creation of spin-offs forms an important part of this. In addition, in other sectors - such as clusters in the agri-food industry, sustainable chemistry & synthetics, materials, energy, logistics & transport, blue economy and health - Flanders also applies an inte grated support, research and knowledge policy. Flanders has 4 SRCs that are world leaders in their field. VIB for biotechnology, imec for nanoelectronics and digital technology, Vito for cleantech and sustainable development and Flanders Make for the manufacturing industry and industry 4.0.

Can you evaluate the result of these efforts on the international place and reputation of Flanders?

In Belgium, almost 80% of the total public R&D&I support is managed by the Communities and Regions. Flanders counts for 56% of all Belgian public R&D support. The European Commission ranked Flanders in the Region Innovation Scoreboard 2021 as an ‘innovation leader.’ Flanders spends about 3,60% of its GDP in R&D.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) maintains a ranking, which compares the R&D-efforts of its country members. In the most recent list, Flanders was ranked fourth, only preceded by Israel, South Korea and Sweden. Belgium

as a whole occupies the eighth place, the European Union is seventeenth. In pharmacy, Belgium is ranked as the number two.

Several international rankings in which academic or knowledge institutes are listed, provide an indication of their relative strength in an international perspective. All Flemish universities score very high on these different ranking. On almost each ranking they belong to the top 3% worldwide. KU Leuven and Ghent University even rank in the top 1% in each of the three major rankings. Each ranking uses different criteria with different weights in their calculation of the ranking position.

Vlaamse overheid

Departement Economie, Wetenschap & Innovatie (EWI)

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Catalisti

Spearhead cluster for sustainable innovations in the chemicals and plastics industry

Catalisti was founded primarily to support companies in the chemistry and plastics sector. As one of seven Flemish spearhead clusters, Catalisti aims to anchor these companies in Flanders, make them even more innovative, strengthen their competitiveness and increase their international reach.

“International companies with a Flemish branch are of course also welcome at Catalisti,” Verlinden said.

Catalisti employees have each specialised in certain topics. “They put their ear to the companies’ ground, discuss innovation needs and listen to the obstacles they encounter. In this way, they can help identify and connect the missing knowledge partners and stimulate knowledge transfer around important information for the chemicals and plastics sector. Together with companies, knowledge institutions and sector organisations, a common innovation agenda will be developed. “

Triple F

“

Based on this vision, we enter into partnerships between companies, with knowledge institutions, professional organisations and governments,” says managing director Ann Verlinden. “Because we act as a central and neutral partner, companies can concentrate on their core business and still be easily connected to all the right knowledge partners via the cluster. Through high-impact innovation projects, we support our members in accelerating innovation into business.

Catalisti is a non-profit organisation, managed by a board of directors. This board consists of representatives from private companies, academic and research institutions, as well as public organisations. Currently, Wouter De Geest, former CEO of BASF Antwerp, acts as chairman.

Bringing project partners together

Catalisti helps companies look for partners to set up partnerships, mainly domestically, but also abroad. It provides active guidance in setting up innovation projects and subsidises such projects from its own budget. “In cooperation with our partners, we also provide information on relevant calls for European grants and support or refer for cooperation when entering European projects. At the request of FIT, we also provide support around exports and international market exploration.”

Projects involving foreign partners are also eligible for Catalisti guidance and support. “The requirement is that there are at least three project partners and at least two Flemish ones.” About 125 Flemish companies and organisations are affiliated to Catalisti.

Catalisti’s approach is based on the ‘Triple F’ principle. “We Find and initiate collaborative innovation projects aimed at creating new sustainable business opportunities for companies in the sector. We Facilitate alignment and agreement between project partners. And we have the necessary competences to facilitate grant applications for projects,” Verlinden underlines. “We Fulfill company’s needs by offering specific services and by enabling collaborations with innovative partners to come to sustainable solutions.”

New value chains

“Catalisti has different types of partners. It includes knowledge institutions that do fundamental research, companies that do applied research and, for example, partners that focus on building prototypes.”

Through the innovation projects, totally new value chains can be created. “Such value chains can be related to sustainable chemistry, such as the use of bio-based building blocks or around circular economy. Just think of the transformation of waste streams into the production of new, secondary raw materials. In doing so, we support actions that can lead to breakthroughs to intensify such processes.

Olieweg

Ann Verlinden, managing director Catalisti

© Catalisti

VIL - Flanders’ innovation cluster for logistics

“Making Flanders the European powerhouse in global supply chain”

Everyday life in the beginning of this decade has made it painfully clear how complex, vulnerable supply chains are. It has demonstrated how globally interconnected our world has become and how quickly things can go wrong. At the same time, we understand that a general decarbonisation of all aspects of society is key to ensure a liveable planet for future generations.

In this context VIL, Flanders’ spearhead cluster for logistics, together with its more than 600 members of which 2/3rds are SMEs, meets the challenges head on and explores, supports and engages in innovative and sustainable projects for the logistics sector.

“Our primary focus lies with projects and their subsequent valorisation. Together with its members VIL has defined four domains in which such projects will be conducted: digital transformation, last mile, hinterland connectivity and green logistics,” says managing director Liesbeth Geysels.

“VIL also acts as a facilitator bringing together different key stakeholders around pertinent innovation tracks and leverages collaboration.”

At regional level

A prime example of a project digitally transforming processes and logistics is Gateway2Britain

Brexit has had an important negative impact on Flemish companies that trade with the UK, both in terms of turnover, cost structure and logistics operations. Gateway2Britain aims to overcome these issues and allows for frictionless trade with the UK. The project consists of three pillars.

The technological pillar consists of a cross-border data sharing platform providing accessibility to data and documents throughout the supply chain. This platform will connect the existing data sharing platforms in Flanders and the UK.

The physical pillar creates a one-stop service point for all logistics services required for post-Brexit EU-UK trade. This pillar focusses on SMEs that have difficulties complying with the new border formalities and are looking for a simple, affordable, and high-quality service provider.

The green corridor pillar provides full transparency to all supply chain stakeholders on the administrative border process as well as the physical movement of the goods. As such it allows for more fluent and efficient border formalities and a reduction in physical controls by the authorities.

At international level

VIL also actively commits in international efforts and focuses on co-ordination and collaboration with international cluster organizations and coaching its cluster members while participating in

European projects itself or support its members by directly joining various consortia in European funded programmes.

“An example is the project Urban Logistics as an on-Demand Service (ULaaDS), where 24 European partners collaborate in creating new sustainable solutions for on-demand city logistics. VIL is leading the effective trial testing process within this project,” says Kris Neyens, manager internationalisation.

“The rise in e-commerce and other factors, have resulted in a rise in city logistics needs, and pressure on the liveability in cities. In three cities - Mechelen, Groningen and Bremen - ULaaDS is shaping sustainable solutions based on collaboration/shared logistics models and integration of passenger and urban freight. Autonomous vehicles, micro/nano hubs, (e-)cargo bike sharing with containerized formats,…” Theoretical schemes, international best practices, stake holder involvement processes,… are bundled and reshaped to help the trials in reaching successful sustainable business models for last/first mile logistics, with economic viability.

Let’s demonstrate it!

Log!Ville, Flanders’ logistics demonstration and experience centre opened its doors in October 2021. It was conceived by VIL to encourage companies to embrace and implement innovation at an accelerated pace and this by making innovation tangible. Companies can visit and explore innovation for real in the physical demonstration area, where Log!Ville partners exhibit mature but not yet mainstream solutions that are ready to be implemented.

© VIL

Liesbeth Geysels, managing director VIL

© VIL

Kris Neyens, manager internationalisation VIL

Coastal & Ocean Basin in the Flanders Maritime Laboratory Strengthening

coastal defence and supporting offshore economy

The new Coastal & Ocean Basin (COB) in the Flanders Maritime Laboratory in the Ostend Science Park is the newest tool to support the scientific community in its efforts to tackle climate change and come up with countermeasures to protect coastal communities and offshore investments, such as wind turbines or infrastructures for the breeding of oysters and mussels.

The COB is a joint initiative of Ghent University, KU Leuven and Flanders Hydraulics Research (FHR). This wave tank will be able to reproduce wave, current, and wind conditions, offering an unprecedented opportunity for researchers and industry to take a closer look at ocean hydrodynamics, and the structural response of coastal and offshore structures. It also enables them to advance marine renewable energy technologies and to vali date numerical models. The construction works started in 2017 and the facility is expected to be operational in 2023.

Countering the climate change effects

Acceleration in sea level rise and increased intensity of storms have put coastal populations at risk, and pushed the scientific community to come up with better solutions through designing coastal protection structures, developing new ocean renewable energy technologies, or implementing nature-based solutions. “In any case, designers have to go through the integrated research methodology, which combines both numerical and physical scale modelling,” say Prof. dr. Peter Troch (Ghent University), who coordinates the COB.

“Flanders has experimental infrastructures at Ghent University and FHR, with a limitation to relatively small-scale experiments. Therefore, and to cope with the emerging needs, a consortium led by the civil engineering department at Ghent University, in partnership with KU Leuven and FHR secured funding for a new state-of-the-art test facility. The COB is designed to cover a wide range of physical modelling needs while minimizing operating costs. This results in a large range of opportunities for academic research and for governmental and private sector projects.”

Interdisciplinary work

“Starting with coastal engineering, scale experiments will offer valuable data on the wave impact loading of structures, the prediction of wave overtopping over dikes and breakwaters and damage to coastal structures. Emerging marine renewable energy technologies including offshore wind, floating photovoltaics and tidal and wave energy converters will be also tested in the COB. Moreover, interdisciplinary work that combines marine ecology with engineering will help shape the role of seagrass vegetation and natural reefs with their habitants. The civil engineering department at Ghent University focuses on these applications. Traditional work of this department concerned wave overtopping, wave energy converters and scour protection. It also pioneers in coastal defences and wave attenuation by vegetation.”

The Flanders Maritime Laboratory also hosts a towing tank (174m x 20m). This combination offers a unique opportunity to perform multipurpose tests within the same facility, which will create strong research synergies.

The COB laboratory consists in a large technical facility housing the basin and the accompanying systems to operate it. The main wave and current basin covers an area of 900 m² (30 m x 30 m). It is operated by four components: a wave generator, a current generator, a wind generator and a water transfer system. “A fully automated data acquisition system ensures smooth and perfectly controlled set-up, start-up and management of all testing scenarios. Auxiliary systems that improve the efficiency of the experiments have been also installed. These include an access bridge, a crane, an operation control room and a workshop.”

Wave generator

The COB’s most crucial mechanical system is the wave generator. “It was designed according to the typical physical modelling scenarios that will be performed. The wave generation system is composed of relatively narrow wave paddles, capable to generate very realistic waves in any direction. The L-shaped configuration of the wavemaker covering two sides of the basin, enables to test a large variation of short-crested wave angles. Coupled with the reversible current generation system, it can achieve any desired relative angle between the generated current and waves.”

The dimensions of the basin combined with the wide range of hydrodynamic conditions to be reproduced places the COB in a leading position on the global scale in terms of both coastal and near offshore experimental setups. “The COB offers a variable water depth ranging from 0.4 to 1.4 m, enhanced by a central pit with a maximum water depth of 4.0 m. Multi-directional wave generation with a maximum height of 0.55 m is targeted, together with a full spectrum of wave-current interaction, with currents of up to 0.4 m/s,” Troch explains. Compared with currently operational wave basins in other European countries, the COB stands out clearly with regard to the relationship between

Prof. dr. Peter Troch (Ghent University), COB coordinator

© Ghent University

© Ghent University

maximum water depth and capability to generate large waves, emphasizing also the practical aspects for easy, yet accurate, operation of the facility. Moreover, the COB offers the capability to test offshore scale models for applications in marine renewable energy and offshore engineering.

Current generator

The COB is capable to generate combined waves, currents and wind loads. “To our knowledge, there are very few facilities which offer combined wave and current generation at any relative angle of propagation. As a result, until now, experiments regarding combined waves and currents are also scarce.”

The COB’s current generation system is a tailor-made solution, based on the dominating flow conditions in the Belgian coastal waters, characterized by tidal currents with a typical depth-averaged flow velocity of about 1.0 m/s in full scale. “Considering a maximum scaling factor of about 1:8, the flow velocity in the model is scaled down to 0.4 m/s, requiring a total discharge of approximately 11 m³/s. These design parameters place the COB in a leading position with flow velocities that are almost twice the average of the maximum velocity at many other facilities. The current is introduced in the basin through a set of guiding grids flush-mounted in the basin floor. Each grid can be replaced by a lid when the current system is not being operated.

Research dike on the beach

On a part of the North Sea beach, in front of Domain Raversijde, near the Flanders Maritime Laboratory, the Flemish Maritime and Coastal Services authorities, FHR and Ghent University have constructed an artificial test dike. The dike has a length of 20 meters and a height of 5 m. It stands on the beach between low and high water. The goal is to gain more insight into the impact of storms on our coastal protection in order to make it even more efficient.

“It can seem strange to place a dike on the beach in front of the real sea dike,” says Peter Troch. “However, the location was chosen carefully. Only in extremely severe storms do the waves overtop the existing dike. In order to measure the impact of the waves on the sea dike in the short term, we built the test dike with a lower crest elevation on the beach. Sensors on the test dike measure wave overtopping and wave loads. A wave buoy in deeper water and three measuring poles in the intertidal area – the zone that remains above water at low water and submerges at high water – measure the wave transformations up to the test dike. By gaining more insight into the processes of wave overtopping and forces, our authorities will be able to make coastal protection more safe.”

Coastal & Ocean Basin - Flanders Maritime Laboratory

Wetenschapspark 8 - B-8400 Oostende

Tel.: +32 (0)9 264 54 89 - Email: Peter.Troch@UGent.be https://www.ugent.be/ea/civil-engineering/en/research/ coastal-bridges-roads/coastal-engineering/cob-ugent

© Ghent University

© Ghent University

VLAIO: a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs in Flanders

Interview with Mark ANDRIES, General Administrator for Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO)

What services do you provide to entrepreneurs?

VLAIO is the agency of entrepreneurship and innovation of the government of Flanders. Its clients are the companies in Flanders. Thanks to our own front office, we can answer their questions, deliver guidance, send advisors to the company’s location to discuss business cases as a whole and innovation in particular, and match them with the relevant members of our network of partners. On top of that we can give companies in Flanders some basic advice on intellectual property, a key aspect of innovation, and we also provide them with financial support for their projects, be it directly or indirectly via other Flemish agencies. Since we have a wide portfolio of grants and subsidies, most of the financial support to companies is given by VLAIO. Subsidies can be granted to professionalize the staff of SMEs or help their growth; they can also be allocated to bigger companies wishing to make an investment to reduce their ecological footprint. Last but not least, our subsidies are mostly focused on R&D and innovation. And let us not forget the fact that VLAIO is an internationally oriented agency: as such, we are the coordinator of the European Regional Fund for Development in Flanders and we also act as contact point for European subsidies in the framework of Horizon Europe and other European research programmes.

How do you help foreign entrepreneurs and investors to establish or expand business in Flanders?

This task is carried out in close collaboration with FIT (Flanders Investment & Trade): with about hundred officers around the world, FIT enjoys a strong connection with potential foreign investors. When one of them shows interest to settle down in Flanders, VLAIO and FIT join hands to give that potential foreign investor advice and provide him with the right partner. In terms of advice VLAIO proves to be a privileged partner considering the amount of information we have about subsidies for investments. Since foreign companies are often willing to carry out R&D activities in Flanders, VLAIO can connect them with universities and other knowledge institutions. We can also help them to find a location with the close cooperation of municipalities, project developers, realtors and (air) port authorities.

What support do you offer for research & development?

We offer direct financial support for R&D activities and encourage companies to collaborate with universities and other institutions and/or companies. This incentive is in no way compulsory but it remains interesting given that R&D is a hazardous process: it can fail to yield the expected business results. That is why cooperation enables risk sharing while subsidies encourage risk

taking by companies. There are two kinds of subsidies. The first one covers research projects with a lower TRL, i.e. a focus on knowledge generation that implies a bigger support; higher development projects with a higher TRL, closer to the market and therefore less risky (which implies a smaller support); joint projects between companies or between companies and universities; and incentives for PhD students and postdocs to work in a company (this incentive has been very successful over the last years). The second kind of subsidies is related to the various European programmes (Eurostars, Horizon Europe, Eureka…) and acts as leverage towards European subsidies for companies willing to participate in European projects. For the current period, VLAIO selected several European Partnerships in which the VLAIO funding programs will be integrated in the future and joined the elaboration of European value chains in the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI).

How do you help innovation clusters in Flanders to increase their competitiveness?

Clusters are an important instrument to promote cooperation and innovation within the same value chain. We mainly support seven spearhead clusters: Catalisti (sustainable chemistry), SIM (materials), Flanders Food, VIL (logistics), Flux50 (energy innovation), Blue Cluster (economy and innovation in the North Sea) and the youngest one, Medvia (healthcare innovation). VLAIO grants subsidies for cluster projects. For instance, Blue Cluster has recently launched the project “Blue Marine” with the aim to develop technologies for growing plants in the North Sea: these sea farms are interesting for various sectors, such as the pharmaceutical industry and the textile industry. Thanks to this project, different sectors work together via a very innovative, atypical approach which can benefit everyone. VLAIO also supports smaller innovative business clusters (eleven at the moment), which are bottom-up initiatives launched by companies active in drones, offshore energy, etc.

Recent developments

Since 2020, VLAIO takes an active role in supporting enterprises during the COVID-19 crisis. This includes several measures, from small grants to alleviate the direct financial impact on small businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs to fast-track procedures in the R&D programs, additional investment aid for COVID-related topics and information to enterprises including measures from other agencies in Flanders. In 2022, VLAIO also took up an active part in the newly established governmental frame to support Flemish companies affected by the rising energy prices.

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Dieder Claeys

Voka Health Community

Innovative solutions in welfare and care

Voka Health Community is an ecosystem of more than 600 welfare and care institutions, businesses, knowledge centres and patient groups. Within the Voka Health Community they work together to create and valorise added value through innovative solutions in (health)care.

Voka Health Community focuses on three major building blocks:

- Integrated and high-quality care and care delivery that focuses on prevention and health promotion

- Innovative business development around care organisation, technology and digital transformation

- Solidarity-based social security with financing that stimulates doing what is right following the value-based healthcare principles.

A contemporary (health)care system that is adapted to the future needs is possible: a more digital care with a focus on prevention and an alignment of tasks with respect and motivation for the care profession will help us move forward and help us to tackle the challenges in welfare and healthcare.

Staff shortages are the number one. The ageing of the population is a triple challenge: with the increasing number of elderly people, our care needs are becoming not only larger, but also more chronic and complex. Our care system must therefore meet both a greater volume and more intense care needs. The third effect is due to the ever-shrinking active population. In 1991, the care and financing of 1 elderly Belgian was carried by 4 pairs of active shoulders. In 2050 that number will have halved to 2. We will have to bear the greater number of elderly people and their complex care needs with fewer and fewer people. The labour market on fire? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

Paradox

Therein lies a great paradox: according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Belgium has a quarter more active nurses than the OECD average. Generally, they appear to be better educated than in other countries. The diagnosis: our health personnel lose time with administration, logistics and household tasks while the norms keep the door open for support staff. The shortage of personnel in the healthcare sector is causing major and justifiable headaches.

This brings us to digitisation. The care sector is still walking around in the digital 90s. Paper forms have been replaced by exactly the same digital ones. So, a lot of opportunities remain unavailable. A digital transformation goes further: besides collecting data, you also have to analyse and evaluate them and adapt your way of working. Digitalisation must support healthcare staff in organising and coordinating care efficiently, instead of frustrating them – and their patients – endlessly.

Regulation and implementation of technology

The key to achieve a digital transformation in health is not to develop the necessary technology. Smartphones, apps, mobile sensors: the technology is already there. The challenge lies in regulating and

implementing that technology so that it supports the goals around quality and affordability. Europe is leading the way here with the European Open Data Area. In Belgium, hospitals and home care institutions are already working to make their data not only available but also FAIR: findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. With some investment in capacity and digital competences, this will receive an enormous boost.

Prevention budget

Besides digitalisation, focusing on self-care and prevention is a no brainer. Today, Belgium spends 2.3% of its health budget on prevention, while the World Health Organisation’s target is 5%. Investing in prevention prevents up to 80% of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and up to 40% of cancers. People who do not fall ill, fall ill less or fall ill later, need less care.

Within the Voka Health Community, we set to work together. We use the evolutions in science, innovative ideas and the experiences of our members to move forward. You can find information about Voka Health Community, our activities and our publications on www.voka.be/healthcommunity.

Daan Aeyels

+32 475.298.377

Daan.Aeyels@voka.be

www.voka.be/healthcommunity

© Voka Health Community

Howest

To boldly go where no one has gone before

Anticipating the future is what Howest has in mind. This is also reflected in the research that is dominated by new trends and technologies with an impact on business and society. The result is practice-based research that is supported by creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and interdisciplinarity.

Howest is an entrepreneurial university of applied sciences, where technology meets creativity. It occupies five campuses in Bruges and Kortrijk. “We focus on the added value of new trends or technologies and their potential to solve practical challenges in organisations and our society at large,” says Geoffrey Hamon, head of research, services and valorisation. “We set up (inter)national projects to introduce new technologies to groups of SME’s and non-profit organizations based on real use cases. Lessons learned are transferred through training sessions for a broad target group.”

“We also execute demand-driven research and service projects to help specific companies with the actual implementation of new technologies. Digitalization runs like a thread through our educational programs and research initiatives. After all, advancing technology continuously opens doors to new application possibilities. This is reflected in our current spotlight research topics: edtech, health & care and applied AI implementations.

HITlab

Howest’s Human Interface Technology Lab (HITlab) has developed a special interest in human interaction with technology. “HITlab focuses on various topics, ranging from measuring behavioural and (neuro-)physiological responses of users, to the development of adaptive and immersive applications that can respond to the mental state of the user,” explains coordinator Jelle Demanet. “We dispose of both state-of-the-art measuring equipment typically used in lab environments (such as high-end eye-tracking and body-tracking systems and EEG equipment for measuring brain activity) as well as cheaper user-friendly systems that can be used in real-life settings (such as mobile eye trackers and wearables). We conduct research in various sectors, ranging from occupational therapy to industry 4.0.”

A main goal of HITlab is to support companies which want to innovate and to conduct experiments with new technologies arising from our expertise. We aim to participate with larger consortia of universities or other research institutions to support larger groups of companies and in projects to support individual companies in development or research projects, acting as a subcontractor or research partner.”

Edumac XR

“Through Edumac XR, we are developing a virtual reality (VR) train ing applied to students in 2nd-grade education (labour market and dual finality) with the aim of learning and practicing competences needed to work with complex and dangerous woodworking machines,” says Charlotte Larmuseau (HITlab). The VR training should ensure that learners can practice their skills (and also make mistakes) in an approachable and safe way. “The flexibility and location-dependence of VR training would allow it to be used for learners who need additional practice opportunities. It could also be used as a refresher for pupils when they need to operate woodworking machines during apprenticeships. Moreover, the training pays a lot of attention to safety procedures and the (virtual) wearing of personal protective equipment. The VR training also allows pupils to make (dangerous) mistakes and learn from them. HITLab focuses mainly on the development of the training and research on educational design.”

Besides HITlab, many more research groups and training programs of Howest participate in research. “In Educational Bachelor and EdHub, we investigate the learning effect and how the training can be integrated into the learning process. In cooperation with the industrial design department, we investigate user experience and the possibilities of 3D modelling for VR. Finally, in collaboration with Multimedia and Creative Technologies department, we perform a study

© Howest © Howest

on learning analytics. The obtained data will be integrated into a learning dashboard. This will allow teachers to assess how students are doing. This cooperation should lead to an innovative and qualitative VR application that can be applied in Flemish education.”

XRehab

The goal of HITlab project XRehab is to facilitate the integration of extended reality (XR) applications in such a way that the use of these applications in rehabilitation exponentially grows in the coming years and that this project can contribute to a more effi cient and personalized rehabilitation offer. Specifically, we will make this possible by developing a roadmap that can support the development and implementation of XR applications in rehabilitation. The first target group consists of end-users, healthcare providers and healthcare consumers with a focus on rehabilitation. XRehab will enable them to (1) engage in XR technology from informed decisions, (2) initiate initiatives to develop new XR applications, (3) find and communicate with the appropriate technology partners and (4) help implement self-developed or purchased XR applications in rehabilitation pathways. The second target group consists of Flemish SMEs with a tradition in the gaming/technology sector that are active in, or (re)orienting towards developing applications in healthcare.

Smart Tech Research

In Smart Tech Research, Howest has been conducting applied IT research for fourteen years. “Since 2014 the focus of this is on big data,” states coordinator Pieter Bovijn. “We have also been performing data analyses for seven years. This ranges from statistics over machine learning to the latest deep learning. Our current project ‘accelerating AI implementations’ helps organisat ions with an interest in artificial intelligence to take each step in creating an AI model.”

Smart Tech Research is also working on the application of AI on small data sets and on unstructured data (such as e-mails and .doc-files). This unlocks AI for companies who can’t build a big dataset or label lots of data. “We show participating organisations where to use different data augmentation techniques and how to deal with difficulties during their application in reality. Next to low-data AI we also

continue our data engineering and machine learning operations research topics, so we can help companies in efficiently implementing an entire data and AI pipeline.”

“We give presentations and organise workshops on all these topics. We develop our knowledge with practical cases. This keeps our presentations relevant for the participants and keeps us on the cutting edge of research. Most cases are provided to us by companies within the Tetra guidance group. From the Tetra budget of the Flemish government agency Vlaio, we can apply for subsidies for technology transfer.”

Active Health

The social importance of prevention and an active healthy lifestyle increases. “Within the Active Health research group, we investigate how we can help individuals, groups and organizations to change their behaviour sustainably in the context of a good health,” says project manager Eefje Battel. “We focus on practice-oriented research and services, on the most innovative ways to inspire, motivate and coach.” Digital transformation is also at the top of the agenda within Active Health. “We are fully committed to the use of smart tools (apps, wearables, exergames,…) that support the coaching process.”

Sports Innovation Campus

The Sports Innovation Campus is a project of Howest and Sport Flanders. “Both partners have the common focus on experimenting with new ways to get citizens to exercise. All kinds of prototypes are being developed on the Sports Innovation Campus, ranging from augmented reality exergames to apps for video feedback. Each year, all developed innovations are presented to the general public at the Innovation Expo. We also regularly organize workshops to train coaches and teachers in using the latest tools.”

FollowHub

Within the service project FollowHub, employees of companies are guided in an innovative way towards a healthy lifestyle. A company tailored package is being developed to encourage employees in a challenging way to exercise more, have a healthy diet, etc.

Sleep Coach

One in three people have a lack of sleep. “Through this research project we are developing a prevention program around the importance of sleep and good sleep hygiene. We are also drawing up a campaign that, in the long term, can be rolled out in other organizations.”

Howest, University of Applied Sciences

Marksesteenweg 58 - 8500 Kortrijk

Tel.: +32 (0)498 67 16 54

Email: research@howest.be - http://www.howest.be

Practice-oriented research makes the difference

VIVES opts for a multidisciplinary approach

With six study areas and a multitude of study programmes, VIVES is a university of applied sciences where various sectors meet. This is also reflected in its research, which is increasingly drawing the map of multidisciplinarity. As a result, VIVES creates innovative knowledge that solves real problems, bridging the gap between fundamental research, industrial production and operation applications.

VIVES University of Applied Sciences engages in hands-on research. VIVES reaches out to companies and organisations that face modern day challenges. By offering a solution to these challenges, it improves its knowledge and adjusts its insights in and on education.

Impact on social development

VIVES, the largest university of applied sciences in West-Flanders, provides higher education and practice-oriented research. With its research VIVES wants to participate in innovation on a regional, national and international scale. “The integration of innovations resulting from this research in the educational programs ensures that this offer remains future proof and retains its high level of quality. For us, staying in line with current professional practices is not enough. We want to go much further,” says Isabel Vanslembrouck, director VIVES Research and Development.

On the five VIVES campuses, an average of 16,000 young people annually opt for a study programme in health care, education, applied social studies, biotechnologyapplied engineering & technology or commercial sciences, business management and informatics. “There is a centre of expertise for each field of study. Together, approximately 200 employees deliver scientific research there,” says Isabel Vanslembrouck.

VIVES combines high-tech infrastructure, which is crucial for preparing students and companies for the latest industrial developments, with an innovative view on trends in research and ser vices. At the same time, VIVES also works in a future-oriented and human-centered manner in the fields of health and well-being, food innovation, cli mate, entrepreneurship, empowerment, educational technology, digital transformation and smart mobility. Most leading researchers combine their research activities with teaching.

“As a university of applied sciences, we focus on practice-based research that is increasingly being initiated by a demand from the professional field,” says Vanslembrouck. “We work on research questions evolving from knowledge institutions and companies/ organisations from a wide range of other sectors.”

Centre of Expertise for Agriculture & Biotechnology

VIVES research activities are organised in six centres of expertise. Its Centre of expertise for Agriculture & Biotechnology focusses on five domains: food processing, food & health, urban forestry, smart farming and animal behaviour

Product development

“Within food processing, three lines of research are currently running,” explains coordinator Yves De Bleecker. “First, there is the development and optimisation of food products. In this line, we look at new possible sources of protein, among other things. Insects are one such source, but

also macro-algae, the so-called vegetables of the sea. Limited use already exists in the food industry. In addition to their nutritional contribution, we are investigating, among other things, to what extent we can exploit their foaming potential in food products. Our efforts are part of an overall drive towards greater sustainability. In doing so, we aim to partially replace proteins of animal origin with proteins of vegetable origin.” Another project revolves around the use of the yacon tuber as a sugar substitute. “This opens interesting perspectives for diabetics.”

Valorisation of by-product streams

The valorisation of by-product streams forms the second line of research. “For example, we already created a salmon croquette from the cutting losses of salmon in fish processing plants. In doing so, we paid attention to the typical taste of salmon and an optimal texture of the croquette’s filling, so that it does not burst open during frying.” In cooperation with 23 companies, the centre of expertise is also pursuing operational chain to develop food from brewers spent grain, a residual mass from beer production. “Traditionally, brewers spent grain is already processed in

animal feed. In Belgium, it is about 230,000 tonnes a year. It is rich in protein and fibre. Therefore, it can be more usefully processed in food for humans, such as bread, biscuits and meat substitutes.”

Microwave technology

The third line of research is all about microwave ovens. “Besides the familiar household applications, microwave ovens offer other interesting possibilities. The heat they generate is very suitable for drying and pre-cooking food. Pre-cooking meat can be useful for improving the energy efficiency of baking lines. Under the right conditions, drying in microwave ovens preserves aroma and colours well. Recently, we discovered that drying walnuts with microwaves takes much less time than methods traditionally used for this purpose.”

FoodLab

In a brand-new building, the first incidentally on the POM West Flanders’ Food Innovation Park in Roeselare, VIVES recently housed its FoodLab. Among other things, it contains a semi-industrial kitchen, where we conduct research into the quality of meals and meal components,” says FoodLab coordinator Lien Van den Broeck. “We now span the whole chain from raw material to balanced meal on the plate.”

The kitchen is equipped with the latest equipment available for preparing and regenerating meals in a large-scale kitchen. “In care facilities, large numbers of meals are produced. They are prepared and kept warm until serving time or prepared, cooled and then reheated. We can mimic these processes perfectly. For instance, we look for the ideal temperature/time combination for regeneration. In our labs, we then investigate the impact of keeping warm/reheating on the quality of the meals. Besides the physical characteristics of the product (colour, texture, moisture content, etc.), we also assess its organoleptic properties (taste, smell, texture, etc.).

For this purpose, we use test persons in sensory labs. In one of our ongoing studies, we are investigating how to prevent broccoli from acquiring a dull appearance upon regeneration.”

Eldercare

FoodLab’s capabilities and projects are far from limited to developing and optimising meals. FoodLab’s infrastructure also includes a gymnasium and various devices to measure people’s body composition. These are used in our research into sarcopenia, the loss of muscle strength and muscle mass, due to age or as a result of an underlying condition. Strength training combined with extra protein are key there.”

“That’s why we develop nutrition tailored to specific target groups,” Van den Broeck explains. “For example, elderly people need extra proteins. We study what effects adding them to foods has on their nutritional value, appearance and (after)taste. We also focus on chewing and swallowing problems. To remedy these, we also try to adjust the texture of food products by thickening or grinding them, for example.”

The FoodLab presents itself as a dynamic place where students and researchers engage in practice-oriented research, education and service around the themes of food and health. Researchers from both the agriculture and biotechnology centre of expertise and the centre of expertise in care innovation are particularly active in the FoodLab. “Companies and healthcare actors are also welcome there to make use of the available research infrastructure.” The nutrition research team has ten full-time equivalent staff members, supplemented by students who do their internship there or do their final work through a research project.

Vlerick Business School

Research that helps the business world move forward

Thanks to high-quality programmes and, above all, practice-oriented programmes, Vlerick Business School can call itself the best management school in Belgium. It extends this reputation to its research activities that can be perfectly described by four Rs: Relevant, Reliable, Responsible and Reach. In short, in an academic way, Vlerick’s researchers are invariably looking for applicable solutions to real business problems. The school also engages its stakeholders to create synergies between research and learning activities.

Every year, the three campuses (Ghent, Leuven and Brussels) of Vlerick Business School prepare an average of five hundred (international) students for a master or MBA degree. In addition, a multitude of people follow a short open enrolment management programme, aiming to boost their careers, gain a better understanding of their tasks or optimise their management skills. “All functional areas within business management are covered,” says research manager dr. Eva Cools. “From marketing and HR, over accountancy and finance, to operations and people management. On top of that, we offer customised programmes for companies and organisations that want a tailored programme for their specific needs.”

Determinants of future economic climate

This same broad focus is also used in the research activities, albeit topped off with a sauce of digital transformation and entrepreneurship. “These are the trends that determine the future of the economic climate. The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated everything. Companies that let the digital express train pass by are doomed to go under. The power of entrepreneurship has once again become very clear. The big winners are the companies that saw the limitations of Covid-19 as an opportunity.”

In 2019, Vlerick became an institutional partner of the Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM) network. “We are one of the few business schools in the world to be recognised as a RRBM Pioneering Institution. This testifies that we are a source of best practice. It also highlights that we strive to have societal impact through our research and teaching programmes. As signatories of the RRBM vision paper, we endorse the principle that academic research should play a role in developing knowledge that benefits businesses and wider society.”

Double engagement

“We’re engaged in both fundamental academic research and research for business and society. This means we involve our stakeholders,” says dr. Cools. “This may appear to be obvious. In the academic world however, this isn’t always the case. We are always alert to gaps that exist in fields of knowledge highlighted by stakeholders - and we explore them with academic rigour. We know that the world needs research that makes impact - and we are committed in delivering it. Our doctoral research, for example, should have broader business application. At the same time, our joint research with companies is based on the rigour of sound academic practice.

This makes our research for business approach unique. Via our research centres and long-standing partnerships and memberships, we create truly practical relevance for the business community.”

Interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinary research is becoming ever-more important in finding answers to today’s business challenges. “Because of this, we join forces across our own domains - and with external international faculties and with faculties from our parent universities in Ghent and Leuven. We then integrate knowledge gained from solid research into our education activities, by developing tools, business games and simulations. The need for sound academic practice is also something we instil in our students - with critical reflection and business research methodology being essential components of their projects.”

Interesting mix of researchers

Vlerick Business School has fifty professors who are expected to spend about 40% of their time conducting academic research. “They often start from a practical problem that is then embedded in a gap in academic literature”, says dr. Cools. “In addition, we have about fifty researchers, a mix of (post)doctoral students and junior/senior researchers. These researchers are consciously looking for partnerships with companies. To finance the research, but also to keep a finger on the pulse. We believe that understanding what is going on within companies and identifying the most pressing challenges together is the first condition for providing research with added value.”

Vlerick research charter

To make sure our research strategy is widely supported within the school, the Vlerick Research Charter was created. “It sets out the ways we work to produce credible research. It safeguards our robust academic practices - and it provides a framework for academic integrity and ethics. All faculties, researchers and DBA participants sign our charter as a commitment to adhere to its principles of sound

© Vlerick Business School

academic conduct. As an institute, we take responsibility to create an environment that supports and stimulates sound academic practice with training, mentorship, necessary infrastructure and guidelines.”

Vlerick Business School supports the push towards open science. “We believe that the exchange of information is at the heart of science itself. In line with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity code, we adhere to the principle: ‘As open as possible, as closed as necessary.’ We take a pragmatic approach and implement policies around open access and data management sensibly – and in support of the open science movement.”

Broad dissemination of results

One of the most important objectives is to ensure that research results reach as wide an audience as possible. That is why Vlerick Business School translates them into white papers, articles or reports that are distributed free of charge. “Regularly, the research also leads to the development of a tool that allows companies to check how far they are in a particular area,” says dr. Cools. “In addition, we sometimes work out cases that other educational institutions use in their programmes. Furthermore, companies can come to us for tailor-made research.”

International level

Over the years, Vlerick Business School has built up a solid reputation that goes far beyond national borders. Not surprisingly, the research team is increasingly involved in European research projects. “Our

practice-oriented approach in particular is praised internationally,” explains dr. Cools. “This is why we are regularly asked to develop the business model behind a research project or to develop a concept that allows us to translate the results into useful tools. For example, we were involved in STORY, a European pilot project investigating the technical possibilities of energy storage in batteries. This in itself has nothing to do with management. Nevertheless, we have an important role to play. After all, we are developing a business model with which the financial feasibility of a wider dissemination of the technology can be calculated. Ultimately, this broad applicability always remains the key question within a project. It is precisely in this area that Vlerick Business School has built up enormous expertise and knowledge. It is an added value that we are happy to bring research and practice together as much as possible.”

Vlerick Business School

Campus Gent: Reep 1 - B-9000 Gent

Tel.: +32 (0)9 210 97 11 0

Campus Leuven: Vlamingenstraat 83 B-3000 Leuven

Tel.: +32 (0)16 24 88 11

Campus Brussel: Bolwerklaan 21 B-1210 Brussel

Tel.: +32 (0)2 225 41 11

Email: info@vlerick.com - http://www.vlerick.com

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Vlerick Business School

Becetel

Plastics pipes under the magnifying glass

Becetel combines more than sixty years of expertise, total independence and extensive testing facilities, which is unique in Europe. A wide range of companies, organisations and certification bodies call on the services of this ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for testing plastics pipes and fittings.

The Belgian Centre for Technological Research on Pipes and Fittings started as a spin-off of Ghent University. By now, it has grown into a test laboratory with international allure. “We limit our field of activity to testing plastic pipes and fittings,” says general manager Joris Vienne. “Things however changed over the years. In our early years there was only PVC, today a wide range of plastics is used in piping. Initially we only worked with piping materials for drinking water and gas. Today you can find plastics piping in all utilities, industrial processes, rainwater infiltration, waste water treatment and construction… By participating in international symposia, training and research, our knowledge also evolved. As a result, Becetel is one of the few laboratories that has so much expertise in this specific field.”

Creative with test equipment

Becetel always proactively translated its knowledge into test equipment. “We continuously invest in new solutions”, says Vienne. “Thanks to our in-house expertise and creativity, we regularly succeed in creating our own solutions. For example, we have our own installations for the accelerated Notch Pipe Test (aNPT), the Plain Strain Grooved Tensile (PSGT) test and various creep tests. These solutions are developed either in cooperation with equipment suppliers or in our own mechanical workshop with equipment for turning, milling, drilling, sawing and welding and a CNC milling machine.”

From water tanks to fusion machines

Of course, Becetel has a lot of other test infrastructure: large water tanks for hydrostatic pressure testing, pressure stations, universal testing machines with load ranges from 0,5 kN to 400 kN, temperature chambers, impact testers, data-logging equipment, ultrasonic thickness gauges, hardness testers, flow meters, fusion machines, torque wrenches, dimensional measuring equipment, height and strain gauges, thermocouples… “We have a temperature conditioned lab for the dimensional measurements, creep testing and multiple universal testing machines for determination of tensile, flexural and compressive properties,” Vienne explains. “In our multifunctional hall we perform hydrostatic pressure tests, impact tests, leak tightness tests, temperature cycling tests… There is also a lab for physical properties, such as MFR, DSC, IR, Vicat, thermal stability testing, IR analysis… And microscopic facilities for failure analysis. We can handle various pipe diameters, from 8 till 2000 mm.”

Various tasks

Today, Becetel mainly carries out mechanical tests on plastic pipes, including fusion joints, connections and accessories. “Thanks to our former full-scale test site, we also have an extensive experience in performing rapid crack propagation (RCP) tests,” says Vienne. “So, we can substitute the full-scale test with the smaller S4 (Small Scale Steady State) test by correlation.” Furthermore, Becetel developed

software to perform the Standard Extrapolation Method analysis described in ISO 9080. “Because we have built or modified some of our testing equipment ourselves, we can even carry out tests that fall outside the standards. We also accumulated experience in the testing of elastomers (ageing, compression set...). Becetel also acts as a partner in various standardisation and certification systems and we are actively involved in the international standardisation committees of CEN and ISO. It is regularly called in as an expert in the event of claims related to failures in plastics.”

© Becetel

VARIO

Independent advice for the Flemish Government and Parliament

The Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – VARIO – is an independent body which advises the Flemish Government and Parliament on matters related to research, innovation and entrepreneurship. VARIO may publish its advisory reports both on its own initiative and on request. The Council consists of ten experts from the scientific world and the business community, who take part in a personal capacity. Lieven Danneels chairs the council. In 2022 VARIO celebrated its 5th anniversary.

5th anniversary – evaluation

After the first five years of operation, and although it is not mandatory, VARIO considered it time for a critical reflection. To this end VARIO took the initiative for an evaluation. An independent, external committee was appointed, consisting of Luc Soete (chair), Koenraad Debackere (KBC, KU Leuven, AWTI), Françoise Chombar (Melexis, STEM-platform), Caroline Ven (Pharma.be), Ward Ziarko (expert-rapporteur) and Pierre Verdoodt (expert Evaluation unit department EWI).

The exercise reveals that VARIO is well known, has sufficient visibility, and is appreciated by and well embedded in the Flemish Innovation Landscape. According to the evaluation committee, the independence of the council is its most important asset. Which is a good thing, since independence was thé prerequisite when VARIO was founded. Independence creates the conditions for ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, which - in turn - guarantees innovative advisory reports. And that does not undermine their quality, it seems: the advisory reports are considered as of high-quality and evidence-based. The evaluation committee also formulates six recommendations; such as to expand the scope of VARIO to innovation across all policy areas, to open the debate on the optimal positioning of VARIO; to activate the consultation with other players from the innovation landscape; to pay more attention to international developments and their relevance for Flanders. “With the conclusions and recommendations VARIO hopes to optimize its operation”, explains Danielle

Raspoet, director VARIO.

Vision on an optimal policy mix of financial support for free and thematic R&D

This advice is a response to the request of vice-minister president Hilde Crevits for a vision on the optimal policy mix between support of the bottom-up channels and a more thematic/mission-oriented approach. A quantitative analysis of how free (bottom-up) and thematic (top-down) Flemish R&D resources relate was conducted and its evolution over the past ten years was recorded. According to VARIO there are no objective criteria to determine the correct ratio of bottom-up resourced compared to top-down resources. But VARIO puts forward a number of principles in its recommendations: Think more in terms of cross-policy objectives and look wider than financial resources; Monitor ex-post the social impact of bottom-up initiatives; for thematic programs, keep the themes broad to maintain sufficient competition in applications.

Foreign private investments in R&D

In this advice VARIO looks into foreign private R&D investments and in knowledge-intensive production investments. “Foreign investment in R&D and knowledge-intensive production in Flanders is among the highest in all of Europe. That’s a strength, but that concentration also makes us vulnerable. Therefore, we have to implement smart policies around it” says Lieven Danneels, VARIO chairman. The council listed 5 recommendations to

do so. (1) In their search for an ideal location, foreign knowledge-intensive companies are looking for scientific knowledge and expertise. The structural shortages of knowledge workers and technicians are therefore an enormous challenge. Our region needs to take swift and drastic actions to increase their number, but also to keep the competencies up to date by installing a culture of lifelong learning. (2) Spill-over effects to the local economy are also important. We must therefore focus more strongly on developing supplier relationships with local companies and innovation collaborations between companies and knowledge institutions. (3) For a small region like Flanders, it is also vital that our ecosystem remains open and internationally connected. (4) The foreign investment policy must also be based on a long-term vision for the Flemish knowledge and innovation region. Digital and sustainable technologies, and cross-pollinations between them, are important levers for this. (5) Finally, we also need to strengthen the inherent dynamics of ambitious domestic companies that have the potential to grow into international flagships.

Strengthening Flanders’ technology position with regard to patents

In 2021, VARIO provided the baseline measurement of the VARIO core indicators to former minister of innovation Hilde Crevits (VARIO-advisory report 24). She consecutively asked VARIO for a follow-up on the specific indicator related to patents. In this advice, VARIO therefore analyses the current indicator in more detail and provides recommendations on which quality-related patent indicators (such as for example the regional share of patents that is ‘highly cited’) can be considered as an extra core indicator. In addition, VARIO formulates policy recommendations to strengthen the position of Flanders in this area.

VARIO council composition

Lieven Danneels, CEO Televic Group, chairs VARIO. The other members are Dirk Van Dyck (vice-chair, UAntwerpen), Katrin Geyskens (Capricorn Partners), Wim Haegeman (UGent), Johan Martens (KU Leuven), Leen van den Neste (vdk bank), Koen Vanhalst (De Clercq & Partners), Vanessa Vankerckhoven (Novosanis), Marc Van Sande (Umicore) and Reinhilde Veugelers (KU Leuven). The council is supported by a permanent staff directed by Danielle Raspoet.

handing over of evaluation report to minister Brouns (Lieven Danneels, minister Brouns and Luc Soete)

Vlaamse

Hogescholenraad - Council of Flemish Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts

Blikopener: The solution that makes the difference between survival and success for small and medium sized organisations

Just suppose for a moment that researchers somewhere already have the findings and the expertise you need to make your organisation successful, but that this knowledge is stacked away somewhere on the shelves of its scientific environment and has never been applied in real life so far? It only takes the right tool to unlock these scientific treasures. This tool is called ‘Blikopener’ – which means ‘can opener’ as well as ‘eye opener’ in Dutch – and offers the perfect platform to make research results available for the work field.

On the one hand the Flemish Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts have always been active in applied research, leading to useful findings for small and medium sized companies as well as social profit organisations. On the other hand, those companies for a long time didn’t know how to obtain these hidden treasures. Entrepreneurs talked about it, researchers knew it, but they hardly succeeded in finding each other. That was the case until IDEA Consult conducted a survey in 2018. The results confirmed common knowledge: the two parties had to be brought together in a closer relationship. The only question left was: who was going to be the intermediate partner?

Single point of contact

For the Flemish government the answer to that question was quite obvious: Vlaamse Hogescholenraad, the Council of Flemish Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts, had always been the single point of contact concerning the needs and the motives of the Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts. So Vlaamse Hogescholenraad was best equipped for the challenge ahead: offering a platform where research results from the Flemish Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts could be made available to the best interest of companies and organisations.

A story of collaboration and co-existence

Blikopener brings together a commercial or social profit company and a University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Flanders with the solution for that specific organisation at hand. The contact between both parties can range from an exploratory encounter or a request for information to a real joint project. Although it is the organisation that chooses who to work with, the Blikopener staff sees to it that it remains a ‘co-story’, a story of collaboration and co-existence. Transparent communication, generating new ideas, collective involvement and the proof of concepts are key factors in this tale.

A true success, but not there yet

Until today about five thousand smaller organisations have been able to profit from the existence of Blikopener. They were given solutions in domains as broad as Artificial Intelligence or Supply Chain Management and even social themes like Corporate Social Responsibility or Human Resources Management. By putting the demands of a company first, Blikopener succeeded in bringing expertise to the work field. Also helping Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts work together in favour of the needs of the requesting party is still a goal.

This is a success already, but that doesn’t mean that the ultimate objectives have been reached. The Flemish Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts must be made aware that they can still improve and there are still domains of research left that haven’t been reached yet.

Acting as a catalyst

Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts are designed to deliver practice-oriented research. They don’t have licenses or spin-off companies, but in a certain way this characteristic actually plays in their advantage. Their efforts and their expertise have the ability of not only saving many smaller companies and organisations, but also lifting them up to the next level. In that sense the double meaning of the Dutch word Blikopener serves its purpose: Blikopener comes in as an eye opener for companies and Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts as well as a can opener to unveil knowledge that has been put aside for much too long.

Information: https://www.vlaamsehogescholenraad.be/nl/blikopener

© Vlaamse Hogescholenraad

Reducing the risk of sustainable innovation for companies

We accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We de-risk innovation for businesses and we strengthen the economic and societal fabric in Flanders, with interdisciplinary research and large-scale pilot installations.

Sustainable solutions for buildings

Building towards a fossil fuel-free and healthy living and working environment

Sustainable buildings are not just buildings lit, heated and cooled with green energy. They are also designed and implemented in a manner that makes the impact on the environment, and the climate as low as possible. In addition, they are healthy and comfortable for residents, users and visitors too. VITO/EnergyVille has a strong focus on all these aspects.

Robust water management Towards a climate-proof water system through research and innovation

From a region plagued in turn by drought and water scarcity, then by water nuisance and flooding, to a model region for efficient water usage. This ambitious transition is what the Flemish government is proposing in its Blue Deal. With this broad package of measures, Flanders is seeking to accelerate its robustness against water problems.

Towards a circular and bio-based economy Circularity rhymes with sustainability

In a circular economy, as few new primary raw materials and ingredients are used as possible, and as many as possible are reused and recycled – losing as little value as possible. Bio-based raw materials and products can help to make the circular economy more sustainable. Reuse and recycling make Europe less dependent on importing primary raw materials from other continents.

Energy solutions for the future

In the vanguard of the energy transition

Europe wants to be the first over the finish line as a climate-neutral continent by 2050. We need to be moving at full speed. VITO/EnergyVille uses a system vision for the energy transition. Innovations in energy coming from VITO/EnergyVille’s labs are putting Flanders on the map as a pioneer in the transition in various fields. From the hydrogen economy through smart and flexible energy distribution to carbon-neutral industry. In doing so, technological developments will quickly find their way abroad, including beyond Europe.

Climate services

Global warming is not the only crisis threatening our planet. Biodiversity in the many unique ecosystems that the Earth has in abundance is under great pressure or is already declining. These demands action. With its activities in the fields of analysis, modelling and remote sensing, VITO has been very well-equipped for this for years. In projects on climate monitoring or biodiversity, VITO has, as always, been working with respected partners, ranging from the European Space Agency (ESA) through the United Nations’ Environment Programme to the African Union.

Personalised and preventive healthcare

Good health is very dear to us. Naturally, prevention is always better than cure. This is making preventive healthcare more and more important. One of the factors influencing our health is our living environment. If this is healthy, there are some automatic benefits to our own health. Treatments and therapies are becoming ever more individual, a consequence of the rise of personalised healthcare.

Valorisation of sustainable technology

Enhancing the Flemish economy and making it more sustainable

The expertise and technology that VITO develops does not remain in-house. It is also valorised by transferring it to the business world. This is another part of VITO’s mission, as this tech transfer enhances the Flemish economy and makes it more sustainable. The spin-off programme has evolved since its launch in 2015. Whereas spin-offs initially came about from within VITO, they are now more often launched in collaboration with other knowledge institutions. Several long-term partners with which VITO is a ‘co-parent’ of spin-offs are the KU Leuven, the University of Antwerp and imec.

Fundamental and applied research at the University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp awards nearly 250 PhDs every year. It has 21,428 students, 17.5% of whom are from other countries. Together, its nine faculties offer 146 programmes, 29 of which are entirely English-speaking. Together, they also pool a wide range of fundamental and practice-oriented research.

UAntwerpen came about in 2003 through the merger of three existing university ‘centres.’ Yet it is no youngster in higher education in Flanders. Its seeds were sown as early as 1852. In the 1960s, one of the university centres took over the patrimony of the Colonial College founded in 1920.

“Incidentally, the three university centres had been working closely together long before 2003,” explains vice-rector for research and biologist Ronny Blust. “Back then, some courses overlapped and a significant part of the candidate courses (today: bachelor’s) were taught in a different university centre than the master’s courses. Today, none of that remains. We have logically grouped the various fields of study we offer across the three campuses. The younger generations can still barely picture the original structure with three institutions. This shows that the merger has been particularly successful.”

That logic means that the human sciences are housed on the City Campus, partly in restored or renovated buildings with a long historical background. For example, the students of economics, social sciences, arts and philosophy and law, among others, are located in the centre of the old town, the city hall and the city archives. Medicine and biomedical sciences students house at the Drie Eiken Campus, which is adjacent to the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA). “We are developing this site into a Life Sciences campus, while the Middelheim-Groenenborger site continues to profile itself as a Sciences & Technology campus,” says Blust. “At Campus Groenenborger, we are currently building out a new home for our Chemistry Department.”

“The research conducted at the University of Antwerp has a strong fundamental basis. In some fields, we are among the best in the world. But we don’t stop there. It is equally important for us to translate scientific knowledge and insights into applications of social and economic importance. Today’s society has numerous challenges both at the level of ecology, health, sociology and economy.”

Research excellence consortia

The research strategy is homogeneous and balanced for the university as a whole. “The University of Antwerp has 15 research excellence consortia (OEC), active in various scientific disciplines. They are international signposts that bring together consortia of outstanding researchers. Each OEC has a research manager who supports the consortium’s research strategy and plays a crucial role in identifying and raising funding opportunities.”

Core facilities

“In this way, we also pool our research infrastructure as efficiently as possible and can provide our researchers with top infrastructure. This does not alter the fact that certain essential infrastructure remains available in multiple locations. The core facilities are bundled per area of expertise, but for other equipment a distributed setting proved more appropriate. Although the core facilities are concentrated within certain strategic research groups, other re searchers can also use their infrastructure. This fits in with our multidisciplinary approach.”

Vice-rector for research Ronny Blust

© Koen Mortelmans © Marcel van der Burg

Competitiveness

Research funding is channelled through four channels. “Besides the Flemish government’s basic investment for university education, there are also subsidies through various Flemish, Belgian and European initiatives. These are awarded very competitively,” explains Blust. “We encourage and support our researchers to submit applications for these. Such research projects can leverage new ideas and strengthen the university’s image in the outside world. The resources of the Special Research Fund (BOF) also allow us to attract new research professors, further strengthening research and stimulating new initiatives and fields.”

Internationally, UAntwerpen focuses on certain research areas. “For example, our EMAT team is a global leader in materials research and electron microscopy. Our expertise in infection and vaccination research within the Vaxinfectio group is also world-class. Consider, for instance, the brand-new vaccine research centre Vaccinopolis, a unique facility in continental Europe. In genetic and cancer research, environment and climate, sustainable chemistry, digital data and communication, social and political policy, we are also very strong. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, we have been moving up considerably in recent years. We are now ranked 143 worldwide there. For a university of our scale and young history, that is a place we can be very satisfied with. Our international appeal is also reflected in our participation in various European Union-supported research projects by academic institutions and partners from different countries, and the increasing visibility and impact of UAntwerpen in society. Our investments in buildings and infrastructure where researchers and companies can think and work together such as BlueApp and The Beacon will further strengthen this in the future.”

From fundamental research to applications

In Flanders itself, research is further underpinned by collaborations with federal and regional institutes and agencies, and increasingly with industry. As far as applications are concerned, such collaborations are mainly via the Industrial Research Fund (IOF). This

way, we do not stop at continuous fundamental research, but immediately create openings to practical applications. We therefore ensure that expertise from the outside world is brought into a number of our advisory committees and decision-making bodies.”

Centres of Research Excellence

AIPRIL

Antwerp Interdisciplinary Platform for Research into Inequality

CASCH

Catalysis for sustainable organic chemistry

DIGITAX

Digitalisation and Tax

EXPOSOME

From exposome to effect assessment of contaminants in human and animal models

GCE Global Change Ecology

GENOMED GENOmics in MEDicine

GOVTRUST

Trust and distrust in multi-level governance: causes, dynamics, and effects

INFLA-MED

Fundamental and translational research into targets for the treatment of inflammatory diseases

IPPON

Integrated Personalized & Precision Oncology Network

μNeuro

Multidimensional analysis of the nervous system in health and disease

MST

Microbial Systems Technology

NANOLAB

Bringing nanoscience from the lab to society

PLASMA

Plasma for environmental, medical, analytical chemistry and materials applications

RCRC Research Centre on Representatives and their Communication

VAX-IDEA

Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute

www.uantwerpen.be/centres-of-excellence

© Marcel van der Burg

Vaccine research centre Vaccinopolis

ElmediX Thermal Therapy against cancer

Cancer remains a major health issue worldwide. Treatment of local disease has advanced significantly, but systemic, metastasized disease remains a challenge. Small molecule therapy and immunotherapy are promising, but only for a small percentage of patients. The Belgian company ElmediX is developing a disruptive solution for (pancreatic) cancer and other life-threatening diseases by the use of thermal therapy.

“

Clinical research has shown that thermal therapy can have a positive outcome in the treatment of cancer. ElmediX’s thermal therapy is a treatment in which the body temperature is raised to 41.5ºC for a certain period of time,” says co-founder and CEO professor John-Paul Bogers. “Thermal therapy is a treatment modality for cancer patients which increases the patient’s body temperature in order to boost the immune system, inhibit tumor growth and increase the sensitivity of other anti-cancer treatments.”

Thermal therapy is toxic for cells in a hypoxic and low pH environment, conditions which are found specifically within tumor tissue, due to insufficient blood perfusion. Consequently, an anti-cancer effect can be obtained within the (high) fever range with minimal injury to normal cells.

Heat increases permeabilization and the blood flow in the stroma of the tumor, enhancing the oxidative stress (damage) of cancer cells and the resorption of anti-cancer drugs into cancer cells. Chemotherapy therefore, becomes more effective without further toxic effects to the patient.

“In the past, experiments were also carried out at 42 and 43° C. These temperatures are also dangerous for normal cells,” says Bogers. “We looked for the highest possible safe temperatures and duration for a therapeutic ‘thermal dose’”. In the past, the technology needed for this was not available. Now it is available. For example, ElmediX has developed its own treatment chamber (TempoCure®, a kind of incubator), in which a patient is kept under full anaesthetic for two to six hours at week-long intervals. It is heated with fast-flowing warm air.”

“The heating is adjusted on the basis of measurements by three sensors. One sensor is inserted into the rectum, a second into the oesophagus. The third is minimally invasive, via a very thin needle in the liver (TempoSensor®). “The sensors can record temperature differences with an accuracy of 0.01° C.”

Fine-tuning safety level

After studies on dogs and the experimental treatment of a limited number of people - ElmediX is now expanding this clinical trial at the UZ Antwerpen - by treating nine to twelve people with metastatic pancreatic cancer. “We are also developing a biomarker that can predict the susceptibility of an individual tumour. Then we want to apply the treatment, still in the study phase, to twenty to thirty patients in 2-5 Belgian and Dutch hospitals. With this larger group, we want to further demonstrate the safety and provide evidence for clinical efficacy.”

Unlike chemotherapy, for example, the thermal treatment leaves no residual toxicity in the body. “This means that it can be repeated indefinitely. If we succeed in stopping the growth of tumours in this way, we can transform a deadly disease into a chronic one.”

Patents

ElmediX was founded as a spin-off of University of Antwerp. With eight patent families protecting its technology, ElmediX has established a strong position around the world (EU, USA, China and Hong Kong). The company also owns the trademarks for ElmediX and the device names TempoCure® and TempoSensor® in the same regions.

Complementary

Heat also inhibits the recovery of cancer cells from DNA damage and can act on cancer cells resistant to radiation. Hence, radiotherapy and thermal therapy are complementary in their action: free radicals are formed by radiotherapy, which damage the DNA of the tumor cells, then thermal therapy inhibits the repair of the damaged DNA. This allows the radiation dose to be reduced, easing its side-effects on patients without reducing its therapeutic effects.

Thermal therapy may also significantly reduce pain during treatments, which may improve the quality of the patient’s life. This effect has been observed in clinical trials of patients with metastases.

Agoria and 2,000 technology companies: strong sustainability ambitions

In the first sustainability report for the technology industry in Belgium, published in 2022, Agoria informs about the progress of the sector in the field of sustainability.

With this report, realised in cooperation with its 2,000 members and stakeholders, Agoria fulfils its responsibility to communicate transparently its sustainability strategy, with clear engagements and the impact of the sector. The report can be considered as a baseline measurement, the indicators and data of which Agoria will continue to supplement in the coming years.

“With our sustainability report, we want to inspire companies within and outside our sector to integrate sustainability even more into their business operations. Committing to sustainable change will be the decisive factor for the future of our companies,” says Jolyce Demely, general director of Agoria Flanders.

Driving force

“Technological innovation is the driving force of our industry. Our motivation to innovate stems from the ambition to continue creating added value for society, including in the long term. The manufacturing industry is the engine of Belgian export and prosperity. Every job in the manufacturing industry creates at least one other in related service sectors. Almost one in four Belgians earns his or her income thanks to the industry. But high labour costs, the automatic index and inflation put pressure on the added value and competitiveness of Belgian manufacturing companies. Furthermore, the current energy crisis makes it even more difficult for our companies to grow and invest. Research and development are crucial to continue creating added value and jobs from the technology industry and the manufacturing industry in particular. Only by transforming into ‘factories of the future’ – agile, digital, technological and people-oriented undertakings – can our manufacturing companies embed production activities sustainably in a hyper-competitive global economy. Continuous innovation is therefore a necessary precondition to securing the long-term future of the manufacturing industry in our country,” says Demely.

Technology not only creates economic value, but also helps society in many other areas. For example, technology plays a key role in improving traffic safety, strengthening healthcare, fighting and dealing with pandemics and tackling the increasing ageing population. Technological innovations are also vital to the success of the green transition, just think of CO2 capture and storage, smart energy grids or electric vehicles. In short: without technological innovation, we would live in a less safe, comfortable, healthy, sustainable and connected society. “From our sector, we strive to maximize all such positive impact of technology, while keeping an eye on related concerns, such as the ethical use of AI, the impact of technology on organizations, universal access to digitization and ensuring privacy,” she adds.

Leaders

In 2021, Belgium was in fourth place on the European Innovation Scoreboard and is counted among the European Innovation Leaders, along with Sweden, Finland and Denmark. We aspire to be in the top

three by 2030. The total expenditure of the technology industry on R&D amounted to € 3,238 million in 2019. With that amount, the technology industry financed 29% of all Belgian R&D efforts.

“In our sustainability report, we commit ourselves to create a net 40,000 additional jobs and fill them by 2030. In addition, we make sure that employees in our sector know what competencies are needed for their jobs in 2030 and that they receive the necessary training.”

Jolyce Demely

Email: Jolyce.demely@agoria.be www.agoria.be

Agoria’s commitments:

- We aim to have Belgium in the top three of the European innovation scoreboard by 2030, with the technology industry accounting for a third of R&D expenditure in Belgian industry.

- The added value of the technology industry will grow by an average of 2.2% per year by 2030.

- The added value of the manufacturing industry will grow by 1% per year by 2030.

- We will bring five breakthrough technologies (product or process) to the market that create societal value by 2030.

© Agoria Vlaanderen

Jolyce Demely, general director of Agoria Flanders

Antwerp University Hospital

As a specialised third-line hospital, the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) stands for innovation and the latest techniques and treatments. In addition, the hospital is a reliable partner for cooperation with other healthcare providers and medical companies. The UZA also conducts groundbreaking scientific research with an international dimension. “Sharing expertise and resources offers many advantages. First and foremost for the patient.”

With 573 beds and some 717,000 consultations and 50,015 day admissions annually, the UZA is a midsize hospital by Belgian standards. In 2017, the UZA was the first European hospital to gain Magnet® recognition.

This is the highest form of recognition for nursing care worldwide. “As a university hospital, we have a wide range of specialized treatments. Much of our added value comes from top expertise for complex and rare syndromes. In doing so, we play a pioneering role in the wider region, both in diagnosis and treatment,” says CEO Prof. Dr Marc Peeters. “In addition, we promote ‘evidence-based medicine’: medicine based on scientific evidence. Science, training and innovation are essential, and that also ensures that our health care delivery improves for every patient.”

In fact, according to the UZA, that care delivery is best done by working together with general hospitals. The days of being each other’s competitors are definitely over. Just look at the Helix network. The future is therefore all about synergy. “Not only with hospitals, but also with companies operating in the medical sector. The aim is to form an integrated system, say a kind of ‘Antwerp Health Harbour’: an Antwerp innovative health hub in which all healthcare actors in the region work closely together.”

Essential for a university hospital is the training function. “Not only for doctors, but also for nurses and paramedics. That is why we have a close relationship with the University of Antwerp and its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, as well as with the asso ciated colleges.”

423 clinical protocols

Besides care and training, basic and translational research is also a main task in a university hospital. “When we conduct research, we immediately take the results into practice. To treat patients better, but also to enrich education. So the ‘bench to bedside and back’ principle applies here to the maximum extent. The time and resources necessary for continuous training and research are structurally embedded in our organisation. Furthermore, our staff takes on social responsibility from their clinical, pedagogical and/or scientific expertise.”

In 2021, 423 clinical protocols were submitted to the Ethics Committee. That year, 15 UZA employees defended their doctorates in medical sciences at the University of Antwerp. “We also participated in 20 externally funded projects at that time. We also receive many requests from companies to test new drugs. A total of 307 academic and 116 commercial studies were involved.” Within oncology alone, there are more than 100 studies running every year.

Joint valorisation manager

Over the years, the UZA built a strong reputation around oncology research. Just think of the research into new biomarkers and microtumours conducted at the Medical Genetics Centre and at the Centre for Oncological Research (Core).

The university’s Life Sciences campus connects to that of UZA. Cooperation between the hospital and the university manifests itself in joint project teams, such as oncogenetics. The university hospital and

“We immediately put research results into practice and education”

CEO Prof. Dr Marc Peeters

the university want to further structurally streamline and intensify their research and innovation cooperation. “One way to do this is a joint valorisation manager. Currently, patent applications, the establishment of spin-offs and contacts with industry still go through two separate legal entities. It is not always clear who should take the lead.”

“On the joint campus, there is still plenty of space available for new initiatives,” Peeters says. “Not only for spin-offs, but also for infrastructure for sports physiology research.”

Double the size of research unit

During 2022, the UZA opened the University Clinical Research Centre Antwerp (Uniccra), the renovated centre for early clinical studies. It is twice the size of the former research unit. “Here we follow up the very first treatments with new drugs. In addition to a completely new day hospital, the centre has an integrated laboratory and more space to bring together specialised teams. The aim is to give patients access to drugs that often won’t come on the market for several years.”

The centre is for all clinical trials. “We do focus there on phase 1 and phase 2 studies. These early studies are very labour-intensive and require specific expertise from study staff. Precisely because the drugs are so new, patients have to be followed up closely. But even in phase 3 studies, it is important to pick up all signals immediately.”

Uniccra is equipped with a completely new day hospital with a monitoring system, an integrated laboratory and a kiosk that allows patients to measure all their blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation and weight by themselves. Currently, the majority of phase 1 studies consist of cancer patients. “But we want to make the centre available to researchers and patients from all disciplines, both internal and external. The research centre should be an incubator that helps us bring even more studies to our region.”

Vaccinopolis

In 2022, the University of Antwerp opened the research centre Vaccinopolis on their campus in Edegem, specially built for testing vaccines against numerous infectious diseases, such as RSV, dengue or whooping cough. This can further ac celerate the fight against new and existing diseases - such as influenza. Test subjects first receive a vaccine or placebo and then a reduced dose of a pathogen. This allows researchers to test w hether and how a particular vaccine candidate works in an accelerated manner. There is no comparable facility of that size in continental Europe. Vaccinopolis has thirty beds. In some studies, test subjects will spend several weeks in complete quarantine. This is done for safety reasons: the pathogens must obviously not be allowed free rein in society.

Rare diseases

Care teams at UZA examine more than 15,000 patients with rare diseases every year. Prof. Dr. Marc Peeters stresses that UZA is strongly committed to their diagnosis and treatment. “According to European research, patients with a rare condition give care a higher rating when the multidisciplinary care team participates in a disease management programme. We therefore share our expertise and knowledge on rare diseases in 15 of the 24 European Reference Networks (ERNs). When healthcare providers share expertise and experience, patients with rare diseases get a correct diagnosis and better treatment faster.”

UZA

Drie Eikenstraat 655 - B-2650 Edegem

Tel.: +32 (0)3 821 30 00

Email: vragen@uza.be - https://www.uza.be/

Valipac takes the lead in circularity of C&I

packaging in Europe

The transition towards a circular packaging economy is high on the agenda, not only in the corporate world, but also among policy makers. European frontrunner in this area is Belgium, with its unique organisation for commercial and industrial (C&I) packaging - Valipac - allowing the country to already meet and even exceed the latest recycling targets today. ‘Let’s act together for a circular economy’ is not an empty slogan at Valipac, but an ambitious objective.

While the other EU-member states slowly begin to set up a scheme for C&I packaging, the Belgian system was installed 25 years ago. Since then, Valipac is the accredited body for extended producer responsibility for C&I packaging in Belgium. It works according to a mutualistic and participatory model, based on consultation between the various stakeholders. Trade federations, companies and employers’ organisations all are part of its decision-making bodies.

In recent years, Valipac has set up various projects with its stakeholders to maximise the recycling of C&I packaging waste and to process the recyclate into new plastic packaging. By 31 December 2025, at least 65% by weight of all European packaging waste must be recycled, increasing to at least 70% by 31 December 2030. The Extended Producer Responsibility makes the producer responsible for designing products from materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible and in such a way as to optimise their collection, but also the processing of his products with special attention to recycling. In 2022, Valipac introduced a bonus-system for recycled content in plastic packaging and takes herewith the lead of packaging circularity in Europe.

Contrary to other European countries, Belgium has established two separate EPR-organisations for packaging waste, one for household packaging and another for C&I packaging. Only some forty Belgian companies can comply individually with their EPR obligations. “This small minority is well organised to do so,” explains Valipac’s Managing Director Francis Huysman. “But the majority of the companies has delegated this responsibility to Valipac, by paying a retribution. Together, we cover about 85% of the market.” The remaining ‘free-riders’ aren’t working according to the legal terms and can be fined. Most of them however are small companies with very low amounts of packaging.”

“Until recently, we focussed on registering the C&I packaging placed on the market and collected in Belgium, and encouraging selective collection from companies,” says Francis Huysman. “In more than twenty years, we succeeded in raising the recycling percentage of C&I packaging from 74 to 91.2%, making Belgium the leading nation in Europe. Currently, 61.7% of the plastic packaging gets recycled, 84.5% of the metal, 90.5% of the wood and even 100% of the paper and cardboard. In this model, the recycling of plastic packaging is mainly done outside Europe. Important recycling activities are performed in Turkey and some South-East Asiatic countries.

Boost recycling in Europe

“However, this model is not sustainable. On the one hand, because the export of waste materials means a loss of secondary raw materials and added value for European industry. On the other hand, because it makes traceability and control of effective recycling more difficult. That is why we are evolving towards a circular model in which most of the recycling process and use of the recyclate remains on European soil. It is important to find European companies interested in the processing and reusing of collected packaging waste.”

To get a detailed view on the exact current destination of the Belgian commercial & industrial packaging waste, Valipac set up agreements with the largest waste traders, the companies who purchase, sell and ship waste to different destinations for recycling. These contracts with the traders, in combination with the information provided with the waste collectors, generated a detailed mapping of the exact destination of our packaging waste. “Currently, Valipac is the first organisation in Europe to have a clear overview of the final destinations of 99% of the industrial plastic packaging waste and 95% of the paper and cardboard packaging waste from Belgian companies. Based on this information, Valipac is now also able to audit the foreign recycling facilities to ensure that all the waste is properly and entirely recycled according to broadly equivalent conditions.”

© Valipac

© Valipac

Valipac’s Managing Director Francis Huysman

Partnerships

Overall, companies are continuously sorting more and better, but there still remains some room for improvement. Through profound analysis of the waste production and the sorting behaviour of 190.000 Belgian companies, Valipac pinpoints the waste streams that require extra initiatives to create further awareness. “We promote the principle of circularity in Europe with a circular model in which the focus is on the co-responsibility of all stakeholders,” Francis Huysman explains. “We will no longer only register the C&I packaging placed on the market and collected in Belgium. We are seeking and entering into partnerships with new stakeholders across Europe: traders and recycling companies will have to cooperate in full transparency in order to be able to find out where the C&I packaging waste ends up and how much of it is recycled. From the packaging producers, we will collect information on how much of this new raw material is converted back into packaging.”

Incentive

Starting in 2022, Valipac supports companies which adopt sustainable packaging with an incentive. “We pay our clients a bonus of 50 euros per tonne of post-consumer recyclate incorporated into their C&I plastic packaging. The only conditions are that the packaging is used for goods that are packaged and sold in Belgium and that the percentage of recycled content is certified. The packaging may be produced internationally, as long as the percentage of post-consumer recyclate incorporated in the packaging is proven. The minimum requirement is set on 30%. Logically, given that today only a handful of packaging producers offer such solutions.”

myRecycledContent.be

The launch of the new bonus-system was accompanied by the launch of the platform myRecycledContent.be, where supply and demand can find each other. “Even today, few companies are aware that

films with recyclate are equivalent to virgin films,” says Francis Huysman. “Unknown is unloved, so there is no demand for such solutions. As a result, few packaging producers are interested in investing in production lines to process recyclate. We want to eliminate this chicken-and-egg story by sharing knowledge and raising awareness, but also by offering a tool where parties can find each other. Doing so, we took another step towards a European approach, because logically the website isn’t used by only Belgian players.” In collaboration with its partner organisations in France, Germany and the United Kingdom (the initiative isn’t limited to EU-members), Valipac also started www.myRecycledContent.eu. This project aims to bring together suppliers of plastic C&I packaging containing recycled material on a single European platform and to establish a common database, without any commercial or marketing purpose.

Company specific projects

Valipac also stimulates and assists in company specific projects to use packaging with as few difficult to recycle additives as possible. “For example, we were able to convince a brick producer to reduce the number of red pigments in their plastic packaging (shrink hoods). The use of the pigments resulted in a downgrading of the recyclate. With the new solution - only a small sleeve with printed pigments - most of the packaging can be reused to produce new transparent packaging.”

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Valipac

Pack4Food

European catalyst for innovative food packaging

In recent years, the food packaging value chain has been characterised by a never-ending stream of innovations. In Flanders, Pack4Food is the driving force behind the optimisation of packaging for the food industry. The cross-sectoral approach in which all stakeholders throughout the whole value chain bundle their knowledge and expertise, proves particularly efficient. Thanks to Pack4Food, Flanders plays a leading role in the international research on food packaging.

Pack4Food is a consortium of research institutes and the food & packaging industry (food producers, packaging materials suppliers and converters as well as packing and measuring equipment, suppliers, retailers etc.). “From the principle ‘together we are stronger’ these parties join forces to stimulate innovation in food packaging,” says director Peter Ragaert. “Pack4Food acts as a bridge builder and communication channel. An important task for our six-person team is to initiate and coordinate research that has real added value for the food packaging value chain. Our ambition is to formulate answers to real food packaging challenges, and to do so from a unbiased vision and approach.” Pack4Food also has earned its spurs internationally. The organisation is increasingly involved in European research projects and is putting Flanders on the map as a leader in innovation in food packaging.

Sustainability at the centre

Logically, the research area of Pack4Food are very broad. Never theless, the emphasis in recent years has mainly been on sustainability. “It is true that we always approach this theme from the perspective that packaging must first and foremost ensure the re quired shelf life of food products,” says director An Vermeulen.

Circopack is a good example in this context. In this research project, a tool was developed that allows companies to interpret the sustainability of food packaging correctly from different perspec tives and across the entire value chain. (www.circopack. be) The tool calculates the footprint of both food production and packaging and should help companies to gear their packaging policy optimally to the circular economy without compromising the packaging functionality and the food quality and safety.

Multi2Recycle is another project worth mentioning. This project formulates an answer to the question “How can multilayer polypropylene food packaging foils be recyclable and at the same time have the optimal barrier properties to ensure the shelf life of food products?” More specifically, Multi2Recycle evaluates the impact of the packaging composition vs. its mechanical recyclability, with the aim to recycle the packaging foil into a new foil for secondary or tertiary (food) packaging and primary non-food packaging applications. Moreover, the mechanical recyclability of mixed streams of polypropylene foils and its repetitive recycling is evaluated. Even so, guaranteeing the functionality of the packaging for the food products (i.e. barrier properties, transport simulations, etc.) is key in Multi2Recycle.

The functionality of food packaging is also paramount in Repac², a European Cornet project. This project evaluates the applicability of coated paper packaging materials for various food products as well as their recyclability.

Digitalization in food packaging is the future

Meanwhile, digital technologies and data also provide an important transformative driver for the food packaging industry. Building a more resilient supply chain involves investing in new technologies and the interconnectivity of digital tools, physical infrastructure, and underlying data streams to move from descriptive to predictive supply chains.

In this context the project Smart Packaging for Intelligent Logistics is a good example. This project, initiated by AIPIA (Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association), assesses how to increase the use of commercial smart packaging technologies to improve supply chain efficiency (i.e. cost, energy and waste reduction) in four sectors i.e. food, beverage, health care and high tech. Pack4Food is work package leader for the beverage case and engaged AB InBev to participate in the project. AB InBev’s overall goal is to make packaging environmentally friendly at affordable cost. Within the project they want to find solutions to motivate consumers to return their crates (faster).

There is no doubt that smart technologies will encourage the circular economy and as such the transition towards circular food packaging. “For example, together with Flanders’ FOOD (coordinator) and imec and with financial support of EFRO, we want to investigate in another project, called Vision2Reuse, how smart camera technologies can be used for quality control of reusable packaging,” says An Vermeulen. We are thinking of a system by analogy with empty bottles. The consumer brings his reusable packaging back to the department store and puts it into a device, where a smart camera verifies whether this packaging is damaged or dirty. Based on this information, the packaging is diverted to recycling or a washing line. As technology continues to get smarter, new applications will emerge that intelligently combine packaging and sustainability.

Roadmap as a foundation

The fact that Pack4Food is involved in a wide range of national and European research projects leading to new and improved packaging concepts for food, has a lot to do with the vision of the organisation. This was translated in cooperation with Flanders’ Food, Catalisti, SIM and VIL into a cross-sector Roadmap Food Packaging of the Future. Peter Ragaert: “This is an innovation roadmap that aims to formulate answers to the packaging challenges of 2030. The roadmap is based on three pillars: circular packaging, smart packaging and packaging & logistics with an overarching pillar: packaging and digitalisation.”

European collaboration is key!

This Roadmap opens also doors at the European level. For example, Pack4Food has established an European S3 Partnership Food Packaging, in cooperation with Flanders’ Food. In the Partnership, currently 20 clusters in 11 European countries have joined their forces to accelerate the transition towards circular food packaging. The aim is to facilitate the exchange of know-how along the whole food packaging value chain and thus accelerate the introduction and

implementation of new sustainable and/or smart food packaging technologies and innovations in the food packaging industry. Besides a network of ‘living labs’ i.e. an infrastructure where companies can have their packaging tested for shelf life, recycling potential, intelligence, etc, will be developed. The S3 Partnership Food Packaging is open and inclusive to all interested and committed European regions that agree with the vision and strategy of the partnership.

https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/foodpackaging

Numerous training courses

Pack4Food does not only make a difference by initiating and partnering in research. The organisation also ensures a flow of information to all stakeholders in the value chain. “Together with various research partners, practical training is regularly given to companies, both for a group of companies as individually for one company, in Dutch or English. Our offer is very diverse. It ranges from packaging techniques such as packaging under modified atmosphere (MAP) over packaging materials such as biobased and compostable plastics, to new technologies such as active and intelligent packaging. Because we are close to the source, we can constantly optimise the training courses with new information obtained from the various research projects. We also regularly initiate new training courses. Last year, for example, we started training courses ‘Sorting and recycling packaging’ and ‘Sustainable packaging’. Finally, Pack4Food supports the new advanced master program ‘Sustainable food packaging’ at Ghent University (www.sfp.ugent.be).”

Keep working on optimisation

“The mission of Pack4Food, i.e. decrease food losses and waste by optimal food packaging, is an ongoing working process. That is why the organisation continues to formulate and submit project proposals. The food packaging sector is constantly changing, driven by new technologies, raw materials, regulations, needs and trends. Therefore, we must continue to support research into existing and upcoming challenges”, says An Vermeulen.

25 years of excellence-driven research with a strong societal impact

As the leading life sciences research institute in Flanders, VIB performs strategic basic research with a strong focus on translating scientific results into real-world pharmaceutical, agricultural, and clinical impact.

Over 1,800 scientists from more than 75 countries perform research at VIB. The institute is distributed across nine research centers embedded in the five Flemish universities: Ghent University, KU Leuven, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Antwerp, and Hasselt University. Research areas cover bioinformatics, cancer, inflammation and immunity, microbiology, neuroscience, plant biology, proteomics, structural biology, and systems biology. Looking forward, VIB is also making waves in computational biology. The appointment of Christine Durinx, former Executive Director of the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, as co-managing director in April 2022 strengthens VIB’s commitment to focus on the burgeoning fields of data science and personalized health.

In 2022, VIB researchers continued to push the boundaries of the life sciences.

The team of Stein Aerts (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) and colleagues, for example, combined single-cell data with machine learning to unravel gene regulation in all cells of the fruit fly brain. The use of deep learning to reveal how specific pieces of DNA control brain cell growth and identity is a signpost of a new era of AI-driven biomedical research with unprecedented possibilities, including personalized medicine. The Aerts team is also part of a large international consortium that created the first complete atlas of all fly cells.

Another example of a breakthrough insight is the work by the group of Jan Michiels (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology) on

antibiotic resistance. Sleeping bacterial cells or persister cells contribute significantly to antibiotic resistance. The team showed that the timing of persister cells waking up is associated with the development of antibiotic resistance. Together with their recent discovery that sour bacteria become hyper-tolerant, this highlights potential new targets for more efficient antibiotic treatments.

Researchers from the lab of Alain Goossens (VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology) also continue to pave the way toward the future of sustainable agriculture. Using the gene-editing technique CRISPR/ Cas9, the genes responsible for the bitter taste were successfully altered, reducing the bitterness of the crops. These findings offer prospects for breeding other bitter crops such as Brussels sprouts and endive. Beyond the market potential, the successful application of the technique will be pivotal in breeding climate-resilient staple crops.

2022 was also a very productive year in translation and collaboration for VIB. Protealis, based on the strategic alliance of research institutes VIB and ILVO, aims to harvest the full potential of legume crops. The initial focus is to develop high-yielding, high-protein soybean varieties to future-proof the plant-based protein supply and consumption in Europe. The company draws on the unique know-how of each of the partners, developed and refined over the years at the VIB labs of Sofie Goormachtig (VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology) and Jan Michiels (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology), and the ILVO teams of Joke Pannecoucque and Isabel Roldán-Ruiz.

Confo Therapeutics uses a unique platform technology to develop G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) modulators for patients with severe and underserved diseases, with a specific focus on rare diseases. Among other things, the company intends to address an important target for neurological orphan conditions that is currently considered an undruggable GPCR. In 2022, the first drug candidate moved into clinical development in a Phase I study.

New start-up MRM Health focuses on the microbiome. Recently, the company received positive results from a preclinical study on the effects of their 9-strain bacterial consortium to delay disease progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. Additionally, the company received approval to move forward with a Phase II clinical trial in pouchitis with a

combination of 6 well-characterized commensal strains. This synergistic micro-ecosystem is expected to result in greater efficacy than conventional microbiome therapeutics.

Recent spin-off Jay Tx focuses on tauopathies. The team of Patrik Verstreken (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) identified a specific protein called Synaptogyrine which, when knocked out, seems to improve cognitive functions based on findings in lab mice and human cells. This could lead to therapies for tau-linked neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and PSP.

An additional strategic initiative to increase the immediate social impact of VIB research is the Grand Challenges Prog ram. Projects funded through this program are transdisciplinary, address primary challenges in healthcare and agriculture, and involve extensive collaboration with partners beyond VIB. Each Grand Challenges project will also involve close interaction with many stakeholders, such as patient organizations and policymakers. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the program cleared additional funds for projects

explicitly addressing the pandemic. These projects support trials aiming to repurpose existing medication and characterize disease progression to identify susceptibility factors. The Grand Challenges Program illustrates VIB’s commitment to transparent and rapid positive impact with the involvement of many stakeholders. As part of its outreach efforts, the Grand Challenges Program worked with Bozar and Gluon to bring scientists and artists together, resulting in the ‘Colliding Epistemes’ exhibition.

Beyond science and translation, VIB is also highly active in science communication. In 2022, VIB celebrated its 25th anniversary, an opportunity to launch the 25 years of VIB campaign that introduced decades of VIB research and its impact to a broad audience. The institute also remains invested in science outreach events such as the Nerdland festival and education initiatives such as Wetenschap Op Stap.

In 2022, the combination of breakthrough science, immediate and long-term impact, and informing the public continues to be a successful approach for VIB.

© VIB-IneDehandschutter

Inagro

Practical research for sustainable agriculture

As a research and advice centre, Inagro has been assisting farmers and horticulturalists in their quest for sustainable and efficient cultivation methods since 1956. Initially, its activities were limited to the province of West Flanders, but Inagro has since built up so much expertise that it can also offer cross-border services.

“

Even before the Second World War, the Flemish flax fibre preparation industry, which was highly concentrated in West Flanders, was working on the establishment of a scientific flax institute,” says director Mia Demeulemeester. “But the creation of a study centre providing sound technical information in the flax sector became urgent in the 1950s, when flax and some other industrial crops were experiencing difficulties. This gave rise to the idea of setting up a provincial research institute. It would mainly study the technical problems of the industrial crops. In May 1956, the foundation of the Provincial Research and Information Centre for Industrial Crops was official.

From the start, the focus was on improving cultivation techniques, comparing varieties and introducing new crops. This was done close to and with the sector so that results could be implemented quickly on the farms.

In the meantime, farms have developed into real businesses. “Today’s farmer is a well-educated manager who needs knowledge in various fields. In terms of practical technical knowledge, Inagro offers him a lot of support. “Providing scientifically substantiated practical research and transferring knowledge to stakeholders in the agricultural sector are our core activities,” says Demeulemeester.

Challenges

“The global challenges of economic competition, demographic change, climate change and sustainability requirements call for initiatives on a regional, national and European scale to future-proof sectors such as agriculture and horticulture. Innovation and knowledge are the keys to bringing about sustainable change. Inagro participates in efforts to meet future requirements. Every year, we carry out more than 400 tests. These form the basis for our independent advice. We also organise more than 150 seminars, demos and training sessions. Inagro is an important partner in the European international Agriculture Innovation and Knowledge System (AKIS).

Laboratory

For fast-growing crops and when weather conditions change rapidly, it is crucial to be on the ball. Fast, high-quality analysis is therefore of great importance. “For this purpose, we have our own independent and accredited laboratory. Farmers and horticulturalists can go there to have their soil, crops, manure, water

and fodder analysed. The ISO 17025-certified lab is equipped with various state-of-the-art equipment for sample preparation and different measuring devices for a wide range of analyses. Every year, it analyses about 70,000 samples, mainly soil samples. Customers can deliver samples 24/7 via the refrigerated night safe.”

Ever since its establishment as a research centre, Inagro has been striving for better cultivation techniques through trials on a practical scale. This way, the research results can be used immediately. Inagro’s 230 mainly scientific and technical employees carry out their practice-oriented and -driven research programmes partly on farms, but mainly in its own extensive research infrastructure.

Extensive and specialised facilities

Research into outdoor cultivation concentrates on horticultural, arable and fodder crops, both in traditional and organic cultivation systems. “In order to be able to carry out thorough research in various soil types and conditions, we have set up trial fields throughout the province, which we manage according to the Good Experimental Practices (GEP) standards of the European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO). In this way, we guarantee that each trial is carried out in a standardised, high-quality and traceable manner. Thanks to the GEP accreditation, Inagro can carry out assignments for the phytosanitary industry.” The trial fields together cover an area of 35 hectares. In Roeselare Inagro also has 10 000 m² of greenhouses and an installation for the production of biogas.

Bart Naeyaert, president, and Mia Demeulemeester, director of Inagro

© Inagro

© Inagro

For greenhouse cultivation, the focus is on leafy crops, fruiting vegetables and strawberries. “We also have the necessary facilities for research into chicory in hydroponics. And for research into edible mushrooms, we have, among other things, bunkers for research into the composting process and three test cellswith an underpressure and overpressure greenhouse - for research into combating diseases and pests.”

Fish and meat

Gradually, Inagro’s field of activity has broadened, without compromising on thorough specialisation. Quality and environmental impact are now at least as important as maximising yield. Today, Inagro also provides independent advice in the animal sector, including to dairy and pig farmers. “Our aquaculture practice centre has research infrastructure for the production and rearing of freshwater fish.”

One of the most recent realisations is the roof greenhouse Agrotopia. This is Inagro’s response to the current trend of growing vegetables on roofs in highly urbanised environments. “We are investigating the possibility of organising this on a larger scale and using residual flows from the immediate surroundings for this cultivation.”

Local production of proteins

“We have always had an eye for new trends, not only in agriculture and food, but also in a broader social context. In the early

days, this included the gradual transition in West Flanders from flax and tobacco to vegetables for the fresh and frozen market. Now, it includes the implications of climate change. In this context, we are looking for alternatives to drought-sensitive crops. And in the context of a more sustainable society, we are looking for vegetable alternatives to meat. On our trial fields, we are experimenting with soya, quinoa and chickpeas, crops that could potentially provide locally produced proteins. We are also conducting research into the professional cultivation of insects for food supply. Our focus here is on the entire food chain.”

Spreading knowledge

Inagro disseminates the collected knowledge through various on- and offline channels. “Fast, direct and accessible communication with farmers, horticulturalists and stakeholders is a spearhead in this. We are also ready to provide (individual) advice, including through business coaching, learning networks, scans and audits. Through analysis and diagnostics, we help farmers to detect abnormalities in time and to comply with legal obligations. Where necessary, we work together with technology companies, industry peers and suppliers. For research results that are sensitive in competitive or other ways, we guarantee confidentiality for our partners.”

Thanks to years of project experience, Inagro is now an expert in Flemish and European subsidy programmes. “We are the project coordinator of various Interreg projects at a European level, several practical scientific research projects of the Flemish agency for innovation and entrepreneurship (VLAIO) and demonstration projects at a regional level. Inagro is also a partner in several H2020 and Horizon Europe projects, “director Mia Demeulemeester underlines.

Inagro © Inagro © Inagro

Ghent University

Interdisciplinary cooperation as a core strategy

In its more than two hundred years of existence, Ghent University has built up a solid scientific reputation. It invests in both fundamental and high-risk as well as applied research. Consequently, Ghent University is highly regarded internationally for its expertise in life sciences, (animal) medicine, materials science, agricultural and sports sciences, psychology and history.

Research is the engine of Ghent University. The results of this research have an impact on society at large. The research gives new impulses to education and lays the foundation for a progressive knowledge society. In the period 2008-2021 alone, this led to the creation of 91 spin-offs and the granting of 1.661 patents.

Bottom-up

The top can count on a solid basis: thanks to a bottom-up research policy, young researchers are given the necessary opportunities to grow. Thanks to the excellent performance of its entire research community, the university has been ranked since 2010 in the top 100 of the Shanghai Ranking - a worldwide ranking based on research indicators - for many years. It is also exploring new horizons in interdisciplinary research. This interdisciplinary approach is mainly expressed in the ten specific interdisciplinary research centres (IDC) established within Ghent University.

Interdisciplinary research centres

The IDCs are funded through the university’s Special Research Fund. In addition to interdisciplinarity, they also pursue transdisciplinarity

and cocreation with non-academic stakeholders. Thus, the IDC Psync is a model for a new form of research collaboration on mental health. Gray (Ghent University Research for Aging Young) is an IDC aimed at boosting healthy ageing through translational re search, social impact and valorisation of new solutions, interventions, products and services. This IDC brings together expertise in the biology of ageing, health promotion, healthy behaviour (exercise, nutrition, mental wellbeing and cognitive behaviour), geriatrics, environments that encourage healthy ageing and the use of adaptive technologies within the field of ageing.

IOF platforms

In addition to the IDCs, there are the IOF platforms. These platforms stand at the intersection of different research domains and have an eye for the innovation needs of industry. In this way, they meet the growing social and economic importance of interdisciplinarity. The IOF network consists of a number of business development centres that bring together complementary research departments per application area or domain of expertise. Each centre is responsible for technology transfer within its area of competence. For example, there is Gate, a platform that clusters the excellence in the fields of gene, cell and tissue engineering, across disciplines, institutes of the

© UGent, Jonas Vandecasteele

Ghent University institutes and hospitals. This platform covers a broad scope of expertise and applications, from designing genetic tools and cell products for therapy, to the development of new materials to guide stem cell behaviour and construct tissues and organs for regenerative medicine, as well as artificial systems for drug screening and personalized medicine.

North Sea

The Belgian zone of interest in the North Sea is much smaller than that of the other coastal states, but it is intensively used. By shipping, for various submarine cables, for fishing, mussel farming, sand extraction and for offshore electricity production by wind turbines. Ghent University is actively involved in researching the various economic and ecological aspects of the blue economy. On its Ostend campus, the university invests in labs and personnel through the company Greenbridge. In addition, together with the port and the province of West Flanders, the university has founded Ostend Science Park, which will build a blue science park. By

allowing more expertises to work together and linking them, the university wants to reconcile the values of ‘good for the ecosystem’ and ‘good for the economy’. Among other things, it is trying to find out whether artificial oyster reefs break the waves, so that it would no longer be necessary to blow up sand to keep the Flemish coast intact.

A team is analysing the microbes in water to improve the health of farmed fish and shrimps. By taking snapshots of the bacteria in the water, the scientists can detect infections early and take preventive action against diseases. As a result, the use of medication can be reduced and mortality among young fish can be reduced. In fish farming and other forms of aquaculture worldwide, up to 80% of young animals still die during the first two to three months. The researchers at Ghent University are making the animals healthier and stronger by monitoring the water quality, optimising the diet and reducing stress. They are also looking for alternatives to antibiotic use, for example by working with probiotics and with plant components such as green tea extracts.

Energy transition

UGent is project leader in four and partner in nine of the twenty projects of the latest Belgian Energy Transition Fund (ETF). The goal of the ETF is to encourage and support research, development and innovation in the field of energy within the federal energy competences. Each year, a call is launched to submit projects that fall within three specific themes: renewable energy sources in the North Sea and biofuels, nuclear energy applications and security of supply and grid balance.

UGent’s expertise in this area is mainly concentrated in the UGent valorisation consortia EnerGhentIC (energy transition) and Metals (metals). It is supported via the UGent Hydrogen Platform.

The MuSE (Molecules at Sea) project looks for opportunities to import renewable molecules, such as hydrogen, methanol and methane from offshore energy production. This research examines both the technical and scientific obstacles and opportunities and the socio-economic and legal framework, with a view to a circular economy.

UGent also leads BLEEPID, a project for the development of new techniques to optimise the maintenance planning of the blades of offshore wind turbines by means of drone inspections, thus extending their lifespan. Through CO2MBS, UGent and its project partners want to examine the extent to which CO2 from, for example, gas-fired power stations can be reused to make synthetic methane together with hydrogen and whether this can then be efficiently integrated into the Belgian energy system. HYSource is a research project into the possible use of existing pipelines to transport hydrogen.

© UGent, Hilde Christiaens © Stad Gent, Christophe Vander Eecken,

Research group «Industrial Systems Engineering» - ISyE

Optimising production processes and shaping circular economy

Industrial Systems Engineering (ISyE) is a research group of the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design (EA18) at Ghent University. It operates as a core lab within the Production cluster of the strategic research centre Flanders Make. The core competences of the multidisciplinary team of seven professors and 38 researchers lie in the design, optimisation and validation of production and logistics systems.

“Our project portfolio includes fundamental research in three areas of competence: (1) stochastic optimisation and simulation; (2) intelligent decision support systems; and (3) manufacturing knowledge and automation engineering,” Professor Dr Johannes Cottyn says. The further valorisation of the innovative project results is done through collective industrial research with our industrial partners. This industrial collaboration is coordinated from the Industrial Research Fund (IOF) Machineries & Factories of Ghent University,” Prof. Cottyn explains.

“Our lab infrastructure reflects real production environments and state-of-the-art technology. The research results are validated and demonstrated within the application labs Smart & Agile Assembly and Smart Production Organisation of the Machinery & Mechatronics Centre, as part of the West Flanders Factories for the Future initiative.”

Smart Production Organisation Lab

The Smart Production Organisation Lab opened its doors in 2019, as one of five high-tech laboratories for mechanical engineering and mechatronics in the province of West Flanders. There, they aim to help manufacturing companies take the step towards Industry 4.0. “In the Smart Production Organisation Lab, we want to improve existing production systems by linking them to their digital twins,” Prof. Cottyn explains. “Through those digital simulations, we can facilitate a lot of operational improvements of production systems through interactive and company-specific analyses.”

For this purpose, the application lab is equipped with a high-resolution 180-degree video wall and an interactive meeting table for multiscreen sharing. “The video wall is an alternative to immersive glasses. By bringing the digital twin of the production system to the table, we can maintain interaction between participants. This is crucial in the high complexity of such engineering and optimisation processes.”

Demanding market

Customers of manufacturing companies increasingly expect customised products, delivered quickly and preferably at no extra cost. Those who manage to respond to this are immediately a solid step ahead of the competition. “We help them realise the necessary switch to smart, digi tal factories. In our lab, companies developing production systems, machines, subsystems or process software have the opportunity to test out the latest production technologies and manufacturing processes in real conditions.”

Technologically, a lot is already possible, but methods to build those digital models cost-efficiently and to further automate decision support are particularly lacking. “To make this more accessible, we are working with technology suppliers on data capture and integration platforms based on industry standards. With this, we want to use the power of large masses of data from industrial reality to automatically identify relationships between the recorded data, integrate this information into virtual models and thus make it usable for the optimisation of industrial production processes.”

Circular passport

To this end, the Lab will move to a brand new building in spring 2023. “We will also work there on a European project to give manufactured metal components a digital passport. Such a passport can be very useful in an economy where the circular reuse of materials and components is growing in importance.”

Industrial Systems Engineering - ISyE

Sint-Martens-Latemlaan 2B

B-8500 Kortrijk

Tel.: +32 (0)56 241 221

Email: johannes.cottyn@ugent.be

https://www.ugent.be/m-f/en/research/isye

Prof. dr. Johannes Cottyn © ISyE

From strategic research to broad research dissemination

Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging at UZ/KU Leuven Innovative research and applications for radioactive tracers

Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging is a medical division at Gasthuisberg UZ/KU Leuven. It aims at high-quality second and third-line specialized molecular diagnostic imaging, focusing on quantitative emission tomography (PET and SPECT) and the development of novel radionuclide-based therapy.

The division performs ~20.000 diagnostic procedures per year: mainly skeletal scintigraphy (43%), PET oncology (31%), cardiology (6%), infection (5%), brain (4%), lung (2%) and kidney (2%) imaging. Every year it also conducts ~400 radionuclide therapies (thyroid disease, liver cancer, neuroendocrine tumours, prostate cancer and neuroblastoma). The camera park consists of two PET-CT and one simultaneous PET-MR scanner, 4 SPECT(-CT) systems and preclinical equivalents (microPET/SPECT/CT/MR).

“Besides patient care, the division actively educates and innovates: during the last decade, it published over 500 papers and secured over 30 M€ funding,” says team leader Prof. dr. Koen Van Laere.

MIRaCLe

Alongside the Laboratory for Radiopharmaceutical Research (Prof. Guy Bormans) at KU Leuven, the division started the Molecular Imaging Research and Clinic Leuven (MIRaCLe) as a structural cooperation between nuclear medicine, radiopharmacy and medical imaging. “MIRaCLe integrates probe development with highly sensitive techniques of PET with other anatomo-functional imaging modalities for state-of-the-art human and animal research to foster novel radioligands for therapeutic use,” says Van Laere. MIRaCLe aims at continuous improvement and innovation in health care as it enables fundamental and academic research as well as contract research for radiopharmaceutical and drug development. Together with many major pharmaceutical companies, MIRaCLe is building a library of PET probes that can be used to speed up drug development. “We have already used more than 60 probes in this way,” says Van Laere.

Ambitions

Largest European supplier

MIRaCLe also aims to increase the European supply of radiopharmaceuticals. Van Laere: “With the cyclotron at UZ, we can make many pharmaceuticals using 18F (fluorine) and 11C (car bon) ourselves under full GMP (good manufacturing practice) circumstances. Sixteen ‘world-first’ tracers have been developed and validated for human use in Leuven, including 18F-MK6240 (tau protein) and 18F-flutemetamol (amyloid protein) used in combination for Alzheimer’s disease. UZ Leuven is the largest producer in Belgium and distributes radioligands to twelve other hospitals and research centres. In 2025, a new, larger production facility ‘Imagination’ will be operational, with an additional cyclotron. We are already one of the leading suppliers in Europe, but this will triple our production capacity and increase our research capabilities whilst expanding our portfolio (e.g. 89Zr (zirconium) for immunotherapy selection and monitoring).”

Cancer therapy

The Department is increasingly focusing on cancer treatment as well as diagnosis. “We want to combine therapeutic isotopes ( - and -emitters) with probes that target cancer cells so they can be delivered to tumours and irradiate them, and are expanding our treatment capacity with ten treatment rooms at UZ Leuven. Belgium is at the forefront of medical isotope and tracer research in Europe and with partner institutions, such as the SCK in Mol, we want to develop and produce novel ligands for therapy such as 225Ac (actinium) and terbium-based probes,” says Van Laere.

Total body imaging

Another ambition is the installation of a large field PET scanner that can scan the whole body within a minute. “This technique will make it possible to examine all tissues simultaneously with very high contrast and so see very small lesions (e.g. tumour metastases), that would be missed with current equipment.”

Miracle – attn. Prof. dr. Koen Van Laere

Herestraat 49

E901 - Nuclear Medicine UZ Leuven - B-3000 Leuven

Tel.: +32 (0)16 343715

Email: koen.vanlaere@kuleuven.be

https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/corefacilities/miracle/clinical-pet

MiRACLe and nuclear medicine staff UZ/KU Leuven.

UZ Gent

A dynamic organisation in full development

With more than 3,000 patients a day and more than 6,500 employees, Ghent University Hospital is one of the largest and most specialised hospitals in Flanders.

Increased chances of IVF success in people with genetic disorders

Parents with a genetic disorder often choose IVF treatment to have children because it allows them to screen embryos. Professor Björn Menten’s team at the Centre for Medical Genetics has developed GENType, a new kind of test to improve the success rate of such treatment. “Before, we used to use a genetic test on embryos to look for a specific disease. Now we can detect more genetic defects such as important chromosomal abnormalities,” says Menten.

Patients can go there for a full range of highly specialised, high-quality care. The hospital has extensive facilities and more than 1,000 beds for one-day and multi-day admissions.

Quality customer-friendly service is central to the care provided. As a university centre, UZ Gent also invests in scientific research and training. To this end, the hospital works closely with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of Ghent University. Doctors and physician-specialists are trained there, and researchers work on new techniques for diagnosis and treatment in numerous services.

The hospital campus is currently undergoing major renovation. The UZ aims to be a contemporary, accessible and sustainable health campus that meets the needs of all users by 2029.

Scientific spearheads

The UZ Gent has pursued a scientific spearhead policy since 2009. Together with UGent’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, four research domains were selected that receive extra funding to further expand their position: oncology, genetics, immunology and neuroscience.

The choice of these four domains was made on the basis of objective criteria: leading position recognised by peers, number of A1 publications, current trends in epidemiology and care needs. The translational character and social valorisation of the research were also decisive factors. The spearhead research should quickly lead to research results that allow patients to be treated better. Today, UZ Gent already has a leading position in each of these four research domains.

Research at UZ Gent is carried out by the Kenniscentrum voor de Gezondheidszorg Gent (KCGG) or Ghent Healthcare Knowledge Centre and the Health, innovation and research institute (HIRUZ) which is structured in five units: Clinical Trials Unit, Data Management Unit, Contract Unit, Innovation & Valorisation Unit, and the Biobank.

Some couples know before pregnancy that they have an increased risk of having a child with a genetic disorder, for example because they carry a defect in a specific gene. In that case they opt for a pregnancy via in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and have the embryos screened with a genetic test (PGT) before implantation in the uterus

Exclusion of chromosomal defects

An embryo with a chromosomal defect has a high risk of not implanting in the uterus, the pregnancy ending in a miscarriage or the child having a disorder such as Down’s, Edwards’ or Pateau’s syndrome. In order to use PGT to detect not only known diseases but also larger genetic defects such as chromosomal abnormalities, Menten’s team has developed a new technology which increases the chance of a successful implantation and reduces the risk of miscarriage due to a chromosomal abnormality.

New fertility routes

In contrast to existing methods, GENType only requires a blood sample from one parent. This makes PGT possible in an embryo with egg and sperm donation without having to contact the donor. The technology can also detect newly-arising mutations in the parents (de-novo mutations) in the egg or sperm cells to prevent a genetic disorder being passed on to the offspring.

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

Innovative clean room for the preparation of medicines

In 2023 the hospital pharmacy of Ghent University Hospital will open a new clean room. Pharmacy staff can prepare medicines for care and clinical trials there according to the strictest quality requirements. This makes this pharmacy more than ever a preferred partner for other hospitals, researchers and pharmaceutical organisations.

From 2026 onwards, every hospital pharmacy must comply with the strict PIC/S standard for pharmaceutical preparations. UZ Gent is not waiting for that deadline. “For the sake of patient safety, we want to comply with the uniform quality standard as soon as possible. We believe that this will ensure,” explains deputy chief pharmacist production Pieter Ramaut. “Moreover, additional space allows us to further optimise and expand clinical drug studies,” adds deputy chief pharmacist clinical studies Els Kestens.

The clean room in Ghent is suitable for sterile and non-sterile preparations of medicines. Hospitals that do not want to invest in their own cleanroom can eventually conclude partnerships for this infrastructure. A cleanroom for the production of non-sterile medicines for clinical trials must have a GMP (GoodManufacturingPractices) permit. The pharmacy at Ghent University Hospital is the only hospital pharmacy in Belgium with this permit. It produces medicines for clinical studies inside and outside the hospital and also for other European hospitals. The new clean room will also have a room for storing and labelling study medication. With this, UZ Gent wants to obtain a GDP (Good Distribution Practices) license.

Three years of black box in the operating theatre

In early 2019, the team of thoracic and vascular surgeon Professor Isabelle Van Herzeele installed the world’s first black box in a hybrid operating theatre at UZ Gent. After three years, they drew the first conclusions from the data recorded by cameras and microphones. No serious errors were found, but possible improvements were identified.

In the hybrid operating theatre, vascular surgeons perform both classic open procedures and minimally invasive endovascular procedures. They use X-rays for imaging. “Cameras and microphones in the ceiling register all the data during the operation and transmit them to the black box,” explains Van Herzeele. “After the procedure, we analyse the data and evaluate the team’s performance to improve patient care and staff safety.”

The analysis of the pilot study with 22 surgeries showed that the technical and non-technical skills such as leadership, communication, decision-making and cooperation of the surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses scored well during most surgeries. The box also recorded no errors with significant consequences for the patient. However, there is room for improvement in terms of radiation safety. Also, the operation doors opened and closed frequently and there were distractions from the noise of telephones and alarms.

The black box creates opportunities to learn and to further improve the quality of care. The operation team can review interventions, evaluate them in detail and determine how to improve cooperation even more. The Ghent surgical team recently received an extra online training on radiation safety. The black box will register whether this training leads to behavioural change on the work floor.

Currently, the analysis of the data is not yet automatic. That will change in time, thanks to artificial intelligence. This will make it easier to analyse a larger number of interventions much faster or even in real time.

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

Hofkens Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy

Observing the smallest objects for large scientific progress

The emerging field of nano-science and nano technology has been driven by and requires the development of innovative tools and techniques for observations at nanoscale. Single molecule microscopy is a prominent tool with a high non-invasive character for this kind of research. It also is the speciality of the Hofkens Laboratory at KU Leuven.

“

Over the past decades, optical spectroscopy and microscopy at the ultimate limit of a single molecule have grown into extremely powerful techniques for exploring the individual nano-scale behaviour of molecules in situ and in real time in complex local environments,” says lab leader Prof. Dr. Johan Hofkens. “Observing a single molecule removes the usual ensemble average, allowing the exploration of hidden heterogeneity in complex condensed phases as well as direct observation of dynamic changes.”

The best description of the Hofkens laboratory research vision is a quote from ‘Chemistry for the next decade and beyond,’ commissioned by the UK Engineering and Physical Research Council: “New insight is generated in laboratories where unique instrumentation is being developed.” The Hofkens lab not only is an active proponent of this view, it also has gone way beyond building unique equipment by applying the instrumentation on a wide variety of timely and societal relevant topics.

Expansion microscopy

“The physical laws governing light diffraction restrict the view with traditional fluorescence microscopes to length scales well above 250 nm. As the biomolecular actors which regulate the fundamental processes of life are typically in the few nanometer range, our ability to gain insights into many biological systems is severely compromised. Expansion microscopy obtains a higher resolution by physically expanding the sample. This results in resolutions up to 10x better than with traditional microscopy.”

Expansion microscopy has several advantages over other super-resolution fluorescence microscopy methods. “Yielding a perfectly transparent matrix in which the original structure of the samples is preserved, it is most suitable for nanoscale imaging of large volume samples.

While expansion microscopy has shown its potential, the technique is still in its infancy. Problems such as signal loss due to poor crosslinking need to be solved. The Hofkens Lab is working towards an approach that allows the simultaneous readout of different cellular biomarkers, while better crosslinking individual molecules to the polymer matrix.

Fluorocode

Recently, the Hofkens Lab developed Fluorocode, a new method for a metagenomic mapping. Due to its - still not fully understood - interplay in human health and disease, the human microbiome has been a topic of extensive research during the past decade. To monitor and/or modulate a persons’ microbiome, a reliable, affordable and fast methodology for microbiome profiling is crucial. Hofkens and his team used methyltransferase enzymes and in-house developed fluorescently modified S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM) to generate fluorescent markers with a linear pattern - a kind of genetic barcode - on DNA. This code can be resolved using fluorescence microscopy. Through proprietary analysis code, these fluorescent barcodes are scanned and assigned to the source organism, as such profiling the microbiome with throughputs easily ranging in the gigabase scale. The research efforts, originally funded by an ERC advanced grant, resulted in establishing Perseus Biomics. This spin-off biotech company is about to begin commercial services based on fluorocode technology.

Metal halide perovskites

Current research involves metal halide perovskites. “These semiconductor materials attracted considerable attention, because of their high compositional freedom and unique electro-optical properties, in combination with low-cost fabrication,” Hofkens explains. “They are extremely promising for applications such as solar cells, LEDs and photodetectors. Fundamental understanding of their properties is key to understand why they work so well. Establishing the structural changes and the charge carrier dynamics of metal halide perovskites under influence of external stimuli (light, temperature, humidity) at high spatial and temporal resolutions will further improve their efficiency.”

Hofkens Lab

© Hofkens Lab

Lab leader Prof. Dr. Johan Hofkens

Imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies

An interview with Mr Luc VAN DEN HOVE, President & CEO, imec

What are the key figures of R&D at imec?

Imec brings together more than 5,500 people from over 97 nationalities. We are headquartered in Leuven and have distributed R&D groups at a number of Flemish universities, as well as in the Netherlands, of the USA, and representation in 3 continents.

Could you introduce your expertises?

As a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, we combine our leadership in microchip technology with profound software and ICT expertise. Add to this our world-class infrastructure and local and global ecosystem of partners across a multitude of industries. Together, we create ground-breaking innovation in the semiconductor industry as well as in application domains such as health and life sciences, smart cities and mobility, industry 4.0, sustainable energy, agrofood and education.

How is imec collaborating with companies across the world?

We offer R&D partnerships as well as innovation services. We firmly believe in the synergy of R&D collaboration. Together with universities, companies and public stakeholders, we aim to maximize knowledge and expertise to push technology forward. All our R&D partners benefit from the unique assets that imec offers such as our state-of-the-art infrastructure, our top-of-the-class international talent with multidisciplinary scientific background, our unique IP, and our one-of-a-kind ecosystem of local and global partners including universities and world-leading companies from a multitude of industries. Our unique environment ensures more interactions, higher creativity and better integrated technologies. Next to our R&D program offering, we also work together with companies on a bilateral basis, for private research. This can be an R&D collaboration supporting companies with the development of technological solutions to innovate their products and services. But this is not limited to R&D support: we offer support throughout the entire lifecycle of the innovation process. Whether it is hardware, software, or both. And for innovators from around the world, as well as for local initiatives in Flanders.

Could you tell us about imec’s smart health research?

Imec leverages its expertise in chip design and chip technology, MEMS, bio-electronics, sensors, photonics, microfluidics, etc. to develop innovative tools for the life sciences, pharma R&D, clinical diagnostics, therapeutic and surgery, biopharma production and analytical biochemistry industries. Our IP is available for licensing, we provide research and development support, and we can also help companies with the prototyping, testing and manufacturing of their custom smart biochip solutions. We also combine electronics and data science to develop and validate solutions

for our partners’ health applications. We develop solutions for a variety of health applications, focusing on medical devices and chronic disease management, as well as on a healthy lifestyle and preventive care…

What do you see as the main challenges facing life sciences companies in the coming years?

New diagnostics techniques are poised to play a crucial role in the future. These new techniques will have to be more sensitive, faster and cheaper so that we can test and treat all patients whenever there is a need. And this without overstretching the already heavily challenged healthcare budgets. Size, cost, power consumption, performance, sensitivity, within each patient’s reach and with medical accuracy and fast diagnostic results, become crucial parameters in research and diagnostics. As a pioneer in nanoelectronics, imec brings the power of chip technology to the world of healthcare to drive the development of innovative tools for diagnostics, sequencing, cell & gene therapy, neurotech, implantable medical devices, medical imaging and more. With silicon technology, we have the ability to design and fabricate breakthrough miniaturized tools and instruments at low cost, high parallelisation and ultra-high precision.

Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome Research - KU Leuven Human genome study for a healthier population

The Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome Research at the KU Leuven leads a translational Genomic Medicine program on the interface between clinical practice and strategic fundamental research, in a tight junction with the Center for Human Genetics (CME: Centrum Menselijke Erfelijkheid). They are embedded in the Leuven University Hospital and associated with the university genetic diagnostic unit.

The CME is well-recognized as a leading genetics and genomics hub, with over 10,000 contacts every year with patients suffering various genetic diseases. This represents more than 25% of the genetic activities in Belgium. The diagnostic activities of the center comprise both constitutional and cancer genetic diagnostics. Over 60.000 samples are processed yearly, which makes the center one of the largest academic genetic diagnostic laboratories in Europe.

Novel approaches for postnatal diagnosis

The program has three discrete lines of research and valorisation. The first line focusses on novel approaches for genome diagnostics, using whole genome sequencing. “We lead the transition from genetic testing to genomic medicine, from a single gene disorder to genome wide analysis. This translation goes together with the continuous development and integration of state-of-the art technologies in the research and diagnostic programs,” says lab leader Prof. Joris Vermeesch. “Thanks to decreasing sequencing costs, ever increasing amounts of genomic data become available, enabling the detection of ever more genetic disorders. We continuously invest in state-of-the art sequencing equipment. Recently, we obtained long-read sequencing tech nologies that enable the identification of structural variants and complex/repetitive regions of the genome, and the detection of the methylation state of those regions. This allows a multi-omics analytical approach at very reduced cost and with higher efficiency.”

“Challenges include the development and implementation of a toolbox enabling the telomere-to-telomere analysis, ever decreasing amounts of input (to single cell) and databasing variation. Targeting relevant control and disease populations also is a challenge in the coming years. The mere existence of personalised medicine is dependent on clinical/omics data production and foremost efficient sharing among stakeholders.”

Vermeesch’ team leads large scale national programs to elucidate rare diseases, including the BeSolveRD (BelgianSolveRareDesease) project and the Belgian genome Biobank and participates in large scale international projects such as the international Brain Behaviour consortium, the EASI-Genomics (a Horizon 2020 infrastructure project (RIA)) and the B1M+ working and 1M+ program.

“Furthermore, we participate in genomic medicine data sharing programs.”

Single cells and early embryos

The second research line is on genomics of single cells and early embryos to enable embryo selection.

“Currently, genetic and genomic analyses are generally performed on DNA extracted from large number of cells,” Vermeesch explains.

“Most analyses provide an average genetic profile derived from multiple cells. In many instances the analysis of single cells is required and/ or would help our biological understanding. For example, analysis of embryos for preimplantation genetic diagnosis requires the analysis of a single or a few cells.”

Several methods for single-cell genome analysis based on microarray and next-generation sequencing platforms developed by the team led to seminal novel clinical applications in routine genetic diagnostics.

“We develop technology for low-cost genome-wide genotyping of single cells. Novel sequencing technologies now enable to assess the variation of several 100,000’s targets at a genome-wide level. We delivered proof-of-principle for single cell genotyping-by-sequencing, representing a straightforward, quick and reproducible workflow for cost-effective NGS-based genotyping of individual cells. This novel technology also allows to access genomic regions that are inaccessible to sequence capture approaches. In addition, we developed proprietary methods to interpret and improve the accuracy of those genotypes.”

Lab leader Prof. Joris Vermeesch

© Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome ResearchKU Leuven

Liquid biopsies

The third research line focusses on liquid biopsies, allowing the non-invasive detection of genetic alterations caused by pregnancy, cancer or other diseases. Dying cancer cells often shed their DNA in the bloodstream. As a consequence, circulating cell-free DNA becomes a valuable biomarker for cancer diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response. It has also been paramount for monitoring fetal health and specifically aneuploidy (non-invasive prenatal diagnosis). We were the first European independent laboratory to offer pregnant women a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT). Currently, over 25,000 samples are processed each year. Cancer patients are currently monitored after treatment using imaging methods, which are expensive and laborious to use in large patient cohorts. In many cancers, where surgical removal of metastases increases survival, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), earlier detection of metastatic processes would benefit the patients. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is another approach to monitor cancers. We developed algorithms and approaches to analyse with high precision liquid biopsy samples at the genomic level, while we have access to a multitude of samples (prenatal, cancer, immuno,…). Based on our initial results of cancers in pregnant women, we are involved in several national and European programs rolling out a comprehensive automated liquid biopsy genomic platform leveraging stratified medicine. We are in the process of uncovering multiple new relevant clinical diagnostic opportunities and broadening the scope of our ctDNA tool towards applications in prenatal medicine, non-invasive pan-cancer early detection, organ transplant monitoring by liquid biopsy, immune activity response monitoring in autoimmune diseases, immune response monitoring during cancer immunotherapy, mutation detection by liquid biopsy in cancer and rare disease detection.”

The single cell and genomics core facility, a collaborative effort of the Center for Human Genetics at KU Leuven and Leuven University Hospital, is a knowledge and technology platform to make available state-of-the-art technologies, protocols and bioinformatic pipelines for research and diagnostics. It facilitates access to different sequencing technologies and shares expertise in genomic sequence analyses and data processing.

The genomics core instrumentarium for high capacity sequencing consists of 3 newly acquired NovaSeq6000, 2 HiSeq4000, 1 Illumina HiSeq2500, 2 MiSeqs, a NextSeq500 and the long read sequencers Oxford nanopores Promethion and a PacBio sequencer (SequeII); for sample automation, QC and sample preparation: a Caliper Sciclone, 2 Hamilton Star robots, a Labcyte acoustic liquid handler, a BluePippin fragment separator, a fragment analyser, a Covaris sonicator; for single ;forms (10X genomics (10X Chromium), C1 Fluidigm, DEP-Array for rare cell isolation), custom-built liquid handling robotics (Hamilton, Mosquito); and instruments for array technology: a Sequenom MassArray for medium-throughput SNP typing, an Illumina iSCAN for high-throughput SNP and CpG genotyping and Agilent CGH scanning platforms. “Additionally, we use Google Genomics for computer storage and data handling. This allows greater parallelization and elastic scaling. We service over 150 different clients yearly.”

Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome Research

KU Leuven

ON1 Herestraat 49 - box 606 - B-3000 Leuven

Tel.: +32 (0)16 34 59 41 - Email: joris.vermeesch@uzleuven.be https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/research/50000622/laboratories/laboratory-for-cytogenetics-and-genome-research/laboratory-for-cytogenetics-and-genome-research

Genomics core

© Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome ResearchKU Leuven

Bayer Pharmaceuticals

A pharmaceutical company focusing on innovation to improve patient’s quality of life and answer unmet medical needs

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population.

In the fiscal year 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros globally. Our spending on Research & Development amounted to 5.3 billion euros. Bayer has been present in the BeNeLux region for over a century, currently with about 2100 people.

Bayer has three global divisions: Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Crop Science. Consumer Health supplies overthe-counter products offering a range of healthcare and wellbeing solutions with products in women’s health, analgesics, digestive health, skincare, nutrition, allergy and foot care. Crop Science provides innovative crop protection solutions and seeds.

Deep dive into Pharmaceuticals

Bayer Pharmaceuticals focusses on creating innovative prescription medicines for diseases with a high unmet medical need with the aim to improve patients’ quality of life and prolong lives. We focus on the therapeutic areas of ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology, women’s health, hematology and radiology.

Although we will continue to invest in small moleculesrela tively simple chemical compounds - and biologics - drug products based on biological sources - the next milestone in fighting diseases is cell and gene therapy. We have heavily invested in this area by our recent acquisitions of Bluerock and AskBio. These acquisitions bring together the best of two worlds: co-operation with deeply specialised and fast-moving teams in the biotech sector and Bayer’s expertise in developing, producing and bringing to market new products and solutions. Our partnership with Mammoth Biosciences allows us to working together on improving the CRISPR-technology that enables gene editing.

With cell and gene therapy, we will try to target illnesses at their source, and we have the potential to shift from treating symptoms to curing diseases. An exciting prospect!

Bayer SA-NV

J.E. Mommaertslaan 14

B-1831 Diegem (Machelen)

Tel.: +32 (0)2 535 63 11

http://www.bayer.be

COR-OTH-BE-0001-1

Cardiologist at a microscope

© Bayer Group © Bayer Group

Thrombosis researcher

Health House Future of healthcare

In and around the city of Leuven, there is an enormous amount of expertise in healthcare. This has a lot to do with the centuries-long presence of KU Leuven, its university hospital, imec and, more recently, the numerous spin-offs from these institutions. Together, they have introduced numerous innovations in medical technology, medicines and therapies. Unfortunately, this is little known internationally and even in our own country. Health House wants to remedy this.

Health House came about in 2015 at the initiative of KU Leuven professor Bart De Moor, a specialist in artificial intelligence and big data. He had long recognised the need for a platform to present the latest medical innovations in an attractive and interactive way. He found supporters in the university itself, in the University Hospital UZ Leuven, in the provincial government of Flemish Brabant, in the city of Leuven and in imec.

The founding partners opted for an experience platform with a fully digital set-up. Health House uses immersive storytelling to share scientifically validated information on recent developments in the future of healthcare. In concrete terms, these include amongst others applications of nanotechnology, 3D printing and artificial intelligence in healthcare. There are also digital stories about life-proof building and living, about the hospital of the future, about alcohol sensibilization, on learnings from the Covid pandemic and on a specific surgery for people suffering from Parkinsons.

Visualisations

Visitors can, for example, dissect a body on a digital dissection table. Another application is that of how an epileptic seizure occurs in the human brain, via virtual reality. Since its opening in March 2018, fourteen permanent digital stories have already been created; these are visualisations of specific topics. These can be used with visitors both on site and online.

For companies, Health House can be a useful and inspiring place to receive customers and stakeholders. They can present their business information in Health House’s infrastructure. Health House can also be used in the context of lifelong learning. Health House aims for structural partnerships, an evolution in the direction of healthcare consultancy. It does not develop new technologies or products itself, but informs and connects companies and organisations. This approach enables them to introduce improved or new products to the market in a shorter time frame. By helping to find solutions for health challenges, Health House is much more than an experience platform.

Central location

Currently, Health House is located at Science Park Arenberg, in Heverlee. In the course of 2026 Health House will move to the Welzijnstoren on the Hertogensite, in the heart of the old university city. That tower will also house other services and organisations working on wellbeing and health. Leuven is not only the most important city in the province of Flemish Brabant, but its proximity and easy accessibility to Brussels also make Health House an excellent setting for companies and organisations that want to present their potential to a European audience. A visit to Health House, for that matter, is already part of various excursions organised within the framework of European events in Brussels. In addition to locations in Rotterdam and Munich, Health House is one of the meeting places of EIT Health, the European network of healthcare innovators.

European approach

Health House is also working with a broad European consortium within EIT Health on deep brain stimulation, an operation used to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease, among other things. The visualisation in Health House makes it clear in a scientifically correct way what such surgery entails. Moreover, it was evaluated by Parkinson’s patients before the public presentation.

Health House

Gaston Geenslaan 11, gebouw B4 3001 Leuven

Tel.: +32 (0)16 79 92 40

Email: info@health-house.be

http://www. health-house.be

© Health House

© Health House

We would like to see an increase in the power of the space sector at European level

An interview with Mr. Thomas DERMINE, State Secretary for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investments, responsible for Science Policy, attached to the Minister for Economic Affairs and Labour

Can you remind us of the main competences that you exercise as Federal Secretary of State for Science Policy?

Federal Science Policy is responsible for research conducted in support of other federal competences, for 10 scientific establishments, including the major museums in Brussels and Tervuren, for space in the international context (European Space Agency, European Union, etc.), and for the Princess Elisabeth Station in Antarctica. It also plays an important role in the coordination of the Belgian research effort, in the participation of Belgium in European and international research partnerships and infrastructures and in the collection and analysis of R&D indicators.

An important meeting of the European Space Agency (ESA) Member States was held in November. How did you position yourself?

The ESA Ministerial Council, which covered all areas of ESA activities for the period 2023-2027, took place on 22 and 23 November in Paris. The 22 Member States approved a budget of 16.9 billion euros for 2023-2027, an increase of 17% compared to the budget granted at the ESA Ministerial Council in 2019. Belgium supported the budget increase and maintained its position as the fifth largest net contributor to ESA.

We are very proud that Raphaël Liégois was selected among the new generation of astronauts. Raphaël has a remarkable career path and is a great source of inspiration for the younger generations. Raphaël will be going on a scientific and academic tour in March to make today’s youth aware of the opportunities offered by the STEM field (science, technology, mathematics, and engineering). This initiative is part of the Belgian space strategy, which is based on three main

aspects. Firstly, a strong economic dynamic linked to the space sector, by increasingly focusing on the “New space” ecosystem and promoting STEM education. Secondly, the match between the initiatives and solutions provided by the space domain to address societal challenges, such as climate change. Finally, a greater strategic autonomy goes hand in hand with European sovereignty in space.

In this context, we will also be able to allocate additional resources to new projects, such as cybersecurity, secure connectivity, and Space Traffic Management (STM). Those matters are all reflected among the initiatives which are at the top of the EU agenda. For example, in November 2022 the EU institutions and the Member States reached a political agreement to launch IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite).

The excellence achieved by Belgian companies and research centers in the field of space, and the influence that our country has in ESA, are the result of a policy carried out with a remarkable spirit of continuity by successive federal governments since the creation of the Agency nearly 50 years ago. Moreover, the additional investments will be accompanied by significant socio-economic returns, in the order of an additional €3.35 per € invested. These investments also create a lot of jobs (3,620 FTEs in 2020).

It is highly rewarding that we have the resources to remain on this path and contribute to the shaping of the European space strategy. And this is done while we continue to strengthen our Belgian space ecosystem and generate significant socioeconomic benefits.

How is Belgium positioned in terms of R&D expenditure?

Belgium has a very good score. 3.477% of GDP in 2020 (latest statistics published by the OECD) was devoted to gross expenditure on research and development. Our country was still at 1.936% in

2000 and the European average was 2.204% in 2020. This is a performance in absolute terms, but also in terms of trends and in comparison with our partners. It is the result of a proactive policy of encouraging R&D, particularly through very proactive tax measures. It is also the result of the dynamism of our companies.

For once, we are going to talk about museums in this magazine, since the Federal Science Policy is in charge of the major federal museums. Do you have any noteworthy projects concerning them?

The Federal Science Policy (BELSPO) does indeed include the federal museums among its competences. This may seem strange, but the reason is that these museums are also research institutions and it is not conceivable to transfer them to the Communities (which are competent in Belgium for personalised matters, including culture) since they preserve historical collections that belong to all Belgians.

The main project concerns the cultural and recreational site of the Cinquantenaire, where the Royal Institute for Artistic Heritage, the Art and History Museum, the Army Museum and Autoworld are located. In view of Belgium’s bicentenary in 2030, we want to completely renovate and rethink these institutions, which preserve, study, restore and promote a collection that is unique in the world, but which are no longer sufficiently attractive. I have often used the expression “sleeping beauties” to describe them. Renovation, especially of the roofs, has begun under the aegis of

the Régie des Bâtiments. I set up a steering committee to consider the future of the site. It issued the following recommendation: “rethink the Cinquantenaire and transform it into an ambitious and inclusive cultural centre through a participatory process. Re-enchant creation within its ancestral museums, renovate them in an exemplary manner and turn them into places of dialogue and exchange, transform the site into a teeming agora open to a world-city where the heart of Europe beats. To build a living cultural centre, where the collective memory of the city’s inhabitants in their immense diversity is invented. This is our ambition for the Cinquantenaire: to make it a historic place, where history continues to be written.”

Since your magazine is called Belgian Research in Europe, I would like to dwell for a moment on the role that Europe could play in this project. I think that Europe is currently the great absentee of the site, even though it is located at the heart of the European quarter (Commission, Council, Parliament, Economic and Social Committee, etc.). Obviously, at the end of the 19th century, when Leopold II laid out the park, the European Union did not exist. I therefore met with the leaders of the main institutions and the European Commission showed interest in the idea of launching a project to cover the tunnel hopper that today scarred the park. This project will be inspired by the interdisciplinary and creative “New European Bauhaus” initiative launched by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Will we have to wait until 2030 to discover all this?

2030 is both near, which makes the work urgent, and far, which means that tangible results must be presented to the public well before that date. We have therefore planned a whole prefiguration programme which will be carried out by the ASBL 50-200 (50 for ‘fiftieth anniversary’ and 200 for ‘bicentenary’, obviously). On the other hand, given the extent of the work made necessary by decades of neglect, not everything will be completed by 2030.

Belgium has a renowned scientific community in all climate-related disciplines

An interview

with

Mr. Frank MONTENY, Director General of BELSPO’s Space Research and Applications Department

The federal Department for Science Policy is responsible for all aspects of science policy falling under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The department consists of a central administration (BELSPO) and 10 federal scientific institutions. Within the central administration, the DG Research and Space is in charge of the majority of operational activities: implementation of national research programmes, coordination among the dif ferent Belgium authorities, monitoring of the national R&I system and management of the Belgian participation in several intergovernmental organisations, including the European Space Agency (ESA).

What are the strong points of the space sector in Belgium? Belgium was one of the European Space Agency’s 9 founding members in 1975. Due to its continuing, stable investment in the ESA programmes for many decades (recently increased to around 295 million euros annually), the Belgian industry has developed strong expertise in a broad range of specific areas such as small stand-alone platforms, on-board optical instruments, ground segment capacities, cybersecurity, specific components for launchers, software, high-tech components and applications, etc. Moreover, we have internationally recognised scientific expertise in research domains such as remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, meteorology and climatology, space science, space weather, and microgravity.

Could you present us with the major initiatives supported by BELSPO in this field?

In the last decade, BELSPO has been supporting several ESA initiatives, e.g. for ozone monitoring, asteroid deflection, coupling of elements of the future ‘Gateway’ station in moon orbit, the

development and exploitation of launchers, the instrumentation of SENTINEL satellites, the development of an operational centre for space weather products, and the cybersecurity node in the European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC) at Redu. During the latest ESA Ministerial meeting in Paris, Belgium significantly increased its budget for the exploration programme and decided to participate in new initiatives such as “Secured Connectivity” and “Civil Security from Space”, as well as the further development of “New Space” approaches.

What is the STEREO Earth observation research programme?

STEREO (Support To Exploitation and Research in Earth Observation) is Belgium’s national programme supporting research on Earth observation, geared towards universities and public research institutes. Its goal is to maintain a top-notch, dynamic, remote sensing community in our country. In addition, the programme offers strong support for community building, knowledge dissemination and communication. Currently the programme has the following thematic priorities: impact of climate change on terrestrial and marine environments, advanced monitoring and assessment of hazards, environmental health and biodiversity, and sustainable and green cities.

Could you tell us about the activities of TERRASCOPE?

TERRASCOPE builds on the CVB (Centre for Image Processing) action, which is in charge of the processing, distribution, and archiving of SPOT Vegetation and PROBA-V multispectral images to study the evolution of the vegetation cover on a daily and global basis. Over the years, the focus of the CVB has evolved towards a multi-mission, open and inclusive platform for a broad community and has become the Belgian ESA-mandated Collaborative Ground Segment, facilitating and encouraging the use of Copernicus satellite images. Within TERRASCOPE, open-source satellite datasets are made available to a broad public. The TERRASCOPE infrastructure is embedded in ESA’s Network of Resource. Finally, third parties can use the open data and infrastructure of TERRASCOPE to offer remote sensing-based services.

How does Belgium defend its interests in this organization and in the EU space-related committees?

Belgium defends its interests in ESA and the EU by a strong and stable financial subscription to ESA programmes which remains the backbone of our space strategy, and by playing an active role in the different committees of ESA and the EU, thanks to BELSPO’s expertise and continuous contacts with stakeholders. The fact that members of the same team ensure representation at the space-related committees of both organisations strengthens our position on the European level.

At a time when new players want to strengthen their presence in the space sector, what do you think are the main challenges to consolidating the European Union’s expertise in this field?

The global space ecosystem is evolving very fast: more and more new actors - public and private - are becoming involved, new - disruptive - business models are being introduced, and new cooperation opportunities and needs are emerging. If Europe wants to stay at the forefront in this domain, it needs to reposition itself, increase investments, and create the ideal conditions to foster a strong competitive and innovative market while ensuring at the same time a strong societal impact. The results of the European Space summit earlier this year underline the importance of a collective response to the challenges posed to our environment and economy, with a focus on climate change. The EU initiatives on Space Traffic Management and the new flagship action “Secure Connectivity”, as well as the successful ESA Ministerial meeting in Paris end of November, are strong signals in this sense. The Cassini initiative aiming at increasing private funding for European space companies is another important European initiative.

What is the importance of the 3% norm for Belgium as a lever to address future challenges?

The Lisbon Strategy, which was formulated in 2000, aims to create a knowledge economy able to respond to the many challenges the European Union will face in the coming decades. In line with this goal, the Barcelona objective to increase investment in R&D to 3% of gross domestic product was set in 2002. Through spill-over effects, ideas and applications become common good and offer policymakers opportunities to handle pressing prob lems, as became clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, few European countries have managed to meet this target. Since 2019, Belgium has crossed the 3% threshold. The main part of R&D investment in Belgium takes place in the business sector (74%) and higher education (17%). Federal and regional governments play an active role in stimulating funding in both

sectors by offering direct and fiscal support. Thanks to this combined effort, Belgium should be in a better position to address the challenges ahead.

What are the objectives of the Climate Centre in Belgium?

Climate change is the main challenge facing humanity and is high on the agenda of policymakers. Actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change concern all parts of society. Belgium has a renowned scientific community in all climate-related disci plines that can inform policymakers on the appropriate measures to be developed. The expertise is however scattered among different universities and scientific institutions (federal and regional) and is therefore not exploited and developed to the extent needed. The objective of the centre is to strengthen the coherence, efficiency, and visibility of climate science in Belgium. A steering committee chaired by BELSPO and composed of representatives of the main stakeholders will monitor its activ ities.

How did BELSPO come to coordinate the Horizon Europe Partnership BiodivERsA+?

BiodivERsA+ is the new European Biodiversity Partnership supporting excellent research on biodiversity with an impact on society and policy. It was developed as part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Through the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (BBPf), BELSPO has been actively involved in the deployment of the BiodivERsA network. BBPf and BELSPO staff carried out key tasks in aligning national research agendas within the preceding ERA-NETs. This resulted by consequence in the uptake of the coordinating role for the partnership.

From the ERA-net BiodivERsA3 to the BiodivERsA+ Partnership: a major leap in scale?

BiodivERsA3 (2015-2022) was composed of 40 partners: ministries and funding agencies for biodiversity research implementing a shared vision and joint research activities as well as tools for knowledge valorisation and support to biodiversity conservation. The BiodivERsA3 network has decided to evolve into a BiodivERsA+ co-funded partnership, this time co-created with DG RI and DG ENV of the European Commission. The Belgian Biodiversity Platform has been able to leverage its experience in science-policy interfacing on biodiversity developed at the national level on a pan-European scale.

© BELSPO © BELSPO

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Belnet, a key player in innovation for the research and education community

An interview with Mr. Dirk HAEX, Engineering & Operations Director at Belnet

What services do you offer to research and educational institutions?

Since 1993, Belnet has been offering its ser vices to universities, colleges and research centres in Belgium. Our infrastructure is available to federal scientific institutions, public or private specialised research centres of all sizes. In addition to our network, which allows researchers and students to share large amounts of data securely, we offer a range of services to help them carry out their projects. These include eduroam, which allows students and academic researchers to connect to the services of other universities in the network across Europe without having to request specific access, DMPOnline, which allows researchers to generate and manage their data management plans, and the Belnet Storage service, which offers secure, bespoke cloud hosting for storing research data and other data. In addition, in recent years we have also expanded our service offering in the area of cyber security.

How do you support the annual information security awareness campaign of the pan-European research network GÉANT?

Belnet has been supporting GÉANT for several years. The ‘human factor’ is indeed a crucial element in the fight against security incidents. The same applies to research and educational institutions. Our communication officers are part of the GÉANT awareness team that is in charge of the entire campaign, from conception to planning and implementation. Of course, we are also making sure that the awareness campaign is communicated as much as possible via our various communication channels in order to inform our community.

What is your role in the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) programme? This broad programme aims to give the European Union a global role in research data management and to ensure that European scientists enjoy all the benefits of data-driven science. In 2020, Belnet was appointed as the mandated organisation for Belgium within the Association. With its involvement in EOSC Focus, Belnet concretises and deepens its commitment to Open Science by ensur ing that it benefits the institutions connected to its network. EOSC Focus supports the EOSC Association in its mission to make Open Science the new standard and to achieve the objectives described in the collaboration agreement between the European Union and the EOSC Association. Within the EOSC Focus project, Belnet collaborates with eight other European members and contributes to increasing the availability, accessibility and re-use of data. This project will make research results more accessible and facilitate the transformation of scientific results into concretely adoptable innovations for the benefit of the public. As an integral part of the EOSC ecosystem, Belnet is best placed to inform Belgian institutions about European developments within EOSC and to guide them in

their digital transition to Open Science. Belnet can, together with its R&E community, leave its mark on the developments within EOSC and optimise its service offering according to the needs of Belgian researchers and research groups and in co-creation with them.

What are your plans to further improve your service offering?

One of our priorities will be security: we will be stepping up the pace by changing the scale of our tools, teams and investments in this area. We have recently drawn up a detailed specification for a complete replacement of the current DDoS platform for all our customers. Another priority will be to strengthen the support we give to Belgian researchers who want to use quantum technology for their work and ask us for access to a technical infrastructure that allows them to do so. This is why we are an active partner in the development of QCI (Quantum Communication Infrastructure) projects and QKD (Quantum Key Distribution) systems. Our contribution to GÉANT, which brings together 39 partners in Europe, is strategic in this respect. We want to position Belnet as a key player in these future projects to ensure that the Belgian research community has the best connectivity tools. We also intend to consult our various communities regularly in order to understand the specific or common expectations of our users and to translate them into services.

© Belnet

© Belnet

Belgian Association of Hospital Managers

MedTech is a driver towards a sustainable healthcare

By Prof. Pascal VERDONCK, Member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts, Board member of the Belgian & European Association of Hospital Managers

Abstract

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Healthcare is thus only a minor component for the health of an individual. In 2010, the European Commission defined the primary goal of healthcare policy as that of maximizing the health of the population within the limits of the available resources, and within an ethical framework built on “equity and solidarity principles”. This goal encompasses three pillars of major importance: maximize health, with limited resources, in an ethical framework. Over the last decade the goal to maximize health has not changed, however the limitations and the framework surrounding this goal have changed significantly including the call for more social responsibility and sustainability, the fear of the impact of climate change and Covid-19…

Achieving this original ambition in a sustainable manner requires strong leadership and everything starts with the vision from a patient focus. It is medical technology (MedTech), with medical devices ranging from preventive diagnostic in vitro test to digital applications, that drives this digital transformation towards a value-based, connected and finally integrated healthcare around a patient.

Covid-19: a game changer for healthcare transformation and the breakthrough of health technology

Covid-19 has changed the world. The fight against the Covid is not won with a vaccine in sight. We are still all adapting our way of living (“on line” customer & retail service), our way of working, way of care provision & cure by accelerating new (bio)engineering & technology. “Necessity is the mother of invention” said Plato and so we feel nowadays the fourth industrial revolution: the acceleration towards a bio-revolution (biopharma, biomolecules, biosystems, biomachines, bioengineering, biocomputing…). In healthcare we became open for a new generation of “health conscious” consumers & “tech-fan” healthcare providers.

Health technology (Health Tech) is defined according to the World Health Organisation as “application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of lives”. In our opinion it can be classified in three categories, i.e. Biotech, Digital Health and MedTech:

1. BioTech is the use of living systems (cells, biomolecular processes) to develop technologies and products to help and heal people;

2. Digital Health means the use of information and communication technologies to help address the health problems and challenges faced by patients. The European Patient Forum defines it as health care practices supported by electronic processes & communication;

3. Medical technology:

• Medical devices including surgical tools, implants, active devices and active implantable technology;

• In-vitro diagnostics including self-test, bedside and laboratory equipment;

• Embedded or stand-alone software.

Within health technology, the MedTech is subject to strict European quality and safety rules (EU Medical Device Regulation). However, its use often still depends on the experience of the healthcare provider, the quality of the hospital and the knowledge of the user.

A three-shift model in our society

This parallel evolution for striving to more sustainability & social responsibility, the tsunami of introducing new (medical) technology and the pandemic, and according economic and mental crisis are leading to three fundamental shifts.

The first shift goes beyond the concept of hospital to the concept of community. This allows patients to receive good and appropriate care within their own community and thus closer to home. This does not mean that the hospitals become redundant, but that they organize care close to or in the comfort of the patients’ home. This includes integrated care making use of telemedicine, chronic care management, patient remote monitoring, patient self-management with or without coaching, etc.

The second shift is from healthcare to health, meaning caregivers would not simply act in the healthcare process but in fact intervene in the prevention and pre-care process to enable better and healthier living conditions for their previous, current and future patients. This health continuum describes how clinicians should not only focus on diagnosis and treatment but also get involved across the patient care spectrum, in healthier living, prevention and home care.

The third shift is to go from quality to value , and to offer every patient the best possible value he or she can get. Quality means that the delivered care is safe (that does not harm patients), effective, (consistent with best professional knowledge), patient-centered and meets the needs of the patients.

Towards a health data framework turning data into value

Value, integration and connection are based on data. Without data that measure a patient’s outcomes and costs, the value to optimize the healthcare process cannot be quantified.

The healthcare of the future will generate massive volumes of data. Connected devices, healthcare workers and patients will create and use data lakes. Sensors will perform the data collection from health, activity, location, emotions, parameters, etc. They will be the well of the data lake. One should not only think of wearables or insideables that monitor parameters of the patient but also the external ambient sensors that measure humidity, temperature, weather, pollution, etc. Measuring the living environment of a patient is something that is already done with a technique called ambient intelligence. Ambient intelligence creates a digital environment that is aware of the individual’s presence and context, and is sensitive, adaptive, and responsive to their needs, habits, gestures and emotions. Combining these measurements with the patient-specific data allows for a more patient-specific approach. This data, used as currency in the network, can take many forms, ranging from personal to population or environmental data and will be transferred between a variety of interested parties.

The possibility to use this data in a secured and effective way will lead to an increase of the future value of health care. So future value will be equal to innovation to the power of data. Hence, without data, innovation will not create any value or vice versa.

Impact of medical technology towards sustainable healthcare

The above explained evolution can be in my opinion summarized in one key figure. The vison is based upon an evolution towards

value-based, integrated and connected care where data science (including big data, artificial intelligence and augmented & virtual reality) is the hinge between the patient centric approach and e-health, m-health, telemedicine towards digital diagnosis and therapy.

Conclusion

Achieving the original ambition to maximize health, with limited resources, in an ethical framework in a sustainable manner requires patient focus. This means that healthcare is transformed, step by step to a value based, connected healthcare leading finally to wards integrated care around an individual. It is medical technology (MedTech) that drives this digital transformation connecting data science with digital diagnosis & therapy. Thanks to sensors, data & algorithms.

References

• M. West, B. Collins, R. Eckert, R. Chowla (2017) Caring to change. How compassionate leadership can stimulate innovation in health care, May. The King’s fund.

• S. Singhal, B. Kayyali, R. Levin, and Z. Greenberg (2020) The next wave of healthcare innovation: The evolution of ecosystems, June. McKinsey & company.

• M. E. Porter (2006) The next wave of healthcare innovation: The evolution of ecosystems, Harvard Business Review Press.

• K. Colorafi (2016) Connected health: a review of the literature, Vol 2. No 4 April, mHealth.

• WHO (2018) What are integrated people-centred health services?, World Health Organisation

• G. Stevens, K. De Bosschere, and P. Verdonck. Is healthcare ready for a digital future? In M. Duranton et al., editors, HiPEAC Vision 2021, pages 198-205, Jan 2021.

© Belgian Association of Hospital Managers

Ensuring accessibility, quality, sustainability and appropriate innovation in healthcare and social security

An interview with Mr. Benoît COLLIN, General Administrator of the NIHDI

Coud you remind us of NIHDI’s mission and key figures?

NIHDI plays a key role in healthcare and disability insurance. Within the Belgian social security system, we manage the public and national pole of health care insurance and indemnity insurance related to temporary or long-term work incapacity for health reasons.

In 2022, the budget for health care insurance will be 35 billion and that for compensation insurance 10 billion, making these two insurance policies the second and third largest social protection items after pensions. This investment allows for the integration of useful innovations for the benefit of patients and pro ducing companies.

By providing quality and accessible care, we reduce the risks of disability or mortality that keep human resources away from the world of work that supports our economic model and that itself feeds social security. A win-win situation between social protection and economic development, each supporting the other.

What international cooperation have you developed?

Collaboration and consultation are in our DNA and at the heart of our processes. It is therefore quite natural that they are also at the international level to share our experiences, good practices and developments in our sectors of activity. We have established numerous contacts with WHO-Europe, the OECD or the ISSA (social security), and the European Commission. We also have numerous contacts with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, but also with countries in Africa (via CIPRES), Asia (Indonesia) or North America (Canada).

These collaborations concern, for example, the fight against benefit fraud and inappropriate care, the detection and integration of innovations in the field of medicines and biotechnologies (via Beneluxa or the International Horizon Scanning Initiative), the professional rein tegration of people on disability, the implementation of a health insurance system, the financial sustainability of our budgets or performance indicators or health objectives (via Quintuple Aim).

What developments in terms of support for innovation and quality of care? We try to integrate R&D in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector as early as possible in our range of interventions for the benefit of our patients. We want to support early on innovations with high added value in terms of patient benefit: either a more effective treatment in terms of health, or a more affordable treatment for the same result. Innovation is increasingly costly for the patient, the healthcare system and the companies that implement it. We must therefore be increasingly selective in our choices in order to mobilise significant resources with a real return for health and its financing, but also to detect appropriate innovations at source and indicate to firms and research centres our interest in their work without wasting energy and unnecessary investment.

For the past two years our multi-annual budget pathway, based on the setting of health and healthcare targets, has allowed us to redi rect our investments and budget margins towards appropriate care and real patient value. Putting outcomes and quality before quantity and treatment.

What are the challenges for the coming years?

“Nothing is permanent except change” said Heraclitus.

At the hospital level, the Minister has launched a programme of fundamental reforms in 2022, which should contribute to a result-oriented agility with a high patient value.

Similarly, at the level of services, we are completely reviewing our nomenclature and the transparency of its costs in order to pay a fair price for both the service provider and the operating costs associated with the services.

We are also promoting an integrated care model and a close collaboration of providers around the patient. Moreover, mental health must no longer be dissociated from somatic health: “psychological” disorders are the epidemic of today and tomorrow, with 130,000 of the nearly 500,000 disabilities in this field or with the psychological impacts of the Covid-19 crisis.

These challenges are opportunities for a health and social protection system that is agile in its evolution and faithful to its fundamental principles of solidarity.

Assuring timely and safe access to important innovative medicines or devices

An interview with Mr. Xavier DE CUYPER, Chief Executive Officer at the Federal Agency for Medicines & Health Products (FAMHP)

Diagnostic Regulation, and the New Veterinary Regulation. The implementation of these new EU legislations necessitates major updates of processes and procedures. Simultaneously new EU portals (Clinical Trial Information System, Eudamed) and EU databases (Union Product Database) are in development or were released and are to be embedded in our processes. In regards to the general review of the pharmaceutical legislation that is in progress, we support the focus on need-driven developments in domains of important unmet medical need.

How does the FAMHP, as regulatory agency, facilitate research and development in Belgium?

Making innovative therapies available to patients in a safe but timely manner is a major objective of our agency. That is why we have multiple measures to facilitate research and development. The FAMHP offers, for example, an attractive environment for clinical trials by maintaining short timelines for mononational phase I trials and by taking a leading role in part of the multinational clinical trial procedures.

But the story starts even earlier. Before the submission of a clinical trial procedure, all sponsors can request scientific and technical/ regulatory advice for medicinal products including drug-device combination products through our National Innovation Office and Scientific Advice Unit. Active patient engagement is foreseen in some cases. The FAMHP is also actively involved in the simultaneous national scientific advice procedures which offer advice from different authorities at an early stage of development and at the same time, optimising the quality and consistency of the advice. Via active participation in the European innovation network, we specifically offer support for small and medium enterprises and academia.

To assure that the patient has further access to the medicines once clinical trials have ended and the marketing authorization and commercialization are awaited, we also have the possibility for compassionate use programs for groups of patients with a chronically, seriously debilitating or life-threatening disease, who cannot be treated satisfactorily by an authorized and reimbursed medicinal product.

In order to facilitate R&D for human body material (blood, tissues and cells) we have a recently established a unit that coordinates the exchange of information between the relevant departments of the FAMHP. It also forms a bridge to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) or stable derivatives of blood and plasma.

And more strategically, it is important to note that we are actively involved in the Bioplatform, a demand of the Belgian government with the goal of making Belgium an even more attractive biopharmaceutical hub.

What are the main challenges for the FAMHP in its role as facilitator of R&D? Recently many challenging regulations went into force such as the Clinical Trial Regulation, the Medical Device regulation, the In Vitro

As you know the life scientific and healthcare climate is quickly evolving and the FAMHP needs to keep its expertise up within several domains such as digitalization (use of real-world data), advanced therapy medicinal products, complex clinical trials and drug/ device combination products. Assuring timely and safe access for the patient to important innovative medicines or devices remains the main drive for the FAMHP.

This is all the more important since we are faced with three major challenges: the shortage of medicines, the need to have medical devices on the market in spite of a new, longer certification process and antimicrobial resistance, which compels us to have as many antibiotics available as possible to use as little as possible.

How does the FAMHP position itself in a European context?

The FAMHP is a strong partner within the European Medicines Regu latory Network and collaborates very actively with the European Commission, the EMA (European Medicines Agency), the HMA (Heads of Medicines Agencies) and follows the new evolutions very closely (Accelerated Clinical trials in Europe, CT Cure and Safe CT, Big Data, shortages, AMR…).

The FAMHP has selected two particular domains of excellence: vaccines and In Vitro Diagnostics. This is essential in view of the strategic orientation of the Agency in a rapid and highly changing environment in order to serve our patients for the best, but of course also in view of the preparation of the European presidency during the first Semester of 2024.

Belgian Economic Missions bring about many business opportunities to our companies

An interview with Mrs Fabienne L’HOOST, Director General of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency (BFTA)1

Could you give us an overview of the Belgian economic missions organised in 2022?

The first half of 2022 marked the resumption of the Belgian Economic Missions following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first mission took place in the United Kingdom in May 2022 in a post-Brexit context. It brought together no less than 406 participants. Now Europe’s largest trading partner outside the EU, the United Kingdom occupies an important place in terms of foreign trade: it is indeed the fifth largest customer (€26 billion of exported goods) and the eighth largest supplier (€15.5 billion of imported goods) of our country, with chemicals, transport equipment, machinery and food products as key sectors. Although these flows are substantial, they are, over a period of five years, decreasing in absolute value. The Belgian economic mission offers an opportunity to strengthen the links between partners. A rich programme of activities focusing on chemicals, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, agri-food and the food industry, architecture and construction, transport and logistics, and cleantech also attests to this desire to revive trade between our two countries. No less than 9 trade agreements have been signed. Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Representative of His Majesty the King, was also received at Clarence House by Prince Charles and met Princess Anne with whom she laid a wreath on the monument dedicated to Edith Cavell.

The second one took place in the United States of America, more precisely in Atlanta, New York and Boston, in June and brought together some 541 participants. As the world’s largest economy with a nominal GDP of almost 23 trillion dollars in 2021, the United States is a key trading partner for Belgium. The United States is Belgium’s largest export destination outside the European Union, with more than $55 billion in two-way merchandise trade in 2021. Belgium is an important access point to the Old Continent market. It therefore has a card to play in the United States, especially in the current context of strengthening transatlantic relations. Belgian companies were able to establish or strengthen commercial links in sectors as diverse as renewable energy, life sciences, agri-food, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. During the mission, 33 commercial agreements were signed between Belgian and American companies: 17 in New York, 9 in Atlanta and 7 in Boston.

The third and last mission of 2022 took place in Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto) in early December. It brought together no less than 575 participants.

Organised by the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency in close collaboration with the regional foreign trade agencies (Flanders Investment & Trade, hub.brussels and the Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency) and the FPS (Federal Public Service) Foreign Affairs, this mission focused on the following sectors: renewable energy, life sciences and eco-construction. Diplomatic relations between Belgium and Japan were first established in 1866, with the signature of their first Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. Since then, both countries have maintained strong economic ties, with Belgium being the second largest exporter of goods to Japan within the EU (€7.6 billion in 2021) and the third largest importer (€9.3 billion in 2021). A total of 47 agreements were signed during the economic mission.

Could you tell us about the Belgian Economic Missions planned for 2022 and 2023?

In 2023, H.R.H. Princess Astrid, Representative of His Majesty the King, will lead an economic mission to the Republic of Senegal from 21to 25 May and a second mission to the Commonwealth of Australia will take place from 19 to 29 October. Numerous business opportunities will thus again be offered to our companies.

1 In collaboration with Ms Christelle Charlier, Director, Studies, Statistics and Communication at the BFTA.

H.R.H Princess Astrid, Representative of H.M. the King and Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister

© Belga

The new Sirris, sharper and more relevant than ever, at the service of companies

Founded by Agoria and managed by the technology industry itself, Sirris has always put the interests of Belgian companies first. In short, we support them to make technology happen – resulting in about 1,300 innovation projects a year. But in recent times, the world has changed fundamentally, forcing us to step up our game. The result: a renewed brand identity, with lots of assets to better support companies with an appetite for technological innovation.

A world on the move

“Resource scarcity, climate change, the energy crisis, disrupted supply chains, hybrid working, evolving consumer behaviour… business challenges pop up all around”, says Herman Derache, Managing Director at Sirris. “Blink your eyes twice and the world has changed as many times, so to speak. Within this context, it’s becoming increasingly hard for companies to stand out from the crowd, to stay one step ahead. Even more so if they have to do it on their own. That’s why more than ever, Sirris acts as a hands-on companion for technological innovation – the ideal way to differentiate a company and achieve sustainable growth.”

Unique offering for technology adoption

“Technological innovation is a risky and resource-intensive business”, clarifies Jeroen Deleu, Director Strategy and Corporate Development at Sirris. “In times when risks and resources are very delicate topics, we want to provide peace of mind. That’s why we grant extensive support to companies that reach out to us. To illustrate, we give them direct access to over 150 multidisciplinary experts and 200 partners, open up our 8 industrial labs, and share tons of specialised inspiration.”

“Meanwhile, we’ve set up an industrial community with Agoria – the federation of the Belgian technological industry – to better align our services. By doing so, we aim to ensure Belgian technological companies, who represent 320,000 employees together, are fully equipped to realise their innovation ambitions.”

Renewed identity, renewed style

Accessible, inspirational, audacious, dedicated, accurate… these are just some of the core values that form the heart of Sirris’ renewed identity. They weren’t chosen at random. Instead, they are the result of an in-depth strategic exercise. Herman Derache: “We had thorough

conversations with companies, key clients, government bodies, partners, Agoria staff members and, of course, Sirris colleagues too. We’re all in this together. And we’re convinced that, based on their feedback, we’ve chosen the right course.”

The adjusted course is reflected in a few key communication initiatives:

• A clear-cut website so interested companies can quickly find their way to relevant areas of expertise, industrial labs, partners, and Sirris experts.

• An industry-leading content platform to share insights and inspiration about the technology that will shape business in the next couple of years.

• A refreshing visual style to highlight our dynamic mindset and to align our designs with the type of organisation we’ve become.

Enjoy browsing our website, gathering ideas on our content platform, and feasting on some eye candy with our new designs.

https://www.sirris.be/en

© Sirris

Mr. Herman Derache, Managing Director

© Sirris

Mr. Jeroen Deleu, Director Strategy & Corporate Development

Making the shopfloor transparent demonstrator in the 4.0 Made Real Pilot Factory of Sirris in Hasselt

© Sirris

What are essencia's key figures and missions?

Improving everyone’s quality of life

An interview with Mr Yves VERSCHUEREN, Managing Director essenscia

The chemicals, plastics and life sciences sector is a very important industrial sector in Belgium. In 2020 it represented 95,500 direct jobs, 220,000 indirect jobs, 60.8 billion € turnover, and € 26.6 billion in trade surplus. In addition, the chemicals and life sciences sector remains the undisputed leader in innovation. The amount spent on research and development (R & D) in Belgian chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals more than doubled in the last decade to € 5.6 billion in 2020, a new record. The sector accounts for two thirds of all industrial expenditure on R & D in Belgium, mainly due to the high R & D intensity of life sciences companies active in pharmaceuticals and novel biotechnologies.

Innovation is undoubtedly a key element in ensuring the sustainable anchoring of the sector in Belgium. In this framework essenscia’s mission is to improve everyone’s quality of life. Our world is facing important challenges in the use of energy, natural resources, and the provision of food, water and health for its growing population. Chemistry and life sciences are essential to making the world's development sustainable. Its innovative research is crucial to the development of new products, applications and services.

The chemistry innovation agenda is broadly structured around three pillars: climate, circular economy and sustainable products. The capture and storage or utilization of CO2, the electrification of production processes, the use of bio-based raw materials or the chemical recycling of plastics: all these technologies have the potential to contribute to a more sustainable economy and society.

In life sciences, the aim is to accelerate the development of new medicines and vaccines, using pioneering technologies such as messenger RNA, plasmid DNA, genome editing, biosensors, cell and gene therapy and the use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. This should lead to more targeted treatments and personalised medicine tailored to the patient.

What services do you offer your members in terms of information, training and advice?

In the field of information, we offer discussions in working groups on strategic priorities as well as information sessions on hot topics. As regards formation, let us mention VLARIP (Vlaanderens REACH Implementation Project in Flanders), WALRIP (Wallonie REACH Implementation Project in the Walloon region) for REACH and CLP, along with annual seminars on product policy, crisis communication and social themes. With the Process Safety Academy/ Process Safety Club we provide several in depth training sessions on process safety. The essenscia Patent Cell offers free advice and information on intellectual property management, including technology trend watching. essenscia also offers tailored advice, expertise and advocacy on new legislation and strategic priorities.

Could you present essenscia's activities in terms of innovation and patents? Innovation is at the core of our federation and numerous initiatives have been launched: the essenscia Patent Cell, the Innovation

Award (the most prestigious award in Belgium for industrial innovation, with the 5th edition coming up in 2022), the Innovation Circle (supporting 75 innovation projects), the Innovation Fund (34 investments in promising companies) and the Innovation Academy (to provide specialised guidance to start-ups).

What is more essenscia has set up collaboration with UCL and engaged in innovation clusters in Flanders (Catalisti) and Wallonia (GreenWin, BioWin). essenscia is also the main shareholder in BlueChem, the first incubator for sustainable chemistry in the Benelux that has opened its doors in 2020.

And let us not forget that our federation was the driving force behind the foundation of the National Fund for Scientific Research in the 1920s. A decade characterized by an innovative alliance between science and industry, which resulted in the famous Solvay Conferences and Global conferences on chemistry in Belgium.

Could you give us some examples of new products, applications or services developed by the chemical, plastics and life sciences industries to address major global challenges?

Let me first mention that the chemicals, plastics and life sciences sector is a solution-provider to tackle climate change. In that prospect, it is designing insulation materials for energy efficient construction and household appliances, lightweight materials for sustainable transport, components for renewable energy and electric car batteries. It is also striving to turn CO2 into a valuable resource, to integrate plastics in a circular economy and to boost the industrial application of hydrogen.

On the other hand, Belgium plays a key role in the development, production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. A stunning 70% of all vaccines the EU exported to other parts of the world originated from our country. It’s clear, even in the most difficult times, the world can count on Belgium.

© Essenscia

© Essenscia

Belgium plays a key role in the fight against the coronavirus

Belgium’s biopharmaceutical sector, a frontrunner in the competitive European biopharmaceutical landscape

Belgium holds a remarkable position in the European biopharmaceutical sector. This became very clear during the Covid-19 pandemic where the Belgian biopharmaceutical sector really took up the gauntlet, going from research to the distribution of new innovative solutions for the patient. Indeed, on every essential aspect of the biopharmaceutical value chain, which runs from research and development and clinical trials over production and logistics, to export, Belgium holds a strong position. At the base of this achievement lies a unique combination of a well-developed ecosystem, a highly skilled workforce, and an important collaboration with public authorities and research centers.

In 2020, Belgium represented only 2.6 percent of the EU population, and 3.4 percent of the GDP in the European Union. When looking at the importance of the Belgian biopharmaceutical sector within the European Union, the contribution of Belgium is however far more important. Centrally located in Europe, gifted with an entrepreneurial mindset and benefitting from excellent medical and road infrastructure (two airports and a seaport offering tailored services for the export of biopharma ceuticals), a dense and fruitful ecosystem has been developed over the years. It fosters collaboration between private enterprises, academic centers, clinical trials units in hospitals, and the healthcare community as a whole. Hence, it does not come as a surprise, that Belgium is recognized as a leading biopharmaceutical valley in the European Union. The fact that these activi ties are focused on every phase in the pharmaceutical value chain adds to the attractiveness of Belgium as preferred loca tion for pharmaceutical activities: from research and development and clinical trials over production and logistics, to export. This leading role became very clear during the Covid-19 pandemic: 6 companies in Belgium are involved in the development of new vaccines and more than 34 clinical trials have been started to find adequate treatments. Belgium also stood up as an essential player when looking at the production and distribution of vaccines. However, we do need to be aware that this position cannot be taken for granted. The benefits of the strong presence of our biopharmaceutical sector are clear, both from an economic and a healthcare perspective. Other countries envy us for this and show more and more the ambition to take over this role.

Caroline Ven, CEO of pharma.be

A highly skilled workforce boosting the entire biopharmaceutical value chain

According to the latest numbers available, in 2020, biopharmaceutical companies in Belgium invested nearly 5 billion euros in Research and Development of new pharmaceutical compounds, which is the equivalent of 130 million euros a day. Compared to 2019, this is a further increase of about 29 percent. This increased attractiveness has also been translated into a remarkable increase in the number of patent applications, and in a growing R&D-employment in Belgium. In 2020, 371 patent applications were filed in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, meaning nearly one every day. The number of patent applications has grown with 53 percent over the last five years. With more than 6,234 employees in research positions in 2020, Belgium has the third largest number of researchers employed in the biopharmaceutical sector per inhabitant in the EU (2019). The huge investments in R&D combined with a high level of expertise put Belgium in second place in the EU, in terms of clinical trial applications per inhabitant. 80 percent of these clinical trials are sponsored by private companies.

Growing exports with a global logistics hub for medicines and vaccines

Belgium not only leads the way with respect to biopharmaceutical research. In absolute numbers, Belgium is the second largest exporter of biopharmaceutical goods in the European Union. Biopharmaceutical companies located in Belgium accounted for 14,0 percent of the total EU biopharmaceutical exports in 2020. The value of biopharmaceutical products that were exported from Belgium all over the world, totalled 56.3 billion euros in 2020. Belgium's pharmaceutical companies have a resolutely global outlook. More than half of all pharmaceutical exports (56.3%) go to countries outside the European Union, primarily the United States, United Kingdom, China, Switzerland, and Canada.

Fostering the Innovation thanks to the Collaboration Between Companies and the Universities of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles

An interview with Dr Nathalie BURTEAU, President of the LiEU Network and

Dr Eric WYART, Operational Director of the LiEU Network

Could you depict the LiEU Network in a few words?

The LiEU Network is the network of the Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTO) of the Universities from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB):

• Université catholique de Louvain - UCLouvain;

• Université libre de Bruxelles - ULB;

• Université de Liège - ULiège;

• Université de Namur - UNamur;

• Université de Mons - UMONS;

• Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles.

LiEU stands for “Liaison Entreprise-Université” which means making the link between the companies and the universities. In this sense, LiEU is a focal contact point for all the companies and associations which are involved in an innovation process.

Could you remind us of the missions of the LiEU Network?

The Universities of the ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’ have a great deal of potential for innovation, which they want to use for the development of the region. This is the aim of KTOs. In 2003, these organisations decided to work together and create the LiEU Network, which is supported by the Walloon Government and the Council of Rectors.

The LiEU Network has four objectives:

• to promote the scientific resources of universities and facilitate their access to companies;

• to develop research collaborations between companies and research units;

• to operate the technology and knowledge transfer, from scouting innovations and inventions to licensing and spin-off creation;

• to support the teams in a continuous process of professionalisation.

Could you explain what your main challenges for the next few years are?

In 2022 we have established an action plan to enhance the innovation and the knowledge transfer in Wallonia. This action plan is articulated around three main axes, Shared4Impact, Boost4Impact and Catch4Impact.

The first axis, Shared4Impact, includes the mutualisation of tools and processes which are common in the KTO. It allows us to share our best practices and support our activities in terms of communications and legal aspects on a common basis.

The second axis, Boost4Impact, consists in fostering the capitalisation and the valorisation of research results to increase their exploitation and the socio-economic impact.

The third axis, Catch4Impact, has been set up to improve the way we catch companies needs. To this end, a new tool has been developed: the Structural Value Network. The purpose is to gather research laboratories, research centers and companies around a thematic with a high potential, not only on the research side, but also from an economic perspective.

Do you have some specific examples of Structural Value Networks?

Currently, we have four Structural Values Networks running. TRAIL which is devoted to the Artificial Intelligence research in Wallonia, CyberWal which aggregates the activities in Cyber-security. And to answer the more and more questions on energy: Battery and Hydrogen. The last two ones tend to foster the research and innovation activities in the storage and decarbonated energy. Concerning TRAIL and CyberWal, both have been granted as an IIS (“Initiative d’Innovation Stratégique” –Strategic Innovation Initiative) during the first call by the Walloon government.

You talk about the IIS, what is your involvement in this initiative?

The Universities of the FWB have a massive contribution in the selected IIS. This excellent result for the university is the fruit of intense collaboration between researchers, universities, external partners (companies, associations and public administrations), the universities authorities and administration, the KTOs from the LiEU Network. It was also facilitated by the strategic reflection carried out upstream by internal different working groups on the Strategic Innovation Domains (SIDs) of Wallonia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3).

What are your technology offers?

The technology offers showcase innovative technologies whose intellectual property has been secured thanks to the support of the scientific advisors and the patent experts of Knowledge Transfer Offices. These technologies are available for technology transfer, commercialisation. This can take different forms: a license agreement or research collaboration with a private company.

Technology offers therefore promote these innovative technologies in a language that has been popularised and adapted to companies.

How do you assist companies?

Our first area is providing access to university expertise and facilities that can meet the needs of companies. This is a considerable task as the knowledge and technologies available are highly diverse. Our second area is the organisation of meetings to match offer and demand.

Finally, our third area is assisting in implementing research collaborations and technology transfers. It is essential that these fundamentally different environments of research and business understand each other and work together in the interest of both sides and regional development. To this end, common events are organised with the competitiveness clusters and associations.

Could you exemplify the kind of events the LiEU Network organises? Recently, the LiEU Network joined forces with SKYWIN at the “Good Vibes” event to identify researchers who can answer specific need in the aerospatial sector and organise a qualitative matchmaking between them and concerned companies. The purpose was to meet the challenges of the aeronautics and space sector. The seminar was specially designed to bring out concrete R&D projects focused on three topics related to the vibration theme: “Sensors & Measurements”, “Signal Processing” and “Damping”.

As inspiration before the workshops, 3 researchers presented interesting results of applied research carried out within the universities.

The collective intelligence workshop has been designed by the RISE team from ULiège (who is part of LiEU) which enabled the collective emergence of company-research projects aimed at developing concrete innovative solutions.

Could you explain how you are organised?

To be able to offer specific support to our beneficiaries and partners, we have defined referent advisors in different fields. Those referents are the focal contact point in their area of expertise. They ensure the communication with our stakeholders and the translation of their needs. It means that we have a representative for each regional cluster. In addition to this, in order to cover the S3 areas defined by the Walloon government, we have thematic referents for each topic of the Strategic Innovative Domain and each IIS is followed by one representative of LiEU.

Hence, we want to combine the advantages of a network and the proximity of researchers with the KTO of their university.

The LiEU Network is also part of the PATLIB Network, what does it mean? PATLIB is the name given to the European network of regional intellectual property information centers which are under the supervision of the national patent offices of each member state of the European Patent Office. There are currently nearly 300 such regional centers scattered across Europe.

They are intended to provide practical local assistance and sound advice on any problem affecting intellectual property and patents, to students, researchers, spin-offs, start-ups, SMEs, VSEs and isolated inventors.

What services do they provide?

Many employees of the PATLIB centers, and therefore of the LiEU Network, are experts in patent research. The PATLIB LiEU center also offers other patent information services, including:

• technological and competitive watch,

• patent statistics,

• patent valuation / audit,

• patent strategy consulting,

• marketing / technology transfer advice.

The PATLIB LiEU center also provides practical assistance regarding other intellectual property rights. It must be noted that this service is offered to researchers of the Universities and the “Hautes-Ecoles” as well as in the framework of collaborative projects with a research unit.

Could you detail some of your key numbers?

The LiEU’s KTOs are following around 1,800 innovation projects each year and support the writing of 1,100 proposals. The research results must be protected to ensure their valorization. Consequently, to protect the intellectual property (IP) of our researchers, around 40 patents have been filed.

These activities allow us to create each year around 10 spin-offs. This is also a result induced by the support of the Walloon Region with the Win4Spin-off program, which addresses the maturation of the research till the spin-off creation.

© Valentin Bianchi

Brussels: a laboratory for smart specialization

Supporting innovative companies to contribute to the development of Brussels

An interview with Ms Julie LEROY, President of the Science Policy Council of the Brussels-Capital Region (CPSRBC), Innovation expert at Agoria

What are the missions of the CPSRBC?

The CPSRBC is an independent advisory body to the Brussels government which brings together experts in research and innovation in the region: universities, colleges, research centres and social partners (Agoria, Essenscia, BRUXEO, trade unions, etc.). It advises the Brussels government in the preparation of its science policy and keeps a critical, constructive eye on this policy. A true forum for exchange between all its members, the CPSRBC formulates advices and recommendations at the request of the regional government or the cabinets of Ministers like Minister Barbara Trachte, responsible for science and innovation. For instance, Ms. Trachte recently presented us her “Shiftingeconomy. Brussels” initiative and suggested that the issue of gender equality in the RDI area could be the subject of an advice. Requests for advice by the government or cabinet are usually made for the implementation of new legislations touching on RDI policy, as well as for the implementation of new political plans such as the regional operational planning for the European Regional Development Funds. Advices are often initiated by the CPSRBC itself.

How do you view regional policy on science, research and innovation?

Brussels-Capital is recognised by the European Commission as a European leader in innovation. Indeed, it excels by its vibrant innovation system in SMEs, a strong collaborative dynamic, a strong knowledge base and a very strong performing scientific fabric (highly cited publications and scientific collaborations). Furthermore, a solid expertise base in ICT makes Brussels a digital capital. It must also be said that Innoviris (the Brussels-Capital Region’s innovation

funding agency) plays a central role in granting aid to innovative companies. It is a very efficient, available and competent player, who manages the available resources well. I would, however, have three reservations: the difficulty of putting the results of research into industrial use, which limits the creation of potential jobs; the difficulty for start-ups to move on to the next stage of scaleup in the production sector and to become international; and finally, the difficulty for companies to retain talent and recruit the right people. On all these points the CPSRBC is working with Innoviris to move things forward.

What advice have you given recently?

A working group was set up to advice on the knowledge transfer results within the applied PhD programme of Innoviris, which is a programme for PhD students doing an applied doctorate carried out in collaboration with a company or an administrative authority. Other recent advices concern comments on the preliminary draft of the 2021-2027 ERDF programming in the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as on the 2021-2027 Regional Innovation Plan (RIP) and the Smart Specialisation Strategy. For the latter, the council also contributed to the development of the monitoring tool. In addition, Advice 58 on regional gender equality policy in the field of RDI made recommendations to improve the gender balance in the evaluation panels of research programmes and within these programmes themselves. In total, the CPSRBC has issued almost sixty opinions since 2001.

How are Agoria and the Brussels-Capital Region working together to further encourage scientific research and innovation in Brussels?

As a federation of technology companies, Agoria is actively involved in promoting innovation and works with the training organisations Technicity and Digitalcity to develop their offer in accordance with the challenges of the Brussels region. Agoria also participates in the “Sustain.Brussels” project (“European Digital Innovation Hub” call for projects) which supports companies in the optimal use of artificial intelligence to develop their business. What is more, Agoria has a board of directors for the Brussels based members headed by René Konings to help these companies face their various challenges. We also support our industry with studies: “Digital4Climate” has established that 5G increases the level of data processing but the average impact of the 5G application will drastically reduce our energy impact; “Be the change”, which looked at the jobs of the future and the skills to be developed in this context, was taken into account by the two training organisations mentioned above. Ultimately, Agoria is acting to guide the decisions of the Brussels government in the interests of businesses, which in turn will be better able to help the region’s development. A virtuous circle!

© Emy Elleboog © CPSRBC

Julie Leroy, Jean-Christophe Renauld and Mieke Gijsemans, members of the CPSRBC board

Encouraging applied research and innovation among Brussels stakeholders

An interview with Mr. Stefaan SONCK THIEBAUT, Managing Director of Innoviris

its value for the region. If it is conclusive, we propose that the Brussels-Capital Region government grant a subsidy. In this way, 300 out of 700 applications are financed each year.

Could you give us some examples?

The “R&D Project” is our most important programme. It is an open window programme and concerns the co-financing of industrial research, industrial development or process innovation for a company in collaboration with a research centre.

Could you present the missions and ecosystem of Innoviris?

Our first mission is to support and encourage applied research and innovation among Brussels’ players, i.e. research centres (universities, colleges, Sirris, etc.), companies (start-ups, SMEs, companies in the process of scaling up, large companies), but also players in the non-market sector (social and democratic enterprises) and the public sector. Because innovation benefits all these sectors. Our second mission is to promote science, especially among young people: to make them understand the importance of science in meeting societal challenges and to encourage them to pursue a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Finally, our third mission is to represent the Brussels region to the federal government (by involving Brussels companies in interregional partnerships) and to the European Commission (by encouraging Brussels companies to participate in European projects).

What financial aid is available to support the R&D projects of Brussels’ academic actors and companies?

The Regional Innovation Plan 2021-2027, with a budget of €500M, grants subsidies for the co-financing of research and innovation projects within the framework of various programmes depending on the beneficiaries (universities, companies, public-private collaboration), the TRL levels or the themes defined for their strategic nature. The two main programmes are an open-window programme (any company can apply for funding) and an annual programme with a specific deadline for submitting applications. Each application is analysed according to several criteria: its scientific quality, its feasibility, its economic importance and

“Prospective Research Brussels” finances academic research projects in the humanities and social sciences that adapt the prospectivist methodology to urban issues. The last edition focused on the socio-technical barriers to technological innovation and the political means to remedy them. “Spin Bruss els” aims to create spin-offs from the results of academic research. Among the beneficiaries of this programme is Axiless, a startup from the VUB that proposes an application based on artificial intelligence and digital technology to improve the performance of active prostheses for the feet and legs. The “Innovation Starters Award” is an annual programme that rewards the three most innovative start-ups with support for the implementation of their strategic innovation plan. The now famous company Collibra was one of the first winners of this programme. Generally speaking, small companies benefit from a higher co-financing rate. We are also keen to be accessible to businesses. To this end, we have created a single access point called “Test your idea”: a two-page document that companies are invited to fill in to find out whether their project is eligible for Innoviris co-financing or whether they can be directed to another funding agency. Having been an entrepreneur myself, I can tell you that this is appreciated!

In your opinion, what are the main challenges to be met in order to strengthen the attractiveness of the Brussels ecosystem in terms of innovation?

Brussels is already a highly innovative region, ranking 14th out of 240 in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2022. We owe this ‘innovation leader’ status to the quality of our researchers, universities, university hospitals and start-ups active in the digital sector. That said, I see two major challenges to be met: the war for talent, which companies need in the ICT, AI or construction sectors, and, in the long term, the transition to a more resilient economy, which combines social equity and respect for the environment, in accordance with the regional ‘Shifting Economy’ strategy. Innovation has a major role to play in guiding businesses towards products and services that meet these new needs, these new orientations. Circular economy, health, mobility, resilience, improvement of infrastructures to respond to climate change: these are all areas of strategic innovation in which the Brussels ecosystem can provide solutions thanks to its high potential.

© Innoviris

Stimulating scientific excellence and pioneering ideas

An interview with Dr Marius GILBERT, Vice-rector for research and development, ULB FNRS Senior Research associate, Head of the Spatial epidemiology Lab (SpELL)

What are the key figures and the strong points of research at ULB?

ULB represents around 3600 researchers and professors, 2000 PhD students, 250 theses defended each year, and over 200 research units and interdisciplinary research institutes. By 2020 the university had obtained 40 ERC grants and prestigious scientific prizes such as the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for François Englert, several Francqui Prizes and Wolf Prizes as well as 21 FNRS five-year prizes.

Focused on scientific excellence, ULB's research strategy provides a fertile environment for the research community by helping them to seek funding, contributing to the administra tive management of projects, promoting independence and academic freedom, and providing support infrastructures. In addition, ULB occasionally offers internal funding (theses, equipment) to encourage the exploration of certain very early ideas and facilitate the subsequent obtaining of external funding.

Could you give us some examples of ongoing research projects in the field of human health?

A brand new institute of vaccinology has just been created with a budget of 40 million euros financed by federal funds and patrons. Led by Prof. Arnaud Marchant (ULB) and Prof. Pierre Van Damme (University of Antwerp), this institute works on the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of vaccines and carries out clinical research for the evaluation of vaccines. The team of Prof. Cédric Blanpain, winner of the Francqui 2020 prize, works on the processes of stem cell differentiation and the regulation of cancer development. Prof. François Fuks' team is recognised for its expertise in cancer epigenetics. This recognition is also shared by the ULB Center for Diabetes Research (UCDR).

Could you present the research activities of SpELL, give us some examples of ongoing projects and indicate the main challenges in this field of research?

The laboratory aims to understand the mechanisms of geographical spread of diseases using statistical modelling, genetic analysis (phylogeography) and virus genome analysis. I am working on the spread of avian influenza in Southeast Asia: this zoonosis has a high pandemic potential and it is important to understand what can slow down or accelerate its spread. In July 2021, epidemiologist Simon Dellicour co-published a paper in Science on the spatiotemporal dynamics of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the UK. This work is part of MOOD, an H2020 project funded by the European Commission.

Today, SpELL is mainly confronted with methodological challenges: the aim is to understand how elements of geographical structure are integrated into the genetic analysis in order to better understand the factors that slow down or accelerate the diseases.

Could you give us some recent examples of the valorisation of ULB's research work?

Valorisation of research can take mutliple forms, including collaboration between laboratories and industries, the transfer of intellectual property to partners, the role of experts or the creation of spin-off.

I can highlight the activity of 4 recently founded spin-offs. Founded by Prof. Benoit Vanhollebeke, NeuVasQ Biotechnologies works on neuronal development, mechanisms linking the vascular and nervous sys tems, and the restoration of lost nervous system functionality through innovative therapies. ChromaCure was founded by Prof. Cédric Blanpain and focuses on the development of therapies targeting inhibitors of the regulation of cancerous tumours.

Prof. François Fuks founded Epics Therapeutics to explore the potential of molecules targeting genetic mechanisms involving RNA in cancer. Finally, the Secoya technology is based on the integration of the most efficient microfluidic technologies in a robust stainless-steel equipment. This allows the pharmaceutical industry to improve its production processes.

The New Institute Jules Bordet: a radiotheranostic center of excellence

By Prof. Zéna WIMANA, Radiopharmacy Manager of the Institut Jules Bordet

The Institut Jules Bordet (IJB), an oncological center part of the Brussels University Hospitals (HUB), covers all the (para-)medical disciplines related to the treatment of various cancer. Its aim is “to offer a patient effective treatment in an agreeable environment with a human dimension” realised through its three core missions: clinical care, research, and teaching.

Personalized medicine has become the core paradigm in modern oncology and nuclear medicine offers the unique opportunity of personalized targeted molecular radiotherapy based on the radiotheranostic approach. In this unique and somewhat peculiar approach, the same/similar molecule targeting cancer cells is labelled with a pair of different radioisotopes for either diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The molecules act like a Trojan horse and bring radioactivity inside the multiple tumour sites. It offers a unique opportunity, where “you see what you treat and treat what you see” in a specific patient, totally fitting in the personalised medicine line of attack.

In Belgium, IJB has been a major protagonist in the development and clinical introduction of radiotheranostics such as Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) for neuroendocrine tumors, molecular radiotherapy in lymphoma or Radioligand Therapy (RLT) in prostate cancer. However, further expansion was previously hampered by dated infrastructure as well as manufacturing requirements (i.e. pharmaceutical regulation).

The twist of fate of the building of the New Institut Jules Bordet, as well as the generous donation of AVN (Association Vinçotte Nuclear) and Association Jules Bordet was a wonderful opportunity to develop this very promising new domain of activity, which required the acquisition, and installation of a series of dedicated « nuclear » infrastructures such as the radiopharmacy. In the new hospital, it has a surface of approximately 240 m² and is equipped with state-of-the-art apparatus

meeting the strictest standards of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This enables IJB to produce these new radioactive molecules, for themselves or others, with a level of safety and quality equivalent to that of the pharmaceutical companies. In addition, the imaging suite has been totally renewed with digital PET/CT cameras (4 and 6 rings) as well as new SPECT technologies such as the Starguide camera, overall supporting better pre- and post-treatment evaluation of those radiotheranostics. Although highly technical and performant, attention to the wellbeing of the patients has not been overlooked with a coherent healing environment in all rooms. Likewise, in order to increase IJB treatment capacity for this type of therapies, five metabolic hospitalisation rooms are present in the hospital.

Although the radiotheranostic molecules are still in their infancy, they should develop exponentially over the next few years with new molecules, new targets and new radioisotopes ( -emitters). As these have first to be tested preclinically, IJB opted to invest in a dedicated research platform, the PIRaTh platform (for ‘Preclinical Imaging and Radiation Therapy’), giving IJB the opportunity to move quickly into early clinical phase or to go back to investigate biologic phenomena seen in patients (from bench to bedside and back).

With all its facilities, the New Institut Jules Bordet is in a unique position in Belgium and worldwide, as a radiotheranostic center of excellence. All in all, IJB aims to bring the field of radiotheranostics to the forefront of oncology research and make radiotheranostics available to cancer patients employing the highest standards of quality & care.

Translating the Nucleolus and the Ribosome into biomedical innovations

Interview with Prof. Denis L.J. LAFONTAINE, Director of Research at Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S./FNRS), Professor at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Head of the RNA Molecular Biology laboratory

What are the key figures and area of expertise of your laboratory?

Created twenty years ago, my laboratory employs a dozen researchers. It has to its credit >90 scientific publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals accounting for more than 9,000 citations (h-index 49), as well as the training of fifty researchers from 15 nationalities. The broad area of expertise of my laboratory is RNA biology. Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) play fundamental roles in our cells, being at the core of gene expression. The recent Covid19 pandemic has illustrated more than we could have ever anticipated the biotechnological power of RNA molecules (new generation of vaccines) and the importance to conduct research on this molecule.

Could you tell us about your main areas of interest and give us some examples of current research projects?

My team is studying how we make ribosomes, the nanomachines inside our cells responsible for the production of proteins (a process called Translation ), and how the structure of the nucleolus (the cell’s ribosome factory) is organized and maintained. We are studying the diseases associated with defective ribosomal assembly. If ribosomes are in excess, they cause can cers because the excess protein stimulates the proliferation of cells. If they are in deficit or not working well, they induce ribosome-related pathologies, the so-called ribosomopathies, affecting primarily the blood (haematopoiesis) and the brain (neurodevelopmental disorders).

We are notably studying Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), a congenital disease that affects the production of red blood cells and makes patients dependent on weekly blood transfusions. In a collaborative effort, the study of the mutations underlying this pathology has enabled us to develop and test therapeutic vectors based on gene correction to restore normal ribosome production. We have also characterized the impact of ribosome biogenesis dysfunction in Labrune syndrome, a terrible disease in which patients develops cysts in their brain.

What research partnerships have you developed?

The laboratory is a member of several European academic consortia including: RiboEurope and DBAGeneCure, funded by the European Commission within the framework of the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP-RD), and of two COST actions: Epitran and Translacore. It also offers its expertise in the form of services or scientific collaborations to Belgian companies (GSK, Progenus, …).

Could you tell us about your spin-off project?

Our spin-off project, RIBOGENESIS, developed by Pr Christiane ZORBAS, is based on the biosensor properties of the nucleolus whose morphology varies greatly in disease such as cancer, viral infection, and neurodegeneration. We have developed a powerful patented algorithm to characterize nucleolar morphology with unprecedented statistical power. We plan to use nucleolar morphology as a proxy to screen novel molecules with anticancer properties. So far, we have benefited from two funds from the Walloon Region (FIRST Spin-off and PoC - proof of concept).

What do you see as the main challenges ahead for molecular and cell biology research?

The main challenge for us will be to integrate the concepts of soft matter and biophysics in biology. There is an urgent need to decompartmentalize research. We have recently developed our vision of the nucleolus as a multiphase liquid condensate (see Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Sept. 2020 issues). Put simply, the nucleolus behaves like a liquid droplet inside our cells sharing many of the biophysical properties of immiscible liquids like “when oil and vinegar are mixed”. In fact, each cell comprises many such compartments or “droplets” that do not mix. The biophysics underlying the behavior of cell condensates will be essential to understand how cells are organized and functionally compartmentalized.

For more information:

- Lab website www.LafontaineLab.Com

- Lab Twitter: @LafontaineLab

- Denis L.J. Lafontaine, Joshua A. Riback, Rumeyza Bascetin, Clifford P. Brangwynne (2020) “The nucleolus as a multiphase liquid condensate” Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0272-6.

a, The nucleolus (the cell’s ribosome factory) in a healthy (left) and disease (right) cell (size range: microns);

b, The ribosome is the nanomachine inside our cells responsible for protein production (size range: nanometers)

World first: tricuspid valve replacement by catheterisation

On Monday 22 August 2022, an 84-year-old patient underwent an exceptional operation at the Cardiovascular Department of Cliniques Saint-Luc: the replacement of a tricuspid valve by catheterisation. This is a world first for this minimally invasive interventional cardiology procedure. Carried out in collaboration with the firm TRICares, this operation constitutes a real hope for patients who are too fragile to undergo major surgery or who do not respond to conventional drug treatments.

The heart is made up of four valves: pulmonary, aortic, mitral and tricuspid. The tricuspid valve is made up of three leaf lets and separates the right atrium and ventricle. Dysfunction of this valve can lead to heart failure. Unfortunately, current management remains limited: particularly invasive surgery or drug treatments with fluctuating results. Fragile patients who do not respond to medication are therefore left without therapeutic options.

On 22 August this year, an 84-year-old patient underwent transcatheter replacement of her tricuspid valve. “The catheterisation allowed us to insert a probe carrying the new valve into the femoral vein in the patient’s groin,” explains Prof. Joëlle Kefer. The manipulation of the probe allows it to reach the heart at the exact site of the tricuspid valve insertion, following the natural path of the veins: a non-surgical treatment that required training, equipment and techniques that were very different from but complementary to cardiac surgery.

Another special feature is that the valve is a stent made of nitinol (an alloy of nickel and titanium) which contains three leaflets of porcine pericardium that open and close with each heartbeat. Moreover, its diameter is very large (45 to 50 mm) compared to that of a conventional coronar y stent (3 mm); it therefore had to be crushed at the time of crimping on the carrier catheter in order to reduce its diameter, and then it naturally resumed its shape once released from the constraint of the catheter. “In all, the procedure time (from valve insertion into the groin to probe removal from the patient) was only 20 minutes,” says Prof. Kefer. All this was done without opening the chest and heart, and without extracorporeal circulation.

The procedure was particularly suitable for this patient who would not have been able to tolerate surgery. This required the work of a multidisciplinary team: anaesthetists, echocardiographers and interventional cardiologists, namely Prof. Joëlle Kefer and Prof. Christophe Beauloye with ultrasound guidance from Prof. Jean-Louis Vanoverschelde and Prof. Agnès Pasquet.

Named Topaz, the biological tricuspid valve device to be implanted was developed in collaboration with the firm TRICares after

several “compassionate” cases (in patients at the end of life in intensive care) in France and Germany.

Today, the patient is doing well and continues her convalescence at home after less than a week in hospital. Benefits on her quality of life are already observable: improved breathing, less water in the lungs, less swelling in the legs, increased energy, etc. “She suffered no complications and was able to walk again,” enthuses Prof. Kefer. Another positive sign is that her general clinical condition has returned to normal... to the point of stopping all antidiuretic drugs. This is indisputable proof that the valve is working perfectly, since all tricuspid leakage has been stopped.

Further interventions are already planned with around twenty patients in the screening phase. The only problem is that the prospective patients must have anatomical criteria compatible with the valve, which is currently available in only one size. A second size is expected to be developed in the near future in order to expand the range of treatments. Although early intervention is always preferable to increase the chances of reverse remodelling of a dilated heart.

In fine, this procedure completes the therapeutic arsenal for valve repair. It also brings a message of hope for patients who are too fragile for major surgery or who do not respond to conventional drug treatments. This is all the more promising as more than 12 million people in Europe alone suffer from valve disease. Just as percutaneous aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a routine procedure for people over 75 years of age, transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement now offers the prospect of reduced post-operative morbidity, improved quality of life and longer life expectancy. A future first-line treatment that Prof. Kefer is calling for!

Prof. Joëlle Kefer, Division of Cardiology, Head of the cardiac catheterization laboratory, IREC, UCLouvain –Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc

A widely recognized expertise in interdisciplinarity

An interview with Prof. Pierre JADOUL, Rector of Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles (USL-B)

What are the key numbers and areas of excellence in the field of research at Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles?

The Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles (USL-B) excels in social sciences and humanities: law, political and social sciences, economics and business administration, philosophy, history, literature, translation and European studies. USL-B has resisted compartmentalization, which at times may lead to differences in methodology and subjects between the various disciplines, and has acquired a widely recognized expertise in interdisciplinary practice, even in research, the originality of which makes its excellence. Whilst research contributes to opening new fields of knowledge, the interdisciplinary methods remain among the most efficient ones, due to their inherent creativity.

The following key numbers translate the FNRS’ recognition of our fundamental research. Over the last 5 years, an average of 34% of our FNRS applications were successful, putting us regularly ahead of the global figures of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. We are equally proud of our average 42% admission rate to the Humanities Research Fund (Fonds pour la Recherche en Sciences humaines –FRESH) launched 10 years ago, which is an essential tool in our field of disciplines.

Could you cite a few examples of the current research programs at Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles?

Like the other universities of FWB (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles), USL-B benefits from special research funds and manages to finance a great number of doctoral research fields. We are currently work-

ing on an interuniversity research project (Action de Recherche Concertée or ARC) and we are launching a new call this year.

Various BELSPO-BRAIN projects (Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks Phase 2) are also ongoing.

We are also very happy to have been granted two “PDR” from FNRS, which provide funds for projects of excellence, for a 4-year duration: “Régulation et autres solutions pour contrer la désinformation en ligne” and “Lignes directrices de l’OMS et droit de l’environnement dans un contexte changeant : de la simple référence à l’influence décisive ?”.

What research partnerships have you developed at a European level?

We are very proud of the two ERC projects our researchers were granted this year: one ERC-Starting for the project “DATAUNION” and one ERC-Consolidator for the project “BildungLearning”. We just obtained a Jean Monnet Chair about Gender and EU: “EUGENDERING”. Our research centres also develop international cooperation programs with a great number of European universities. We have been selected by the European Commission to launch two Jean Monnet module and our Erasmus+ Partnerships for Cooperation project, “Arriver en Europe, partir d’Europe: trajectoires turques et marocaines” is still ongoing. Our new EU team has done a tremendous work in obtaining these grants.

How do you value the research work coming from USL-B?

Our university has developed the valorisation of its research with the support of the Walloon (DGO6) and Brussels (Innoviris) Regions. Our Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) ensures the link between research at the university, and in the non-academic world. Its task consists in taking care of the diffusion, the mobilisation and the knowledge transfer to society, and in creating collaborations and exchanges between society and the university. We are also an integrated member of the LIEU network, which gathers the KTOs from Universities within the FWB.

Although this type of research valorisation represents a quite recent development, let us stress that, for a long time now, some of our research centres have shown a keen interest in regional integration, particularly with regards to very advanced research on Brussels. Our Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Brussels (IRIB) gathers these centres and hosts centres from other universities. We play a leading role in the Brussels Studies Insti tute (an interuniversity research platform on Brussels) and in the online magazine “Brussels Studies”. Thanks to our expertise, acquired through our research work on Brussels (particularly with regards to mobility issues), we have obtained many regional-funded research projects.

© USL-B

St. Louis - Brussels University has fifteen research centers covering all the humanities field. A network and two institutes provide the interface between research centers: the Interdisciplinarity and Society Network (RIS), the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Brussels (IRIB) and the Institute for European Studies.

© USL-B

Altertox

Towards alternatives to animal testing and research!

Altertox relies on its expertise in in vitro toxicology and 3Rs (“Reduce, Replace, Refine in vivo assays”) to promote alternative methods to laboratory animals. With more than 10 years of existence and 7 employees, the company has an annual turnover of between €500,000 and €1m.

Replacing laboratory animal models rather than trying to reduce or refine them: this is Altertox’s credo. The company brings its scientific expertise to this approach, which also includes a communication and dissemination aspect and an advocacy support. Altertox is regularly contacted by SMEs at various levels of technology readiness level (TRL). In particular, a Swiss company has called on its consulting services for data verification, the development of experimental protocols and the facilitation of dialogue with regulatory agencies at the national level and at the OECD: a winning strategy to better penetrate the regulatory market for chemical products. Similarly, Alter tox was contacted by a Singaporean company to meet with key opinion leaders to better understand the market and convince them to use their new models. Another example: a major manufacturer of laboratory equipment entrusted Altertox with the promotion of its products through the identification of adequate venues, the organisation of webinars and the selection of conferences to increase its visibility. Altertox is also called upon by SMEs to draw up the communication plan accompanying the launch of new products towards policy makers and general public.

In addition to advising SMEs, Altertox works closely with the French public-private platform “PEPPER”, which specialises in the pre-validation of methods for characterising endocrine disruptors. In this context, the company helps coordinate the production of results submitted to the OECD with a view to create new test guidelines. Three such methods are currently undergoing this review process and the deci sion is expected by the end of 2022 or early 2023.

Altertox is currently involved in 3 European research projects under the Horizon 2020 programme and undertakes within the consortia training, communication and/or dissemination activities. All three aim to develop alternative methods to animal models by 2025-2026. ONTOX (Ontology-driven and artificial intelligence-based repeated dose toxicity testing of chemicals for next generation risk assessment) is based on artificial intelligence for the evaluation of chemicals, PrecisionTox (Toward Precision Toxicology: New Approach Methodologies for Chemical Safety) seeks to develop models using non-sentient organisms such as flies, earthworms, fish and frog eggs and water fleas, while PANORAMIX focuses on the risk assessment of mixtures of chemicals in water, food and the human body.

With regulatory requirements in line with its core business, Altertox is commercialising an edutainment game for universities and industries. The board game “Tatabox” has been designed as a starting point for a discussion with all the actors in the scientific community on the robust alternative methods that can be used. In a similar way, education material was developed for secondary and upper primary school students. At the same time, Altertox aims to become a hub for the alternative methods business sector, which already has around 200 companies active in Europe. The company is also preparing a coding competition to benefit from a fresh perspective, that of the coding community, which is perhaps better able to solve an ‘external’ problem and thus become part of the solution. And that’s not all: Altertox intends to maintain the number of its European projects and triple the number of its customers within five years. Europe, North America, Asia: there are countless avenues for a very promising market!

Centre de Technologies Moléculaires Appliquées (CTMA) – UCLouvain

A biotechnological platform specialized in clinical research

Strong with 35 civilian-military employees and headed by Prof. Jean-Luc Gala, the Centre for Applied Molecular Technologies (CTMA) of Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) works on multidisciplinary tools on bioinformatics, biostatistics, biomedical genomics, bioengineering, knowledge engineering, and telecommunications.

Amultinational entity, the CTMA fosters knowledge and expertise in the areas of biothreats assessment and biorisk management. This objective is combined with the rapid identification of intentional, unintentional or natural emerging biological threats. The CTMA’s joint medical and applied research activities encompass the development of innovative treatment and diagnostics tools (e.g. nanobodies) and primarily target new pathogenic agents with pandemic potential as well as bioagents that can be accidently released or produced intentionally (biological warfare agents). By creating dual-use new technologies based on DNA and proteins, the CTMA strives to make clinical diagnostic methods more efficient in terms of speed, accuracy, price, and waste output. The cre ation of points of care testing (POCT) and rapid diagnostic tests (RPD) for the equipment-free, quick, sensitive, economical, and user-friendly detection, identification, and monitoring (DIM) of infectious agents is a specific task.

An important development of the CTMA is its box-based operational deployable analytical capacity B-LiFE (Biological Light Fieldable Laboratory for Emergencies), which is a Rapid Response Mobile Laboratory (RRML) of Type II according to WHO classification. This mobile lab is used in response to major health crises and international exercises to identify life-threatening pathogens: Monkeypox outbreak in Kasai, DRC, 2009; detection of Bacillus anthracis in field samples, Pionki, Poland (FP7-SEC project PRACTICE); Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, N’Zerekore, Guinea; deployment in Piedmont Region, Italy, in June-July 2020 for COVID-19 pandemic response, and international training exercises: DG ECHO ERCC EUCPM MODEX in 2017, Sweden; a series of WHO-GOARN exercises within SimEx programme for RRMLs (including a virtual table-top exercise or V-TTX), from 31 August to 2 September 2021,

a virtual functional exercise (V-FX, 5-7 October 2021), a field exercise for RRMLs (11-15 October 2021) in Kazan, Russian Federation.

The cornerstone of the CTMA’s knowledge is its extensive experience as a practitioner, technology provider, coordinator, manager, and partner in regional (WALInnov, Win2Wal), national, and European EU FP7 and Horizon 2020 security projects in the fields of health (PANDEM, PANDEM-II - Pandemic Preparedness and Response), CBRN (MIRACLE - Mobile Laboratory for the Rapid Assessment of CBRN Threats Located within and outside the EU, eNOTICE (EU Network of CBRN Training Centres), ENCIRCLE (European CBRN Innovation for the Market Cluster), MOBVEC (Mobile Bio-Lab to support first response in Arbovirus outbreaks), as well as European Space Agency (ESA)_B-LiFE (Biological Light Fieldable Laboratory for Emergencies), European Defence Agency (EDA)_BFREE (Biological free mixed CBRN samples for safe handling and analysis), and EDA_RACED (Risk Assessment for ChemBio Exposure after Decontamination) projects. The CTMA provides a biological expertise for the Federal Coordination Centre CBRN under the aegis of the Bel gian Federal Crisis Centre, as well as its contribution to national capacity building through collaborative projects (Morocco, Eastern DRC).

In the field of training, the CTMA frequently receives PhD students and students from the Haute Ecole Leonard de Vinci, while training external researchers from universities in Belgium and abroad. The B-LiFE mobile laboratory staff offered just-in-time training to local biologists in N’Zerekore during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, Piedmont during the COVID–19 crisis, and Chisinau, Moldova in October 2022 during the refugee crisis. Training for the RRML work is available from the CTMA due to its experience in this area.

Organization of the B-LiFE base of operation during the Ebola mission in Guinea. There were several modules consisting of (a) fully equipped inflatable laboratory tent (1), two containers for laboratory supplies and the command centre with a satellite internet network (2), and the Ebola treatment centre located inside the red zone and apart from the B-LiFE (3). (b) Inside the laboratory tent, different gloveboxes were used for virus inactivation (4), biochemical testing (5). (c) The extraction (6) and PCR (7) workstations were located at the entrance of the laboratory.

Biosafety training and qPCR procedures. A double fence surrounded the laboratory, the first to control entry to the site and perform biosafety measures (temperature monitoring, hand and shoe decontamination), the second to restrict access to the laboratory staff. (a) Samples were received through a window in the internal fence. The training focused on handling Ebola samples inside a negative-pressure glovebox (b) first under supervision and then (c) autonomously, (d) to prepare a 96-multiwell plate for the qPCR inside a disposable glovebox, and (e) to perform biochemical tests. (f) Certificates of attendance were issued at the end of the JiTT pro-gram.

CTMA

Avenue Hippocrate 54 - Bte B1.54.01

B-1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

Tel.: +32 (0)2 764 33 32

Email: jean-luc.gala@uclouvain.be - http://www.uclouvain.be/ctma.htlm

CTMA ©

CTMA

Prof. Jean-Luc Gala, CTMA Director

K-TREE Consulting

What is your background in research and innovation for Belgium? What lessons in terms of innovation have you learned from your move from a large structure to a small one and what can K-Tree Consulting offer?

After a few years at the Brussels Bar and then in one of the “Big 5” in international consultancies, I worked for the biopharma UCB for about 25 years, developing hundreds of alliances, innovation & public-private partnerships. I am proud to have been associated with the creation of the Walloon health cluster BioWin, to have participated in the research group of the Walloon Union of Enterprises (UWE), in BIR&D (Belgian Industrial R&D, a grouping of the major industrial players investing in R&D in Belgium) and in EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations), which contributed to the launch of the largest public-private partnership ever created in Europe: the IMI (Innovative Medicines Initiative). I have since created K-Tree Consulting to develop innovation partnerships for small companies as well because “Size does not matter” in this field! I offer integrated expertise to any structure, public or private, wishing to deploy an innovation culture and associated strategy & policies or to set up R&D partnerships (from scouting and IP development through legal, financing, and contractual support). One of the first assignment was helping, as interim CEO, a young start-up deploy its R&D facilities and proprietary technology platform on antigen-specific modulation of the innate immune system (www.equaly.be). I’m also in the process of being accredited as mediator in civil and commercial affairs.

How do you see a link in terms of innovation between the pharma sector and the wood sector, to which you are partly dedicated?

I’m indeed engaged on a part-time basis in a family business that is active in forestry and does support sustainable wood exploitation. I see three points of convergence between the two sectors: they depend on R&D to grow and facilitate cross-fertilisation (imagine medical imaging applied to logs over 50 years old to enhance their value!); they have an interest in increasing internal and cross-sectorial integration; and finally, they have everything to gain by exploring the medicinal applications of forestry (reduction of CO2 emiss ions, phytotherapy, sylvotherapy).

How can R&D in Belgium do better?

The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021, which included 132 countries, placed Belgium in 22nd position. This is an improvement on our previous ranking (25th) but we are still far from the top 10! Of course, we have undeniable strengths: the quality of our academic base and our level of education, the know-how and quality of our workforce, the performance of innovation-intensive sectors (such as pharma - medical imaging, im munology, neuroscience, oncology -, logistics and digitalisation).

But our weaknesses are just as undeniable. Despite the attractive system of direct and indirect incentives to R&D, Belgium still suffers from complexity and administrative burdens induced by its muti-layers political base. Moreover, we are good at creating R&D but sometimes less good at turning it into innovation and applications. In addition, there are heavy wage costs, a lack of science and engineering graduates, and an infrastructure that has yet to be optimised for energy.

At a time when certain major players are emerging (China in particular), what strategies do you see to preserve our independence and capac ity for innovation in Europe?

I have made six recommendations in this area: to strengthen the standardisation and simplification of patent filing and protection at European level, to repatriate know-how and brains by avoiding excessive subcontracting and outsourcing, to retain control of PoC (proof of concept) in EU, by making the incentives to R&D conditional on retaining most of the IP valorisation in EU, within the limits of European competition law; not to make everything contingent and secure (“Too much precautionary principle kills innovation” according to a former European Research Commissioner...), even if the biotechnology sector must be regulated; repatriate industry at all costs by making it more agile and better integrated into R&D and the innovation cycle; and finally, promote fair and sustainable agreements between industry, research centres and universities, respecting the specificities of each in order to better exploit them. In short, the aim is to achieve an intelligent sharing of industrial property so that innovation serves the individual and society.

A passion for R&D and innovation partnerships in health and beyond

An interview with Mr Simon DRESSE, Director of K-TREE Consulting

Faced with the excesses of a certain globalisation and the climate chal lenge, does R&D have a new card to play? What kind of partnership culture should be developed today?

I am campaigning for resilient innovation between all the play ers in the innovation ecosystem with three prerequisites: collective intelligence and partnerships for their implementation, the strengthening of public-private partnerships and of the “strategic State” (as defined by the Belgian financier, tax expert, author and economist Bruno Colmant) to regulate abuses and invest in collective values, innovation centred on the human being and symbiosis with the Earth - innovation that is aware of the world’s limited resources, driven by an economy and industry of moderation to reduce the excesses of unbridled competition, to limit overproduction and overconsumption, to integrate short circuits and the circular economy, to transform and consume resources at source, and to design small-scale manufacturing units that can make the industry resilient and agile.

How do you see innovation management evolving?

Innovation requires managerial skills and leadership. Innovation implies an open and holistic attitude as well. The current hyper-specialisation and hyper-technology are leading to a loss of momentum, an erosion that could be overcome by creating bridges so that researchers can combine specialisation and innovation management. However, this is only possible if they are aware of how other sectors operate and of the different facets of innovation, from R&D through development and manufacturing. On condition also that the differences in culture and logic between industry and university (or other public players) are understood and respected. On condition, finally, that professional mobility between companies and universities and vice versa is facilitated: structures must become more agile, less vertical and more flexible. Moreover, management must be attentive

to the changes in a world that is moving faster and faster. Some young people question the value of work: for them, innovation has to make sense, in terms of societal engagement and value creation, not only for the industry and its shareholders, but, for all actors (from the work forces and their family, through the patients, nursing staff, patient organizations, etc if we take the example of the Pharma sector). On the other hand, organizations and society should be more agile to valorise older people for their expertise and innovation skills. The European Union also has a role to play in facilitating cross continental and open innovation with China and other key players, despite possible geopolitical challenges,as long as clear rules are set-out and complied with respect to IP, and as long as there is space to agree on common democratic principles in generating the innovation. Innovation should not be reduced to a plaster on a wooden leg: beyond technology, it invites us to recreate a better social and economic sustainable model based on the best of the existing models. To create is to innovate! K-TREE Consulting Sprl/Bvba

Avenue des Volontaires, 33 - B-1200 Brussels

Tel.: +32 (0)494 57 83 89

Email: info@ktree.be

https://ktree.be/

© K-TREE Consulting

© K-TREE Consulting © K-TREE Consulting

© K-TREE Consulting

hub.brussels

A new centre for medical innovation in Brussels

Brussels is going to have a new Centre for Medical Innovation at Hospitals (CMIH), which is excellent news both for the people of Brussels and for our companies. There is indeed a glaring lack of bridges between the world of entrepreneurship and the hospital environment.

The Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B) has been selected, following a call for applications, to set up a new Centre for Medical Innovation at an Hospital (CMIH). The initiative, supported by hub.brussels and its HealthTech cluster lifetech.brussels, aims to help the hospital identify healthcare needs (linked to safety, quality and organization of care) and provide concrete answers through the creation of a tailor-made pilot solution with healthcare professionals, patients and companies.

Strengthening the links between companies and hospitals

The business world and the hospital world need each other but often do not speak the same language. The covid-19 crisis has recently amplified this need for connection and demonstrated the importance of adapting and developing innovation within hospitals. This project, supported by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fundwww.feder.brussels), responds to this double observation.

The new CMIH is therefore part of a logic of pooling the skills pres ent in Brussels and providing concrete innovative responses to the problems that patients and/or practitioners encounter in their medical practices. For example, the need for new technologies in the operating theatre, or the improvement of long-term support for oncology patients.

“Through this new collaboration with the Brussels University Hospital, we want to encourage our entrepreneurs to co-create solutions with end-users and accelerate the testing of promising entrepreneurial solutions. This is a very good example of how the economy can be an accelerator of societal changes by aiming to improve the quality and accessibility of care and the well-being of citizens,” explains Isabelle Grippa, CEO of hub.brussels, the Brussels Agency for Business Support.

A pilot project to be continued

A call for applications was sent to Brussels hospitals at the end of February 2022 and five establishments submitted a file. An independent jury decided between them on the basis of selection criteria relating to hospital’s human and financial resources to be put in place, consistency with the strategic priorities, innovation projects implemented in the past and the actions planned to ensure the project’s continuity.

The objective is to ensure the continuity of the approach and methodology beyond the 19 months of partnership with the lifetech. brussels teams. During this period, specific support will be offered in terms of project management, contacts with the business world and innovation strategy.

This CMIH within the Brussels University Hospital is a pilot project that will inspire other hospitals in the Brussels Region and encourage them to follow a similar path in the development of a genuine innovation culture. This will enable even more companies to develop, test and implement their solutions in the field for which they are intended.

About lifetech.brussels

Lifetech.brussels is the hub.brussels cluster dedicated to HealthTech. It aims to facilitate and stimulate the attractiveness and success of high potential medtech and/or eHealth solutions. We promote collaborations and synergies between entrepreneurs, researchers, health professionals, public institutions, hospitals and industries. Among our services, we organise for example the MedTech Accelerator® (accelerator for innovative HealthTech start-ups), the Prevention Days (2 days dedicated to start-ups active in prevention and their specificities), as well as pitch sessions.

www.lifetech.brussels

© hub.brussels

The management of the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B), the lifetech.brussels team and the consultants involved in the CMIH project

© hub.brussels

The Jules Bordet Institute, one of the three institutions that make up the H.U.B

Wallonia: a land of innovation

© Seqalis

Consolidate our region’s strengths while developing new innovative sectors

An interview with Mr. Elio DI RUPO, Minister-President of Wallonia

Which projects of the Walloon Recovery Plan will according to you boost innovation in Wallonia in the upcoming years?

After the decline of the steel industry, the Walloon region has invested considerably in research and innovation to ensure its socio-economic conversion. This support, through its competitiveness clusters, has led to the emergence and consolidation of innovative sectors in Wallonia, such as biotechnologies and aeronautics.

Just under a year ago, the Walloon government launched its own Recovery Plan.

This Plan aims to consolidate our region’s strengths by investing in Wallonia’s structuring sectors, but also to develop new innovative sectors such as medtech, cyber security, the circular economy and hydrogen.

To be very concrete, I would like to cite a few examples of projects that have already been launched by my government in the framework of this first year of implementation of the Plan.

Firstly, the development of the circular economy

Following a call for projects launched by the Walloon government on the initiative of the Minister for the Economy, 18 projects were selected for a budget of € 113 million.

Among these projects, seven aim to support the development of technologies needed by industrial companies to achieve their CO2 emission reduction targets. Several technologies will be deployed, such as the electrification of industrial processes, the production of hydrogen by electrolysis or pyrolysis of meth ane, the capture of their CO2 emissions and the decarbonisation of ammonia production processes.

Ten projects aim to set up innovation partnerships, focusing on 2 priority value chains, namely metallurgy and construction materials, in the field of circularity of metals, batteries and minerals, including electric vehicle batteries (reuse, upscaling and recycling).

A project aims to develop an aircraft recycling industry in Wallonia. A conglomerate of local operators, Sabena Aerospace-Sabca

and Comet Sambre, has been shortlisted to carry out the first installation of this activity in Belgium. According to Afra (Air fleet recycling association), nearly 10,000 aircraft must be retired from the fleet by 2035.

The Government is also devoting, via the Recovery Plan, an additional 38.5 million to realise the potential of the circular economy through the implementation of Circular Wallonia and 25 million to support the prevention, reuse and recycling of waste.

© Cabinet of Mr Elio Di Rupo

Secondly, the government has made the development of hydrogen a priority, with a budget of over one hundred million euros.

Wallonia is full of potential and talent in this field.

John Cockerill has just been selected to participate in the Important European Common Interest Project ‘Hy2Tech’ dedicated to the development of the hydrogen technology value chain in Europe (pan-European consortium of companies). The core of John Cockerill’s project is the research and innovation dedicated to the design of a 5 MW, 1000 Nm³/hr alkaline electrolyser at 30 bar and the industrialisation of its large-scale manufacture in Wallonia and France.

Other projects such as the Colombus project in Amercoeur, involving John Cockerill, Carmeuse and ENGIE are also promising. The aim is to produce renewable synthetic gas (e-methane) from hydrogen, CO2 capture and methanation.

The government is also banking on the development of the “medtech” sector in Wallonia. At the end of 2021, the government launched a project aimed at integrating research and innovation units directly into hospital and medical environments to promote the development and deployment of new therapeutic technologies.

The Recovery Plan has not forgotten to support growth sectors such as the biotechnology sector. A new 24,000 m² building will be built on the Gosselies Biopark site to accommodate new spin-offs and start-ups. The project, called “BIOTECH5”, has already obtained its planning permission in spring 2021. The Walloon Region will provide a total of 35 million euros in funding.

Last July, the government also launched calls for projects aimed at financing collaborative research projects involving Walloon companies and SMEs in the space and defence sectors.

Furthermore, the international context encourages us to invest more in our digital defence capabilities. This is why the government is supporting the “CyberExcellence” research project in the field of cyber security, with a budget of 18 million euros.

This project involves five French-speaking Belgian universities and two accredited research centres and collaborates with innovation players such as A6K (active in the world of manufacturing with the presence of industries such as THALES and ALSTOM) and IDELUX, active in the world of space through its relations with RHEA and the European Space Agency.

Finally, a Walloon cybersecurity centre will be built in Redu.

This choice was not made at random. The European Space Agency has also chosen Redu-Transinne as the location for its cybersecurity centre. The Belgian Rhea Group has invested 20 million euros to create a centre of excellence in cyber security. The aim is to make Redu “a European reference” in the field of cyber security.

The government has also made significant resources available for new training centres in innovative fields, such as digital technology (A6K E6K), biotechnology (EU biotech school) and new materials (centre for ecotechnology), and has supported the extension and equipment of the APTASKIL competence centre, the Technocité competence centre, which recently hosted the first Minecraft Education Academy in Belgium thanks to this investment.

New initiatives will be taken by the government to support innovation in Wallonia. I therefore invite all innovation actors to remain attentive to the next calls for projects launched by the Walloon government and to take part in them to participate in the revival of Wallonia.

© Cabinet of Mr Elio Di Rupo

The importance of research in Wallonia

By Mr. Willy BORSUS, Vice-President of the Walloon Region and Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade, Research and Innovation, Digital Technologies, Agriculture, Urban and Spatial Planning, IFAPME and Competence Centers

Research is a real strength of our Region. Its reputation gives us an important place on the world scene, whether in the fields of space, aeronautics, biosciences or chemistry

The pharma and biotech sector is a major sector of the Walloon economy in which the Region is an international leader. It has a critical mass of academic and industrial players, both in treatment, vaccines and diagnostics, and moreover played a major role in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. It is also a sector that provides jobs in Wallonia (16,500 direct jobs and more than 50,000 indirect jobs), an example in terms of R&D and Innovation, but also in terms of investments since it is constantly renewing itself: the pharmaceutical industry accounts for 49% of all R&D expenditure in Wallonia.

I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise the importance of Research and Innovation for Wallonia and the place it occupies in our Recovery Plan. Among the various axes that make up our Recovery Plan, if there is one that is crucial in my eyes, it is Research and Innovation. It is, moreover, the one that mobilises the largest budget within my remit, with a total of 728 million euros. This amount is in addition to the ordinary budgets. Never before have so many resources been mobilised in Wallonia for research.

Improving research in Wallonia

Over the last two decades, Wallonia has invested considerably in its innovation capacity, achieving the European status of ‘region strong in innovation’. Our desire is to continue these efforts. Various tools have been put in place in Wallonia to support research by companies, research centres, universities, colleges and research organisations, such as, of course, research grants (SPW-EER), technological incubators and Walloon economic and financial tools. These are tools for which the Walloon Government validated the merger this summer in order to improve the impact of the Region’s interventions, particularly for companies and the self-employed.

For the year 2021, €303.6 million has been invested by Wallonia, via the Walloon Public Service “Research”. This represents 739 dossiers for 282 companies as well as French-speaking universities, colleges, approved research centres and research organisations. 171 innovation cheques were issued for a total amount of €1.51 million.

Despite this success, several obstacles to accessing research grants persisted: administrative difficulties, a certain complexity in entering European projects, the length of deadlines and, above all, a real need for clarity and guidance towards the right schemes.

This is why I have carried out a complete overhaul of research grants in order to simplify access and make them more readable. The priorities were therefore simplification but also the “return effects” for the Walloon economy. This reform eliminates “duplication” but above all fills the gaps that were identified. From now on, with a limited number of aid mechanisms, almost all the needs previously covered are covered.

Win4company: Aid to companies for an industrial research project, experimental development, strengthening of scientific and technological potential, process innovation and organisational innovation.

Win4excellence: Support for universities to increase their excellence through the acquisition of new knowledge, to achieve international competitiveness and visibility.

Win4collective: Support for approved research centres to strengthen their expertise and know-how in areas of activity useful to the greatest number of Walloon SMEs.

Win2wal: Aid to universities and colleges to carry out an industrial research project with high potential for valorisation in themes linked to identified strategic needs.

Win4expertise: Help to companies to resort to external expertise.

Win4Spin-Off: Creation of innovative companies, spin-off companies based on research work within universities and colleges.

Win4doc: Support for companies to hire staff to carry out industrial research for a PhD thesis.

This reform was carried out in connection with the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3), since the objective is that 70% of the funding be granted to projects in the Strategic Innovation Areas or DIS (circular materials, innovations for enhanced health, innovations for agile and safe design and production, sustainable energy systems and housing, agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management) of the S3 in order to better respond to Wallonia’s challenges.

An important step has recently been taken in the implementation of the Walloon S3: we have selected 20 Strategic Innovation Initiatives (SIIs), following the call for expressions of interest launched in September 2021. Among all the proposals, 3 “mature” ones have been selected. 17 other proposals, “almost mature” and of good quality, were selected and will benefit from support to complete them on the basis of the recommendations made and be definitively qualified as SII. The quality of the selected proposals and the significant mobilisation of the actors demonstrate a real collective will to respond to the challenges we face and to relaunch Wallonia through innovative solutions.

We have also set up DIS coordinators within the clusters who help the project leaders to structure their projects in order to find the most appropriate funding. Calls for projects will be launched in 2023.

Several projects from our Recovery Plan are currently being implemented. I would mention, for example, the project which aims to increase support for strategic research, on the one hand by increasing the resources granted to strategic research in the field of life sciences, and on the other hand by supporting strategic research in a new technological area.

Last year, we already increased the resources allocated to strategic research in the field of life sciences to an annual subsidy of €15 million per year, i.e. more or less double the amount. We have also decided to support long-term research teams rather than one-off projects.

We will work on concentrating resources for the benefit of excellent and collective research. This means, in particular, increasing support for strategic research in the biotech sector, by strengthening the resources granted to WELBIO (Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology), a non-profit organisation for excellent research in the life sciences.

We will restructure and rename WELBIO to create the WEL Research Institute, which will have two departments:

- WELBIO - € 15 million/year

- WEL-T (Walloon Excellence in Technology) - € 9.75 million/year.

WELBIO will continue, as at present, to support strategic fundamental research of excellence in the life sciences with a view to valorising discoveries towards industrial applications in all fields of medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary biotechnology, and WEL-T will support strategic research of excellence in the engineering, chemical and physical sciences with a view to valorising breakthrough innovations for industrial applications aimed at the sustainable transition. As you can see, research is of paramount importance for our Region and has our full support!

Wallonia is a welcoming economic space for innovation

An interview with Mr. Jean-François HEUSE, Department of Research and Technological Development, Public Service of Wallonia Economy, Employment, Research

What are the missions of the Department of Research and Technological Development?

With a budget of nearly 350 million euros, the department is the main provider of funds in Wallonia for the financing of research: companies, whatever their size, research centres, universities and colleges can apply for R&D funding.

To do this, we have two mechanisms, within a general system called ‘Win4research’: ‘window’ aid (which are our own programmes) or collaborative programmes (those in which Wallonia participates with other funding agencies, especially in an international framework). I would also add the financing of projects of competitiveness clusters when the latter launch their own calls.

In addition to this first mission, we also accompany these research players. How do we do this? We help them, for example, to file a patent, to promote their research...

And thirdly, there are awareness-raising and popularisation actions through the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) strategy supported by the Walloon Government, competitions such as L’Odyssée de l’objet, CANSAT or the publication of a magazine for over 30 years, Athena.

Could you tell us about the research support mechanisms for these Walloon research actors?

As I was saying, on the one hand, there is the “window aid”. This is aid that takes the form of a grant or a repayable advance and that varies in intensity according to the size of the company and the qualification of the research (industrial research or experimental development). Unlike universities, which are financed at 100%, or research centres, which are financed at 75%, the regulations on State aid do not allow us such rates. In concrete terms, this means that a company that has a project to finance submits it to us, we analyse it and, if necessary, grant financial aid.

On the other hand, there are the calls. There are two types: regional and international. In these cases, the department launches, alone or with the support of the European Commission in most cases, calls for projects. They can be thematic or non-thematic. In this case, a timetable is set: a start date, an end date and an evaluation and ranking process are specified.

The international calls allow, as their name indicates, Walloon R&D actors to have an opening towards external markets and collaborations that they might not have internally.

Finally, I would also like to mention more specific aids, such as those which allow the creation of spin-offs or which offer companies the possibility of hiring a doctoral student.

Two major projects have opened up: the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme and the ERDF call.

Indeed, Horizon Europe officially started on 1 January 2021 and the department is very involved in this programme, in collaboration with the NCP Wallonia, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022.

Horizon Europe is composed of three pillars, one of which is aimed more at fundamental research and is therefore outside the remit of the SPW Research. The second, Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness, has a budget of 56 billion euros. We are present in what are known as the Clusters, of which there are

SPW Recherche

Texere Biotech, the world leader in robotic bone graft production, has broken new ground with the arrival of the world's first Covid-free certified allograft bone products. This success is due to Bonefide®, an innovative in-house pathogen reduction process for enveloped viruses, developed with the support of SPW Research.

© Texere

the activity of which repel or even be toxic to insects. These observations offer new possibilities for controlling phytophagous arthropods in crops. Vermicompost and its by-products seem to offer particularly interesting pest control in this sens.

six, while in the third, Innovative Europe, we are only really involved in one of the three components, the European Innovation Council. Of course, the department’s agents keep an eye on the entire framework programme.

In agreement with the minister in charge, we have just joined 13 partnerships that are included in the second pillar. These partnerships, unlike the Commission’s ‘classic’ calls for proposals, require agreements between the European Commission and/or the Member States and/or the private sector for shared funding.

In addition, in the summer of 2022, the feasibility analysis of the 400 or so ERDF projects that had a “research” implication was completed, which represented a truly considerable amount of work for the department. All the files were then sent to the Walloon government’s selection committee, which examined the files and proposed the winners.

To what extent is your Department involved in the recovery plan? In October 2021, the Walloon Government presented its Recovery Plan, which was born of the merger of three other

initiatives: Get Up Wallonia, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (European recovery plan) and the Transition Plan (which was included in the regional policy declaration).

7.6 billion to be invested in Wallonia between now and 2024.

Among the axes of this plan, which includes economic development, there are various research initiatives. Thus, in mid-2022, two calls were launched, one with 35 million euros for R&D in defence, where the aim is to strengthen skills and increase diversification in the defence sector, and the other, relating to space, with 20 million euros to develop a Walloon space value chain.

I am firmly convinced of the indestructible link between the economy and research and of the importance of public support for research. In this respect, I would like to remind you that this year more than 3% of the GDP in Wallonia was invested in R&D and that our region is, every day, a welcoming economic space for innovation. We are among the leaders in Europe.

The VERMULSIF project (cofunded by the European Commission and the Walloon Region in the frame of the BEWARE programme (MSCA 847587)) aims to use of organic fertilisation instead of synthetic fertilisers increases crops’ natural resistance to their pests. Indeed, thanks to a gradual release of nutrients, the sap contains less nitrogenous derivatives which decreases the plant’s attractiveness and, in addition, produces more secondary metabolites,

Recherche / Carolina Levicek

Focusing on international technological missions and sustainable transition

An interview with Ms Pascale DELCOMMINETTE, CEO, Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX) and Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI)

Could you tell us about the research and innovation promotion actions carried out by AWEX and WBI?

AWEX and WBI have developed a joint strategy for French-speaking Walloon and Brussels innovation actors: universities, research centres, innovation clusters and companies. To do this, they rely on several networks active abroad, namely 6 scientific liaison officers, 92 economic and commercial advisors as well as several strategic partnerships with foreign ecosystems, allowing technology and innovative companies to rapidly access markets with strong potential growth. Furthermore, WBI negotiates and activates bilateral research agreements in order to support international research and innovation projects as well as to promote the international mobility of researchers.

AWEX and WBI carry out various promotional and support activities. For example, each year the two administrations have a joint stand at the Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology fair. This major event allows us to present the entire innovation value chain with university spin-offs, start-ups, applied research centres, etc. The international visibility of our skills is thus reinforced, as are the opportunities for international collaboration. In addition, AWEX and WBI participate in various economic missions, technological missions, state visits, etc. Since 2016, we have also been collaborating with the Belgian online media Daily Science: our science articles promote the scientific know-how of our ecosystem.

How do you support the export activity of innovative Walloon companies?

We accompany them through technological missions that meet their needs in terms of commercial accessibility to major international markets. These needs include on-site technological validation (with connection points for this validation), connection with local accelerators, acquisition of industrial property, and preparation of fundraising, access to local innovation or demonstrators. We rely on strong innovation ecosystems with trusted partners for companies to grow and develop their innovations. With this in mind, AWEX’s annual action programme, which includes 150 to 180 actions depending on the year, will increasingly specialise in these international technological missions, beyond the promotion of “pure” exports.

How does the One Stop Shop service help foreign companies wishing to set up research activities in Wallonia?

We capitalise on a legislative and fiscal environment that is favourable to such establishments, both at federal and regional level: this is demonstrated by the numerous incentives and tax deductions. But that is not all: the attractiveness of our ecosystem based on a strategy of smart specialisation is just as important. Innovation clusters, companies and universities offer an interesting network of academic,

industrial and financial partners. In addition, we have concluded soft landing agreements with WSL, located in Wallonia and considered to be the 6th largest technological incubator in the world. WSL does a fantastic job of welcoming and supporting innovative start-ups. Finally, AWEX has set up dedicated teams to monitor projects: a sectoral team and a team within the Innovation Department to stimulate exports and attract foreign investment.

How do you support the revival of Walloon companies active in the research and innovation sector?

The health crisis has highlighted the creativity and innovation of our ecosystem. All the technological sectors were mobilised to provide rapid responses to various issues: the production of personal protective equipment and parts for respirators, the transformation of production lines, collaboration with research centres, etc. It is this dynamism and reactivity that we want to encourage by informing all R&D operators of international missions, European programmes such as the ERA-NETs, new Walloon international grant programmes for research collaborations, etc. We also make sure to identify local partners abroad in order to create connections for future research partnerships. This dynamic is already well underway with Brazil and Quebec. Finally, we are keen to make companies aware of the importance of sustainable transition: it is crucial that they integrate this parameter into their DNA if they want to succeed in relaunching their activity and convince others of their commitment to social responsibility.

Hannover Messe with AWEX-WBI “innovation” teams (universities, research centres and companies) - 2019 edition

© AWEX

Towards a more integrated and efficient system to support research and innovation in Wallonia

An interview with Mr. Jean-Christophe DEHALU, Outgoing President of the Science Policy Pole (SPP), Wallonia

What are the missions of the Science Policy Pole?

The Science Policy Pole is a consultative body whose main mission is to give advice on science, research and innovation policy. Bringing together actors from different backgrounds and willing to work together, the SPP brings real added value to Walloon RDI (research, development & innovation) policy through its work, studies and opinions. Charged with evaluating Wallonia’s science policy every two years, it publishes a report which carries out an in-depth examination of the Walloon research and innovation system, highlights its strengths and weaknesses and makes recommendations.

What is your assessment of the Walloon Government’s RDI policy?

In March 2022, the Walloon Government defined its recovery plan for Wallonia and identified, in collaboration with its economic, social and environmental partners, 42 priority projects. Among these, several have a direct link with the innovation policy: supporting strategic research with a view to the economic deployment of the strategic areas defined in the RIS3 roadmaps and in the Walloon Economic, developing collective research and excellence programmes around key themes for Wallonia, strengthening the biotech/medtech value chain, implementing governance for the regional innovation strategy, promoting the deployment of Industry 4.0 technologies within Walloon manufacturing companies, implement a coordinated plan for the promotion of job-creating trades/sectors/skills and raise awareness of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics).

The PPS is pleased that, through this Plan, significant additional resources are dedicated to RDI actions. They should allow the development of large-scale projects encouraging collaboration between R&D&I actors.

More than ever, the cluster believes that it is essential to ensure the coherence of actions within this programme but also with other existing programmes such as the Intelligent Specialisation Strategy (S3), the programming of European funds or the transition plan. For the PPS, these actions must be part of a global strategy allowing Wallonia to redeploy itself on the economic, social and environmental levels.

The new policy mix is also an essential element for an efficient implementation of the actions foreseen in the recovery plan and to allow the actors of the RDI system to fully participate in the dynamics of recovery, effectively initiated by the Walloon Government. The PPS therefore encourages the Walloon Government to pursue the reforms initiated.

On which topics do you plan to submit own-initiative opinions?

The PPS will focus its work on monitoring the implementation of the actions planned in the framework of the recovery plan as well as on the implementation of the S3 and on the continuation of the policy mix reform.

One of the most important issues for the PPS is still the strengthening of the attractiveness of STEM fields. Despite a slight increase in recent years, the number of new STEM graduates in French-speaking Belgium remains a weakness in our innovation system, which has a strong impact on the activities of companies and the economic development of the region. For the cluster, it is urgent, after the analysis and awareness phase of the last few years, to implement concrete actions aiming at improving the situation, notably through the recovery plan.

What are the main challenges facing Wallonia in terms of RDI? The reform of the policy mix must continue to allow Wallonia to pursue a more effective policy in the field of research and innovation and to fully deploy its priority actions. All actors in the R&D&I system will thus be able to benefit from a more integrated and efficient system.

In the framework of the implementation of the Smart Specialisation Strategy, and in particular of the Strategic Innovation Initiatives, it will be necessary to ensure their sustainability while putting in place evaluation and monitoring processes allowing for reorientation if necessary.

Finally, the weakness of the exploitation of research results remains a concern. In the current economic context, everything possible must be done to ensure that this valorisation is amplified in Wallonia, particularly by ensuring the follow-up of the valorisation potential of a project throughout its life and by considering dimensions other than the technological dimension, such as the financial, managerial or commercial aspects.

© CESE Wallonie

©

CESE Wallonie

Wallonie Entreprendre, a major player in innovation in Wallonia

An interview with Mrs Anne VEREECKE, Member of the Extended Management Committee of Wallonie Entreprendre

What are Wallonie Entreprendre’ missions?

Wallonie Entreprendre (WE) is the economic and financial tool of Wallonia at the service of companies.

WE aims to provide the necessary means for the development of activity in all sectors. Their investments and financing respond to a logic of creation, growth, transmission or revival of companies. WE’s teams ensure that social and environmental standards are respected while advocating sustainability and circularity of economic approaches.

This offer includes on the one hand financial products such as guarantees and co-financing in partnership with banks, but also direct financing from equity to subordinated or convertible loans. This offer also includes information, awareness and support services through a network of field operators.

How does Wallonie Entreprendre support innovation?

Whether it is incremental or disruptive, technological or not, product, process or marketing, innovation is a risky process, full of obstacles and a source of uncertainty for the company. Specific support is therefore recommended and various operators, coordinated by WE, offer tailor-made services aimed at challenging the company’s business model, market positioning, technical approach and intel lectual property strategy.

WE’s Innovation Team relies on a team with complementary expertise and technical skills (materials, agri-food, digital, intellectual property, etc.). This team also works in close partnership with a network of

operators, the European Business and Innovation Centres (CEEI) and the economic development units of the Territorial Development Agencies (ADT) to analyse the technological aspect of innovation projects and their feasibility. Two other important partners of this team are LiEU and Synhera, the networks of knowledge transfer services of the universities and the UAS (Universities of Applied Sciences) of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

As regards financing, WE contributes to the financial closing of innovative and eco-innovative projects if necessary in addition to the interventions of the 9 Walloon Invests.

The CXO measure (for CEO, CTO, CFO, etc.) can also be activated to strengthen certain promising projects by enabling the company to call on a resource person with specific skills, complementary to the team in place. Finally, the EUROQUITY platform offers the possibility for a company in the process of raising funds to make itself known to potential investors.

How can EEN (Enterprise Europe Network) help Walloon SMEs?

Set up and financed by the European Commission, EEN has more than 600 organisations and is active in more than 60 countries, including all the countries of the European Union. The network offers free information, support and coaching services to help SMEs access new markets abroad, innovate or find financing.

EEN Wallonia, jointly supported by Wallonie Entreprendre, AWEX and NCP Wallonia (UWE), does its utmost to support internationalisation and innovation projects, with a focus on sustainability, digitalisation and resilience.

How can Wallonie Entreprendre help companies in the field of intellectual property?

Through its helpdesk, WE helps SMEs and project leaders to understand the challenges of intellectual property (IP) for their business and provides support solutions via personalised meetings or online tools (self-diagnosis, training modules, guides, etc.).

Last year, WE has developed, in collaboration with 4 Belgian and Dutch public organisations , the “Create, protect and benefit” platform to give more visibility and “easy” support about IP to entrepreneurs. Finally, it refers to an expert, including WE, which, in this case, advises companies on the development of an IP strategy and its action plan and directs them to private and/or public agents for specific needs.

1 https://een.ec.europa.eu/

2 https://www.wallonieeurope.be

3 FPS Economy, VLAIO, Wallonie Entreprendre, the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property and the Octrooicentrum Nederland.

4 https://www.create-protect-benefit.com/be-fr

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Wallonie Entreprendre ©

Wallonie Entreprendre

Scientific Institute of Public Service - ISSeP

Interview with Ir. Rose DETAILLE, Managing director of ISSeP

What are the missions of ISSeP?

The Institute fulfils a number of missions:

• Monitoring of the environment (water, air, soil, sediments, waste),

• The development of analytical methods in order to characterise today and tomorrow’s pollutants,

• Assessment of potential and future health and environmental risks,

• Research and technological development in order to anticipate regulatory evolution,

• Certification of products and agreement of laboratories,

• And finally database management. These things combine to enable ISSeP to guide the Walloon Region in taking the right political decisions in environmental matters.

What is your assessment of your activity in 2022?

As an environmental sentinel, we continued to monitor the impact of the July 2021 floods for much of 2022 to assess how the environment recovered after such an event and to check the effect of long-term decommissioning of some infrastructure. We also developed our indoor air expertise to help flood victims and carried out over 100 visits to flooded homes and schools where mould and hydrocarbon pollution were suspected. This led to closer partnerships with SAMI and Sciensano. In addition, we started the construction of three additional stations (Charleroi, Liège, Namur) in the telemetric network in order to better characterise ambient air quality in urban environments and especially road traffic emissions.

Several human biomonitoring projects are underway. As part of the Walloon biomonitoring campaigns, reference impregnation values for metals, pesticides, bisphenols, PAHs, POPs and PCBs were determined

for 5 age groups: new-borns, children aged 3 to 4 and 6 to 11, adolescents and adults (aged 20 to 39). The results showed that exposure levels found in Wallonia are in line with those found in other European countries and that pesticides used today are widely present in our bodies. The effects of policies to raise awareness, reduce and/or ban substances are noticeable but do not totally/directly eliminate exposure.

Targeted biomonitoring studies have also been initi ated. The BioBro project should make it possible to determine whether residents living in the vicinity of metal shredding facilities are more impacted with the pollutants they emit (PCDDs, PCBs, PBDEs, metals) than the general population and thus to assess the need for additional measures to reduce their dispersion in the environment. The Biosol project aims to establish relationships between the total content of a metal pollutant in the soil, its bioavailability and the level of contamination of the populations living on contaminated soil. Two other studies are planned in the near future: one to determine the overexposure to pesticides of farmers who handle/spread them and of residents living on the edge of fields; the other will consist of integrating the European human biomonitoring programme aimed at measuring the impregnation of the European population with chemical pollutants (including PFAS). This latter project will be conducted in the framework of the Horizon Europe PARC project (Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals), a group of 200 partners moving towards a new generation of risk assessment for chemical substances in the context of the “Zero pollution” ambition announced in the European Green Deal. This is a very important recognition of our Institute’s expertise and a major opportunity for international collaboration.

New skills and analytical methods to support the circular economy and better control environmental crises

In the context of the progressive implementation of the 5G emission standard, our 5GINC project aims to develop a method for quantifying the level of emission in the field and to extend the study of the effects of electromagnetic radiation on health to the frequencies used by 5G by including the study of the syndrome of hypersensitivity to electromagnetic fields. This project will clarify and complete the first conclusions established in the framework of the ENVI-EHS project (absence of correlation between exposure to waves and symptoms associated with hypersensitivity to electromagnetic fields) which has just been completed.

Another highlight is the INTELLO project, which aims to provide ISSeP with new and recognised expertise in the research and development of AI tools such as deep learning, data mining or machine learning, particularly in the fields of Earth Observation, Air Quality or Environmental Health. Finally, ISSeP has become a member of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), which brings together more than 1,000 universities, grandes écoles, university networks and scientific research centres in 119 countries. Within this framework, we will start a new project dealing with the valorisation and inventory of natural medicinal resources in Rwanda through the use of satellite images in collaboration with the University of Liège.

What interregional collaborations have you developed?

As the Walloon reference laboratory for air, water and soil, ISSeP is in regular contact with its Flemish counterparts at VITO. Important work was carried out in 2022 on the interregional harmonisation of the method guide. As a member of the Walloon Mobility Task Force, ISSeP is in regular contact with Brussels and Flanders, in order to harmonise policies on low emission zones, but also on the different means used to control vehicle emissions. In partnership with GOCA, we have worked on the introduction of equipment to check the integrity of particle filters during the periodic inspection of vehicles. As a sector operator, ISSeP assists NBN in all technical aspects of European (CEN) and international (ISO) air quality standardisation.

We also run several interregional collaboration projects : BIREM (Belgian Interregional Environmental Monitoring) working group, which facilitates the exchange of information and identifies technical contact persons for each (group of) methods and each region, and 3 Interreg projects, namely TranStat (which aims to provide a platform for cross-border data comparison), RISCC (which aims to standardise tools and practices for the management of underground cavities) and Transfair (which aims to develop harmonised information and communication tools to encourage citizens to act to improve air quality).

What are the main research challenges for ISSeP in the coming years?

As environmental sentinel, ISSeP generates and manages a huge amount of environmental data. We aim to increase the exploitation of this environmental data and share it with administrations, citizens and private players through the development of smart interfaces and new decision-making tools. As the Walloon reference laboratory, the development of new analysis methods for new priority substances and consequent training of approved laboratories will be a major challenge. Risk assessment practices need to evolve as new chemicals are discovered and regulations change, and we need to take into account the combined exposure to mixtures of chemicals throughout life. This will be achieved in part through participation in the PARC project. Considering the impacts of the transition to a circular economy and anticipating climate change impacts on the environment quality will be major challenges too. Finally, we intend to increase our international recognition through scientific publication and participation in research projects. ISSeP aims to support the SPW (the Walloon administration) during and after crises via real public service missions!

© ISSeP

Wallonia Entrepreneurship, a

key partner

in the regional strategy for Life Sciences

For more than 40 years, WE (Wallonie Entreprendre or Wallonia Entrepreneurship) has been contributing to the economic development through partial financing of Walloon companies or development projects located in Wallonia in a wide range of sectors (life sciences, deeptech, energy, aerospace, chemistry,…). It invests in growth, alongside private investors, under the form of equity and debt.

The strategy of WE in the life sciences sector is based on qualitative excellence, from the investment decision process to the follow-up and support of portfolio companies. This contributes to the development of an ecosystem in the HealthTech field that generates jobs, creates value and is attractive to foreign investors. The role of WE as a risk capital provider in the life sciences sector is crucial, considering its capital-intensive nature and the high degree of risk associated.

If COVID-19 has shown us one thing, it’s that big success comes from small companies. Wallonia has a unique position within the life sciences with:

- Over 180 small and medium-sized life sciences companies.

- A solid network of renowned universities and research institutes.

- Key research, production, and logistic activities of global companies like GSK Vaccines, Baxter, Johnson & Johnson, Abbvie, Takeda, UCB, IBA, and Zoetis.

- Some of Belgium’s most promising startups, including Univercells, Imcyse, IStar Medical, Miracor Medical ...

- Strong track record in life sciences, as leading industry players have acquired several Walloon life sciences companies in recent years.

Anyway Wallonia’s life science success is under pressure. Today more than ever, Walloon companies are facing intense competition in the global market, with long-term initiatives and large amounts of funding available in Asia, US and other countries in Europe.

WE choose to invest in ‘local heroes’. They fund life sciences entrepreneurs who leverage their innovation to build a sustainable and equitable global economy with roots in Wallonia.

They are early and patient investors, comfortable investing in the most promising very early-stage companies, and acting with a long-term view – longer than the average VC. They are not afraid to go to places where few people have been before.

They focus on diversity and cross-fertilization in its broadest sense. They invest in life sciences companies at diverse stages of development, across a broad range of technologies and disease areas, and with a global vision.

They are “heart and soul” committed to making each company successful. They don’t limit themselves to providing funding and advice to portfolio companies. They are known for personally guiding them on the challenging journey of turning innovation into a successful business.

WE Life Sciences Facts & Figures (12/31/2022)

evergreen fund investing in Wallonia

62 companies in portfolio

300 million € assets under management

>200 million€ cumulated return on investments.

www.wallonie-entreprendre.be

The WE Life Sciences team

Stay on the cutting edge of innovation thanks to SynHERA, the network of researchers in the Universities of Applied Sciences

Providing scientific answers adapted to the many challenges facing our society: this is the challenge facing hundreds of researchers from the Universities of Applied Sciences and associated Research Centres of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Scientists with specialised expertise who can count on the SynHERA structure to support them and promote their projects in the socio-economic world.

Faced with a constantly evolving society, enriching our knowledge is more essential than ever. To do this, it is necessary to support applied research and its many actors. In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, hundreds of researchers are working on concrete projects that will enable us to meet the needs of our society today and tomorrow. In order to develop their discoveries in the best possible way, these scientists need human and financial levers, be they regional, federal or international. The European Union has created various research funding programmes, each of which addresses societal challenges from a specific angle. For example, the Horizon Europe programme considers the issues in a global manner, while the economic development fund and partnerships take account of regional or cross-border specificities (Interreg). As for innovation support programmes, they focus on the needs of the economic fabric and of companies in particular (EIC, Eurostars, etc.). In addition, researchers as individuals are supported by mobility programmes that allow them to strengthen their network (COST) or to acquire new skills (MSCA).

Applied research: multidisciplinary research

In order to give themselves the best chance of being selected in the framework of one of these calls, these researchers can rely on SynHERA, the research support and development network of the 19 Universities of Applied Sciences and the 10 associated Research Centres of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Composed of a team experienced in monitoring and setting up innovation projects, this network collaborates with hundreds of researchers with diverse and varied profiles. While for some people the term “research” still evokes the image of a microscope and a scientist in a white coat, the reality is quite different. Applied research is, in fact, multidisciplinary research with projects in agronomy, paramedical and technical fields as well as in the human and social sciences. Indeed, while the so-called technical sciences have been the focus of attention for many years, the human and social sciences have profoundly enriched the field of action of research by taking an interest in other issues such as those related to education, immigration, territorial fractures, the economy, sustainable development and innovative management.

Enriching this knowledge is good, enhancing it is better!

But if providing new knowledge is essential, the other step is to share this knowledge. This is why SynHERA participates in numerous events, such as world-renowned trade fairs, in order to bring real visibility to this applied research. With a team at the heart of the research ecosystem, SynHERA also enables these researchers to share their knowledge with other scientists from all over the world. Valuable collaborations that allow each of them to deepen and enhance their knowledge. And here again, SynHERA plays a key role! As a true interface between the academic world, the socio-economic world and funding bodies, this network allows companies, associations, etc. to collaborate with the members of its network. This is an opportunity for them to access scientific expertise directly related to their field, to collaborate with researchers with specialised knowledge and to develop new and increasingly innovative projects!

More info:

https://www.synhera.be/en_GB/?fw=1

© SynHERA

© SynHERA

A Walloon STEAM strategy: a regional intention, a necessity for businesses

By Mr. Olivier DE WASSEIGE, Managing Director of the Union Wallonne des Entreprises (UWE)

Our society is facing major challenges: climate change, energy challenges, technological challenges... These imply the development of innovative solutions requiring a growing need for highly qualified people (53% of the supply in Belgium). However, too few young people are still going into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics). Less than 16% of students in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in 2017-2018 followed a STEAM course, doing less well than its closest neighbours (26% for France, 30% for Germany).

Faced with this observation, the community and regional governments in charge of education and training in Belgium have taken up the issue to the point of integrating it into the heart of Wallonia’s recovery plan.

The Union Wallonne des Entreprises (UWE - Walloon Business Union) and its affiliated members have not waited for this awareness to become involved in this issue for several years.Whether it is the private or the public sector, through the financing of projects or awareness-raising events, or through long-term or even very long-term policies, each sector hopes to find the recipe that will make young people want to enter their professions, which are too often devalued (for technical or manual professions) or considered too difficult (engineer, laboratory technician, computer scientist) by young people and their families.

In the absence of a miracle solution, the UWE advocates the implementation of an integrated STEAM strategy shared by all political leaders (currently 4 governments and as many administrations are responsible for this subject in French-speaking Belgium alone) and bringing together all the players concerned by this issue.

The UWE is committed to this strategy through six areas of work.

1. A common definition of STEAM in order to put in place monitored public policies that can adapt to the different evolutions (including structural ones).

2. An inter-university and inter-high school centre for STEAM didactics would allow to train current and future teachers to this new approach in the respect of the ongoing reform of the French-speaking education.

3. A STEAM policy in education would focus on attractive information to support positive orientation towards STEAM training and the activation of transversal competences related to STEAM among young and old people, teachers and schools.

4. A STEAM label to promote positive STEAM practices and to position this practice on a European scale.

5. A grouping of STEAM initiatives, actors and support in a coordinated plan and a networking of these actors whose effects would be monitored against the indicators of the STEAM strategy by 2030.

6. Finally, a communication with a strong and structured identity (platform directing towards resources, toolkit, campaign with the media present in the Walloon-Brussels Federation) will have to be elaborated, relying also on a network of ambassadors (companies, associations, young people).

Through this strategy, UWE expects to increase the number of students following a STEAM course (with an increase in the proportion of women), an increase in the number of graduates and an effective insertion in highly qualified positions in order to catch up with the European average of 26% by 2030.

© UWE

Agoria Wallonia brings the technology industry into the 4.0 era

Agoria is the Belgian Federation for Technology industry. Its mission is to support the development of technology companies and improve their socio-economic impacts at the regional, federal and European levels.

Telecoms, mechanics and mechatronics, ICT, industrial automation, electrical engineering, metal products, construction products, metals and materials, contracting and maintenance, plastics and composites, automotive, security and defense, aeronautics and aerospace, assembly and cranes. It is to these high-tech industries that Agoria devotes its energy. In this sector, Agoria represents the interest of 510 companies that employ almost 35.000 people in Wallonia and have a combined turnover of 13,7 billion Euros, two thirds of which are exported.

From day one Agoria has supported the setting up of a strong industrial policy in Wallonia. In this context, Agoria is supporting the competitiveness cluster MecaTech which is focused on mechanical engineering, but also different technological clusters such as Infopôle Cluster TIC (ICT), Twist (technologies of image, sound and text) and Tweed Cluster (energy-environment).

Digitalisation is, at the same time, a major challenge but also a great opportunity for our society and our industry. The health crisis of 2020-2021 has also reinforced our belief that technology, and particularly digital technology, is the source of many solutions to improve our way of life. Through its study “Shaping the future of work”, Agoria has analysed the impact of digitalisation on the job market in Belgium and proposes concrete actions to shape the response to these major challenges. Digitalisation will impact the content of almost all jobs, and skills will need to be updated to ensure job sustainability (https://bethechange.agoria.be/en/). In Wallonia, this will concern 1,200,000 professionals.

Another issue of concern to Agoria in Wallonia involves preparing manufacturing industry for the future and enabling it to be firmly rooted in Belgium in the long term. This is the objective of the transformation processes initiated as part of the Made Different methodology. The aim is to transform our companies into Factories of The Future. This Made Different process starts with a scan of seven areas of transformation, focusing on making companies aware of their current status so that they can see where they stand with respect to other companies. The transformation phase can then begin.

Around 800 companies from all over Belgium have embarked on this phase up to now. These companies include, in addition to Agoria members, an increasing number of businesses from the food, textile, biotech and timber sectors. The programme’s success has not gone unnoticed at European level either. At the time of writing these lines, the programme

has been deployed as a pilot project in eight European countries in addition to Belgium (France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Poland and Slovenia).

By assisting industry in addressing the challenges of human capital and digitalisation, Agoria is a crucial component in underpinning the sustainability of our industry and its development.

© Agoria Wallonie

Clarisse Ramakers, General Manager Agoria Wallonie

Enthusiasm for projects that promote cohesion and change

An interview with Mr. Francisco SANTANA FERRA, NCP Wallonia Manager & Coordinator

NCP Wallonia is celebrating its 20th anniversary. What is your assessment of your activity?

I am not going to give you an exhaustive assessment of the NCP Wallonia’s action over the past 20 years, but I will just summarise these 20 years in a few figures: 1,698 Walloon projects financed by the various framework programmes (FP6/FP7 and H2020) and nearly 700 million euros of funding for Wallonia.

These 20 years are not the end of the road for us, nothing is finished. Everything has to be continued, everything has to be perfected. Our predecessors laid the foundations on which the new NCP Wallonia team will build and move forward to make Horizon Europe a success.

We are working for our region, for its entire ecosystem, our companies, our research centres and our universities. And we are convinced of one thing: in Wallonia we have nothing to envy our Eu ropean friends, neither their scientific excellence, nor their innovations, nor their support for Europe. We know how to do all that, and sometimes even better. On the other hand, what some regions have in abundance and which we sometimes lack is enthusiasm. We are all people of reason, but we need to put enthusiasm, wonder and curiosity back into our commitments and our projects in order to make them factors of cohesion and change.

What are the highlights of the new Horizon Europe framework programme? There are many new features in the Horizon Europe programme. But I will pick out three that we think are particularly important:

1. The establishment of the European Innovation Council

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a window of opportunity for disruptive innovation projects. One of its objectives is to encourage research and innovation actors to exploit their ideas. To this end, it offers direct assistance to innovators to support creative disruptive innovation on a European scale.

2. The 5 European Research and Innovation Missions1

This innovative mission approach aims to combine top-down definition of programme guidelines with bottom-up design of solutions to generate more significant impact on societal challenges. Thinking in terms of missions will therefore no longer imply an analysis of isolated projects, but an analysis of a portfolio of projects integrated into a single mission.

3. The renewed approach to partnerships

European Partnerships are initiatives in which the EU, national authorities and/or the private sector jointly commit to supporting the development and implementation of a programme of research and innovation (R&I) activities, including activities related to market uptake or integration into regulation or policy.

They are open to a wide range of partners, which may be from business, academia, research organisations, public service bodies at local, regional, national or international level, as well as civil society organisations, including foundations and non-governmental organisations.

In its renewed approach to partnerships, the Horizon Europe Framework Programme foresees the establishment of three categories of partnerships:

Co-programmed partnerships, which are created on the basis of memoranda of understanding or contractual agreements between the Commission and the partners, with implementation via standard calls;

Co-financed partnerships, which are based on the commitment of partners, through financial or in-kind contributions, and the integration of their relevant activities through a co-financing action;

Institutionalised partnerships, which are implemented only when other forms of partnership are not appropriate and which involve the participation and financial contribution of Member States.

Could you give us some recent examples of support for Walloon actors in responding to European calls for projects?

The examples I am going to talk about are particularly enlightening on the different services that NCP Wallonia can provide.

Thomas Boiselle, R&D manager at Hydrometal, a Liège-based company that has been recycling non-ferrous metals since 1985:

“If I had to give advice to other SMEs, I would say that it is interesting to participate in networking events, because in the end, it doesn’t commit you to anything. It’s where contacts are made, where people get to know each other, where good ideas are born and where consortiums are slowly created. In any case, this is where Hydrometal started.”

1 Adaptation to climate change; Health of oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters; Cancer; Smart and carbon neutral cities; Soil health and food.

© NCP Wallonie

Anne Spinewine, hospital pharmacist and professor of clinical pharmacy at UCLouvain, is coordinating a five-year European project aimed at improving the quality of healthcare and patient safety:

“As researchers, we are not always trained to meet the specific expectations of European projects and the European Commission. I am very comfortable providing scientific arguments, but I am less comfortable with other aspects. The help of the NCP Wallonia is essential and complements the expertise that we provide.”

Christian Gennaux, CEO at Idrabel which is a small company based in Wavre specialising in environmental biotechnology. They develop products from micro-organisms for the treatment of polluted or waste water in movement (rivers, sewers, seas, etc.).

“I think we need to be supervised by the NCP Wallonia, which can explain to us the mechanisms of a European project, the finer points of reporting, all the administrative aspects and the wording of the response to this type of project.”

What are the missions of NCP Wallonia in order to increase the participation of Walloon actors in European research projects?

The objective of NCP Wallonia is to maximise the participation of Walloon companies (especially SMEs), universities, research centres and other entities in European research programmes and Horizon Europe in particular.

To do so, our missions are to:

- Identify the Walloon actors who could participate in Horizon Europe,

- Inform these entities about European research funds, guiding them towards the most relevant funding, identifying partnership opportunities, and putting them in contact with European key players,

- Provide personalised assistance in supporting their projects (from idea to submission),

- And monitor the statistics of submitted and funded projects in which Walloon actors participate.

Rue de Rodeuhaie 1 - 1348 - Louvain-la-Neuve https://www.ncpwallonie.be/fr/contact

NCP Wallonie

Skywin: Taking on a new dimension

An interview with Mr. Étienne POURBAIX, Managing Director of the Skywin competitiveness cluster

And Mr. Stéphane GUALANDRIS, Project Manager at Skywin

The Skywin cluster’s strategy has been completely overhauled for 2021. Could you tell us more about it?

Étienne Pourbaix (E.P.). In 2021, the Walloon government reviewed its relationship with the 6 regional competitiveness clusters with the implementation of a multi-year contract of objectives and means that defines their missions according to five axes. This was important for two reasons: the sustainability of the cluster is guaranteed in the medium term and its activity is both formalised and clarified. The conclusion of this contract was accompanied by internal reflection within the cluster.

What are the 5 missions of the Skywin cluster?

E.P. The first mission is to support the government’s regional strategy by producing among others technological and strategic roadmaps for the sectors that are relevant to our cluster. We will come back to this. The second mission is innovation, based on two main areas: ensuring a technological watch for members (seminars, participation in fairs, etc.) to make them proactive, and organising two calls for projects per year in order to launch collaborative R&D projects to develop new technologies.

Third mission: to ensure the economic growth of the sectors covered by the cluster through scaling-up: this involves enabling SMEs that have been established for 2 to 3 years with a marketable product or service and a small number of employees to move up a gear by acting on several levers simultaneously (commercial aspect, marketing, personnel management, innovation, new financial resources from the Walloon Region, etc.) We are keen to act as growth accelerators for potential future “nuggets”: we target them, define together the points to be improved and establish an appropriate action plan.

The fourth mission concerns the development of talent and training along two lines: the reduction of labour shortages in the sectors concerned and the technological innovation generated by R&D projects. Design offices should not be the only beneficiaries of these advances: it is also in the interest of industry to make use of them in their production processes.

Finally, our fifth and last mission relates to internationalisation. It is crucial to increase the visibility of our four sectors, which are international by definition. This requires the use of digital tools but also, and above all, in-person participation in the largest specialised trade fairs throughout the world. To conclude this subject, let us specify that each of these five missions has been broken down for each sector.

Here we go!

E.P. The Skywin cluster has identified four sectors: aeronautics, space, drones and defence. We have already produced the

roadmap for space and the roadmaps for civil and military aerospace are currently being drawn up. The one for drones should be completed in 2023.

The aeronautics sector covers aircraft structures and engines thanks to the presence of a very dense industrial fabric in Wallonia. I am of course thinking of the two world leaders, Sonaca, which manufactures the leading edges of wings, and Safran Aero Boosters, which produces 60% of the boosters for the first stage of air compressors in aircraft. But there are also a great many SMEs, active in subcontracting or in direct access with the major contractors.

The health crisis linked to Covid-19 brought the aeronautical sector to a sudden halt with a high risk: the erosion of R&D skills with the departure of engineers to other sectors. Following the example of the important aids granted by the French and German governments, the Walloon government launched the WINGS project in the summer of 2020 to support the regional aeronautical sector, and it is Skywin that was naturally entrusted with its implementation. I’ll let Stéphane Gualandris speak more about this. Now that activity has resumed, we are faced with another challenge: recruiting competent and qualified personnel to compensate for the departure of many people to other sectors.

Let’s talk about the WINGS project!

Stéphane Gualandris (S.G.). This is an aerospace technological innovation partnership that was launched in the last quarter of 2020 to respond to a double challenge: the health crisis and the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max. It brings together 19 partners:

- 3 three large companies: Safran Aero Boosters, Sonaca, Thales Belgium,

- 9 SMEs: GDTech - CAD and CAE engineering service, Any-Shape - Additive Manufacturing, Calyos - Passive thermal management systems development and manufacture, Technochim - Surface treatment of metals, V2i - Vibration testing and measurement, numerical simulations, control and monitoring of NDT, Machinesight - Integration into special machines, mechatronics engineering design office, MSC Software Belgium, Rovitech - Integration of inspection solutions, DELTATEC - Development and manufacture of electronic systems, thermal, IoT, AI,

- 7 research centres: CENAERO - Aeronautical design, processes, spacecraft, buildings and smart cities, von Karman Institute - R&D fluid mechanics, CRM - Metallurgy, characterization of metallic materials, assembly, coatings, industrial processes, CETIC - Software engineering, communicating embedded systems, data science, Sirris - Composite materials, metals, modelling, digital simulation, industrial processes, Multitel - Applied photonics, signal processing, electronic prototyping, AI, Materia Nova - Polymeric Materials, Surface Coatings and design of batteries.

© Skywin © Skywin

How is this project organised in concrete terms?

S.G. WINGS is a three-year project with a budget of €112 million, 75% of which is public funding. This is a colossal amount if you consider that a project labelled by Skywin generally has 3 to 5 M€. This public investment is important because it allows the private partners to take risks while keeping the work of the personnel assigned to aerospace research and thus avoiding the flight of talent to other sectors of activity. The administrative steering of the project was entrusted to our cluster for the transition from phase I to phase II (a “go no go” evaluation to decide on the continuation of the project by the cabinet of Minister Willy Borsus and the Walloon Public Service Economy, Employment, Research). This steering is done in agreement with Safran Aero Boosters, in charge of coordination. In addition, the project mobilises 285 full-time equivalents. The objective of WINGS is to enable our aerospace industry to maintain its R&D efforts at low TRL levels (2, 3 and 4) with a view to designing a low-carbon aircraft by 2035 (which implies a 30% reduction in fuel consumption per passenger) and a carbon-neutral aircraft by 2050, in accordance with the Paris agreements.

Could you tell us about the research themes of WINGS?

Six themes have been defined:

- Aerostructure,

- Propulsion,

- Communication systems,

- Materials and processes,

- Digitalization and digital simulation,

- Industry 4.0.

For example, the “propulsion” theme focuses on the development of new decarbonised modes with hydrogen or sustainable alternative fuels. Similarly, the “digitalisation and digital simulation” theme focuses on virtual testing and digital continuity.

What about the future prospects for WINGS?

S.G. We are more than halfway through the project, which will end in October 2023. The first results are already being seen, as patents have already been filed. Ultimately, we expect to have 550 to 600 deliverables and we expect to increase the TRL level of the research projects with a view to their subsequent integration into projects such as Clean Aviation, Horizon Europe or Regional projects in line with the six WINGS research themes. This is crucial to initiate R&D with a more industrial vocation for results expected by 2030-2035.

Let’s come back to the “space”, “UAV” and “defence” sectors...

E.P. The “space” sector is divided into seven main areas: the ground segment; launchers and space vehicles; satellites; instruments (for Earth observation); testing of space equipment; ground-based satellite applications; space science which covers scientific missions and exploration. The roadmap for this sector highlighted two particularly

© Skywinwww.wallonia.aero

promising segments, which were rightly taken up by two recent calls for projects from the Walloon government. The first segment concerns Earth observation, both upstream (with small satellites - weighing around 100 kilos - and their dedicated sensors) and downstream (processing of information by artificial intelligence in order to make it usable for agriculture, forest or industrial site management, etc.). As you can see, we have a complete value chain in this area. The second segment concerns new types of small launchers, which can be reused several times: here too, Wallonia has the technological building blocks and the skills needed to set up a network of equipment manufacturers capable of producing large subsystems.

The “drone” sector is still in a premature phase from an industrial point of view. The cause is essentially regulatory: the public authorities have not yet completely transposed the relevant European regulations into local law, which is delaying the development of the professional drone sector. For example, it is not yet possible to market drones that can be flown without direct vision. In the meantime, synergies should be developed between drones and satellites to cross-reference data at these two Earth observation scales.

For its part, the “defence” sector has once again become an essential sector with the war in Ukraine. This situation has created a new dynamic and a renewal of the R&D projects devoted to it, some of which are supported by the European Commission. Furthermore, Skywin has concluded an agreement with the MecaTech cluster to coordinate together this sector, particularly increasingly complex weapons systems, integrating land, air and UAV armaments.

Skywin has also defined 5 strategic business areas...

E.P. Indeed. These five technological axes or DAS were determined internally, in consultation with the project managers and member companies, and then approved in December 2021 by the cluster’s board. The first axis is that of flying substructures and subsystems to provide global solutions to be integrated into an aircraft, a launcher or a satellite. It also includes new types of fuel (synthetic or hybrid fuel - combining paraffin for propulsion and electricity for air conditioning, cockpit lighting, etc. - and hydrogen), the effects of which on structures are far from negligible.

The second DAS includes innovative materials and processes for the use of these materials, whether they are composite, hybrid (electronic equipment and composites using carbon fibres to make different layers of structures) or metallic (with lighter alloys). Mixed solutions are increasingly envisaged with the electrification of materials for control purposes but also to prevent the appearance of cracks or to calculate the resistance and wear of materials.

The third technological area is embedded and communicating systems, with a focus on the cyber security of systems communicating with the ground. The more intelligent and communicating the systems are, the higher the risk of cyber-attack. The fourth axis includes the data economy and artificial intelligence: more and more satellites, drones and aircraft are generating data in real time. What remains to be done is to detect the relevant and useful information to be processed on the ground...

Finally, the fifth technological axis encompasses simulation and digital modelling (with the digital twin in particular). It is increasingly common to develop digital models before an initial prototyping. This fifth axis also aims to make the most of the ver y substantial physical testing facilities that we are lucky enough to have in the Walloon region. There is, of course, the Liège Space Centre (CSL), whose simulation system with vacuum tanks 6 m in diameter is used to reproduce the effect of the vacuum of space and is recognised by the ESA. I am also thinking of the cyclotron at UCLouvain, which is used to simulate the influence of cosmic radiation, which is very harmful, on satellites in orbit. And let’s not forget the private equipment, which can be used for R&D projects, such as test engine facilities from Safran in Liège to simulate the operation of aircraft engines or a large anechoic chamber from AGC Glass Europe group to simulate the electromagnetic environment and observe the reactions of antennas to electromagnetic disturbances. As you can see, we have a lot to offer!

Centre Spatial de Liège – CSL – Liège Space Centre

Developing space technologies for Earth and Space monitoring

A research centre operated by the University of Liège, the Liège Space Centre (CSL) is employing 100 people and leading almost 60 projects for an annual turnover of €17M. It has the advantage of being a non-profit research organisation, with a funding from industrial contracts and R&D collaborations.

Founded in 1959 as part of the Astrophysics Department of the University of Liege, the CSL owes its existence to its forerunner, the ESA, which wanted to have tests carried out and scientific optical instruments calibrated. Its reputation soon gained momentum and it became, from 1976, the chief centre for tests coordinated by the ESA. All scientific optical satellites had to undergo all their spatial qualification testing at CSL. These tests are carried out, specifically, in very large vacuum chambers that can reach up to 6.5 m in diameter, and even larger in a couple of years! All large space integrators as well as numerous instrument primes are assigning to the CSL the responsibility to fully calibrate their instrument or to support them by providing Ground Support Equipment and facilities for the execution of qualification testing.

As a complement to these tests, the CSL designs optical instruments for use in space for ESA, NASA or JAXA with the support of BELSPO or through industrial contracts. It also develops thermal, mechanical and electronic engineering expertise in conjunction with the manufacture of these instruments. Finally, the CSL forms

technological partnerships for R&D projects with Walloon and European industries as well as with other research centers. The aim of these upstream research projects is the development of technologies that can be used in space.

The CSL is involved in numerous scientific space missions, with a peculiar focus on far ultraviolet imagers for heliospheric missions and for solar wind missions: a better understanding of our sun dynamics and the propagation of sun particles is the foundation of life on earth! The CSL has indeed over the last decades developed a deep expertise in the design of sun-watching instrumentation and auroral imagers. Following the Extreme UV Imager (EUI) for Solar Orbiter, the CSL is now involved in the Vigil ESA mission, with the Coronal Ultraviolet Imager (LUCI).

Amongst the skills of the CSL, optical calibration plays an important role. In 2022 and 2023, the CSL is highly involved in the calibration of a ver y complex space instrument called 3MI, mounted on board MetOp Second Generation: a EUMETSAT’s, next generation of polar-orbiting satellites.

The 3MI instrument will provide a multi-spectral, multi-polarisation, and multi-angular image of the Earth outgoing radiance at the top of the atmosphere. The primary objective of the 3MI mission is to provide high quality imagery of aerosol variables for climate records, aimed at an air quality study!

Centre spatial de Liège

Université de Liège

Liège Science Park

Avenue du Pré - 4031 Angleur

Tel.: +32 (0)4 382 46 00

Email: shabraken@uliege.be

http:// www.csl.uliege.be

View of the calibration facility at CSL

Illustration of the 3MI instrument

Thales Alenia Space in Belgium Innovative space solutions, new space & exploration

Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond.

Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.15 billion in 2021 and has around 8,000 employees in 10 countries with 17 sites in Europe and a plant in the U.S.

In Belgium, Thales Alenia Space is represented by its subsidiary Thales Alenia Space in Belgium, in Charleroi, Leuven and Hasselt This Belgian company is an expert in several high-technology fields. Thales Alenia Space in Belgium is the Belgian front-runner in space electronics applications for satellites and launchers, a world leader in power conditioning and distribution for satellites, a key supplier of electronics for European launchers and will be the first automated manufactory of photovoltaic assemblies (PVA) in the Europe. Day after day, our staff of 700 offers quality products and services to our customers all over the world.

A Belgian company at the forefront of the space sector

Since 1963, we have contributed to most European space programs and many international satellite launches.

Satellites are our core business…

We are a world leader in satellite power conditioning and distribution, the electric core of satellites. Our product range covers needs from observation microsatellites up to the large geo-stationary satellites for telecom applications, with power requirements from 250 W up to 20 kW. The company also enjoys a position at the forefront of flight electronics products: avionics, power supplies for plasmic propulsion thrusters, power supplies for travelling wave tubes, DC/ DC converters and other dedicated power products.

With the construction of a one-of-a-kind center of excellence in automated manufacturing, we confirm our position at the forefront of digital innovation and our ability to accompany our partners through the transformational evolution of the space industry.

… And we build the electronics for Ariane, Artemis and Vega

Since more than 40 years, Thales Alenia Space in Belgium contributes to the European launchers adventure by providing key electronics systems for the entire Ariane family (Ariane 1 to Ariane 6).For each Ariane 5, Thales Alenia Space in Belgium has provided 50% of the on-board electronics and participates in the development of the safeguard system of Ariane 6.

New Space at a glance

Thales Alenia Space comes into its own in New Space

From more than 15 years, Thales Alenia Space has leveraged its expertise in constellations, navigation systems, Earth observation, and orbital infrastructures to span the different New Space markets concerning the Internet of Things (IoT), search and rescue, and optical observation systems featuring high revisit rates. The digital transformation is now running in the space sector, and Europe is leading the charge for software-defined flexible satellites with all-electric propulsion for all types of satellites. Thales Alenia Space’s Space Inspire product line, featuring ultra-flexible and fully reprogrammable-in-orbit payloads, has been chosen by major telecom operators, who expect increasingly innovative and agile solutions to comply with their fast-evolving markets.

New Space and Space exploration

New Space also applies to space exploration, and Thales Alenia Space is at the heart of this dynamic as it has become the world leader in pressurized modules dedicated to human space exploration and to support new initiatives for a commercial use of low Earth Orbit.

After supplying more than 50% of the ISS’s pressurized modules, including the iconic Cupola, a room with a 360° view of the Earth and the station, Thales Alenia Space is developing the first 2 modules of the first commercial space station in the world (Axiom Space) which will be attached to the ISS initially for commercial operation, then detached to live its own life, when the ISS reaches the end of its life in 2028.

Thales Alenia Space will also supply three pressurized elements of the lunar space station (part of Artemis NASA program), the International Habitat I-HAB, the communication and supply module ESPRIT and the pressurized compartment of the logistics and accommodation module HALO, one of the first two elements of the lunar space station to be launched in 2023. The company is also involved in Orion.

© Thales Alenia Space in Belgium

Innovation

25% of Thales Alenia Space’s revenues are reinjected into Research, Innovation and Development in order to stay at the forefront of new technologies.

Our one motto: routine quality

Day after day, some 700 employees apply a strict quality system at each stage of development, manufacturing and marketing activities, in compliance with the standards ISO 9001, EN 9100, AQAP 2110, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. We are also accredited with the CMM3 certificate from the Software Engineering Institute (SEI).

References

Telecom satellites: Globalstar, O3B, Iridium Next, Koresat 7, AMC12, AMC13, Apstar, Syracuse, Star One, HotBird 7, Chinasat, Express, AM11-22-33-44, Koreasat, Ciel-2, Turksat, W2A, W7, Satcom, BW, Sicral 2, Globalstar, Nilesat, Loutch, Palapa- D, Apstar 7B, Rascom, O3b, Arsat, Iridium, W6A, Artemis, Turkmenalen...

Observation, scientific and navigation satellites: COSMO-SkyMed, Sarah, GEO-KOMPSAT, Jason-CS, Euclid, Meteosat, Smart 1, Pleiades-HR, Spirale, Stereo, Galileo, Herschel, Planck, Giove-B, Myriad, Sentinel 1, 2, 3, Spot, Helios, Iso, XMM, Integral, Huygens, Soho, Jason 1, 2, 3...

Launchers and space transports: Ariane 5, Ariane 6, Vega, ATV, Expert, Colombus, ARD.

The ideal high-tech partner

Thales Alenia Space in Belgium offers you a full range of technological skills, technical expertise, high-quality tools and services, high-performance fabrication sties and long experience in applications and equipment requiring a high level of reliability.

• A high capacity for innovation;

• High-performance production capabilities;

• 60 years’ experience;

• Member of an international group;

• The main supplier of electronics for launchers;

• Quality & flexibility.

Thales Alenia Space in Belgium

Rue Chapelle Beaussart, 101

B-6032 Mont-sur-Marchienne

Tel.: +32 (0)71 44 22 11

Email: info.belgium@thalesaleniaspace.com

http://www.thalesaleniaspace.com

©

Thales

Alenia Space in Belgium

Promoting the production and use of sustainable energy

An interview with Mr. Renaud DACHOUFFE, Project developer, TWEED Cluster

What are the key figures of the TWEED cluster? Active for 13 years, the cluster created a few months ago the H2O cluster, which is complementary to our initial field of expertise: renewable energy. Our 230 members (industrialists, research centers, design offices, universities, etc.) have shown a definite interest in this crucial issue and our role, in addition to putting them in contact, is to support or participate in research and innovation projects (about a hundred to date).

Could you tell us about your priority innovation area devoted to hydrogen?

Launched in November 2022, the H2 Council brings together the Belgian H2 ecosystem of TWEED (H2HubWallonia) and its Flemish counterpart, WaterstofNet. It aims to create synergy between all regional and federal initiatives on hydrogen, a key element of the Walloon, federal and European recovery plans. This Council is counting on the complementarity of the players to maintain Belgium’s competitive advantage in the development of a competitive green H2 value chain. Partnerships could be created (as between Colruyt Besix and John Cockerill in HyOffWind for example) while cross-participation in the boards of TWEED and Waterstofnet is ideal for defining appropriate roadmaps with the right players in the right place. With this in mind, the Interreg EMR H2 BOOSTER project brings together Dutch, German, Flemish and Walloon partners around a common roadmap for the synergy of skills and the preparation of investment portfolios integrating projects such as European Corridor H2 which will link Occitanie in France to the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam and to Germany. The aim is to propose a concerted infrastructure to be able to convert truck fleets to run on hydrogen through Europe. This axis of innovation is completed by three other axes: Energy Communities on smart grids, renewable heat and Circular Water.

Could you tell us about the SOCCER and AMORCE projects?

These two complementary projects, subsidised by the Walloon Energy Administration, are part of the Living Lab program launched two years ago. They are part of the CERACLE portfolio of 15 pilot projects and research actors working on energy communities since 2019. AMORCE focuses on the pricing of 2 pilot communities (in partnership with ULiège), their socio-economic implications beyond the financial aspect (intelligibility for individuals), the implementation of communication protocols, the activation of the electric discharge at the right time, business plans and business models according to the typology of the buildings and networks (peer to peer sharing operations, renewable energy or citizen communities). For its part, SOCCER aims to set up 3 social energy communities in Ans and Verviers and to measure their impact on the inhabitants of social housing

who could not always afford to invest in renewable energy. The financing, management and optimised distribution of energy will be the focus of the research. This work will validate different theories, operating modes, models and communication plans for residents to make information accessible and to raise awareness about the proper use of energy.

What is the DIS axis 4 “Energy-Building” of the Walloon Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3)? This axis aims to bring together all the actors concerned and to create a portfolio of projects (and actors) in order to meet the challenges facing the energy and building sectors. Its philosophy is similar to that of TWEED: to create synergies between the different projects and the different actors on specific ecosystems, as made with CERACLE and H2HubWallonia. With this in mind, the Cluster manages, together with the MecaTech competitiveness cluster, the 4 Strategic Innovation Initiatives (SII) of the DIS 4, part of the 19 SII selected in November 2022 by the Walloon Region. Our objective is to bring these 4 SIIs to life, each with a lead partner. This implies linking the priorities of Walloon industry for the next 6 years with future research programming, funding opportunities and calls of projects. These bottom-up methodology should be based on a common roadmap encompassing energy communities, hydrogen, heat networks, mobility and building renovation as an integrator of technological solutions, in co-construction with the other four DIS of the Walloon S3 strategy.

What do you see as the main challenges in meeting environmental and sustainable development challenges?

Heating and green gas networks, renewable hydrogen, sustainable energy sharing and management of our water are at the heart of the issues. The players involved will have to create synergies so that their solutions benefit everyone and can match the market in order to realize our ambitious target: reducing 55% of our CO2 emissions by 2030. The opportunities are enormous and all innovations are welcome to make Wallonia and Belgium more autonomous and cleaner in energy!

©

TWEED Cluster

© TWEED Cluster

Center for Education and Research on MacromoleculesCERM Polymers to serve coatings, biomaterials and energy

As an integral part of CESAM (Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials) and of the department of chemistry of the University of Liège, the CERM develops proven expertise thanks to its academic strength, its three permanent FNRS researchers, its three senior scientists, its two post-doc researchers, its fourteen postgraduates and four technicians and administrators.

With its twelve nationalities, the CERM produces some thirty-five publications and two patent registrations per year. It specializes in the synthesis of polymer materials along two main lines: the development of innovative materials (controlled radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization, step-growth polymerization) and sustainable polymerization processes. CERM also owns a unique platform in Europe that is dedicated to the transformation/valorization of carbon dioxide into low carbon footprint materials (coatings, adhesives, foams and biomaterials).

The CERM enjoys a wide range of research partnerships, starting at European level with the INTERREG BioMIMedics project (development of biodegradable innovative biomaterials for biomedical applications). It is also very active in the field of heart valves. In this context, it participates in the ERC “PV-Coat” European project on the coating of heart valves and in the INTERREG PolyValve project targeting the development of new materials for heart valves. It is also involved in a project, “In Flow”, that is devoted to the development of biodegradable materials and formulations for food, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. CERM is also involved in MSCA European Join Doctorate networks, such as EJD NIPU and D-Carbonize. The first one deals with the development of new chemistries to prepare non-isocyanate polyurethanes from carbon dioxide for the production of low carbon footprint and recyclable foams, coatings and 3D printing inks. The second one has the ambition to merge the carbon dioxide chemistry with bio-based products for the next generation of greener polymer materials. In addition, the CERM cooperates with various Belgian universities, especially through its participation in the EOS program via the fundamental research project “Bio-based Factory”, which started in 2018 and focuses on merging carbon dioxide transformation and lignin chemistry for the production of greener polymers.

The CERM can capitalize on important industrial partnerships with Solvay, Solvin, ArcelorMittal, Saint-Gobain, UCB, Dupont, Bayer, and a great number of SMEs. Particularly, the CERM co-conceived a patent intended for the development of a biomedical implant eluting a contraceptive agent (the patent is being exploited by Mithra), it ensured the reparation of one of the components of intraocular yellow lenses produced by PhysIOL, develops new hydrogel-based medical devices for Dermax (now in the clinical development phase) and elaborates new trends for future products on the basis of patents against royalties. Incidentally, the CERM initiated startups such as EyeD Pharma, based on the development of drug-eluting implants for ocular pathologies.

The CERM currently remains involved in many collaborative research projects related to the implementation of biomaterials which have already passed clinical tests, as well as the development of new processing methods such as electrospinning and 3D printing to design scaffolds stimulating cellular regeneration or various medical implants. Finally, the CERM goes into greater depth on the green technology of supercritical CO2 to design sterile medical devices (suture threads or implants) with anti-inflammatory properties.

Doubtless, the CERM stands well equipped and ready to address the five major challenges which confront it. From developing synthesis techniques to implementing greener processes (organocatalysts, solvent-free processes, chemical reactions based on atom economy), to help advanced chemistry, and develop recyclable polymer materials for energy or multifunctional coatings with aqueous processes or without solvents, or develop competitive biomaterials, the CERM seizes upon any opportunity to deepen and make relevant its expertise.

Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)

Université de Liège (ULiège)

Institut de Chimie (B6a)

Agora, Allée du 6 Août, 13 - B-4000 Liège

Tel: +32 (0)4 366 34 91

Email: c.jerome@uliege.be - http://www.cerm.ulg.ac.be/

Polymer implants for vaginal, cardiac and ophtalmic applications

© CERM

CO2 self-blown non-isocyanate polyurethane foams © CERM

Chemical Engineering Research Unit –Liege University (ULiège) Working towards sustainable transformation processes

Created in 2016 from 3 laboratories, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit comprises 80 members including 9 academics, 4 permanent scientists, 20 postdoc or senior researchers and more than 40 PhD students. Chemical engineering and process engineering are applied to design sustainable processes for transforming materials, energy, microorganisms and living cells.

With an annual operational budget of 5-6 million (with 50% coming from public research contracts and 17% from services provided to manufacturers), the Chemical Engineering Research Unit relies on its 3 founding groups (NCENanomaterials, Catalysis, Elec-trochemistry -, PEPs - Products, Environment and Processes - and CRYO - Cryotechnology) to carry out its work around 5 main themes: energy, environment and natural resources, engineering innovative materials, health and space. These research activities are further supported by the platform CARPOR: this new platform, created in 2021 and dedicated to the Multi-scale Characterization of Porous Media, aims to provide researchers from both academia and industries a panel of complementary techniques allowing for the characterization of materials porosity from the nanometer to the millimeter scale, evaluating thermophysical properties and humidity behavior, as well as the 3D visualization of materials.

The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is very active in the field of environmental transition as demonstrated by the platform FRITCO2T (Federation of Researchers in Innovative Technologies for CO2 Transformation): four research laboratories at ULiège joined their forces to accelerate the development of new technologies/ products enabling the capture and re-use of CO2 emissions. In addition, the PROCURA project (Power to X and Carbon Capture & Utilization Roadmap for Belgium), a Belgian Energy Transition Fund project implying 6 Belgian partners, relies on the ULiège to evaluate the potential for CO2 capture in Belgium and draw a roadmap for this purpose. CO2 and H2 technologies are also dealt with in the TRILATE project: this project from the Belgian Energy Transition Fund targets an integrated analysis of energy infrastructure at industrial clusters level. The team is also active in several projects related to the Resiliency and Recovery Fund of the European Green Deal: Saturn (study of CO 2 capture technologies in a consortium with 4 major Belgian industrial players), and NKL (study of CO2 conversion towards e-kerosene, with a special focus on the reverse water-gas shift reaction). Significant experimental equipment for CO2 capture and re-use is also under development, funded by the Walloon-Brussels Federation Resiliency and Recovery Fund.

With its expertise in (bio)reactors design, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit brings its expertise to the design of new bioreactors for the large-scale culture of stem cells for therapeutic applications in the frame of a research project funded by FRS-FNRS and of a PhD supervised jointly with the University of Lorraine.

The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is involved in (photo) catalysts development and their use through the project Era-Net DAF3D “Development of new antibacterial functionalised textiles and 3D-printed filters for process water treatment” (31th call CORNET “Collective Research Networking”), whose aim is to validate at pilot scale the effective and definitive disinfection

performance of filters functionalized with antibacterial agents like ZnO in the dark. At the regional level, the PhotoTex2 project (WIN2WAL Programme of the Walloon Region) deals with the development of textile films with permanent antimicrobial properties by grafting ZnO-based photocatalysts for the manufacture of uniforms and protective textiles in hospitals. The team is also part of the new GreenWin project MultiO “Functional and modular swimming pools for optimized management of water and energy in the sustainable habitat of tomorrow”. This project targets an innovative system that will allow the safe reuse of treated wastewater and rainwater in residential uses (including that of the swimming pools). In this project, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit will develop an electro (photo)chemical unit for the degradation of pollutants, and the disinfection of rain waters.

In the field of development of microbatteries, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit is active in different projects like M-Era.net PLASMANODE “Plasma-modified powder materials for Li-ion battery anodes processable by water-based techniques” at the European level, and in the regional project Win4Doc CATHOPLASM “Plasma treatment of materials for the manufacture of positive electrodes of Li-ion batteries by environmentally friendly processes”.

Pilot disinfection unit of the Era-Net DAF3D project

More recently, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit has been selected to participate in three major research projects of the European program Horizon Europe (Sustainable, Secure and Competitive energy supply). For these projects focusing on photovoltaics (PV), the Research Unit will deal with aspects related to eco-design and the analysis of the life cycle of materials implemented in this field with the aim to develop a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply and alternative, innovative photovoltaic technologies. These projects are called PILATUS, PEPPERONI and VALHALLA.

Another hot topic concerns the reduction of the environmental impact in the building sector, either by promoting recycling of demolition waste or by finding alternative materials during the production of cement or concrete. The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is in charge of the environmental aspects of several projects in this field, applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in an eco-design approach. CirMAP NWE INTERREG project (Valorisation of Recycled Concrete Fine Aggregate through 3D printing of customized shapes) aims at developing new solutions for the design and manufacture of urban furniture with ecological materials. The team is also participating in a project labelled by the Greenwin competitiveness cluster: CosmoCem. This 4-year project concerns the creation of reactive mineral additions for hydraulic binders resulting from the transformation of Walloon waste flows that are little or not recovered by a new ecological activation process controlled by Artificial Intelli gence.

In the new project CISTEMEEC, part of the Reverse Metallurgy+ portfolio deposited by the Reverse Metallurgy platform as part of a call launched by the Walloon Government for the implementation of the Circular Wallonia strategy, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit, in partnership with two other laboratories from the University of Liège (GeMMe and GREEnMat), operates in the Li-ion battery recycling sector. Currently these batteries are collected and sold at negative cost to processing centers outside the Walloon Region. Also, this project works in the copper sector, and in the chain of rare earth elements contained in the permanent magnets of electric motors and lost in the flow of scrap metal reaching the steel industry. The team is also part of Phos4You, a North West Europe (NWE) INTERREG project, during which the PULSE pilot for phosphorus recovery in wastewater sludge was designed.

UR Chemical Engineering - ULiège

Quartier Agora - Allée du 6 Août 11, B6

4000 Liège1 (Sart Tilman)

Tel.: +32 (0)4 366 44 36

Email: secretary.chemeng@uliege.be

https://www.chemeng.uliege.be/cms/c_2275100/fr/ chemical-engineering-portail

CARPOR platform porosimetry equipment

GreenWin, the Walloon Innovation Cluster for CleanTech, chemical engineering and sustainable / ecoresponsible construction materials

Interview with Ms Véronique GRAFF, Managing Director of the GreenWin innovation cluster

What are the key figures for GreenWin?

With 220 members including over 150 businesses, the innovation cluster has given its label to 89 projects for a budget of € 300+M.

GreenWin has been the coordinator of 2 European projects and is a partner in 4 others. GreenWin is split up into 9 Strategic Activity Areas covering the chemistry, construction and environmental technology sectors. GreenWin is the leader of 2 inter-cluster research themes: circular economy and carbon neutrality. Moreover, the cluster is supporting four structuring programmes:

> RENO+ (dedicated to the deep housing renovation)

> HECO2 (aiming at decarbonating the Walloon heavy industry)

> REMIND Wallonia (for mineral ecocirlarity solutions)

> PEPIT (a Partnership around Ecocircularity of Polymers)

GreenWin is a member of 5 international networks. It has also concluded 4 international partnerships (not forgetting the 800 contacts of its international network) and an interregional partnership with Flanders and Brussels. Thanks to its activities, GreenWin stands at the heart of a network of businesses with a job growth rate of 20% (25% for SMEs) and an added value growth rate of 13% (42% for SMEs).

Could you present GreenWin’s industrial sectors to us? They represent 85,000 direct jobs (26% from industrial employment) and 160,000+ indirect jobs, plus €1.6 billion in R&D expenditure (60% of expenditure on private R&D) and €15 bil-lion in exports (36% of Walloon exports). Between 2017 and 2021, the 880 corporates of the cluster’s 3 sectors have generated 16600+ FTE jobs. In 2016, the businesses in the Cluster represented 53% of the “industry”

reference system in terms of jobs (FTE). The reference system is made up of the manufacturing industry, the construction sector (10%) and the logistics transport sector. This percentage was 45% in 2007.

Could you talk to us about the cluster’s strategic activity areas and themes?

GreenWin is organised into 3 main areas of activity: chemistry, construction materials and environmental technologies. In addition, the cluster deploys in 9 strategic activity areas concerning the following sectors: green chemistry, the transformation of CO2 (CCU), biotechnologies, sustainable materials, energy storage and efficiency, construction systems, recycling, soils and sediments, sewage and sludge, air and sediments. Two transversal areas (the circular and digital economy) are added to this. These various activities have openings in three application sectors: chemistry, construction and environment. Our 2020-2025 roadmap has set up 11 priority themes we aim at developing with targets we want to reach by the end of that period. In 2022, we have already reached our target in terms of number of projects in our portfolio. Our roadmap was cogenerated with our members and was the first Walloon innovation clusters roadmap. It happens that it perfectly matches the European Green Deal that was released only few months after we unveiled our road map. We are now working on an even longer run strategic and technological roadmap, which will feed the public authorities with targets to be reached within between 10 to 15 years.

Could you talk to us about your members and the services that you offer them?

GreenWin members, above all a network of SMEs, large businesses, universities and colleges of higher education, Certified Research

Donjean

© GreenWin

Impossible is NOT GreenWin.

© GreenWin

GreenWin helps making a healthier planet transferable to the next generations.

Centres (CRAs) and training centres… are among the best performing in their field and produce the most impressive results. The cluster’s businesses generate job growth of between 20 and 25%. Lastly, the cluster is made up of a network whose individual members are highly inspirational: we call them GreenWinners.

What partnerships have you developed?

More than 150 innovation partnerships have been developed in our strategic sectors. We work tirelessly on “interoperability” with other clusters, in particular in the field of the circularity of polymer production and construction building materials and processes. 4 years ago, we signed an interregional Memorandum of Understanding with our Flemish alter ego Catalisti, and this agreement has itself generated an agreement between the Walloon, Flemish and Brussels administrations to facilitate putting interregional projects together, whatever the size of the consortium partners. This was and still is an historic first in Belgium. The goal is to allow for smoother innovation opportunities and to stimulate the creation of direct and indirect jobs within the interregional projects. In 2022, we have signed a new MoU, with the highly regarded Cambridge Cleantech innovation cluster, that will endeavour cross-Channel cooperations with both our memberships.

Could you give us a few examples of projects bearing the cluster’s label in R&D and training?

We have several success stories of which we are very proud, and here are two examples (but you can find many more on our website greenwin.be):

REPLIC is one of the circular economy success story of GreenWin. It was focused on the development of an industrial unit for the treatment of post-consumption gypsum, with an initial capacity of 12.000T/year and capable of treating waste of various origins (recycling centres, deconstruction,...) to produce high quality gypsum. The innovative aspect of this project comes from the novel combination of mineralurgical techniques which makes for a process that is solid and versatile. A new industrial line and a dedicated new enterprise have been inaugurated in 2020. MEDIX focuses on micropollutants in effluents from the hospital and pharmaceutical sector, with some success. This project led by JOHN COCKERILL Group brings together a company active in sewage treatment and one active in ecodesign, hospitals, cutting edge expertise that is the result of European projects involving some Universities and CRAs.

What do the Walloon projects WaloSCRAP and BATILOOP consist of?

These two projects are linked to the identification of deposits of recyclable materials in Wallonia, which combine several characteristics:

> A challenge for industries given the volumes concerned;

> The characteristics that allow for the deployment of a “self-carrying” business model;

> Their capacity to generate activities and income.

BATILOOP and WaloSCRAP have made it possible to build innovation partnerships in the field of recycling for plaster, flat glass, automotive glass etc.

WaloSCRAP has opened up the path to a new agreement with Wallonia, WALLACE, which aims at setting new value chains for plastic and construction building wastes and make sure they are re-used and valorised as proper resources. It is now a very important part of Circular Wallonia, the Walloon strategic plan towards a circular economy and circular industries

As an expert in circular economy transition, GreenWin takes an active part in the implementation of Circular Wallonia, the Walloon strategy to turn our economy into a circular one.

GreenWin is also one the founding members of the RENO+ structuring programme partnership, together with the Walloon Construction Confederation (CCW) and CSTC (the Certified Research Centre dedicated to Construction & Building).

It has a threefold objective:

> RENO+ is a Research-Action initiative supported by regional authorities that will facilitate the access to new technologies and the relationship between suppliers and final customers, in an organised and pre-scheduled manner.;

> ensuring the rapid start-up of concrete projects - via the pooling of skills and equipment and a direct connection between the research players and industry;

> accelerating the bringing to market of competitive industrialisable solutions, by allowing industries in Wallonia to access a regional skills pool via a platform that groups together several Approved Walloon Research Centres working in partnership on project guidance and feasibility.

Could you tell us about the LCiP project? How do you rate it as regards the Walloon SMEs involved?

LCiP (Life Cycle in Practice) is a European project, which the cluster has been a partner of. Its goal was to make life cycle analysis (LCA) accessible to SMEs.

8 Belgian SMEs have played the game and benefited as pioneers from customised tools as well as being able to take strategic decisions to adapt their business model to the LCA principles. These are businesses such as PREFER, MOBIC, PCIM, ISOHEMP, RUBBERGREEN, PUR VER, BIOWASTE RECYCLING and PAN-TERRE.

In addition, the cluster has put in place a resource centre articulated around 3 of our members: CSTC, MATERIA NOVA and ULiège-PEPS. It is consequently perfectly possible for any interested SME to contact the cluster in order to access the services of this resource centre. Ever since, all GreenWin projects must include a LCiP before, during and at the end of their implementation.

Another European project for which we have been a coordinator is remarkable for its pioneering status and high involvement: SCOT, the number 1 European initiative in the field of capturing and using CO2, which has generated and promoted the notion of carbon neutrality and/or carbon circularity.

This project brought to the table clusters and universities from France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and defined the European strategic agenda in this regard. And for the continuation of

© GreenWin

CONSTRUCTION 4.0 is a key stake for our future.

this project, GreenWin has been commissioned to establish a lasting European structure carried by industry in a number of different sectors: CO2 Value Europe. SPIRE, a Public-Private Partnership between industries and the European Commission, has for that matter integrated the lessons from SCOT into its strategy and in its priority areas. This is also the case for the BBI JU (Joint Undertaking).

What calls for projects are planned for 2023 on the cluster’s themes? Three calls for projects will be organised with the projects to be submitted in March, June and December 2023 respectively. They always follow the same procedure: starting with handing in a letter of intent and holding an orientation meeting with the cluster’s operational team, and ending with a validation of the file with the GreenWin technical-economic panel of experts. After that comes the submission of the full project to the Walloon Government which will then decide

which of the projects will be retained for the label. Lastly the completion of the consortium agreement will open up the path to the grant agreement and project start-up.

GreenWin has produced a 2020-2025 Road Map, in which a list of 11 specific themes are added to the regular strategic fields of action. Because a goal without a plan is just a wish, eventually.

The COVID-19 global crisis has had a massive impact on our economy, and no sector has been spared. However, from the very beginning of the 1st lockdown period back in March 2020, GreenWin has reacted and opened up a dialogue with its Membership and ecosystem to identify the needs and gather the vital strength in order to cope with the situation. More than ever, agility is a factor of survival and resilience. GreenWin aims at optimising all opportunities, setting up unlikely but complementary alliances, reinventing adapted actions and potential interactions to back up its Members and help them cope with the new, circumstantial challenges. GreenWin has set up a post- COVID recovery Task Force, which has produced a first wish list of situations to deal with in order to support our ecosystem. This tool will follow and back up the steady work of strategic analysis and adaptations which GreenWin already set up a while ago, leaning on an effective community that is used to cooperate and work within a collaborative innovation approach. We will of course try and help our members to cope with the impact of the energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine: business networking and energy production solutions awareness and R&D will be at the core of our actions.

“Union is strength” is the Belgian national motto, and it is not a vain leitmotiv as far as GreenWin is concerned.

What activities are you developing internationally?

GreenWin takes part in international official missions organised by the Belgian government and/or the Walloon Export & Investment Agency. In 2022, our mission to the UK enabled us to sign a MoU with the internationally acclaimed innovation cluster Cambridge CleanTech.

© GreenWin

© GreenWin

We also took part in an official trip to Bavaria, which took place at the same period as IFAT tradeshow in Munich. We have also worked very closely with our French counterpart on Chemistry, Axelera, who has supported us in the organisation of the 8th edition of our International Conferences on Green Chemistry and White Biotech and with the on-site visits of several Walloon firms by French companies, in a benchmarking and exchange of best practices approach. We also took part in an AWEX mission in the Netherlands on digital and sustainable constructions with two dozens of Walloon firms. Partnership, cooperation and benchmarking are at the core of our international development and activities.

What are the main challenges that have to be overcome in the next few years by players in sustainable chemistry, materials, sustainable construction and environmental technologies?

The COVID-19 crisis and the consequences of the war in Ukraine have highlighted pre-existing challenges we knew we had to face, only with more accuracy and adding a sense of emergency to several of them. Agility, adaptability, keenness to cooperate and reconsider usual production processes will be, more than ever, key factors to be enhanced and encouraged, within our eco-system. Setting up value chains in the field of ecocircularity remains a top priority. GreenWin’s steady expertise in that matter is a plus and its contribution to the Walloon Strategic Plan Circular Wallonia is therefore even more meaningful.

The challenges in our fields of action are in truth cross-disciplinary but our areas of activity are at the heart of the solutions to be developed and deployed to overcome them on a broader stage, that of society.

Chemistry is faced with a threefold challenge:

> The challenges linked to climate change;

> Vulnerability of access to resources;

> Access to energy.

Limitation to access to resources and impacts of climate change will lead to the emergence of tensions and geopolitical pressures from which no one is able to escape.

The very nature of our planet is circular and finite, and the increasing rarity of resources will pose problems. Green chemistry will therefore be a crucial key to reduce these pressures and risks of tensions.

Construction for its part is faced with a twofold challenge:

> In the very short term, the digital tidal wave that is washing over the links of the production chain and its impact on the creation of new jobs, all the contours of which it is currently impossible to fully imagine, as well as on employment in this sector with the risk of crisis that this implies;

> The calling into question of business models and flexibility, which will increasingly be key factors in the industrial prosperity of the Belgian construction sectors.

There is also a need to take waste management into consideration, both at industry and consumer level. In this respect, “cradle-to-cradle” is increasingly imposing itself as the solution but it implies the changing of the entire sector of recycling which needs to become a partner and not an adversary of “zero waste” by agreeing to call into question its mode and type of functioning according to Lavoisier’s universal principle which retains its full force today: nothing is lost, nothing is being created, everything is being transformed…

Another aspect that takes a growing importance, in a very swift manner, is the role of AI to optimise the efficiency of production processes and reduce waste (of material, time, energy…) to the maximum. GreenWin is fully embracing the Industry 5.0 targets of the European Commission on that matter, and will do so specifically through to applied AI programmes: ChiMérique (for Chemical industry) and Dig’Easy and Connect (for the Construction and Building sectors).

© GreenWin

Green Chemistry is one of the 9 strategic fields of GreenWin.

© GreenWin

Construction is a major sector for environement improvement.

Environmental biotechnologies are leading to solutions.

© GreenWin

ENERSOL An integrator of solutions for the energy transition

Created in 2005, ENERSOL is active in three market segments: residential, industrial and export. It offers 4 production solutions and relies on 120 people to cover all the projects entrusted to it. Its major asset: the technological and regulatory watch that enables it to offer innovative, tailor-made solutions for a successful energy transition.

Renewable energy (solar production facilities and small wind turbine), energy storage solutions in batteries, HVAC (including heat pumps) and electric mobility in homes and businesses: these are the four product families offered by ENERSOL. Each year, the company installs the equivalent of 25 MW of power (photovoltaic, excluding heat pumps), which represents 1,000 customers in the residential sector and 150 in industry.

ENERSOL was present at the beginning of photovoltaic installations in Wallonia. Year after year, it has built up its expertise and manages installation projects from A to Z. Study, sizing, installation of photovoltaic panels, maintenance, post-installation monitoring: the company is present at every stage to guarantee the success of the project. It invests in an active technology watch to be able to offer the most innovative, technically mature and sufficiently efficient products and technologies for photovoltaic panels and inverters. The challenge is to maximise self-consumption via 4 levers: controlling the load, storing surplus energy, controlling the charging stations, and managing the smart home and the smart company.

ENERSOL has developed several solutions dedicated to individuals. The objective is to offer everyone a complete ecosystem allowing

them to have a 360° view of their production and consumption. Offer them load management tools to supply washing machines, electric boilers and other heat pumps. The company also offers hybrid converters for charging and discharging a battery, which allows both energy production and storage. Another solution is to control the recharging of a vehicle using an interface (terminal) that works primarily with surplus solar energy, and not with the electricity grid. The company also works on the sizing of infrastructures and storage according to the needs and consumption of each customer.

The energy challenges are particularly acute for industrialists and ENERSOL is well aware of this. Their objective is to aim for maximum self-sufficiency, but photovoltaics has its limits: it is still impossible to store solar energy over 6 months. Small wind turbines for SMEs should therefore be provided as a complement. This dual solution allows sufficient energy to be stored to achieve 80-90% self-sufficiency.

Integrating innovative solutions: this is ENERSOL’s passion, and it is enthusiastic about a very dynamic sector in terms of technological innovation. New technologies for the production of solar energy (with photovoltaic cells in full (r)evolution), new solutions for storing and recharging energy: the company is involved in pilot projects

alongside manufacturer and design offices to test the solutions of tomorrow in terms of vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home: the storage capacities of a car are promising and should be optimised.

One pilot project is of particular interest to ENERSOL: the REMOBHUB project (Renewable Energy Mobility Hub). The objective is to integrate various sources of production and consump tion by associating electric mobility based, as much as possible, on renewable energy. The aim is to ensure a rapid energy transition by integrating production, consumption and management of vehicle recharging on the same site in order to guarantee that renewable energy is used immediately to cover the needs of buildings and mobility. ENERSOL aims to achieve maximum energy self-sufficiency (90%) for its premises and its fleet of 45 electric vehicles - an ambition that requires reinvestment in additional photovoltaic production units. The recharging needs of the vehicles are already integrated into the production of renewable energy and the recharging, which is carried out by automats, is above all ensured by renewable energy, even if it means supplementing it with an additional storage battery present on the site.

On the strength of these experiments, ENERSOL is well placed to grasp the main challenges to be met in order to accelerate the energy transition of private and professional buildings. Faced with a strong increase in demand since the end of 2021, the company is required to increase the volume of installations to mitigate the impact of soaring energy prices. Meeting demand despite longer lead times is therefore its top priority. ENERSOL is also closely following the evolution of the regulatory framework to ensure that the transition to renewable energy has real political support and to reassure investors. The technical challenge is on the way to being met: existing solutions are sustainable in the long term as photovoltaic panels are guaranteed for 25-30 years with high performance during that period. All that is needed is to plan the right dimensions, choose the right products and technologies, and ensure quality maintenance and monitoring for optimal installations. This is the advantage of resorting to ENERSOL.

As a true “one-stop shop”, ENERSOL looks to the future with confidence. This is demonstrated by its recruitment projects and its technological, regulatory and tariff monitoring activities over the next 3 to 5 years. All these developments should facilitate collective

self-consumption and the vehicle-to-grid. ENERSOL is committed to working with clusters of renewable energy producers to anticipate the production, use and management of this energy and better understand its potential. Renewable energy is still in its infancy: it remains to intensify production units by optimising the use of land without jeopardising the agricultural sector. Moreover, solar energy should remain very accessible, both financially and technically. And it is a sustainable energy par excellence! But it will have to be supplemented by other sources of supply such as wind power, whose higher investments will be reserved for companies. To complete the picture, smart grids will make it easier to integrate renewable energies into consumption. However, it is necessary to consume less energy and differently. In this respect, heat pumps can provide the beginning of a solution. ENERSOL has definitely foreseen everything! ENERSOL

Rue de Maestricht, 70 - B-4651 Battice

Tel.: +32 (0)87 68 68 22

Email: contact@enersol.be - https://www.enersol.be/

ENERSOL © ENERSOL

ENERSOL

Monitoring of the REMOBHUB system with the JC-EMS tool developed by John Cockerill

Walloon S3: Final selection of the 19 Strategic Innovation Initiatives

Final decision of Walloon Minister Willy Borsus: 19 Strategic Innovation Initiatives (SIIs) were selected in November 2022 for Wallonia in the framework of the Walloon S3 (smart specialization strategy). The TWEED cluster participated in the elaboration of SIIs related to energy and water which have all been selected! As a reminder, the S3 is the strategic framework for the Research and Innovation policy and the industrial policy of Wallonia for the period 2021-2027.

Over the next few years, the TWEED Cluster will actively participate in the operational coordination of 4 SIIs, grouped together in the Strategic Innovation Domain (DIS): Energy Systems and Sustainable Habitat (DIS 4), as well as in the implementation of a specific SII linked to the water domain: Water in Action.

The objective of the S3 approach is to mobilise all the relevant actors around structuring initiatives in line with the ambitions defined by the roadmaps for the 5 DIS:

DIS1. Circular materials

DIS2. Innovations for better health

DIS3. Agile and safe design and production

DIS4. Sustainable energy systems and habitats

DIS5. Agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management.

The aim is to encourage open collaboration and a strong involvement of players who can collectively develop innovative solutions and bring them to market.

The TWEED cluster and the MecaTech competitiveness cluster are coordinating DIS 4 and the following IISs:

- IIS CONTRIBUTE - Mobility and physical systems

The main industrialists (GE and SMEs), associated with universities and research centres active in the sectors of mobility, transport and associated energies, security and system controls, have grouped together in a Strategic Innovation Initiative (IIS CONTRIBUTE Platform) through which they intend to pool their efforts in order to build a sustainable and inclusive economy of the future.

- IIS E-WALLONHY - Green Hydrogen

Industrialists are regularly contacted and integrated into the initiative so that they can interact on the action plan and direct common projects towards the major objective of developing the hydrogen value chain and green hydrogen in particular.

- IIS CETWA - Energy Communities

The development of Renewable Energy Communities on the Walloon territory as a means to accelerate the energy transition but also as a tool for economic development.

- IIS Renovation - Building Performance

The initiative will contribute to the deployment of new technological AND non-technological solutions, targeted at the energy renovation of buildings, to achieve the transition to a climate-neutral habitat by 2050, in line with the ambitions of the European Green Deal.

What is more, the H2O Cluster supports - together with SWDE and SPGE - the following IIS included in DIS 5:

- IIS H2O - Water in Action

Accelerating innovation in the water sector and strengthening the Walloon ecosystem:

All selected strategic innovation initiatives

The BIDs and their respective SIIs are presented below: Each of the selected initiatives will aim to deploy a strategy that will make it possible to capitalise on Wallonia’s strengths, to create critical masses and to further structure regional ecosystems, to develop cross-collaborations between fields of expertise, to raise Wallonia’s profile internationally, and to generate economic impacts. In addition to stimulating the regional innovation potential, the objective is also to provide concrete solutions to major societal challenges for Wallonia by capitalising on the region’s distinctive assets.

The Walloon Government has also innovated in its approach, which marks the opening of a structured dialogue between the leaders of these initiatives, the DIS coordination units and the administrations concerned to enable the consolidation and implementation of the selected SIIs, based on the existing policy mix in Wallonia. In addition to the existing policy mix, additional resources have also been made available in the Recovery Plan to support these initiatives.

The selected SIIs constitute a “compass” to orient resources and initiate a virtuous dynamic around promising fields. The approach is intended to be open and inclusive, enabling the structuring of communities of actors around the 5 DIS and the IIS.

Extensive cooperation between many scientific, private and public actors

Final map of the 19 strategic innovation initiatives

CAP Construction Technological innovations for more collaboration and integration

interview with Ms Pauline BRUGE, Project Manager at CAP Construction

What are the key figures and areas of competence of CAP Construction?

CAP Construction has more than 220 members, including designers (architects, engineering offices), producers and suppliers of materials, construction contractors and system installers, developers and building managers. In order to enable our members to acquire new skills, develop their business and collaborate to anticipate tomorrow, the cluster has defined a strategic action plan with 4 objectives: to accelerate energy renovation, to promote the reduction of the sector’s environmental footprint, to support the players in the digital transition and to adapt buildings to changing needs.

What services do you offer to your members?

Our services are divided into 6 parts. The first part is the organisation of different types of events. The major events generally take the form of conferences followed by a cocktail partydedicated to networking: Positive Waves evenings - presentation of project leaders with business opportunities, Headlines evenings - topical subjects with debates and positioning of players, POUR LES NULS - scientific popularisation of new themes or approaches, Business & Construction - macroeconomic conferences, an annual event - presentation of a speaker of international renown and CAP on the… - seminars whose presentations are aimed at public players. In addition, the “Members” Activities, reserved for a limited number of participants in order to encourage exchanges, include the Decision-makers’ Lunch and the Afterwork (a privileged exchange with major clients, political decision-makers or leading personalities), round tables and working meetings on various themes or during the presentation of opinions representative of the sector, participation in international missions as a participant, speaker or exhibitor. CAP Construction has also set up thematic networks (energy renovation, silver economy, circular economy, wood construction, special techniques, new technologies) to enable its members to discover new market opportunities, to receive strategic information, to communicate with the other members of the network and to be consulted on opinions or actions. CAP Construction offers its members a communication platform (website, newsletter, social networks, reports, guides and articles, new markets, exemplary projects, innovative products, job offers…) and gives them the opportunity to participate in collaborative

projects. Finally, the cluster proposes international actions based on its network of international partners and its collaboration with AWEX: fairs, exhibitions, congresses, visits to exemplary sites, prospecting missions, meetings with local players, etc.

Could you tell us about your current projects?

The cluster is participating in the INTERREG Renovalt project, which aims to develop training in energy renovation. It is also involved in the INTERREG project PV follows function, which aims to promote the development, integration and acceptance of integrated photovoltaics on buildings and agricultural surfaces in order to stimulate the reduction of the sector’s environmental footprint. Another INTERREG project aims to support actors in the digital transition: the Blockchain 4 Prosumers project. More specifically, it targets the development of an inno vative blockchain technology that will contribute to a more secure and sustainable energy market. Finally, I would like to mention a public service mission that is currently being carried out on behalf of SOGEPA, Aviq and the cabinets of Ministers Borsus and Morreale. The aim is to adapt buildings to changing needs and to draw up a structured action plan for the development of the silver economy in Wallonia.

What is the role of innovation and new technologies in promoting sustainable construction?

Technological innovations are sources of disruption and creation of new business models; technologies such as BIM will encourage actors to move towards greater collaboration and integration. The green transition imposes a new mindset and a complete paradigm shift synonym of innovation for the construction value chain when focusing on the renovation wave and circular concepts applied to buildings.

An

The resilience of the logistics business, an absolute necessity

An interview with Mr. Bernard PIETTE, Managing Director of Logistics in Wallonia

What was the impact of the pandemic on logistics activity?

For more than two years, the health crisis has demonstrated the vital importance of logistics activity for society. But while logistics chains have grown considerably over the past 40 years, they have proven to be less resilient and less agile. The general public has discovered our high level of dependence on necessities such as computer chips. More broadly, successive crises are undermining the cost-optimisation logic of geographically dispersed production of the various components that our economy so badly needs. This is why the resilience of the logistics business has become an absolute necessity, as has innovation, which should make a major contribution to this.

What are the key figures for Logistics in Wallonia?

The cluster’s activity remained constant in 2021 despite a difficult economic situation:

3 labelled innovation projects and 12 in progress, 50 “360° Supply Chain” diagnoses (including 11 among short circuit actors), 14 registrations in the Lean & Green Europe programme, 5+3 Lean & Green Europe labels and 3 new registrations in the Stars programme, 15 registrations in the MultiModal Wallonia programme, two prospective surveys (innovation watch), 15 physical and digital events for nearly 1,200 participants, 356 members, 4 international visibility actions, 23 companies benefiting from our international actions and 5 European projects (2 participations and 3 preparations).

Could you tell us about the recent contract with the Walloon government and your new service offer?

This contract of objectives and means was desired by the cluster because it allows it to stabilise its activity in a multi-year framework. Its “Sustainable Logistics and Mobility” strategy, adopted in 2019, is still relevant. What is changing is the Walloon government’s desire to comply with European rules on the financing of innovation clusters: indeed, the latter must not receive more than 50% public funds, which encourages us to seek private financing. We have therefore thoroughly reviewed our business model and completely renewed our service offer to members in order to intensify our relationship with them. From now on, our package of services will depend on the nature of their activity, their degree of involvement in our cluster and their willingness to impact our action (by proposing certain activities for example). Thus, BOOST is dedicated to organisations with a role in supporting the transformation of transport, logistics and mobility activities, IMPULSE is aimed at those who are mobilising in favour of this transformation, PERFORM targets those who wish to inspire

the ecosystem active in this field, while SHINE is intended for those who specifically support the cluster’s activities and associate their image with that of the cluster. These different offers include networking services, project support, participation in the cluster’s actions, visibility and communication, access to useful information and watch, as well as support for human resources.

Could you present some of the cluster’s projects? Three projects have been approved by the Walloon government for 2021. Submitted by the company Transurb, the Trackgen project aims to automatically generate virtual landscapes (“real” environments) for train driving training programmes. The CorkConcept project targets the development of isothermal packaging made from cork oak, a potentially renewable resource. Finally, the Actions project aims to optimise self-supporting shelving in high-bay warehouses: made up of pallets and covered in steel, this shelving must meet strict anti-seismic standards. Hence the importance of precisely defining the right dimensions and the right amount of steel to use. At the European level, Logistics in Wallonia is involved in two projects. Smart Track 4 Waterways (ST4W) aims to convince shippers of building materials and palletised goods to take the step of modal shift from road to waterway. The development of a communication platform between the various players in the logistics chain should make it possible to increase the market niches for waterway transport. The STARS project aims to stimulate the adoption of advanced technologies by SMEs in the rail sector (AI, big data, cybersecurity, blockchain, IoT, etc.). This requires the conclusion of strategic alliances between “classic” companies and technology companies: a process that the cluster supports with targeted business and technology consulting services and hackathon-type networking.

© Logistics in Wallonia © Logistics in Wallonia

What do your diagnostic services consist of?

The 50 “360° Supply Chain” diagnoses carried out in 2021 (including 11 among short circuit actors in collaboration with Sowalfin) have enabled us to note that many industrial SMEs still need to improve their supply chain skills. Indeed, they tend to focus too much on the quality of their production and to consider the flow of goods as a peripheral activity. However, this is an area of development in its own right that they should be aware of.

Could you tell us about your two prospective studies carried out in 2021?

The first study aimed to draw up a state of the art of traceability solutions applicable to transport and logistics and to anticipate future developments, particularly in the agri-food sector. The second study, carried out in collaboration with our Flemish counterpart VIL, consisted of a survey on the intentions of companies with regard to alternative powertrains. Of the 170 companies that took part, 75% agreed to invest in a “greener” approach on two conditions: the clarification of the legal framework (due to the division of competence for energy between the federal and regional governments) and the introduction of an appropriate tax arsenal in the form of incentives, tax deductions or even a differentiated kilometre rate depending on the type of engine and not the Euro 6 pollution standard, which currently applies to all heavy goods vehicles without distinction.

How does the cluster support its members in their transition to multimodality and the reduction of their transport-related CO2 emissions? We use the Lean & Green Europe programme to support companies wishing to draw up an action plan to reduce their CO2 emissions by at least 20% in a maximum of 5 years. The cluster also offers an analysis of companies’ flows in order to formulate solutions to reduce their dependence on road transport. Finally, it works with municipalities wishing to invest in the optimisation of urban logistics. This is a necessity with the explosion of online commerce and the free deliveries (an abuse of language!) offered by many websites. To remain sustainable, such traffic must benefit from innovations such as cargo bikes or solutions such as Rayon 9: this

small structure based in Liège employs couriers who are part of a reintegration programme, in line with the logic of the social and solidarity economy.

What are the main challenges to increasing the adaptability of logistics supply chains?

I have little faith in massive reindustrialisation because the cost of labour is prohibitive. Above all, I see a greater fragmentation of the supply chain with the relocation replenishment of small strategic stocks to address concerns about security of supply and lack of visibility. From “just in time”, we have moved to “just in case”, or even “just in worst case”! It is all the more crucial to shorten the circuits as the cost of maritime freight has exploded: the transport of a container between Shanghai and Rotterdam, which costed $500 in 2008, costed $20,000 at the height of the pandemic and still costs $10,000 today. There is therefore an urgent need to balance the flows and prevent containers from going back empty. Reducing the carbon footprint and promoting alternative modes of transport to road are equally urgent. The European Union is also considering giving priority to rail by banning air flights of less than 500 km. To be continued!

© Logistics in Wallonia

© Logistics in Wallonia

Wallonia, one of the three most developed European regions in terms of eco-construction

An interview with Mr. Hervé-Jacques POSKIN, Director of the Eco-Construction cluster

What is the current state of the Walloon eco-construction market? The sector has evolved very rapidly over the last 10 years. From 3 to 4% of the construction market, it has now reached 8% of this same market and even 12% if we consider the number of constructions and renovations in wood as well as the use of eco-materials.

Could you introduce your members and the services you offer them? From 25 founding members in 2003, the cluster had 80 members in 2010 and now has 270! 91% are companies (architects, design offices, materials producers, trade and product placement professionals) and the remaining 9% are shared between training organisations (universities, research centres, Forem, IFAPME), promotional associations and federations. It should be noted that Wallonia is one of the three most developed European regions in terms of eco-construction: the Namur region is in fact at the centre of a 50 km perimeter which abounds in producers of materials (cellulose, CLT nailed in wood, new beams, wooden floors and staircases, grass and sheep’s wool for insulation, hemp-lime blocks, acoustic insulation, paints, raw earth clay for finishing coatings, etc.) and construction systems.

Recognised by the Walloon Region by decree, the Eco-Construction cluster acts so that companies in the sector get to know each other, innovate, create technological and commercial partnerships, set up investments, go international, attract foreign investors and create collaborations in Wallonia and far beyond: France, Quebec, Morocco…

What European projects are you involved in?

We have participated in 9 projects of the Interegg 5, 5A and 5B programme with a total of about 60 partners. For example, our straw and wood building was part of the UP-Straw project. Other projects concerned the promotion of efficient renovation, indoor air quality, the production of greenhouses on the roofs of industrial buildings, the promotion of straw, and the training, over a period of almost a year, of people who are very far from employment to enable them to find a job.

What does the Biosourced Product Label consist of and what is its usefulness for SMEs?

This label is primarily a response to the need for visibility. It was first benchmarked to meet specific criteria: to be unassailable in terms of standards (because it is based on European standards), easy to understand for the general public and easy to adopt for companies in the sector. It was therefore necessary to impose a high percentage of bio-based materials for the various products that could be used in eco-construction and eco-renovation projects (75% for insulation, for example). It turned out that a label with this level of requirement already existed thanks to the initiative of the French association Qualibat. We therefore concluded an agreement with them to be part of this label. It is all the more interesting because it is accompanied by a Walloon government bonus for renovation projects using bio- based materials. This is quite an incentive and it allows us to talk about it!

What do you see as the main challenges to further stimulate the green building market?

The first challenge is without doubt the obligation to train companies and architects in eco-construction. The other major challenge is to raise awareness of eco-construction among all project managers, because eco-construction still suffers from the “three little pigs” phenomenon: wood burns, straw doesn’t stand up to the elements, and rodents get inside! But these negative preconceptions do not stand up to the test of facts. Fire stations have been built of straw, Montargis has a straw house that is more than a hundred years old (the Maison Feuillette, built in 1920), Norway boasts wooden churches, and old half-timbered facades with a wooden frame are still there to be admired. And rodents have nothing to get their teeth into in these compressed eco-materials... In the end, cellulose is very fire resistant and eco-materials used for insulation have many advantages: the transmission of water vapour ensures good hygrometry of the building, the carbon balance is positive with regard to construction costs and overheating is avoided in summer. When you take a broad enough view of the sector, there is no doubt: green building is the way of the future!

© Cluster Eco-Construction

© Cluster Eco-Construction

Research for the well-being and health of the horse

An interview with Mr. Jean-Philippe LEJEUNE, Veterinarian and Director of the Mont-le-Soie European Horse Centre

What services do you offer in terms of product development and validation, studies and expert missions?

In addition to its breeding, veterinary medicine and equestrian centre activities, the centre is approved by the Walloon Region for animal experimentation with respect to the well-being of the horse, in accordance with the standards to which animal houses are subject. It carries out various study protocols while specialising in pathologies of the locomotor system and equine reproduction. Perfectly integrated into the Walloon and Belgian equine industry, it supports equestrian sport players and breeders in order to offer them products that meet the needs of horses: orthopaedic shoes, limb protection, feed formulation, etc.

Could you tell us about your equine research activity?

It is aimed at breeders and receives financial support (grants) from the Walloon Region. The objective is to optimise breeding. Within this framework, we are participating in a major research programme on osteochondrosis, an orthopaedic developmental pathology in growing foals that causes lameness or inflammation. We are looking to detect these diseases and study their metabolism in order to identify risk factors and prevent their occurrence. Another line of research concerns pathologies linked to the intense physical effort of the horse leading a sporting career. Here again, the aim is to prevent or limit their appearance by developing optimised tightening and shoeing tools in situ. Similarly, we have developed parameters for measuring cardiac and respiratory activity in order to limit the negative impact of physical effort in the context of sports preparation. Other research work focuses on the functioning of mitochondria in muscles. Finally, we have validated a range of food supplements for Kara-Supplements, a company based in Andrimont.

What collaboration have you developed with the University of Liège?

ULiège has three representatives on the board of directors of the non-profit organisation that is the centre: Prof. Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Rector, Prof. Tatiana Art, Dean of the Veterinary Faculty and Prof. Didier Serteyn, Managing Director of the non-profit organisation. Our collaboration has several aspects: the reception of a doctoral student working on orthopaedic pathologies and of student trainees in the veterinary school, the partnership with the Centre de l’Oxygène, Research and Development for the validation of a protocol for measuring intense physical effort in horses, the collaboration with the Revatis spin-off (which exploits a patent on obtaining autologous stem cells of muscular origin) focused on the safety of drug candidates for tendon and joint diseases, but also the partnership with the Bioptis spin-off for the development of a semen conservation medium that optimises its preservation in liquid nitrogen and extends its duration of use after thawing.

What do you see as the main challenges in the field of equine research?

A major challenge is to improve the image of horse-related activities among the general public. Sporting federations and breeders are concerned about the welfare and health of horses. They fully understand the importance of preventing pathologies of the locomotor system and muscular pathologies. This is why the concept of the connected horse was born, with the integration of specific measuring tools for speed, respiratory and heart rate, symmetry of gait, etc. The aim is to detect signs of early fatigue, to provide the appropriate correction or treatment and to optimise the horse’s performance. For example, machine learning offers increasingly easy-to-use tools for collecting information on the horse’s movements. Another challenge is that of regenerative medicine with new treatments such as growth factor-rich plasmas for the treatment of locomotor dysfunctions or stem cell therapies (to treat, for example, endometrial disease in mares). These are all solutions to prolong a horse’s sporting career as much as possible and avoid early retirement. Whether it is a question of adapting the feed, improving the housing conditions or even gaining a better understanding of sarcopenia (frequent muscle wasting after the age of 20), the objective is always the same: to ensure the well-being of the horse throughout its life.

© Centre européen du cheval de Mont-le-Soie

© Centre européen du cheval de Mont-le-Soie

Digitisation of companies for the benefit of Walloon competitiveness

An interview with Mr. Jean-Philippe PARMENTIER, Director of the INFOPOLE ICT Cluster

Could you present your network and the technological skills of your members?

The cluster has been in existence for about twenty years and brings together about 130 digital players: companies, of course, but also research centres, skills centres (training organisations) as well as research and higher education players (universities and colleges). The member companies are of all sizes, from very large companies such as NRB (Network Research Belgium) and NSI IT to SMEs employing a few to a few dozen people. In 2020, these companies represented 7,000 full-time equivalents. Their technological skills are just as diversified, from first step technologies (software development, etc.) to cutting-edge technological advances in cybersecurity, via the development of CRM or ERP applications (for the initial structuring of good databases) and the integration of solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Our network covers the entire value chain and the players concerned in all their diversity: innovative players, advanced technology players, players resolutely focused on exporting to Benelux, France, other European Union countries and even beyond... This diversity is a source of wealth.

How does the cluster participate in the implementation of the Digital Wallonia strategy?

We ensure the operational aspect of this strategy by getting involved in various programmes such as “Industry of the Future”. In this context, we are participating in the ChiMérique project with the Greenwin competitiveness cluster and the Plastiwin cluster: the objective is to raise awareness among green chemistry and plastics companies and to help them to jump on the bandwagon of the “Industry of the Future” thanks to the development of new digital tools adapted to their needs. Our collaboration with the Walloon clusters is also reflected in the organisation of cross-sectoral meet ings for industry in the broad sense (with MecaTech) or the Building sector: we run workshops to enable companies to express their needs and to propose appropriate digitalisation solutions. In addition, we relay the calls for projects launched within the

framework of Digital Wallonia and organise meetings between the various players to help them submit projects. For example, in this respect, we work with the CAP Construction and TWEED clusters on circular economy projects (Digital Wallonia 4 Circular).

What services do you offer to your members?

As a cluster, we are like a hub for the Walloon digital sector. We connect companies and digital players. In addition to the above-mentioned calls for projects or workshops, we offer dedicated and personalized services to connect our members with companies looking for digital partners. Moreover, we are keen to see how to make two competing companies complementary, in the field of IoT for example, and how to transform them into sources of innovation for a product or service at the intersection of their respective activities. Furthermore, we help our members grow by developing their business, by proposing collective visits to international fairs and exhibitions to make technology watch or be inspired. Finally, we offer them a showcase and put them forward to promote their companies, use case and business in Wallonia.

In your opinion, what are the major challenges in your field of expertise?

The major challenges concern both the digital sector and companies in need of digital tools (data analysis and enhancement, AI, cybersecurity, etc.) in various sectors such as construction, logistics or even industries undergoing relocation. Digital technologies have serious advantages in meeting the challenges of labour shortages, competitiveness, market changes, cost pressures, etc. Entire sectors are being transformed, encouraged to reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and to produce goods and services differently at a time when customisation is booming. This transformation is closely linked to the issue of the professional skills to be acquired between now and 2030: it is important to know that 30 to 40% of professions will evolve, that others will disappear and that digital technology and AI will play a greater role. Production operators and laboratory researchers alike will have to train to stay in the race. It is therefore urgent to develop the digital skills of Walloons: specialized skills that will benefit the entire regional economy.

INFOPOLE ICT Cluster

© INFOPOLE ICT Cluster © INFOPOLE ICT Cluster

Plastiwin

Towards more competitiveness, innovation and circularity

Approved and supported by the Walloon Region, Plastiwin is a network of companies that brings together players specialised in polymers and biopolymers, elastomers, composite materials and synthetic textiles.

Plastiwin has three missions. First mission: to promote business development and innovation. To do this, the cluster brings out innovative projects, supports the marketing and promotes the plastics industry. Second mission: to stimulate ideas. This involves creating a dynamic exchange between members to enable technology and skills transfers. This is key to bringing out the ideas of tomorrow and making the plastics industry more sustainable and eco-circular. Third and last mission: to inform. Plastiwin facilitates access to contractors by increasing the visibility of the value chain and by communicating the technological potential of Wallonia. The cluster also prepares the future by informing its members about technological trends and growth markets. Finally, it raises public awareness of the innovative, sustainable and circular nature of the plastics industry, which is still not well known.

It must be said that this industry weighs heavily in Belgium with more than 30,000 jobs, 14.2 billion euros in turnover and 630 million euros in investment in 2018 (according to Plastics Europe and essenscia). And there are many application markets: the packaging industry, of course (39.6% of global plastics consumption), but also the construction sector (20.4%), the automotive industry (9.6%), the electrical and electronics sector (6.2%), households, sports and leisure (4.1%), agriculture (3.4%), etc.

In this context, Plastiwin has developed a 4-step strategy: to increase the competitiveness of companies thanks to its extended network and its partnership with AWEX (organisation of meetings, publication of promotional articles and videos on its platforms), to facilitate recruitment by developing and facilitating access to training and by relaying the job offers of its members, support businesses towards the circular economy through its involvement in Circular Wallonia (with an added value creation that could reach 488 million euros and the potential creation of 3,500 jobs) via 6 concrete actions, to strengthen the digitalisation and innovation of the plastics industry (transition to 5.0) in cooperation with all member research centres and universities. In this respect, a new collaborative project validated by the Agence du Numérique will allow Plastiwin to support its members in their digitalisation process for 2 years. The objective is to offer three types of turnkey solutions: the development of tools to identify needs and facilitate the digital transition, the establishment of a network to raise awareness through flagship events (GreenW’Innovation Challenge, Infopôle On Tour, etc.) and the personalised

support of SMEs in their digitalisation process, from diagnosis to digitalisation itself. Plastiwin is also participating in the “Industry of the Future” strategy as part of the “Digital Wallonia” programme.

Plastiwin’s strategy is accompanied by three types of services. Networking is the first of these. The cluster uses its partnerships to put its members in touch with key players in the plastics industry, both locally and internationally. Participation in plenary meetings, working groups and other collective work or networking meetings within the framework of partner projects, development of a specific strategy with AWEX and EEN to ensure promotion abroad, constant monitoring of the evolution of the international market and prospecting work by participating in key events linked to the plastics industry: all these avenues are designed to increase the growth prospects of companies in the sector. The second service is consulting. Plastiwin puts its expertise at the service of companies to support their projects towards more eco-circularity (development of offers, sustainable services and partnerships in line with Wallonia’s circular economy strategy), facilitate innovation (digitization of activities, orientation towards investment aid), but also to facilitate the recruitment of new talent and training (with a dedicated working group since 2020). Storytelling is Plastiwin’s third mission. Telling the stor y of a company and that of the plastics industry: this is the ambition of the cluster, which wants to highlight those who today shape the plastics industry of tomorrow. There’s nothing like a great story to mobilize talent and encourage vocations!

Circular Plastics Day organised by Plastiwin on 7 October 2022

Plastiwin organised in 2022, a collective transport to go together to the K-MESSE

© Plastiwin

© Plastiwin

GIGA

Translating acquired knowledge into medical solutions

Interview with Mr. Michel GEORGES, Director of GIGA (ULiège)

Michel Georges, you are director of the GIGA since 2016. What are the missions of the GIGA for you?

GIGA’s motto is “Striving for academic excellence in the biomedical sciences to foster groundbreaking medical innovation.”

The “academic” emphasis stems from GIGA’s dual mission: research and education. GIGA’s members share the ambition to conduct research that is internationally recognized for its excellence. An honest indicator of research performance is the number of ERC grants awarded to GIGA PIs. It presently stands at eight. Compared to other centers in French-speaking Belgium, this is excellent. Yet, we can increase the number of ERCs [and other grants promoting excellence such as FNRS and Welbio] even more by joining forces. Strength in science lies in cross-fertilization: the “I” of GIGA (interdisciplinary).

GIGA counts more than 100 postdoctoral fellows and over 260 PhD students. It is their PI’s responsibility to ensure that the time spent at GIGA becomes a springboard for a rich and fulfilling life. Young scientists should want to join GIGA not only to become skilled researchers but also to acquire soft skills required by public and private organizations alike. It is the mission of GIGA’s doctoral school to support PIs as mentor.

If we reach the primary goal of academic excellence, innovations benefitting society will – with appropriate support – naturally follow. In 2021 alone, GIGA scientists have filed five patents and started three companies. The tech transfer office of ULiège is undergoing profound restructuring to better assist PIs in translating acquired knowledge into medical solutions. GIGA will proactively participate in these efforts: the “A” of GIGA (applied).

We know that research is an increasingly competitive and ruthless environment. What values do you defend in this context?

It is important to define for one-self some guiding principles, key values that are not to be compromised.

GIGA proposes four:

BALANCE: one cannot be a good scientist for the long run, if at the expense of family, loved ones, or health.

ACCOUNTABILITY: the quality of the working environment is not a given, but rather a reflection of how much each one of us contributes to make it better.

INTEGRITY: it is better to publish negative results that have been obtained rigorously, than to publish results that you know or should know are not going to stand the test of time.

KINDNESS: have you, today, expressed your gratitude to at least one of the many people, scientists or not, that in various capacities make it possible for you to do your work?

One of the great strengths of the GIGA is that it has state-of-the-art technology platforms directly accessible to researchers. Can you tell us more about this? GIGA technology platforms result from the pooling of technological and human resources to offer state-of-the-art technology, to adequately meet the needs of the researchers. Each technology platform is managed by a scientist and an academic researcher and offers services to academic as well as industrial researchers.

GIGA-Genomics

Since the development of new next generation sequencing technologies, the field of genomics has had an immense boost. Application of these new technologies have rapidly become common practice in many research and diagnostic fields. Sequencing whole genomes of known and new species are now routine experiments.

The GIGA genomics platform offers a wide range of services in bulk or single cell DNA/RNA analysis. Technologies ranges from Sanger sequencing to high throughput genotyping, high throughput sequencing and to long read sequencing.

GIGA-Bioinformatics

The Bioinformatics platform provides scientific support for Genomics data analysis. From experimental design to result interpretation, they can help with the utilization of existing tools and the development of new ones.

GIGA-Cell Imaging platform

The GIGA Cell Imaging Platform has over 14 dedicated systems for advanced light microscopy that are used in a broad range of research fields such as cancer, virology, neurology, infectious diseases, inflammation, immunity, infection,…

The GIGA Cell Imaging Platform offers state-of-the-art equipment and expertise ranging from simple wide-field to super resolution microscopy.

GIGA-Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry allows qualitative and quantitative analysis of particles, e.g. monodispersed cells that have been marked with

fluorescent probes targeting a wide variety of different molecules such as membrane antigens, cytokins, nucleic acids, viral receptors or calcium ions. This technology is used in a broad range of research fields such as cancer, virology, neurosciences, infectious diseases, inflammation, immunity, infection...

The GIGA Flow Cytometry Platform offers state-of-the-art equipment and is staffed with scientists and technicians who have an extensive expertise from simple to multiple immunostaining flow cytometry analysis and who train researchers to use the flow cytometers properly to answer their research questions. They also conduct all the cell sorting and cloning when requested.

GIGA-CRC in vivo Imaging

The GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre in vivo imaging is a major hub of research and development at the forefront of in vivo clinical imaging and translational studies. Research at GIGA – CRC IVI range from radiopharmaceutical production to in vivo imaging. Studies in humans are typically conducted for understanding biological processes underlying sleep, mood, cognition (memory, attention, executive functions), movements and their disorders (fatigue, dementia, Parkinson, multiple sclerosis, stroke…). Other research thematics can be addressed and our platform offers advanced preclinical (see dedicated folder of the CRC preclinical IVI platform) or clinical multimodal functional and anatomical imag ing solutions for a broad spectrum of application fields such as neurology, cardiology, inflammation and cancer research. We can conduct radiopharmaceutical projects « from the lab bench to the patient» and we can run clinical trials. The platform is open to all researchers, from public and private institutions, and for specific research trials from industry.

GIGA-Immunohistology platform

The Immunohistology platform provides all the material, techniques, and know-how to perform consistent and reliable histological studies. This facility has the equipment and expertise for paraffin processing and embedding of fixed and frozen samples, as well as sectioning of paraffin embedded or frozen samples. Furthermore, thin-layer cell preparations from cell suspensions can be produced if requested. The facility offers both tinctorial and immunohistochemical staining. Finally, the platform has developed and optimized paraffin sectioning as well as staining of firm tissues such as bone and cartilage. The platform is currently extending its expertise to plant tissues as well. Experienced staff is available to provide standardized or tailor-made services for most histological requests.

GIGA-Proteomics

Proteomics is the study of the proteins content (identity, quantity and localization) in cells, a tissue or an organism. To characterize proteins

and their modifications, the discipline requires skills in mass spectrometry, data mining and biochemistry. Mass spectrometry-based methods in proteomics are steadily in evolution and their developments are closely linked to the use of state-of-the-art MS instruments.

Besides proteomics, the platform also offers services of proteins characterization (sequencing, posttranslational modifications, heterogeneity…), targeted quantification (biologics, biomarkers…).

The platform can provide supports to researchers from academia and industry in designing and performing proteomic analysis and in a larger extend to mass spectrometry-based experiments. Collaborative projects can also be set-up from full method development to improvements of existing SOPs.

GIGA-Viral Vectors

You need to express a specific protein in your cells of interest? You need to inhibit or KO specific protein expression in your target cells? The GIGA-Viral Vectors platform can help you!

The most important key step when using viral vectors is to design the more suitable vector for your target cells in order to ensure correct, most efficient transgene expression. Moreover, this will reduce the quantity of vectors that you will need and of course this is cost saving. Viral vectors are viruses which have been modified for the purpose of introducing genetic material (transgene) into a cell. As they are the most efficient tool for gene delivery, they are very useful for fundamental research, therapeutic treatments for disease and gene therapy.

The GIGA viral vectors platform team will start to help you at this critical key point in your project and will then generate your own custom viral vector adapted to your target cells.

GIGA-Animal facility

The GIGA animal facility offers a broad range of (internal and external) services such as housing, management of reproduction, imaging, surgery, experimental behavior recording while monitoring carefully the sanitary status of the housed animals. If needed, experiments can be performed in biosafety levels 2 or 3. Prior any experiment, the experimental protocol has to be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Additionally, quality procedures have been implemented and the GIGA Mouse facility which is frequently audited by external companies works under ISO17205-like conditions. For this, standard operating procedures are available as well as a traceability system. GIGA Animal Facility follows the guidelines of the Belgian legislation regarding mandatory training of people involved with the animals (animal caretakers, technicians and researchers).

© Geoffrey MeuliPhotography & Images

© Geoffrey MeuliPhotography & Images

Group of Research and Applications in Statistical Physics (GRASP) – ULiège

The unsuspected applications of soft matter

Created in 2000, GRASP brings together some twenty researchers, including five senior researchers, in a rapidly expanding field of research: soft matter. Each year, it publishes about ten scientific articles in high-impact journals and has about fifteen ongoing research projects.

They are said to be fragile, elastic, flowing, and can fracture or fragment: these representatives of soft matter are the subject of a recent field of research initiated by Nobel Prize winner Pierre-Gilles de Gennes. Unlike hard matter, which is at the origin of the development of electronics and micro-computing, soft matter is characterised by its elasticity and flow properties, with numerous potential medical applications: flexible sensors embedded in patches to take a patient’s temperature or programme the injection of medicines at regular intervals, implants, surgical micro- or nanobots, etc.

GRASP participated in the PowderReg project (Interreg Grande Région Sarre - Lorraine - Luxembourg - Wallonie): completed in 2022, this project led to the development of an industrial demonstrator at the University of Nancy to study the physical properties of powders whose flow modalities, which vary greatly depending on the material, have major consequences for industry. This is the case for the pharmaceutical industry, where the challenge is to guarantee an optimal mixture between the 98% of lactose and the 2% of powdered active principle found in capsules. This is also true for the agricultural sector, where the study aimed to improve the flow and transport of grains. Ultimately, 80% of materials and finished products are at some point in powder form in all industries. Moreover, 10% of the world’s energy consumption is linked to the transport, processing and handling of grains (concrete, deposits, etc.). This shows the importance of optimising industrial processes to reduce their energy consumption.

Another project benefits from GRASP’s know-how: Spacegrains. Funded by ESA, this project is dedicated to research on powders and grains in the context of future expeditions to the moon and Mars. Lunar soil, composed of regolith (a combination of grains and dust), generates a sticky, cohesive and abrasive powder that gets stuck to astronauts’ equipment and suits - with the risk of lung problems that this entails. And the Martian soil is just as dusty. It is therefore important to understand the behaviour of grains and dust in a low-gravity environment. This should eventually facilitate the exploitation of the mining resources of iron asteroids, which are rich in rare earths. An experiment will be conducted on board the International Space Station in 2023-2024 to better understand how to handle granular materials in the absence of gravity.

GRASP’s expertise has led to the invention of instruments for characterising soft matter. This invention led to the creation of the Granutools spin-off in 2015, with the aim of valorising these instruments in the agri-food and pharmaceutical industries. The spin-off, which has a dozen employees, has convinced Nestlé, UCB and BASF to use its instruments. This dynamism has been rewarded by the Deloitte Prize for the fastest growing company in Wallonia.

Today, GRASP is teeming with ideas to use soft materials for tomorrow’s solutions: the capture of water from the air using cloud nets to supply drinking water to villages in arid areas, the combination of elastic materials and magnetism to control their folding (imagine a stent that can be activated remotely by a magnet!), the development of centime sized robots that cooperate to perform complex tasks… A real revolution for classical engineering!

© GRASP

© GRASP

Science, technology and talent come together to deliver the vaccines of tomorrow

With 1800 scientists in Belgium and a total of 9.000 employees, 24 candidate vaccines in the pipeline and >1 billion € of R&D expenditure in 2022, GSK is the largest pharma company in Belgium. This key player relies upon global R&D centers in Europe (Rixensart in Belgium and Siena in Italy) and the US (Boston and Rockville). An interview with Mrs Jamila Louahed, VP

What are your R&D priorities?

Our R&D focus is to deliver new vaccines and medicines, using the science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies. Our Vaccines innovation strategy focuses on 3 priorities: first, we apply our platform technologies to focus on developing new vaccines with high impact, like for RSV (a virus that is a leading cause of pneumonia in older adults for instance), flu or chronic hepatitis B. Having an industry-leading broad portfolio of platform technologies (including protein subunits, mRNA, adjuvants, live attenuated viruses, toxoids, viral vectors, GMMAs, chemical glycoconjugates, structural antigen design, and bioconjugates) is at the heart of our strategy to deliver against this ambition. We apply these technologiessometimes in combination - based on scientific insights on pathogens and diseases to create tailored solutions.

Secondly, we want to broaden the impact of our existing vaccines to protect more people through lifecycle management based on our leadership in the meningitis and shingles franchises (label expansion, new formulation, development of “next generation assets”). Key examples of this work are our MenABCWY, Human papillomavirus, our Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) and Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella (MMR-V) programmes.

Finally, we connect experts across a wide range of science and technology areas to push the boundaries of innovation. To deliver new and better vaccines, we need expertise across a wide range of disciplines (including immunology, virology, bacteriology, structural biology, vaccinology) and breakthroughs in life sciences, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analysis. We are fortunate to access huge expertise and resources within the global GSK R&D organization (encompassing vaccines and medicines), and we complement it with external collaborations and acquisitions that help us deliver the vaccines of tomorrow. We currently have more than 150 external scientific collaborations globally, and our recent acquisition of the Boston-based biotechnology company Affinivax are good examples of this approach.

Could you tell us about the vaccine candidates in development?

In people over 65, there is a substantial risk of developing RSV pneumonia with around 180,000 hospitalisations and unfortunately 14,000 deaths each year in the US alone. Our older adults’ vaccine candidate is in registration phase after the recent publication of our Phase 3 efficacy data. We are also working towards making our first pentavalent meningitis vaccine available, once approved. Meningitis is an uncommon but serious illness that can cause life-threatening complications or even death: among those who

Head of Therapeutic Vaccines R&D and the Rixensart R&D center at GSK.

Mrs Jamila Louahed, VP Head of Therapeutic Vaccines R&D and the Rixensart R&D center at GSK

contract meningitis, sometimes in as little as 24 hours1. One in five (up to 20%) of meningitis survivors suffer long-term consequences, such as brain damage, amputations, hearing loss and nervous system problems, there is no single vaccine addressing all five serogroups, which can contribute to sub-optimal vaccination rates 2. We also have 2 exciting next-generation candidate vaccines to help protect chil dren and adults against pneumococcal diseases: thanks to a new technology named MAPS (Multiple Antigens Presenting System). What is more, anti-microbial resistance or AMR is a growing public health problem which contributes to approximately 700,000 deaths globally each year. We have 3 vaccines candidates in the clinic targeting some of the pathogens recognized as significant threats for AMR (Clostridium difficile, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella). Some other vaccines candidates in our pipeline could play a key role in addressing AMR by helping to reduce the use of antibiotics (e.g. shigella, flu, salmonella, pneumococcal diseases).

Could you tell us about your research in the field of therapeutic vaccines? Science has evolved in a much deeper understanding on correlates of immune control for some health conditions. In parallel, there has been significant acceleration in the development and understanding of some platform technologies such as mRNA or viral-vectors - partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This progress is enabling us to explore how the science and technologies of vaccines - traditionally used for prevention of diseases - could also be applied to new approaches to treat diseases (i.e. targeted immunotherapies). That is what we are doing for chronic hepatitis B and herpes simplex virus for instance: we are investigating whether those new therapeutic approaches - used alone or in combination with small moleculescould help control or stop disease progression, or even achieve cure.

What is the contribution of digitalisation, artificial intelligence and machine learning to the design of vaccine antigens?

Advances in AI and machine learning are playing a significant role in accelerating or simplifying vaccine development. As an example, we have partnered with digital technology leaders Siemens and Atos to pilot a Digital Twin, to create a complete and real-time simulation of the entire vaccine manufacturing process of one of our adjuvant’s components. Benefits of Digital Twin technology are numerous, including speed (it can run simulations in hours instead of having to build a test plant), sustainability (it reduces the amount of materials and energy required for real experimentation activities), safety (assurance of quality and yield predictions improve the reliability of supply), manufacturing agility (automation makes process robust and transfer between sites simpler), and education (off-line version of the Digital Twin can be used as a simulator for training). The potential is huge: GSK next plans to expand and replicate this model for the production of all future new vaccines and in some of its discovery activities. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver more vaccines and medicines faster to people who need them.

What do you see as the main challenges in vaccine research?

First, there are still many diseases and conditions for which we still don’t have vaccines and where the scientific challenge remains - but with the acceleration of scientific discoveries and applications of new technologies, we’ve never had so many opportunities to make progress. The lead times and investments required to develop new vaccines can also sometimes be challenging: vaccines R&D has traditionally been very lengthy and costly - with significant risks to fail after having done major investments. As such, we apply innovative approaches to help validate our targets at an early stage, and can focus the development work on our most promising assets. Another challenge is that vaccines are using biological components - which can be quite complex to produce at large scale. We have developed strategic collaborations to help optimise our production processes, like for the Digital Twin or our collaboration with imec, a leading nanotechnology research centre with headquarters in Flanders, in order to leverage nanoelectronics to automate and improve control processes in biomanufacturing of our vaccines, including those in development phase. This collaboration contributes to consolidate Belgium’s strategic role in vaccine R&D and make Belgium the Health and Biotech valley of tomorrow.

Contact us at elisabeth.e.vandamme@gsk.com or for partnering at vaccinespartnering@gsk.com

1 World Health Organization (WHO), 2022. Meningococcal meningitis. https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/ standards-and-specifications/vaccine-standardization/meningococcal-meningitis;

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chapter 14. In: The Pink Book: Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Hall E et al. (Eds) 14th edn. Washington, DC: Public Health Foundation, 2021. pp. 207–224.

GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines

Avenue Fleming 20 - 1300 Wavre

Email: elisabeth.e.vandamme@gsk.com

(external communication for GSK in Belgium)

https://be.gsk.com

Trasis Your partner in radiopharmacy

Created in 2004, Trasis provides hospital suppliers with the means to produce radiolabelled compounds. Trasis products consist of synthesizers, dispensers, and consumables. Our objective: to facilitate introduction of the newest radiopharmaceuticals into clinical practise.

Currently present in about one third of the world’s radiopharmacies thanks to its bestseller the AllinOne synthesizer, Trasis has now grown to more than 240 employees having 50 engineers and chemists in R&D alone. An EU-GMP Part 1 and Part 2 certified company, Trasis opened a US subsidiary in 2020 and currently invests 16% of its turnover into R&D. Due to this growth, construction of an additional 5,000 m² of building space was launched in 2021. This dynamism is directly linked to Trasis’ know-how involving a highly diversified staff with expertise in process automation, synthetic and analytical chemistry, regulatory affairs, software engineering, mechanical design, plastics component engineering, clean room operations, customer service, etc.

Trasis offers three types of products: synthesizers allowing for the production of pharmaceutical molecules labelled with radionuclides; dispensers for the preparation and administration of radioactive drugs designed for minimal exposure to medical staff; consumables such as drug specific cassettes and reagent kits for the synthesizers, and sterile sets/ syringe-like cartridges for the dispensers.

Radio-labelled pharmaceutical substances are used for medical imaging, such as PET, mainly in oncology but increasingly in neurology and cardiology. The main users of these systems are radiopharmaceutical production networks and university hospitals. In particular, systems for the preparation and administration of

Clean room manufacturing

single patient radiopharmaceutical doses such as the Trasis

Unidose machine, prepare customised doses on demand and provide unparalleled radiation protection for medical staff.

A new generation of these systems designed to be more attractive and affordable is currently under development. Similarly, a new range of dedicated analytical equipment will enable producers of radiopharmaceuticals to check the quality of their productions and compliance with applicable standards in less than 30 minutes. In addition, this new automated quality control system takes up less space in the laboratory and will be released during the year 2023.

In the meantime, Trasis has expanded its clean room, doubling the production area and quadrupling production. The company is also investing in the internalisation of trades and production in the broad sense. On the one hand, this allows it to have better control over production and supplies. On the other hand, it guarantees flexibility in the quantities to be produced.

Trasis partners such as ULiège and Erasmus Hospital in Brussels offer nearby academic laboratories where cyclotrons produce

radionuclides on a daily basis. These collaborations allow the company to test, develop, and improve radiochemistry processes. In addition, Trasis is in contact with research centres and drug companies around the world developing radiopharmaceutical drugs of the future. These drugs now include therapeutic compounds which, once injected into the bloodstream, bind specifically with various tumour cells proving to be very effective and giving new hope to many patients.

Trasis

Rue Gilles Magnée 90 - 4430 Ans

Tel.: +32 (0)4 365 86 57

Email: info@trasis.com

http://trasis.com/

Research and development mechanics

Design and automation of new radiotracers (R&D chemistry)

Unisensor

State-of-the-art diagnostic kits for the dairy value chain

Founded in 1997 to exploit five patents, Unisensor now employs 75 people and has an annual turnover of €15 million. Its expertise enables it to guarantee optimal quality products that comply with European standards and the expectations of consumers.

Bringing the most adapted technology to the end user: this is Unisensor’s ambition. The company is keen to offer appropriate solutions to each actor in the milk value chain: farmers, transporters, dairies, and analysis laboratories. For farmers, Unisensor has a very easyto-use antibiotic diagnostic kit: “DipSensor”. This rapid test consists of an innovative milk sampling tube, that takes the exact amount of sample with one move, no need for a pipette. And that’s not all: the test strip already contains all needed reagents. In other words, a tube and a test are sufficient to obtain a result within 10 minutes at ambient temperature and in absence of any electric power.

For their part, transporters and dairies can rely on the standard test range called “Sensor”. These kits consist of two parts: the dipstick on one hand, and the microwells containing the reagents on the other. These can be multiplex tests that can detect several parameters at the same time, especially the various families of antibiotics. This is a very welcome offering, as evidenced by “TwinSensor”, which was launched in 2005 and has been a bestseller ever since. The first of its kind, “TwinSensor” can detect simultaneously two families of antibiotics. Since then, new generations of diagnostic kits have been developed that can detect three and even four families of antibiotics. These measurements are essential for dairies, which must comply with very precise European standards in terms of maximum residue limits in milk. This is obvious when you know that antibiotics slow down or even destroy the action of the lactic ferments used to make fermented products from milk. Another Unisensor kit, “Extenso”, shows an exceptional performance since it detects 17 families of antibiotics but also various toxins and adulterants such as melamin. This performance can be explained by the technology used: detection by fluorescence

versus detection by gold nanoparticles for the other tests. The very high sensitivity of this technology allows very low detection thresholds and results are known in only 13 minutes.

Analytical laboratories are just as keen on Unisensor’s solutions. Their automated platform named “Beadyplex” is based on flow cytometry, which allows fluorescent particles to be excited to detect simultaneously ten families of antibiotics from a large variety of matrices such as milk, seafood, cereals, etc. A hundred samples can thus be analyzed at once within an hour and a half.

As a privileged partner of the main owners of dairies (Nestlé, Lactalis, Danone…), Unisensor intends to continue working on the milk value chain. The company wants to go as far up the value chain as possible, as close to the farmer as possible, as close to the field as possible. New diagnostic test platforms are being developed for the production of rapid and user-friendly tests. Unisensor is banking on the exploitation of its know-how in gold nanoparticles: know-how that is exploited by Nano Flow, a recently created spin-off to market gold nanoparticles to other producers of rapid diagnostic tests.

Thanks to this expansion of its activity, Unisensor plans to double its turnover over five years and to open up new markets.

Unisensor

Rue Louis Plescia, 8 B-4102 Seraing (Ougrée)

Tel. : +32 (0)4 252 66 02

Email: info@unisensor.be

https://unisensor.be/en/

Cytomine

Collaborative Digital Pathology Imaging & AI Mining

Spin-off of ULiège, Cytomine Corporation SA is active in the field of digital pathology. Its AI-enabled open-source software allows pathologists to collaborate worldwide and share in real time large biomedical images with very high resolution with the aim of improving diagnosis. In 2022, the company has released Cytomine Community Edition 4.0 with management of multi-dimensional images and is preparing to release Cytomine Enterprise Edition Teaching 1.0 dedicated to the teaching sector.

More than ever, pathologists need to focus on their core business (diagnosis) at a time when the number of patients and the complexity of pathologies (cancers, rare diseases, etc.) are increasing. Indeed, a quality diagnosis is essential in order to propose an appropriate treatment and thus increase the percentage of remission. This is what Cytomine’s offer is all about: its web platform for collaborative analysis of very large biomedical images and semi-automatic processing of large image collections uses machine learning algorithms in every domain where collaborative analysis of large amount of imaging data is important. The software provides a very fast access to high-resolution images allowing users to annotate regions of interest and add semantic information to images and to annotations. Additionally, users have the possibility to run algorithms for semi-automated image analysis and share all their work with teammates using synchro- or asynchronous tools.

Cytomine has been used in biomedical research for the detection and quantification of tumours or cells counting, object classification or landmark detection. Cytomine is also used as a virtual microscope to teach histology and pathology, and to collaboratively diagnose complex diseases like cancer (tumour board). Cytomine delivers two versions: the Community Edition is open source and available at https://doc.cytomine.org, and the Enterprise Edition is the open-source version enriched by proprietary modules focused on process automation, mostly in users, images, data and AI management.

Cytomine’s fields of application are education (universities, higher schools); public and private research (universities, institutes, CROs, pharma and biomed companies) focusing on understanding diseases, toxicology, and drug development; and diagnosis in laboratories or hospitals, based on cells and tissue observation.

Cytomine’s solution has received conceptual and technical validation through its participation in Horizon 2020 BIGPICTURE project (February 2021 - January 2027) as part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). Strong with 46 participants, this pathology-led consortium aims to create the first European GDPR compliant platform, in which both quality-controlled Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) data and advanced AI algorithms will exist. The consortium uses Cytomine’s open-source, cross-platform framework to develop unique tools for access to WSI, including annotations and visualisation of algorithm results.

With this recognition, Cytomine is busy with extending its Enterprise edition and its proprietary machine learning algorithms catalogue with a focus on asthma and thyroid cancer in ambitious projects in collaboration with academic hospitals. For Cytomine, the objective is to rely on human/AI collaboration to improve patients’ lives. These AI will be released in Cytomine AI Store. At the same time, Cytomine is consolidating the European market while expanding the American and Asian markets, as well as expanding its R&D activities and its sales & marketing teams. The company is confident that it can capitalise on its solutions in as many hospitals as possible. Hospital groupings and the ongoing digitalisation processes offer great prospects in terms of diagnosis.

Cytomine Corporation SA

Quai Banning 6 - B-4000 Liège

Tel.: +32 467 12 88 92 (Grégoire Vincke, CMBDO)

Email: info@cytomine.com - https://cytomine.com

Cytomine © Cytomine

Dendrogenix

Addressing unmet medical needs in neurology and oncology

Created in 2018 in Liège by a syndicate of Business Angels, the Dendrogenix spin-off relies upon first in class of molecules, called Dendrogenins, to develop drug candidates to treat neurological disorders such as deafness and other neuro degenerative diseases but also cancer. A first drug is expected to be on the market before 2030.

Dendrogenix currently employs around 22 people, including doctors in chemistry and biology as well as managers who are experts in preclinical and clinical pharmaceutical regu latory development and is active in the deafness market, for which there are no approved drugs yet and only hearing aids that amplify sound are available. The WHO estimates that age-related hearing loss, regrouping people aged 60 and over, is the most common cause of hearing loss in the world and will reach more than 500 million people by 2025.

Dendrogenix’s expertise is centered around the chemistry and biology of Dendrogenins, a new class of molecules, and their innovative mechanism of action, which has already made an impact on the minds of leading experts in the field of deafness: some of these experts sit on the company’s Scientific Advisory Board, which regularly calls on them to continue its clinical work in the best possible way. Additionally, Dendrogenix has developed expertise in the production process of these molecules.

At present, Dendrogenix is targeting two main areas of application for dendrogenins. The first therapeutic indication targeted is deafness, an important market in terms of unmet medical needs.

The second area is neurology, for which the company launched its R&D program called “STROMA” in September 2022. This ambitious program covers the indications of ischemic stroke and brain trauma for which Dendrogenix filed a patent application in 2019 for a breakthrough technology in this area for which there is no effective therapeutic solution. The STROMA project is financially supported by the Department of research and technological devel opment of the Walloon region which provided financial support in the amount of a grant of 1.5 million euros.

In oncology, targeted indications could be triple-negative breast cancer, acute myeloid leukaemia as well as resistant melanoma and thyroid cancer. Dendrogenix is actively seeking partnerships (licensing or divestment agreements) to initiate preclinical studies on a new generation of Dendrogenins by 2023/2024.

The company is watchful to market developments and wants to focus primarily on neurology in the area of auditory degeneration, while remaining open to other potential applications in various neurodegenerative diseases such as brain damage due to failure, but also autism, and other neurodegenerative diseases related to mitochondrial dysregulation.

In the field of deafness, DX243 will enter a regulatory toxicity study in 2022, prior to entering phase 1 clinical trials in the first quarter of 2023. This phase 1 study will be conducted by our partner ATC Pharma in healthy volunteers at the Sart Tilman University Hospital in Liege and its main objective is to demonstrate the safety of DX243 administered subcutaneously. Two fundraising events have already been successfully completed to bring the world’s first deafness treatment to market before 2030.

Dendrogenix has already filed new patents in chemistry in 2020 for a second generation of Dendrogenins in the field of cancer and is working in parallel to build a strategic alliance with the best partner among major pharmaceutical laboratories that would take over the regulatory preclinical and clinical studies as well as the commercialization of these new families of Dendrogenins.

The date of market entry will therefore depend on the strategy pursued by the future pharma-ceutical partner. With a filing of

© Dendrogenix © Dendrogenix

one family of patents per year in 4 years, the company can be proud of its performance! It must be said that it relies on a pool of excellent Belgian researchers, opportunely trained in intellectual property and capable of filing patents within startups like Dendrogenix. The aim of these ambassadors of Walloon excellence in biotechnology is to explore the potential of Dendrogenins to the full.

In this regard, the company’s chemists and biologists are continuously working on the development and protection of the intellectual property resulting from new generations of Dendrogenins as well as their therapeutic applications in new therapeutic indi cations in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

In parallel, Dendrogenix has developed international research partnerships with leading players in the field of deafness and neurology, including world-renowned academic centers such as the GIGA-Neurosciences at the University of Liège, and the University of Tübingen in Germany. In oncology, the company has historically collaborated with the Toulouse Cancer Research Center, which works on new molecular mechanisms to identify new therapeutic strategies.

The company can rely on these partnerships and its well-advanced clinical trial projects to confidently look forward to its medium-term development prospects. Dendrogenix intends to continue to hire chemist and biologist profiles but also plans to recruit employees with expertise in pre-clinical, clinical, and regulatory affairs.

And not all: the company is already planning to register new patents in 2023 thanks to its two R&D platforms for medicinal chemistry: a unique feature in Wallonia and even in Belgium. Dendrogenix also aims to extend its expertise in Dendrogenins to other families of derivatives or molecule analogues from the first generation. To do this, it is counting on its experienced team to increase its performance, complete it and defend it with the extension of its initial patents and a new generation of Dendrogenins covered by the transformation of Belgian patents into international patents. This intellectual expansion goes hand in hand with a desire for commercial expansion in priority areas: the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and China. All promising markets for a startup as innovative as Dendrogenix!

BioWin: Providing growth for SMEs in the health sector in Wallonia

Interview with Mrs Sylvie PONCHAUT, Managing Director of the BioWin competitiveness cluster

What are the key figures for the biotech and medtech sectors in Wallonia?

With 22,000 hospital beds, the health sector in Wallonia is the European leader in Phase I clinical trials. Over the period 2005-2021, 177 industrial members, which are also members of the BioWin cluster, raised more than €4 billion from investment funds, which is truly exceptional and testifies to the quality and excellence of the research carried out by our member entities.

The health sector in Wallonia is an important source of employment, with 50,000 direct and indirect jobs. It also stands out for its favourable tax environment, financial incentives to support R&D and a unique location for logistics at the heart of Europe.

Could you tell us about the BioWin’s strategy? BioWin’s role is to accelerate innovation to address the public health challenges of the future and to develop knowledge, employment and the competitiveness of everyone involved in the health sector ecosystem in Wallonia. The mission of BioWin is to make Wallonia a region that is internationally known for its world-class academic, clinical and industrial research environment in the cluster’s technological domains.

BioWin will continue to follow its strategy that was deployed at the outset: supporting the emergence and development of R&D projects; developing talents; integrating companies in international markets; forming and nurturing networks and supporting the growth of companies.

BioWin is focusing on internationalisation and interdisciplinarity in order to achieve its goals for the next 4 years. BioWin will offer its members new opportunities for R&D collaboration with the best ecosystems in the world, near or far and will provide help to set up European projects.

To add to the value chains and nurture the health sector ecosystem, BioWin in close collaboration with AWEX will reinforce its efforts to attract foreign investors. And as part of the smart specialization goal in Europe, BioWin will be prioritising those areas of activity and technology in which Wallonia has a competitive edge inter nationally.

Our strategy is to build on the excellence in our 4 strategic domains: (bio)pharmacy (including cell therapy and biomanufacturing), radiation applied to health, medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, and digital health.

What services does BioWin offer its members?

BioWin brings together 90% of the health- biotechnology- and medical technology players in Wallonia. The cluster therefore has a clear view of the technology value chains and an in-depth knowledge of the stakeholders in the region. This allows BioWin to offer its members the most appropriate services in terms of R&D, internationalisation, skills development and support for company growth. From early development in R&D to commercialization, BioWin provides support for projects arising from regional and international calls, and one-off assistance to SMEs and start-ups to support their economic development.

At the international level, BioWin works with the world’s most innovative regions to help its members identify the best partners for business and research collaborations. BioWin’s main focus is on networks and partnerships, forging links with key clusters and science parks.

Together with AWEX, BioWin helps Walloon companies increase their international activities by facilitating their visibility at key events in Europe, North America, South-East Asia and China. Together with other clusters in Europe, BioWin helps companies identify relevant gateways to enter key markets.

BioWin works to develop human capital, with a strategic focus on promoting innovation and growth in companies by (a) contributing to the forward management of skills and talents, (b) encouraging uniformity in the region’s training initiatives, (c) expanding and enriching the pool of regional skills and talents, and (d) helping to create bridges between university courses and industry.

BioWin supports company growth by facilitating SME access to private sources of funding and by creating a favourable environment to attract and identify the best talent and expertise.

Could you give us a few examples of R&D projects that have secured funding via BioWin?

BioWin owns a portfolio of 66 R&I projects for a total budget of €174 million. Seven new projects in the cluster’s strategic areas have been added to the portfolio.

In the field of biopharmacy:

• Aerovid: the consortium is coordinated by Aquilon Pharmaceuticals and aims to develop cyclodextrin-based inhaled therapies for the management of infection-induced respiratory disorders.

• Be4OneW: the project proposes a disruptive approach to bioproduction with the creation of a novel technological platform capable of producing very large volumes of biopharmaceuticals such as monoclonal antibodies, which are essential for the treatment of many diseases.

• Vetphage: the development of phage-based products for the treatment of bovine mastitis, currently targeting two of its major pathogens, S. aureus and E. coli.

In the field of radiation applied to health:

• FAR: the consortium coordinated by Trasis will work on the development of industrialized and simplified solutions for the production of radiolabelled antibody fragments for Radio Immuno Therapy (RIT).

• M2-Target: coordinated by ABSCINT, this project aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method for the detection and quantification of M2 macrophages. This method is based on a new radiotracer (called 68Ga-ABSCINT-206) initially developed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).

In the field of medical devices & e-Health:

• Frite@home is coordinated by Axinesis and aims to develop a tele-rehabilitation device, the REAtouch Lite, helping children with cerebral palsy and adults suffering from stroke. The purpose is to benefit from a functional and intensive rehabilitation of the HABIT-ILE type at home or in a decentralized manner within a care establishment.

• Monitosed: in 2017, Oncomfort created a medical device for Digital Sedation, an alternative to pharmacological sedation. The objective of the Monitosed project is to create an objective quantification tool that can be used in daily medical practice to measure, objectify and, on this basis, manage non-pharmacological sedation.

What partnerships have you developed in Europe and abroad?

Over recent years, BioWin has developed several collaborations and concrete matchmaking activities with European clusters (Medicen Paris Region, Lyonbiopole, Bio-M, Biocat, BioPmed, Life Science Nord, Atlanpole Biotherapies, etc.) and maintains close links with the South Korean and Israeli R&D ecosystems. BioWin’s integration into several European networks (e.g. CEBR Board, EDCA, etc.) reinforces its visibility strategy (including BioWin members’ technologies), and more importantly its smart specialisation strategy (cell therapy, radiopharma, vaccines, etc.).

Since a couple of years, BioWin has been working on several interregional and interclustering European projects to foster SME international competitiveness in the biotech and medtech sectors.

After the success of the MAGIA project (ended in December 2019) in which 8 cooperation agreements were signed with key medtech hubs, opening up opportunities for medtech com-panies to develop business in the USA and China, BioWin jumped into the second phase of the project, MAGIA2Market. It brings together again four European leading medtech clusters: bioPmed / Bioindustry Park Silvano Fumero (coordinator, Piedmont), BioWin (Wallonia), Life Science Nord (Northern Germany) and Lyonbiopole (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) joining forces to continue the successful European strategic Cluster Partnership on medtech.

MAGIA2Market aims to provide SMEs the opportunity to meet with potential partners in the USA, China and Japan, laying the groundwork for potential cooperation, both in terms of business agreements but also co-development or research collaboration.

The overall goal of the MAGIA Alliance is to pursue its primary objective: the building and reinforcement of strong networks in its target countries to provide efficient and long-term gateways for SMEs to penetrate these target markets successfully.

In parallel to MAGIA2Market, the CE4BIG (Cluster Excellence for Business Innovation and Growth in the Health Sector) project came to an end. CE4BIG aimed at fostering collaborations between clusters on a European-wide scale and strengthening these clusters and their participant SMEs in attaining international competitiveness in the sphere of personalised medicine.

What are BioWin’s objectives for the next three years?

Over the next three years, BioWin will focus on two strategies. The first one concerns the development of a high-potential sector: biomanufacturing. With a century of experience in pharmaceuticals, Wallonia has attained unique expertise in the

© BioWin

research, development and production of vaccines and biological medicines, and excels in the fields of cell and gene therapies. In the next decade, Wallonia has the potential to become one of the world’s largest hubs for the industrial production of vaccines and (bio)medicines (biomanufacturing). In April 2022, BioWin launched the BioMan project. Through this project, BioWin, the regional federation of chemical and life sciences companies essenscia wallonie and CETIC will work on a common objective, to coordinate their efforts around biomanufacturing and digita lization. BioWin and essenscia wallonie wish to act as a driving force to intensify and accelerate the digitalization of biopharma companies involved in biomanufacturing.

The CETIC (Centre for Applied Research in Informatics) will provide the necessary digital expertise. Other external experts, selected according to the specific needs of the participating companies, will be chosen and mandated to provide personalized support.

At the same time, BioWin intends to support the Region by supporting and promoting the decompartmentalization of the hospital and corporate worlds. The health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to a profound reflection on the organisation of healthcare systems and has opened up new perspectives on bringing innovation into hospitals.

The COVID-19 health crisis has already helped remove certain barriers between hospitals and business. Collaborations between hospitals, business and academics have resulted in many technological, digital, or organizational innovations being created in record time.

In the future, the momentum for this type of innovation needs to be extended and accelerated.

What do you think are the great challenges to come for the Walloon biotech and medtech sectors?

I see three. The first challenge is undoubtedly to guarantee the training of qualified talents for our companies. BioWin must anticipate

the needs of its members. It must also be proactive with the government so that strategies can be put in place to secure a sufficient supply of skilled labour. In early May 2022, BioWin spearheaded `Talent Now’, a unique initiative to tackle recruitment shortages and challenges in the healthtech industry. With the support of Walloon government and private companies (GSK, UCB, Univercells, ThermoFisher, Takeda and Janssen), the `Talent Now’ public-private consortium will pave the way for EU Biotech Campus, set to open in Gosselies in 2025.

The second challenge is essential and a crucial issue in Europe, and is to support and fund high-quality early development and fundamental research, because that is from where future therapeutic applications will come.

The third challenge, for Wallonia and the European Union, is to create a context that favours the growth of SMEs. Wallonia’s SMEs currently employ an average of 30 to 50 people; this total could rise to between 200 and 400 employees if the government were to introduce the right tax incentives and financial instruments.

Key figures for the BioWin cluster (2020)

- 12 world leaders (Cenexi, GSK, IBA, IRE, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Kaneka-Eurogentec, Catalent, PolyPeptide Group, UCB, Takeda, ThermoFischer, and Lonza) and 177 SMEs;

- 6 accredited research centres;

- 5 private research centers with 400 research units, 11,000 researchers and 3 university hospitals;

- €4.96 billion of R&D investments in biopharma in 2020;

- 127,381direct, indirect & induced jobs in 2020;

- 66 R&D projects for a total budget of €174 million, 72 products developed and 37 services.

Institute of Pathology and Genetics IPG

Advanced expertise for innovative diagnostics and treatments

The Institute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG) is a non-profit association founded in Charleroi, Belgium in 1958. It has 320 highly specialised and dedicated staff. Each year it carries out more than 350,000 analyses.

In 2021, the Institute achieved a turnover of 50 million euros, included BIO.be/Seqalis, its subsidiary founded in 2006 to serve biotechnology companies and the pharmaceutical industry. The IPG’s activity is based on 3 essential pillars: anatomic pathology, the molecular biology laboratory and the human genetics centre, one of 8 such centres in Belgium. In anatomic pathology, the pathologists use conventional and digital microscopy, immunohistochemistry with PDL1 markers, the latest generation sequencing as well as quantitative and digital PCR in order to carry out examinations in fields as varied as pneumology, gynaecology, haematology, dermatology, neurology, surgery and cytopathology.

In the field of human genetics, a double-specialised team of paediatricians and nephrologists with super specialization in genetics carry out supervised laboratory tests and family consultations for patients with rare diseases: diagnoses and prescriptions for innovative treatments are planned in this framework. Finally, the molecular biology activities bring together technologists, scientific experts and bioinformaticians highly specialised who carry out tests for constitutional and genetic diseases in order to guide diagnosis and define targeted oncological treatments that can increase patient survival.

The IPG carries out genetic consultations on its site but also on those of partner hospitals in Wallonia: e.g. the CHR of Namur, the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi, the CHU of Charleroi, the CHC of Liège, Vivalia, Chwapi, CHU of Mons, Groupe Jolimont, Epicura... It also collects samples from these hospitals, which commission it to carry out the three main types of examination mentioned above. In addition, its anatomopathologists participate in multidisciplinary oncology consultations in order to define targeted diagnoses and treatments.

The IPG is also an official research institute with an annual budget reserved for this activity. 25 projects are underway in collaboration with universities such as the VUB (in the field of brain tumours) as well as French and European centres in the framework of European

networks dedicated to genetics. The aim is to improve the understanding of rare diseases in order to upgrade the multidisciplinary management of patients. In addition, the IPG has been collaborating for several years with the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi on a “rare disease function”, a programme of the INAMI (health insurance) that aims to improve the care of people suffering from kidney or metabolic diseases and their families.

At present, the IPG wants to make itself more accessible to clinical doctors by digitalising its activities in order to increase its diagnostic performance for the benefit of referring doctors and patients. Other challenges include the training of doctors in molecular pathology for innovative diagnostics, techno-logical mastery in genomics (sequencing of the exome, or even the entire genome with the increase in bioinformatics calculation capacities) and overall technological mastery (PCR tests, RNA seq for the diagnosis of lung cancer, digital PCR for the search for anomalies and the follow-up over time of patients with breast cancer thanks to less invasive liquid biopsies. To meet these challenges, the IPG has recruited three new pathologists and is working with a new oncology consultant to ensure that its diagnostic offer is always up to date and to better orient towards personalised therapies. IPG is also extending its building by 800 m² in order to group together its sequencers (including the 3rd generation Oxford Nanopore DNA-RNA sequencer used in particular for the detection of certain large structural variants in the context of constitutional genetics projects) for better coordinated management.

Institut de Pathologie et de Génétique

Avenue Georges Lemaître, 25 6041 Gosselies

Tel.: +32 (0)71 47 30 47

Email: secretariat.direction@ipg.be

http://www.ipg.be

Seqalis

Fostering progress in Life Sciences

Since June 2022, Seqalis is the new name of Bio.be SA. Seqalis embodies the concepts of Service, Quality Assurance and Life Sciences. This change underlines our 19-year long successful history and emphasizes our clear willingness to further strengthen our unique expertise and analytical service offer in Anatomical Pathology, Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology. The company, spin-out of the Institute of Pathology and Genetics in Gosselies (IPG) currently counts 20 employees.

Seqalis aims at becoming a key long-term and trustworthy Contract Research partner of pioneering biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Seqalis and the IPG Group perform yearly more than 350,000 analyses which are completed and further valorized by the expertise of its medical and technological expert teams. In anatomo-pathology, the company offers basic stainings (H&E) as well as immuno-histochemistry analyses for the detection of proteins and specific cancer mutations for instance. In cytogenetics, our technologies range from classical karyotyping, FISH, SNP array to Shallow Whole Genome Sequencing. Our Molecular Biology services exploit Next Gen Sequencing and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technologies through applications such as DNA analysis (Whole Genome Sequencing, and Whole Exome Sequencing), RNA analysis and certain gene panels for cancer diagnosis. The biotech and the pharma companies can also call upon the use of our bio-bank.

In June 2022, Seqalis launched in the immuno-oncology, I/O space, a new innovative immuno-monitoring platform called qTCR Seq. This service is a seamless process to explore and characterize T cells immune response by sequencing and quantifying tumors’ TCRs (T Cell Receptors) originated from blood, tissue samples or culture cells. This new service stems from the work of Dr J. Carrasco, clinical oncologist and his teams at the Laboratory of Translational Oncology IPG / GHdC (LTO). The minute study of these cells contributes to speed up the development of disruptive therapeutic approaches in this rapidly expanding field. The qTCR Seq service shall leverage the efforts of the biotech and pharma companies to identify and develop predictive biomarkers (to better select patients likely to respond positively to new treatments) and companion biomarkers (to ensure treatments’ efficiency).

In the I/O space, Seqalis is proud to mention fruitful collaborations with a French biotech company conducting a phase 1 clinical trial with therapeutic cancer vaccines and with a British biotech, leader in immunotherapies. We also work with a pioneering Swedish biotech on a cytogenetic SNP array study for cell therapy in oncology and with a French biotech pursuing research in innovative treatments against inflammatory diseases for whom we are performing a RT-qPCR pre-clinical study.

For now, Seqalis shall mainly focus on the I/O market with the qTCR Seq service offer coupling new bio-informatics analysis pipelines and Artifical Intelligence, AI. We will also exploit the power of single cell sequencing and spatial biology. It is also Seqalis’ commitment to gain new certifications to expedite the further deployment of its activities (e.g., French CIR or Research Tax Credit granted in June 2022 and the CLIA/CAP accreditation hopefully to be gained early 2023).

In the longer term, autoimmune diseases, transplantation and organ rejection as well as microbiomes related to cancer and autoimmune diseases (obesity, diabetes) will also be potential future differentiation avenues for the qTCR Seq platform.

To sum up, at Seqalis, we are more than ever determined to stay alert to grasp any new market opportunities taking advantage of our unique know-how for the full benefit of our current and future clients.

Seqalis 25, avenue Georges Lemaître B-6041 Gosselies

Tel. : +32 (0)71 347 898

Email : info@seqalis.com

https://www.seqalis.com

© Seqalis

© Seqalis

QUALIblood Your expert in blood testing

Created in 2017 by Dr. Jonathan Douxfils, professor at the University of Namur (UNamur), QUALIblood is supported by 9 experts in clinical studies and R&D focused on biotechnology. With more than 100 scientific publications to its credit since its creation, the company offers complex biological analyses integrating innovative analytical markers and can boast a patent for analytical techniques relying on cell-based models for vaccine development.

The laboratory is renowned for its broad portfolio of innovative techniques to assess coagulation. In line with its focus on haemostasis, QUALIblood is the first laboratory to have developed a validated assay that complies with the standards of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute guidance to assess the impact of hormonal treatments on coagulation which consequently enable the indirect comparison of clinical studies between them.This permits to estimate the risk of thrombosis with a new combined hormonal contraceptive before obtaining results from long post-authorization safety studies. Importantly, this test is part of the regulatory recommendation in the development of steroid contraceptive, as stated by the European Medicines Agency. The test has been recently implemented in a routine laboratory to help the gynaecologists to individualize the prescription of combined hormonal contraceptive in the real-life setting.

QUALIblood is further working with a French partner to develop the deployment of this technique in other routine laboratories. Their innovative solution makes it possible to detect women’s eligibility for hormonal contraception considering their coagulopathy status. Such a prognostic biomarker would meet at last an urgent clinical need.

QUALIblood is also an innovative company and, in addition to its unique haemostasis testing platform, it has developed the DP-Filter, a laboratory device able to remove anticoagulant drugs from the blood to enable the evaluation of coagulation abnormalities while the patient is under therapy.

With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, it has implemented into its portfolio RT-PCR testing, gene sequencing, serological tests, and has validated a technique able to detect the presence of the virus in the blood with a similar sensitivity than RT-PCR on nasal swabs. QUALIblood also proposes viral neutralization tests to assess vaccines and treatments efficacy by mimicking the viral infection on cell lines. The aim is to detect if affinity antibodies can effectively neutralise the ability of a virus to enter into human cells. This technical platform is a testament to QUALIblood’s high level of expertise. The laboratory does not intend to stop there as it intends to extend the application of this technology beyond SARS-CoV-2 to other infectious diseases.

In parallel, QUALIblood is developing models that mimic NETosis (or NETs, i.e. Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, a cellular immune process involving neutrophil cells, which releases fibres composed

of DNA and proteins, and whose function is to trap pathogenic micro-organisms) for patients with sepsis or COVID-19 for example. Those patients are more at risk of suffering from a cytokine storm and the characterization of the involvement of the NETois process in these diseases can help for the development of new therapies. NETosis has also been described in other areas like cancer, pregnancy, or antiphospholipid syndrome, which opens the road to multiple collaborations in these fields.

The research teams at QUALIblood are thus investigating the interactions between immunity, inflammation and thrombosis thanks to several techniques including targeted proteomics. They are also using a unique analyser which measures biological molecules at very low concentrations (in the order of a femtomolar, i.e. 1.10-15 molar). This analyser also shows remarkable performance to detect and quantify oncological, cardiological or neurological biomarkers which are of importance in neurodegenerative diseases.

The high-level technology available at QUALIblood allows earlier disease diagnosis and assessment of the biochemical effect of a new drug candidate or drug repositioning.

Jonathan Douxfils, CEO - CSO - Sales manager ©

Besides these technological platforms, QUALIblood offers a complete range of services for taking over laboratory tasks in clinical studies. As a central laboratory, it provides protocol review, guides the choice of appropriate assays, elaborates the laboratory manual and the laboratory kits for the clinical investigation centres and organizes logistics for the recovery of biological samples.

QUALIblood already assists companies in the development of drug products helping them to reach the market. Currently, one product is on the market and three are in development. QUALIblood is also working with IVD companies to provide them a complete service for determining analytical and clinical performance of their IVD device. Considering the new IVD regulation, such activity has also become an important part of the collaboration of QUALIblood with external companies.

One of the QUALIblood’s leitmotif is the stimulation of a circular economy at the European and Belgian levels by working hand-in-hand with biotechnology companies, regional or national funders, hospitals, and universities. We aim at developing the network of enterprises with specific expertise in drug development to reinforce and support the position of Europe and Belgium in particular as a leading country in the pharmaceutical sector.

On the strength of these promising development prospects, QUALIblood plans to leave the University campus in 2023-2024 to set up in the new Care-Ys technology park at Namur. This scaleup phase is conducive to the maturation of a major ambition for Jonathan Douxfils: to stimulate the creation of a complete ecosystem at Care-Ys for the optimal management of Belgian and Walloon clinical studies. The presence of clinical and laboratory specialists, companies active in clinical trial logistics, a network of hospitals, and the close presence of universities should enable to gather many dynamic actors to position Belgium as a leading player in the field of biotechnology and clinical studies. The laboratory also aims to expand its activity on the Legia Park site at Liège in order to develop collaborations with major hospital players in the region. QUALIblood is also in discussion with investors to further grow its business. No doubt it will succeed!

QUALIBLOOD

RUE DU SÉMINAIRE 20A - 5000 NAMUR

TEL.: +32 81 44 49 92

EMAIL: JONATHAN.DOUXFILS@QUALIBLOOD.EU

HTTPS://WWW.QUALIBLOOD.EU/

Tilman

An innovative pharmaceutical laboratory for evidence-based herbal therapeutics

Founded in 1956, this family business (and 8th OTC laboratory) is renowned for its range of herbal remedies, which are freely available in pharmacies. With a turnover of 40 million euros, 200 employees and 2 production sites in Belgium, Tilman has more than 110 references in its catalogue. Its credo: quality and innovation to improve the lives of others.

Medicinal plants contain multiple active ingredients. However, these must be effective, sufficient in number and concentration, and have constant composition, to be integrated into galenic forms. This can be assured by using plant extracts standardised in active ingredients and by conducting pharmacological and clinical trials to prove the efficacy and safety of the finished product, like the impressive number of 20 trials conducted with Tilman products. Tilman laboratory complies with the same production standards (GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice) and quality requirements as the whole pharmaceutical industry. Tilman, develops and produces plant-based food supplements and herbal medicines, both according to the same highest quality standards and the desire for excellence.

Tilman goes far beyond classical phytotherapy: several innovative Tilman products are unique formulations with own patents.

Tilman began its research 12 years ago in osteoarthritis (inflammation, cartilage degradation) to improve the quality of life of patients, slow down the evolution of the pathology and avoid a too early need for arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery). The laboratory is also active in the cardiovascular field through a research chair at the University of Antwerp which studies in hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. Other therapeutic areas of interest for Tilman are stress, anxiety and sleep disorders as well as the study of intestinal flora (in collaboration with the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve) and immunology (several studies are ongoing to define the most active plants in combination with standard treatment for fighting viruses).

Tilman has made a name for itself with flagship products such as Flexofytol (based on curcumin and now available in combination with boswellia, sold in 30 countries) and Flexicream for joint pain, Sedistress and Sedistress Sleep (available in ten European countries with status of medicine), Cholesfytol for hyperlipidaemia and Tensiofytol for high blood pressure, and Nasafytol (based on quer cetin and curcumin) for regulating the immune system. Nasafytol has already resulted in a first publication and two more publications are expected by the end of 2022.

These commercial successes go hand in hand with intense clinical research activity in collaboration with Belgian universities such as Ghent University (osteoarthritis of the hands) and the KU Leuven (nausea in pregnant women). In addition, the laboratory has launched the “ELETILMEX” project for which it has received European funding from the ERDF fund. This project explores the anti-inflammatory properties of boswellia and the immunostimulant properties of quercetin in order to determine a sufficient and reproducible dosage of the active ingredients. Excessive quality control of the ingredients, traditional knowledge and modern technologies are combined to propose innovative solutions.

This eager for innovation bodes well for Tilman. The laboratory is always on the search for new studies to launch in collaboration with Belgian universities. This is an important guarantee of quality and efficacy at a time when the number of scientific publications on herbal ingredients is booming and the competition from Asia, with its thousand-year-old tradition in this field and its high financial resources, is clearly making itself felt. In this respect, Tilman was recently involved in a very promising new study: it targeted the impact of herbal ingredients on 3,000 genes in order to better understand - and thus better control - the interactions between these ingredients and inflammatory and immunological mechanisms. The aim was to develop more effective galenic formulations. Ultimately this study was published in a leading journal. Scientific recognition for Tilman and new treatTilman spectives for lovers of natural chemistry!

Tilman

15, ZI Sud - 5377 Baillonville

Tel.: +32 (0)84 320 360

Email: info@tilman.be

https://www.tilman.be/

© Tilman

Progenus

A molecular biology specialist at the service of researchers and industrialists

An interview with Mrs Bénédicte RENAVILLE, COO

of Progenus

What are the key figures of Progenus?

Progenus is a Belgian SME founded in 2001. It has achieved an annual growth in gross margin of 21% on average over the last 3 years. Over the same period, it has recorded an annual growth in the number of employees of 20% on average. And let’s not forget its 2 certifications: ISO17025 (analysis laboratory) and ISO13485 (in vitro diagnostic kits).

Could you tell us about your expertise in the field of DNA analysis?

Progenus is the result of the first university laboratory of molecular biology in Belgium. We have therefore acquired recognised expertise in research and development in this field thanks to our multidisciplinary team (biologists, chemists, engineers, etc.). Progenus is a partner in numerous European and regional research projects. For example, the “Canary” project, supported by the Walloon Region (DGO6), focuses on the development of new rapid test methods for the medical and agri-food sectors. Increasingly simple for users but increasingly complex from a scientific point of view, these future tests should improve patient care and solve certain problems related to the expiry dates of fresh products. In addition, Progenus is a CDMO partner of industries in the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) sector. In this context, we develop, validate and produce DNA extraction and analysis kits on behalf of our clients in compliance with ISO13485 quality standards.

What services do you offer?

Progenus is active as a CRO and CDMO in the field of molecular biology, adapting to the needs of its clients. The projects are

very varied. For example, we have developed extraction and PCR kits that are easy to use. Another project consists of the in-depth study of aptamers, nucleic acid molecules that can take on a 3D form, as a synthetic substitute for antibodies. In addition, Progenus produces simple, fast and in-house detection and quantification kits for the food industry and OEM production for the IVD industry. Progenus also serves as a laboratory with its analysis service for the food industry and certifying bodies in order to guarantee the authenticity and traceability of products of animal origin (presence of horse meat in prepared products, verification of fish species in fillets, etc.). As regards animals, we offer analysis services for the determination of genetic fingerprints (certification of the identity and/or parentage of pets), analysis of genetic diseases and coat colours.

What are your prospects for development, particularly in supporting R&D projects in molecular biology?

In addition to growth in our traditional markets, we are looking at two major areas of development. The first area concerns the development of IVD kit production: following the entry into force of the new IVDR regulations, many tests must be revalidated. Our recent ISO13485 certification enables us to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding sector. The second area of development is aptamers, which can replace antibodies in many applications. Because of their chemical synthesis, they are cheaper, more stable and more easily modified than antibodies produced in cell lines, with all the risks of contamination that this entails. This new technology still requires research efforts (several clinical trials in different phases are underway) but a product is already on the market and the prospects for application are enormous, both in terms of diagnosis and therapy (oncology, immunotherapy, etc.). We believe in it very strongly!

© Arnaud Ghys © Arnaud Ghys

Bénédicte Renaville and Pr Robert Renaville, founder and CEO of Progenus

Creativity through efficiency

TIMi was founded in 2007 and specializes in Data Preparation, Analytics, Predictive Analytics (ML&AI) and Big Data. The company has more than 100 employees and two branches (in Bogota and Lima). TIMi serves its customers in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the United States.

TIMi is a major player in the telecom sector: its data preparation tool processes data from more than 300 million phone subscribers per day. The results obtained from this processing are, typically, data visualizations, KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators), Analytical Datasets and Predictive Models. Within the TIMi framework, you can solve any data preparation problem (typically, in the telecom industry, TIMi manipulates raw CDR tables). The TIMi solu tion is unique in the fact that it offers a large computing power in a small infrastructure. For example, a single laptop handles tables of more than 100 billion records – a feat made possible by a combination of low-level programming language (assembler) and optimized software’s code. In the telecom sector, TIMi also supports out-of-the-box a “customer view” with more than 3,000 variables, refreshed daily directly from raw CDR.

In the health sector, TIMi has an important reference in Latin America: the Sura insurance group. Sura legally has collected data over 9 years to create a “patient profile” that contains more than 23,000 variables and created with TIMi many predictive models that enable to anticipate different pathologies and detect complications during the birth of babies. Thank to predictive models created with TIMi and to data collected during pregnancy monitoring, Sura managed to reduce by 20% the number of babies in intensive care at birth! Beyond enjoying the most advanced system worldwide for monitoring pregnant women, Sura is eager to go further with TIMi’s predictive model which includes the prevention of the deterioration of the state of health of diabetics in order to avoid the very costly need for dialysis. The aim is twofold: to save Sura money and to improve the quality of life of patients.

TIMi is committed to the protection of the data it manages. Indeed, the data managed by TIMi remains on the premises of its clients (or in a European Cloud for the new “TIMi Cloud” integrated offer), in accordance with the European GDPR regulation. This respect for the safety of the confidential and private data is an essential part of the DNA of TIMi.

According to the recent “Momentum Report” from G2, an independent organization that aims to evaluate software solutions in the most neutral and non-biased way possible, TIMi is the #1 Data Science solution: i.e., TIMi is both the solution with the highest market growth

and the highest customer-satisfaction. This position is the result of very precise computations made by G2 data scientists. These computations involve a ranking system that is based on a proprietary machine learning algorithm that takes into account many factors such as the customer satisfaction scores collected using G2 user reviews, the number of reviews received by G2, etc. More than a ranking, this is a wonderful recognition from the international community of data scientists and a strong encouragement to continue our development in accordance with the values that have always driven us.

Another reason for satisfaction for TIMi: A recent ETL benchmark carried out by the independent researchers from IntoTheMind compared four data processing and preparation solutions: Talend Open Studio v7.3.1, TIMi/Anatella v2.35, Tableau Prep 2020.2.1 and Alteryx 2020.1. The result: TIMi’s solution came out on top. While it took almost 4 hours (3:52) to Talend to process the data, TIMi only needed 96 seconds! TIMi is more than 145 times faster than Talend. A more complex benchmark would show an even greater difference in favour of TIMi. No doubt that TIMi will convince more and more data scientists to use its solution!

TIMi SPRL

Chemin des 2 Villers 11 - 7812 Ath Tel.: +32 (0)479 99 27 68

Email: frank@timi.eu - https://timi.eu/

CODIBEL Conscious beauty

Founded in 1964, CODIBEL specializes in skin, mouth and hair care products. The company’s vision is one of conscious beauty. This means: recognising the importance of the health and beauty of people and the planet in contributing to the well-being of society, and caring about the direct and indirect impacts of production and consumption on the planet and its resources.

Conscious beauty is a journey, not a destination. CODIBEL markets a wide range of health and beauty products to all 5 continents, earning it an annual turnover of € 8 million Thanks to its in- depth knowledge of European regulations, the company is capable to create and manufacture products where science and nature go hand in hand. These regulations are becoming stricter every year and require much more than knowledge of chemistry for product formulation. Compliance towards evolving regulatory requirements is a pre-requisite to access markets but remains a challenge for SMEs. As a member of the Cosmetics Europe association, CODIBEL benefits from enhanced regulatory monitoring services. This capacity represents today one of CODIBEL’s comparative advantages: European regulations are perceived as a criterion of quality and reliability - and of consistency in quality.

CODIBEL offers a one-stop solution for its customers who wish to outsource the manufacturing of their products. Controlling the entire value chain ensures that the company remains agile to adapt the products and/or processes to regulatory and non-regulatory changes in authorized ingredients, concentrations, information to be indicated on product labels, or packaging.

Commitment and quality are two of CODIBEL’s core values. The company is ISO 22716 and 13485 certified, which both guarantee the entire quality management system of its manufacturing site. As for the quality and environmental attributes of products, CODIBEL is certified against the ECO Garantie, Ecocert-COSMOS (Organic) and EU Ecolabel standards.

CODIBEL listens to its customers and to the calls of society at large for a sustainable future. The company believes that by continuing to capitalise on its in-house expertise and combining it with its ability to adapt to new regulations and trends, it can continue to reliably create and produce what customers want; maximising consumer well-being,

while minimising the impact on the planet. This is undoubtedly a process of constant improvement, as new techniques, materials, and better solutions come online.

Eager to show what it is capable of formulating, designing, and manufacturing, CODIBEL has created its own brands of cosmetics, medical devices and biocides: Kursaal, Pure Elements, Labo Oily, Parfumerie Lagrange, Color Defence and Laboratoire Duchâteau for hair care, bioXtra® for oral care (with a dedicated product for dry mouth). These ranges of products are all available under private labels, some of which are exported worldwide. Exporting is key to CODIBEL’s development: the company is therefore pursuing its efforts in this direction thanks to the support of the AWEX in the euro zone but also outside the EU where the diversity of regulatory frameworks requires CODIBEL to also follow changes. This international exposure and regulatory knowledge ultimately also benefit other customers in the company’s portfolio.

As all companies, CODIBEL relies increasingly on marketing and communication investments to attract new potential customers. The values of authenticity, transparency and trust are at the heart of the company’s marketing strategies. CODIBEL contributes to build a positive perception of the cosmetic sector: a very sophisticated sector that requires more and more advanced knowledge and innovation, and that deserves to be valued at its true worth!

Codibel

Rue Jules Bordet 998/Y

B-7180 Seneffe

Tel.: +32 (0)64 665 092

Email: mk@codibel.be

https://www.codibel.be/

Becarv Equipment solutions for laboratories and clean rooms

With 25 employees and 10 years of experience, the SME has already demonstrated a high level of maturity. Since 2020, it has seen an annual increase of 15 to 20% in the number of projects managed in parallel. A new range of equipment is even in preparation.

Becarv specialises in the design, manufacture and validation of equipment for the manufacture of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products (vaccines and small molecules that form the basis of active ingredients in drugs). Its core business is the sterility and containment of products and operators to protect them from toxins.

The SME is distinguished by its wide range of equipment solutions for laboratories and cleanrooms. In the field of sterility, it offers Laminar flow benches, customised to match the processes and handling of operators, RABS (restricted access barrier systems) and enclosures such as glove boxes.

In the field of small molecules, Becarv offers powder sampling stations and chemical hoods, again customised to suit the process and the working environment, whether explosive or not. Another solution is industrial-sized incubators for the bioproduction of cell cultures. All of this complex equipment facilitates the work of the operators.

Becarv relies on a team of experienced engineers who listen to their customers. The first requirement is to understand their needs in terms of manufacturing processes. This is done with a threefold aim: sterility, automation of procedures and work ergonomics... with increasingly demanding constraints in terms of handling safety. Customer needs are then translated into the design of dedicated equipment.

The SME has numerous references in Belgium, where it works with all the giants of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Since 2017 it has also been collaborating with a Swiss company, a pioneer in the field of neuroscience which discovers, develops and commercialises innovative medicines worldwide for people with severe neurological and neurodegenerative diseases and related therapeutic areas.

Becarv’s expertise is attracting more and more new customers from the biomanufacturing industry. Its offer is particularly relevant for the development and industrialisation of processes for the development of new therapies in oncology, regenerative medicine, etc.

The SME is not only attracting the interest of major players in the pharmaceutical industry. Since its creation in 2014, it has benefited from aid from the Walloon Region in the context of a collaboration with a research centre. Becarv has also collaborated with Awex, the regional export promotion agency. This has enabled it to take part in several economic missions, in particular to Texas, and in the recent princely mission to Boston and Atlanta. At present, the company is in discussion with the Walloon Region to obtain support for its research work on the creation of new equipment for cell culture processes. For the time being, the project is at the industrial research stage.

Becarv can boast of promising development prospects in an increasingly buoyant environment. It must be said that the health sector is a prime target for investment funds. Moreover, the new range of equipment

for cell culture processes should meet with great success with large pharmaceutical companies, smaller structures but also companies identified as developers of new therapies.

Ultimately, the company intends to capitalise on the convergences between the Belgian and Swiss markets. Similarly, the French market is seen as another opportunity to explore and exploit.

But Becarv is not forgetting its Belgian customers, quite the contrary. Becarv’s strategy is to stay close to its Belgian customers in order to upgrade its services and gain further maturity before considering longer-term exports. A judicious strategy, without a doubt!

Michaël Jeanty, Managing director

© Becarv

© Becarv

© Becarv

© Becarv

© Becarv

Deltrian

Providing clean and pure air for a healthier and more sustainable world

Deltrian, a family company founded in 1967 in the Charleroi region, has gone from trading in air filters to designing, producing and distributing products in Europe and throughout the world. This international development is coupled with a real taste for innovation, as demonstrated by the production of virucidal surgical masks since 2020.

450 employees, 4 production plants, a dozen sales subsidiaries, 8 of which are in Europe, 36 million masks, 1.8 million filters and €55 million in turnover by 2021: this is Deltrian’s identity card. Concerned about the fact that 7 million people die every year from inhaling unclean air, the sixth largest European player in the market supplies filters to remove airborne particles. Products but also services: Deltrian offers maintenance of air handling units installed on rooftops or in technical rooms of industrial buildings, offices or even car manufacturers (for the German Tesla factory, for example). Maintenance and timely replacement of filters are essential to ensure both reduced energy consumption and improved air quality

In March 2020 Deltrian launched the production of surgical masks in partnership with the Walloon government: within two months the company acquired machines and raw materials and produced the first masks in June. An industrial record to beat! But the tight deadline is not its only achievement: alongside the citizen masks and the medical silicone masks for dusty environments (carpentry, flour mills, etc.), Deltrian produces virucidal surgical masks, a valuable solution for reducing the spread of nosocomial diseases in hospitals. Its secret weapon? Cold plasma technology, which enables it to deposit citric acid on the outer layer of the mask which de-activates viruses upon contact.

This technology has been transposed to the production of the very first air filters which deactivates viruses: distributed under the names of DeltriSafe+ Technology and reaching energy labels up to A+. This new type of filter can replace any bag filter in any existing installation while adding further protection against viruses. A real breakthrough in the filtration world.

Other innovations are being developed to find alternative solutions to the use of fibreglass, polypropylene and polyethylene in the manufacture of filters. These are major projects that will ultimately increase Deltrian’s competitive advantages and sustain able targets.

Today the company is not short of ambition: it is aiming for a turnover of €100 million in 2026 and intends to become one of the world leaders in filtration. In the meantime, Deltrian will continue to develop ever more innovative masks and filters by exploring cold plasma technology’s countless possibilities of functionalisation to meet market needs. All of which will help Deltrian realise its vision of a healthier and more sustainable world.

Deltrian

Rue du Berlaimont 21 - B-6220 Fleurus

Tel.: +32 (0)71 36 40 30

Email: filtration@deltrian.com - https://www.deltrian.com/

Deltrian

Symbio

Virtual reality as a participative workspace, workstation and control room design tool

Founded in 2007 by 3 ergonomists and industrial designers, Symbio provides services in workspace, workstation and control room design for complex and technologically advanced or safety-critical environments, product design, manufacturing (workstations, products, furniture), cognitive ergonomics and user interfaces, in air traffic control, aviation, industry, oil & gas, maritime and space.

Using vir tual reality as a design tool for its practice and not as an end in itself: this is Symbio’s major asset. Virtual reality (VR) allows the company to work farther, better, faster, together. After using 3D modelling for years, Symbio took advantage of recent technological evolutions and developed two in-house virtual reality design and exploration tools that make the process much faster and more efficient: an immersive and participative approach ideal for the design and immediate evaluation of future solutions for clients who are impressed by this new way of working.

These two tools are SymLab and SymView virtual reality software. SymLab is a workspace and workstation design software that allows the design and editing of workspaces and workstations directly in the virtual reality environment. Because virtual reality is immersive and user-centred, it also offers immediate ergonomic and anthropometric evaluation possibilities. Thanks to this approach, the design of a workspace or a workstation is 5 to 10 times faster and accurate than with traditional 3D design. SymView is a VR software for visualizing and exploring workspaces and workstations in virtual reality. A PC version of SymView, that behaves like a 3D exploration software, as in a video game, is also provided.

Symbio covers the entire life cycle: requirements analysis, conceptual design, modeling and predictive analysis, constructive analysis, mock-ups and prototypes manufacturing, technical and operational testing, mass production, feedback. An expertise that is highly appreciated by its customers in industry and transport (STIB, Mobiris, Thalys, Fabricom...), aviation (advanced autopilot system within the framework of the European project A-PIMOD...), air traffic control (Belgocontrol, Eurocontrol, Skeyes, DGAC,...), space

(European Space Agency - ESA), maritime (adaptive ship bridge and physical ship bridge for the European CASCADe project) and oil and gas (PDO and OGC in Oman, APA in Australia).

Symbio is currently working with SymLab on the design of an operational visual control room in the Indian Ocean for the French air traffic control and the production of an air traffic control console for an air traffic control simulator for Orly airport (France). These are stimulating projects for a company that is determined to invest more and more in SymLab and SimView and to constantly develop its internal workflows, both technical and human. The company intends to stay three years ahead in virtual reality and develop applications with new functionalities in line with the emerging needs of its customers. Symbio is also counting on its partnerships with Namahn (design of complex work environments), Black Box, Schneider Electric and TeQnovation (hardware) and Dallard (sheet metal work in France) to open new markets. A very real prospect for this workspace, workstation, product design and manufacturing company!

Symbio Concepts & Products SPRL

26, rue sur les Coteaux - B-4690 Bassenge

Tel.: +32 (0)4 286 90 03

Email: info@symbio.pro - https://www.symbio.pro/en/

©

Symbio ©

Symbio

Xpress Biologics

Proteins & DNA from R&D to clinical manufacturing

Created in 2014 by its three founding members, Xpress Biologics is a CDMO specialized in the production of biotherapeutics based on DNA and proteins for the preclinical and clinical validation of new drug candidates. A booming growth market.

Unlike chemical molecules, large biological molecules (proteins and p lasmid DNA) are highly complex and their high specificity makes them ideal candidates for personalized medicine. Currently, 8,000 new potentially therapeutic molecules are discovered by universities or start-ups. The problem is that they often fail at the preclinical study stage (toxicity, pharmacokinetics, etc.) on small animals, a prelude to clinical trials in humans.

It is at this stage that Xpress biologics comes in: the company develops methods for producing molecules of interest by complying with two types of constraints: a regulatory constraint (with a certain level of quality required) and an industrial constraint (with the implementation of know-how, equipment and ad hoc infrastructures to industrialize the production process). With this in mind, Xpress Biologics is developing bacterial cell lines for the production of these molecules. From 2023, the CDMO will go even further with obtaining the GMP label: thanks to this very strict quality assurance system, it will be able to offer molecules that can be directly injected into humans in the context of clinical trials. A major development in perspective.

In the meantime, Xpress Biologics already produced more than 25 new recombinant proteins for therapeutic and vaccine applications (antigens, enzymes, anticoagulants, antibody fragments for applications in oncology, neurology, ophthalmology and medical imaging). The CDMO also produces 3 different categories of DNA molecules for vaccines, veterinary medicine and personalized human medicine (gene therapy, immuno-oncology, viral vectorization, and mRNA vaccine, considered as a very promising technology in addition to classic recombinant vaccines).

Xpress Biologics relies on 4 technological platforms to carry out its activity: a molecular biology platform, an “upstream process” platform, a

“downstream process” platform and an analytical quality control platform. Dedicated to R&D, the molecular biology platform aims at the development of microbial expression systems, the small-scale evaluation of many possible expression systems for the molecules of interest (proteins, DNA) and the discovery of the most suitable systems for production of said molecules. It should be noted that the results of this work are free of rights in order to facilitate the transition to a commercial phase of the manufacturing process.

Xpress Biologics’ second platform, the “upstream process” platform, targets the fermentation system with the production of large quantities of bacteria and yeasts, then the production of molecules of interest in different locations (intracellular or in the culture medium). Here again, it is a question of developing the best method of production on a small scale and then ensuring the scaling-up on an industrial scale.

For its part, the third platform, the “downstream process” platform, is based on two main techniques: ultrafiltration and chromatography that are first combined at small scale, then on an industrial scale in order to reach the requested purity.

Finally, the “quality control” platform includes a wide range of equipment and techniques dedicated to the characterization of the purified material (identity, purity, etc.) to assure that the manufacturing process leads to the requested quality for preclinical and clinical studies.

Fast service, GLP and GMP labels for a guarantee of preclinical and clinical quality, regulatory monitoring to guarantee up-to-date production of molecules of interest: so many assets that Xpress Biologics can proudly highlight. Similarly, the CDMO can take advantage of hand-sewn industrial methods to supply the appropriate quantity of

© Xpress Biologics

these molecules. And if everything is managed internally, Xpress Biologics does not hesitate to call on external partners to provide a suitable service.

A popular service if we are to believe the strong growth experienced by Xpress Biologics since 2021. Growth that does not stop at turnover since the number of employees has also skyrocketed: 41 in June, 53 in October, 60 at the end of 2022 and nearly 90 expected by the end of 2023.

This dazzling growth is accompanied by an ambitious development strategy with the establishment of two GMP production lines thanks to the certification obtained at the beginning of 2023. A third preclinical production line is also open on the same date. And that’s not all: in July 2022 Xpress Biologics outright acquired Acessia Pharma, which specializes in providing clean rooms that meet GMP certification requirements. The former tenant has come a long way... Indeed, the CDMO needed all of Accessia Pharma’s infrastructures to carry out its expansion project. And it does not intend to stop there with its

20,000 m² of buildable space and its desire to build a new building to support its growth over the next 7 years. Gene therapy is booming with growing demand: there is no doubt that Xpress Biologics will be able to do well! Xpress

Accessia

© Xpress Biologics

HELMo Gramme Applied research projects rooted in companies’ reality

HELMo Gramme trains versatile industrial engineers who are sought after in production, research and technological development, sales, management, quality management, etc. Working closely with companies is part of HELMo Gramme’s DNA. Whether it is teaching or applied research, the engineering school welcomes the expertise of private players with open arms.

Recognised as an “Entrepreneurial School” by the Agency for Enterprise and Innovation (AEI), HELMo Gramme maintains close links with companies through various means: internships, research projects, partnerships within the framework of laboratories or projects (Siemens, ULg lab, Schreder, etc.), the Gramme Enterprise Forum (engineers from Gramme come to share their experience with the students of Block 3), the Job and Project Day, and the observatory of professions and the employability of our graduates (made up of representatives from the professional world with the aim to carrying out a strategic thinking to develop training).

In the field of training, HELMo Gramme is keen to involve companies in the students’ end-of-study work and, more broadly, in defining its educational strategy. What is more, the industrial engineering curriculum should evolve to include Industry 4.0. This integration will be achieved through research. HELMo Gramme is already participating in one Interreg project on this theme and a teacher has even been appointed to design 2 dedicated MOOCs. In addition, HELMo Gramme is increasingly involved in continuing education with a growing number of participants from outside the college university, demonstrating a real need in this area.

Sustainable energy engineering: a precursor master in Belgium

The “Sustainable Energy Engineering” master’s degree was created ten years ago and graduates about 25 students per year. It is the first master in Belgium specialising in this field. It is distinguished by its versatility and its more advanced energy vision. Energy is studied in all its facets in order to improve its production and use: electronics, construction, chemistry, mechanics and, of course, electricity.

This master’s degree offers additional opportunities for industrial engineers, enriched by a more integrated vision of the value chain applied to industry. Graduates act as the “Swiss Army knife of engineers” applied to energy. This is a skill that is particularly valued by SMEs wishing to reduce their energy consumption as much as possible, energy consultancy companies, construction companies and even large companies seeking to optimise their production chain. Economy, environment, energy efficiency, product life cycle: all these facets are addressed in this master’s degree. Its credo: to favour a sustainable approach in order to provide other solutions.

In the same spirit, HELMo Gramme is participating in the Solar EMR project. This Interreg project, led by the University of Hasselt, aims at the large-scale automated deployment of thin-film photovoltaic modules integrated into building facades and noise barriers along motorways with a view to recovering solar energy from existing infrastructures and thus accelerating the energy transition. In this context, the CRIG, a cross-disciplinary research Centre at HELMo Gramme, evaluates the environmental footprint of different solutions and studies the design options most likely to reduce the environmental footprint. This assessment is based on a user-friendly decision support tool for the choice, e.g., of materials for the type of inverters to be preferred. The project started in January 2022 and will be completed by the end of June 2023. The necessary skills to scale up automation were acquired during the Interreg Rolling Solar Project.

More broadly, the CRIG is active in five main lines of research: IT, Industry 4.0, Environment, Biotechnologies, entrepreneurship. Within this framework, HELMo Gramme pursues research projects on a European, regional and internal scale. Funding from Interreg, competitiveness clusters and the Walloon Region enables students

to develop their own research strategy (several French students from EPF have already done internships with CRIG researchers as part of the Erasmus programme) and the University College to hire researchers. The engineering school also offers companies applied research projects rooted in their reality. Whether they use their own equipment or that of partner companies, the objective is always the same: to meet their concrete needs in terms of innovation.

Service to society and exemplarity

HELMo Gramme invests in companies involved in research projects subsidised by the Walloon Region or the competitiveness clusters. It offers them ongoing training modules in, among other fields, life cycle analysis to raise awareness among their staff, especially engineers, and help them develop the best possible prototypes. HELMo Gramme is also called upon to carry out one-off life cycle analyses through technology vouchers.

Advising others is good. Setting an example is better. This is why the college university decided to carry out a carbon assessment of its headquarters in order to define ways to improve its greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. These are all avenues for a global vision that will eventually be adopted at its other sites. The results of this study are expected in spring 2023.

Industry 4.0: training for transition

HELMo Gramme’s historical master is the general “industry” master (around 75 students graduate each year). As part of this project, HELMo Gramme is participating in the development of training courses for companies to help them make the transition to industry 4. 0. The University College has joined forces with the company Job@Skills to set up a Walloon platform bringing together all the regional academic partners. The development of interactive continuing education tools and assistance in the creation of MOOCs are planned to support companies in this important phase of change in their activity.

The project is progressing well as evidenced by the 4 e-learning modules on the digital twin created by HELMo Gramme and its various partners.

Module 2 deals with the integration of digital twins in Industry 4.0 (introduction to the digital twin based on the webinar and books co-authored by Ms Natalie Julien).

Module 11 evokes the first steps to realize a digital twin (presentation of the digital twin of a festo station realized by Ma2 students in the automation laboratory and interest of the digital twin for the training in the academic environment).

Module 12 deals with digital twins in industry with an interview of ENGIE - EQUANS and the evolution of the automation pyramid in companies.

Finally, module 13 also deals with digital twins in industry with an interview of Safran Aero Boosters which presents an example of a mathematical model that they assimilate to a digital twin and the architecture of the data. https://helmo.be/Projets/Projet-Digital-Twin-modules-d-apprentissage.aspx

A seminar open to all will be organised on 9 March 2023 to present the results of this study and to relay testimonies from manufacturers. E-learning is all very well, but nothing beats on-site events to share feedback and convince other companies to follow in the footsteps of the digital twin!

HELMo Gramme

Campus de l’Ourthe

Quai du Condroz, 28 - 4031 Angleur (Liège)

Tel.: +32(0)4 340 34 30 - Email: gramme@helmo.be https://helmo.be/Profils/International/EN.aspx

© HELMo Gramme

© HELMo Gramme

A dynamic of industrial innovative and collaborative projects with an international dimension

An interview with Mr. Anthony VAN PUTTE, Managing Director of the MecaTech cluster

What are the missions of the MecaTech competitiveness cluster internationally?

The MecaTech cluster’s mission is to create an industrial dynamic that generates jobs by setting up, carrying out and leading technological innovation projects in support of Walloon companies, research centres and universities. The priority is to develop collaborative industrial and commercial projects with an international dimension.

The MecaTech cluster’s international positioning reflects this objective. Its international actions should make it possible to increase the value of labelled innovation projects outside the borders of Wallonia, to create opportunities for international partnerships for its members, to mobilise international financial resources for their projects and to contribute to the establishment or reinforcement of foreign investments in Wallonia.

What are the priority areas of expertise of the MecaTech cluster? Mechanical engineering encompasses a broad spectrum of technologies and cross-disciplinary know-how that concern

almost all areas of activity: consumer products, medical equipment, industrial machines and processes, energy production, etc.

Nevertheless, in recent years, lines of force have emerged and certain themes have reached a significant critical mass, which is reflected, among other things, in the size of the MecaTech cluster’s portfolio of innovation projects in these fields.

Six non-exclusive fields have been selected by the Mecatech cluster to adapt its expertise to the needs of its members. These fields are either the result of a “market” vision or of the members’ challenges (operational efficiency, material efficiency and energy efficiency), or both.

What are the categories of international activities of the MecaTech cluster? The cluster’s international activities can be classified into 4 categories:

• Prospecting / missions (direct support to members): mainly networking actions with partner clusters, technological or “tailor made” missions, etc.

© MecaTech

© MecaTech

MecaTech Cluster’s Areas of Expertise.

• Promotion / Communication: promotion of the MecaTech cluster, its activities, its projects and its members with the aim of increasing the attractiveness of Wallonia, promoting innovation and encouraging the development of projects.

• Creation of networks (C2C): networking actions to detect future opportunities, participation in European task forces, etc.

• European and inter-regional projects: projects submitted by the cluster, assistance in detecting and setting up projects for members.

In concrete terms, how do the MecaTech cluster’s international activities fit into each priority challenge?

1. Digital Industry 4.0 - Operational efficiency

Digital | Industry 4.0 is part of the DNA of the MecaTech cluster. 60% of industrial members implement or develop a digital technology, and 70% of approved innovation projects implement or develop a digital technology.

The MecaTech cluster’s strategy is to bring together the capabilities of digital supply companies and the needs of “demand” industries in three dimensions: innovation, industrialisation and training.

Digital integration can therefore concern the integration of digital technology in products as well as in industrial processes (improving productivity and competitiveness at the various stages of the value-added chain). It is also a question of facilitating the development of the skills of digital companies (suppliers) in parallel.

The MecaTech cluster has developed a three-stage strategy which has enabled it to first deploy a common methodology between Wallonia, Flanders and the north of France to support industrial companies in their digital transformation, then to obtain funding to carry out PoC (Proof of Concept) projects and finally to create Euroclusters to participate in European calls for projects. This third stage will increase the resources of the MecaTech cluster to provide even better support to companies and to continue to open doors to interregional and European ecosystems.

2. Circular Economy - Materials efficiency

The MecaTech cluster is involved in the Walloon government’s Circular Wallonia regional initiative. It has been tasked with coordinating the roadmap for the Metallurgy, Mobility and Batteries value chain.

In 2021, the cluster was strongly involved in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) as well as in the Walloon recovery plan. In particular, it has focused its support for industrialists and research centres on two themes: the deployment of the circular economy in Wallonia, and the Low Carbon Industry.

The projects linked to the circular economy will focus on the circularity (reuse, upscaling and recycling) of metals, batteries and minerals, including batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles and materials from the dismantling of end-of-life aircraft. This component should accelerate the development of platforms of excellence and position the Walloon Region as a centre of excellence in these two priority value chains.

At the European level, the theme of the circular economy is included in the European “Digital & Industry” Cluster, of which the MecaTech cluster is the Chair for the Walloon Working Group, in collaboration with the National Contact Point Wallonia and the Walloon Public Service. Information on European calls for projects is regularly provided to our members, with the help of the NCP on the Circular Economy calls.

3. Sustainable Energy - Energy Efficiency

Following the example of several European countries pushed by the new European directives favouring local energy communities, Wallonia is currently defining a normative framework allowing the implementation of collective self-consumption and the development of alternative networks likely to bring an added value to the management of the networks (less need for network reinforcements, energy transition, flexibility, circular economy, promotion of short circuits).

Since 2020, the MecaTech cluster has been collaborating on a structuring project with the TWEED cluster. This initiative is called CERACLE (Renewable Energy Communities via Collective and Local Self-Consumption of Energy in Wallonia). It includes several lines of action which are being deployed throughout the year, including the launch of calls for specific innovation projects, support for the integration of Renewable Energy Communities, and the creation of a map of this activity in Wallonia.

For the low-carbon industry axis of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the innovation project portfolios supported by the MecaTech cluster aim to make Wallonia the preferred region for implementing the first pilot projects, to anchor the activities in our territory, and to use these projects to hatch a “low-carbon transition” technological sector. At the European level, the MecaTech cluster will start a EuroCluster project in the second half of 2023. This project is dedicated to green technologies applied to the manufacturing sector.

Interested in our activities and support services?

Contact us via info@polemecatech.be or visit our website: www.polemecatech.be

MecaTech

Les Ateliers de la Meuse

Your partner for mechanical welding and machining of large parts

With an annual turnover of 10 M€ which should double over the next 4 years, Les Ateliers de la Meuse (ALM) has developed a triple expertise: nuclear, medical devices and heavy scientific equipment. This know-how is complemented by a strategic choice: commercial diversification into promising niche sectors and markets.

The ALM have a long-standing reputation in the nuclear sector. Indeed, the manufacture of storage containers for spent fuel from nuclear power plants has been their core business for some thirty years. They have internalised a complementary activity of thick welding and stainless-steel cladding for various cladding processes in order to offer a fully integrated manufacturing solution in their factories. To date, only a few companies in Europe have the qualifications, certifications, equipment and resources to provide this type of service. The ALM have also developed activities related to the end-of-life of power plants through the production of tools and equipment necessary for the dismantling of currently operating plants. Among other things, they are collaborating on the design and manufacture of a tank shaft sealing system that will enable cutting operations to be carried out on the Chooz reactor tank in complete safety. In addition, the ALM are working closely with Tractebel’s engineering departments on the manufacture of components and tooling that will be required for the dismantling of the Doel and Tihange power plants. These activities are new sources of work that will last for several years.

The ALM are also active in the field of medical devices. During the period 2012-2017, they supported the company IBA in the industrialisation and manufacture of equipment for cancer treatment by proton therapy. To date, 20 pieces of equipment have been produced in its factories. After a few years of slowdown, this activity is starting up again and will take a central part in the activities and manufacturing carried out at the ALM in the coming years. They supply all the components and raw materials for these products, as well as manufacturing, testing and validation of the equipment so that it can be sent directly to the end customer.

Another key area for the ALM is heavy scientific equipment. This includes the design and conception of vacuum equipment in the aeronautics (engine tests) and space (satellite tests and optical bench) sectors in close collaboration with a design office. This activity has been growing since the Ateliers de La Meuse reviewed their business model and strengthened their collaboration with major contractors (Safran, CSL, IABG, Alstom), enabling them to sign promising partnerships. Over the past two years,

several very significant projects have been or are being carried out in their workshops. Design, manufacture, testing and installation of a vacuum tank for testing aircraft engines for China. Development of the mechanical part of aircraft engine test and maintenance benches. Conception, design, manufacture, testing, installation and support in the realisation of a thermal vacuum test vessel for final satellite testing. All these major projects are based on close collaboration between the ALM and various local partners, both customers and suppliers. They are all convincing references for major clients wishing to integrate the ALM’s manufacturing skills in the initial phase of their project and facilitate the realisation of their project afterwards. In addition, this allows the ALM to position themselves in a growing market for the region.

The ALM have 2 production sites in Sclessin and Seraing. A large machine park for maximum capacities that are out of the ordinary in many respects. Vertical and horizontal turning, boring, balancing: these are just some of the services provided by equipment with a lifting capacity of up to 240 tonnes. We should also mention the sandblasting cabin for large dimensions (7 m high, 14 m oblique, 6 m wide), the shot-blasting and microblasting cabin for large dimensions (idem) and the painting cabin (6 m high, 7.5 m oblique, 7 m wide).

The projects carried out at the ALM in their various sectors of activity are all international in scope. Carried out for major global contractors (Safran, Orano, Westinghouse, Engie Electrabel, Tractebel, IBA, CSL, Alstom), they have raised the profile of the ALM beyond national borders and in very high value-added sectors. The development of value chain skills (design, manufacturing, testing, on-site installation) enables the ALM to position themselves in major markets as the main integrated service provider. Specific supply chain needs have also emerged, which has required the development of suppliers across Europe and service providers in Asia. This development allows the ALM to be able to call on skills, services and supplies that meet the requirements of their customers when needed.

The responsiveness of the ALM was tested by the Covid-19 crisis. The latter had a very significant impact on the level of activity

and consequently on the volume of requests. However, the positioning on niche markets with very high added value and sectors where the perception of time is very important will have brought about a slowdown in activity but not a halt or cancellation of orders. Indeed, the energy transition, medical devices, the conquest of the sky and space are all sectors whose operational forecasts go beyond the years impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.

However, the market suffered a second major event that had a strong impact. The invasion of Ukraine has added a second wave of pressure to the already growing pressure on raw material and energy prices, which is drastically modifying and making the market more complex. Rising prices that are difficult to pass on to customers, changes in suppliers’ payment terms, automatic increases in wage costs, etc. All these elements make the commercial positioning of an internationally oriented Belgian company such as the ALM more complex and change the conditions for collaboration with their customers.

Despite this very tense situation, the sectors of activity of the ALM remain very buoyant and will continue to grow in the years to come. Their challenges will focus on maintaining and developing resources and skills. It is vital to continue to invest in people and tools in order to maintain a production tool in line with customer needs. The ALM will also have to face increased competition, sometimes out of step with countries less impacted by the drastic energy price increases that European countries are facing. In addition, the ALM will continue to strengthen their partnerships with their customers in order to find compromises to deliver the expected quality products, on time and with the necessary profitability for each link in the chain.

Les Ateliers de la Meuse

Rue Ernest Solvay, 107 - 4000 Sclessin Avenue Greiner, 1

B-4100 Seraing

Tel.: +32 (0)4 252 00 30

Email: info@alm.be

https://alm.be

©Les Ateliers de la Meuse

Euroquartz

Industrial minerals and blends for technical applications

Founded in 1971 and taken over in 2006 by Geoffroy Jacobs, Euroquartz has converted a former sand pit with exhausted reserves into an industrial sand drying and screening operation. Its 40 employees, its state-of-the-art production tool and its R&D activities are the three points of a virtuous triangle for this dynamic SME.

Euroquartz has invested €15 million in its industrial facilities over the past 15 years and has a production capacity of over 100,000 tonnes per year. The SME combines 3 industrial activities: its core business, i.e. the drying and sieving of minerals including silica sand (granulometry), the manufacture since 2009 of special blends made of dried and calibrated silica sand and powder materials (e.g. cement, silica flour, etc.) and silica grinding (milling of calibrated grains into silica flour).

Euroquartz’ calibrated minerals are used in a wide range of applications, depending on the grain size: water filtration, abrasives/sandblasting, fillers for industrial floors, foundries, sports fields, construction, etc. Complex blends are ideal for construction chemicals (rendering, fillers for epoxy resin floors and other technical floors) and also for geothermal boreholes. Euroquartz’ products are used to seal off geothermal wells in order to protect the water tables from each other and to guarantee an optimal thermal conductivity from the ground to the probe. Increasingly sophisticated technical applications for increasingly distant markets: Middle East, China, Australia, etc.

Euroquartz has been working with Greenwin for several years. In 2019, the Walloon competitiveness cluster helped the SME to carry out market studies to validate a very large investment project on its industrial production tool - a project that received funding from the Feder. Euroquartz has also joined forces with Greenwin to launch “Remind”: part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and benefiting from European aid, this scientific programme worth several hundred thousand euros seeks to use waste from the construction (fine particles from demolition sites, limestone flour, etc.) and extraction (sawmill sludge) sectors as secondary mineral aggregates in certain products. This objective is consistent with the requirements of circular

economy in the construction sector with a view to meet the high stakes of sand supply, the second most used natural resource after water. Moreover, Belgium has very high limestone deposits: a potential that Euroquartz intends to exploit by developing blends for high added value applications such as works-of-art in the building sector and offshore windmill applications.

Euroquartz is currently focusing on an extension of its renewable energy installations with a major investment in 2,000 photovoltaic panels with a total capacity of 700 kWp. The SME also intends to strengthen its presence in geothermal energy, a fast-growing market where its innovative blends have their place. Another future sector for Euroquartz is the renovation of the building stock, which should accelerate, and new construction. Vigilant to the evolution of the supply of raw materials and packaging products, the SME favours all sources of energy saving, starting with the revision of the production line (drying) to make itself independent of an external energy source, gas. It is important to underline that Euroquartz relies on its staff, its production tool and its R&D programmes to perpetuate its activity. In addition to its collaboration with Greenwin, Euroquartz is involved with various research centres, universities and Awex as well as its own in-house engineers in order to innovate even further. A winning bet!

Euroquartz Rue Al’Fosse 7

B-4681 Hermalle-sous-Argenteau

Tel.: +32 (0)4 374 31 11

Email: info@euroquartz.be

www.euroquartz.be

© Euroquartz

© Euroquartz

Mirmex Motor

High-performance, tailor-made electric micromotors

A start-up created in 2013 in the wake of a research project carried out in a mechatronics laboratory at UCLouvain, Mirmex Motor had a second birth in 2018 with the launch as an independent spin-off from the university. Its main asset? A technological revolution in the field of super-small slotless DC micromotors (SBLDC) for multiple applications.

The battery-sized electric micromotors from Mirmex Motor have a double competitive advantage: they can be 50% smaller than competing models and up to 70% more dynamic thanks to a very high output torque: a trump card for users of orthopaedic surgical tools or drills that must combine high drilling precision (on a sub-millimetre scale) and strength.

At the heart of Mirmex Motor’s technological innovation is the coil (winding), the most sensitive sub-component of an electric motor. It is what guarantees the performance level of the motor. Until now, it was historically made of a mesh of copper wires. Now there is an alternative: patented printed flexible substrate windings that revolutionise the way micromotors are designed and built. These substrates unlock new topologies (or shapes) from copper wires with a variable cross-section and spatial orientation that can produce a high performance, customised motor coil.

These AI-sewn solutions are particularly suitable for medical applications and their many rotating, drilling or pumping devices. Mirmex Motor’s micromotors also meet the needs of the robotics sector with its humanoid or industrial robots, which are seeking ever faster production cycles. Another sector in demand is that of battery-powered industrial or medical systems (precision machines, active prothesis, actuators, etc.). Thanks to its attractive offer in this niche, industrial B2B market, Mirmex Motor has enabled itself to secure a wide range of faithful customers in the United States, Japan and Europe.

This international recognition leads Mirmex Motor to consider a sustained growth objective in the years to come. The main challenge is to satisfy the growing needs in terms of production volume. In addition, the spin-off intends to fine-tune and further improve the ratio between the output torque density of its motors

according to their volume and weight. The final stimulating challenge for Mirmex Motor is to bring new functionalities to these intelligent coils in order to increase their added value. One way of doing this, among others, is to integrate components that are currently based outside the motor into the coils. This is a welcome solution to make life easier for the customer looking for innovative DC motors! Mirmex

© Mirmex Motor

UCLouvain, a major player in research on climate, democracy and global health

An interview with Pr Vincent BLONDEL, Rector of UCLouvain

If UCLouvain had to highlight one research success, what would it be?

One of the major successes to be highlighted in terms of collaboration and research is the strengthening of collaboration around CircleU. As a reminder, nine European universities, including UCLouvain, have decided to share their expertise and common interests to build a European university. This is taking shape and various chairs bringing together professors from these universities are being set up. Within the framework of this alliance, three knowledge hubs have been created, dealing with absolutely essential themes: the Climate Hub, the Democracy Hub and the Global Health Hub.

Each of these hubs is made up of about ten researchers from the partner universities. In each hub we have a professor from our university: Prof. Marnik Vanclooster, a bioengineer, is part of the Climate Hub, Prof. Olivier Standaert, an assistant in the School of Communication, is a member of the Democracy Hub, and

Prof. Sandy Tubeuf, a specialist of data analysis and modeling in economics and statistics, is part of the Global Health Hub. Each Knowledge Hub has an Academic Chair at UCLouvain.

What is the objective of the Global Health Knowledge Hub?

The objective of the Global Health Hub is to propose a more global approach to health issues. For a long time, we have only studied them in a one-dimensional way, focusing mainly on physical health. The Covid-19 health crisis has revealed that we need to take a much broader, multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach. This is the challenge of the Global Health Hub, which aims to help strengthen and improve the education of the next generation of public health experts. They need to be better prepared for the unexpected. And we think they will be, by adopting an interdisciplinary approach, at the crossroads of health and social sciences, with knowledge of pharmacology, history, ethics, economics, etc.

What work has been launched?

This year, this hub has reached a milestone. In July 2022, the Université de Paris Cité invited 36 doctoral students and young researchers from the 9 CircleU universities to the very first Summer School on Global Health entitled “Rethinking Global Health”. This week was an opportunity to promote the Global Health Chairs at our universities, while allowing participants to get to know each other and develop working relationships. Participants were able to learn about a wide variety of topics such as health inequalities, resource distribution, etc.

A second important meeting was held in Berlin in October 2022. On the occasion of the World Health Summit, Humboldt-Universität hosted the first thematic seminar of the CircleU Global Health, which brought together 40 academics, PhD students and experts. One of the topics discussed was how we can harmonise our approach to Global Health in European universities and improve our partnerships with non-European universities in order to develop a truly global knowledge hub around health.

Have

you been able to define more precise objectives?

At this stage, the research within the Global Health Hub is mainly focused on the way in which courses relating to public health are constructed and on the way in which the curricula evolve so that they remain in line with societal developments and needs. These reflections are carried out with the students, who are invited to reflect on concrete problems and to find

© Julien Pohl © Rights reserved

CircleU brings together nine European universities, including UCLouvain, who share their expertise and common interests to build a European university.

solutions in workshops. We are moving away from the lecture framework by encouraging students to become actors in their own learning. This is an example of the kind of evolution that is needed to keep teaching and research in step with the evolution of society.

Besides CircleU, what other important projects are being carried out at UCLouvain?

One of our researchers, Prof. JeanFrançois Remacle, has just received a Synergy Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). He and his colleague Prof. Nicolas Moës, a researcher at the Ecole Centrale de Nantes, have received funding of 5.3 million euros to finance 6 years of research associated with digital simulation in engineering. X-MESH, their research project, aims to provide a revolutionary way to track physical interfaces in finite element simulations. The applications can be very diverse and will perhaps allow better prediction of certain phenomena such as fire propagation, flood levels, etc.

Next, I would like to highlight two projects concerning climate issues and the lives that depend on them. Two young academics, qualified FNRS researchers at the Earth and Life Institute of the UCLouvain, recently received funding from the ERC for a total amount of 3.2 million euros.

Prof. Valentin Couvreur’s project “The Plant Water Pump”, which deals with the hydrodynamics of plants, started on 1 October 2022 and is due to end on 30 September 2027. He is studying how plants take up water from the soil in order to find out whether a ‘plant water pump’ helps plants to better tolerate drought. He relies mainly on simulation tools to analyse the experiences of his collaborators and to question their interpretation of this crucial water access process for our agricultural plants and natural ecosystems. Indeed, water scarcity threatens agricultural production and natural ecosystems, a problem that will increase with climate change. In view of this, understanding the process of water absorption by roots from the cell to the plant level is a key issue.

Prof. François Massonnet intends to study the phenomena of the rapid melting of the Arctic ice pack and its ecological and societal consequences. As the collapse of the Marmolada glacier (Italy) on 3 July 2022 reminds us, one of the most tangible signs of climate change is the gradual disappearance of ice-covered surfaces. Prof. Massonnet’s ArcticWATCH project, which runs until 31 December 2027, is to build an integrated and anticipatory warning system that can signal the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice. The Arctic is currently in transition to a new state of climatic equilibrium, characterised by temperatures close to 0°C in winter, rain rather than snow and the recurrent absence of summer sea ice. It is clear that the

disappearance of this ice pack will have far-reaching ecological, climatic and societal consequences.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the newly qualified researchers who have recently joined UCLouvain. These include Profs Roberta Gualdani and Sophie Leclercq at the Institute of NeuroScience. Prof. Roberta Gualdani studies TRP

(Transient Receptor Potential) ion channels which may be the key to controlling severe chronic pain. In particular, Prof. Gualdani is targeting neuropathic pain, especially in diabetic patients, against which traditional analgesics are ineffective. Sophie Leclercq is interested in the links between the brain and the intestine, with the aim of understanding the impact of the intestinal microbiota on mental health. Sophie Leclercq will carry out clinical research initially focused on alcohol-dependent patients.

Finally, have UCLouvain researchers received any awards?

Yes, there are many to mention, but I would simply like to highlight the Galien Prize for Pharmacology 2021, which was awarded to Prof. Ana Beloqui Garcia, a qualified FNRS researcher at the Louvain Drug Research Institute of UCLouvain. Her work focuses on the oral delivery of drugs for chronic diseases, such as diabetes or Crohn’s disease, as an alternative to treatment by injection.

In addition, several UCLouvain researchers have been appointed to prestigious assemblies, such as Prof. Yurii Nesterov, a researcher in applied mathematics, who was elected to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, and Prof. Fabio Maltoni, a researcher in particle physics, who was appointed to the Scientific Policy Committee of CERN.

Prof. Jean-François Remacle, specialist in digital simulation in engineering and winner of a Synergy Grant from the European Research Council.

© Alexis Haulot

Prof. Roberta Gualdani is studying TRP (Transient Receptor Potential) ion channels which may hold the key to controlling severe chronic pain.

© Alexis Haulot

Prof. Sophie Leclercq is interested in the links between the brain and the gut in order to understand the impact of the gut microbiota on mental health.

© Jean-Daniel Aubry

UMONS Research Institute for Biosciences – IBS

Exhaustive research serving biotechnology, environment and life sciences to develop innovative strategies for healthcare and create a more sustainable world

By gathering 145 researchers, including 40 PhD students, involved in 300 publications per year and 45 ongoing projects, the UMONS Research Institute for Biosciences (IBS) is dedicated to scientific studies in basic and applied biological sciences, with themes focused primarily on the concepts of evolution, adaptation and interactions that address molecular, cellular and organismal aspects.

The UMONS Research Institute for Biosciences (IBS) brings together researchers from 13 university laboratories to improve basic and applied knowledge in biological sciences. The IBS develops a multidisciplinary approach to biological sciences to understand how nature builds and controls self-assembled and self-regulated living systems at different scales.

The research topics addressed by the IBS teams respond to society’s current challenges in developing biomimetic systems, environmentally friendly bioprocesses, a better understanding of the mechanisms of cellular adaptation to their environment, modelling of multi-species associations, and in identifying the mechanisms that govern the distribution and the numbers of living beings. Understanding these complex biological processes will thus allow us to propose innovative solutions in various fields, ranging from healthcare to the environment and biotechnology.

Expertise and research topics

The expertise of the IBS focuses on five interrelated themes.

Biological Molecules: understanding the structure-function relationships of biological molecules and molecular complexes is fundamental for the development of biomimetic approaches to solving problems based on what is found in nature. The development

of new detection tools (biosensors) using biological molecules is also a major theme of our research activities.

Applied Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Environmental processes: this theme aims to develop bioprocesses which are used in the pharmaceutical, food-processing and environmental fields by combining the properties of microorganisms or mammalian cells, the development of mathematical models based on their metabolism, the development of specific technologies and the development of optimisation and control tools.

Organism and Cell Adaptation: by understanding the mechanisms employed by living organisms to adapt to their environmental constraints, we are developing disruptive technology solutions for healthcare. The study of the mechanics of the cytoskeleton and the mechanotransduction pathways is a major theme of our research activities.

Bioinspired Therapeutics and Diagnostics: Therapeutic discovery and diagnostics development enabled by microsystems engineering, 3D organoids, molecular engineering, computational design, and organ-on-a-chip in vitro human experimentation technology.

Ecophysiology - Environmental Biology and Microbiology: this theme aims to study and follow relationships between living things and their environment by focusing particularly on the ecological and physiological properties that arise from multi-species associations, such as bacteria and corals.

Ecology of Populations, Biodiversity and Evolution: the analysis of the mechanisms that govern population size and metapopulations of living things, as well as their distribution and abundance, is an essential element of this theme. The Research Institute’s activities decipher the natural diversity of living organisms by studying their mechanisms of change over time.

Flagship Projects

Through our multidisciplinary approach, we harness the creative freedom of academia to generate a pipeline of new ideas and potential breakthrough technologies, enabling our staff with product development experience to prototype, mature and derisk these technologies. Our projects focus on collaborative research and co-development, rely on partnerships with all sectors of society (industries, services, research centres, governmental institutions, etc.) and bring together provincial, regional, federal, ©

European and international partners. In our research projects, we leverage recent insights into how Nature builds, controls and manufactures to develop new engineering innovations. By emulating biological principles of self-assembly., organization and regulation, we are developing disruptive technology solutions for healthcare and environment, which are translated into commercial applications through formation of new startups and corporate alliances. Here are some key recent projects:

PROSTEM (RW) focuses on the development of new biomaterials to reduce the cost, and increase the efficiency, of cell therapies using stem cells, in order to make them accessible to many patients.

I-CONSENSUS (EU/H2020) targets the development of innovative and powerful analysis, hardware and software solutions to monitor and control the biomanufacturing process.

OPTICELL (RW/First Spinoff) is dedicated to the development of cell culture substrates optimised to promote physiological phenotypes by modulating the mechanical and biochemical environment.

INERVODERM (RW) aims to develop an innervated and functioning three-dimensional dermal-epidermal model based on photopolymerized biohydrogels with tunable physico-chemical properties.

HIGH-TOPIC (with Janssen) represents a link between higher-order structures, formulation, and target binding of therapeutic oligonucleotides towards a rational drug product development.

POSHBEE (EU/H2020) aims to fight against the decline of bees. A quantitative study of the risk of exposure to chemicals and their impact on bee health will be conducted in Europe to develop monitoring and decision-making tools.

MAT(T)ISSE (EU/RW/INTERREG) focuses on the development of a new bioresorbable and personalised breast prosthesis to improve breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.

BIOPROFILING (EU/RW/INTERREG) is a platform comprising promising and advanced technologies (NMR and mass spectrometry), which use complex biological matrices for the identification and validation of biomarkers (molecular signatures, multiplexes).

SAPOLL (EU/RW/INTERREG) (SAve our POLLinators) targets the establishment of a cross-border action plan for wild pollinators and their protection. Wild pollinators are highly threatened.

To protect them, it is essential to set up a cross-border organisation that allows coordinated actions and collaborations between regions, including raising awareness among the general public, mobilising networks of observers, and the scientific monitoring of pollinators.

SAFEGUARD (EU/H2020): Safeguard brings together world-leading researchers, NGOs, industry and policy experts to substantially contribute to Europe’s capacity to reverse the losses of wild pollinators. Safeguard will significantly expand current assessments of the status and trends of European wild pollinators including bees, butterflies, flies and other pollinating insects.

MADAGASCAR HOLOTHURIE (SPIN OFF): UMONS, ULB and the University of Toliara are partners in this project, which has led to the creation of the first commercial company in the western Indian Ocean based on the aquaculture of sea cucumbers. Sea cucumber fishing is such a widespread activity throughout the Indo- Pacific Sea that natural populations are endangered. In 1999, a sea cucumber mariculture project was launched in Madagascar in an attempt to solve this problem. The work was funded by the Belgian University Commission for Development (CUD) and the Malagasy government. The objective of the project was the building of a hatchery and farm for the breeding of sea cucumbers.

ORBIT (EUE): A centralised taxonomic facility that lays the groundwork for the identification of European wild bees that will support other European projects.

ALPO (EU/RW/INTERREG) aims at the development of new polymeric materials from Biomass Microalgae. These new developments in bioplastics could lead to strong development prospects, particularly in industrial sectors within the European ‘Interreg’ zone (textile, automobile, sports, construction and biomedical industries).

PHA (ARC) focuses on the metabolic and functional analysis of PHA production in purple bacteria. More precisely, it is about the study of the link between the production of PHA, the quality/intensity of the light, and the carbon source.

STELLAR (EU / H2020) is dedicated to the study of physical and chemical changes in insect residue during flight phases. This project aims to develop new anti-contamination coatings for the efficient cleaning of aircraft cabins.

PRECISION (FNRS FWO/ EoS) targets the development of new polymers with a high degree of organisation inspired by the precision of biological molecules with unique properties for sensors, catalysis and applications in the biomedical domain.

The IBS is involved in the Foundation Alzheimer (SAO FRA). In Alzheimer’s disease, there is a deregulation of the amyloid precursor protein and glucose metabolism. The interdependent relationship of these two factors will be studied in a transgenic mouse model to identify new therapeutic avenues.

There is no doubt that the work of the IBS is promising in many ways. Inspired by nature, the results of this work could help to address major societal challenges - for the benefit of the common good.

UNamur, a University with experts at the service of Society

By Prof. Carine MICHIELS, Vice-Rector for Research and Libraries University of Namur

At the Heart of Europe: an exceptional setting

As the capital of Wallonia, Namur occupies a strategic position. Situated at the intersection of numerous rail and motorway routes, it is Wallonia’s most accessible city.

At the heart of the city, ten minutes’ walk from the train station, next to the pedestrian zone and the historical center, and overlooking the River Sambre and the Louise-Marie Park, the university campus is a vibrant place and is ideally located.

The UNamur campus has a lot to offer: a sports hall, a radio station, a choir, community housing for students sharing the same cultural or social project (« kots à projets »)… Various activities are organized on the campus such as sports competitions, tournaments and challenges, introduction to music or plastic arts, language courses, theatre shows or concerts. Life is lived to the full in Namur.

Meaningful teaching: studies and success

Meaning and a focus on the human person are the guiding principles at UNamur in order to give human-centered and ethical teaching. The students are trained to take responsibility. The commitment of the professors to their teaching role is a priority, hence, the students are central to their concerns.

With 40 different programs at the Bachelor, Master and Doctorate levels, the UNamur welcomes over 4,900 students in six Faculties: Arts, Law, Economics, Social Sciences and Business Administration, Computer Science, Medicine and Sciences. Its reputation is based on the quality of its education, the availability of its professors and sufficient resources to ensure maximum chances of success for each student: introduction to study techniques, preparation courses, small group work, course materials available on-line, personalized assessments…

The UNamur has redesigned its study programs in line with the European harmonization of Higher Education (“Bologna Process”). The UNamur has widened the choice of its studies to reconcile both specificity and openness to social and human issues. Quality of study in Namur is a first-class advantage for those who wish to discover a university on a human scale at the crossroads of Europe, as part of a study exchange program or to prepare to enter profes sional life.

A rich and varied student life

University life is also a unique time for personal fulfilment through cultural activities, sports, festivals and social life. Namur has everything the UNamur members and students need to express their talents and beliefs. Each year, the Assemblée Générale des Etudiants (Students’ Union) organizes a large number of events and all students can become involved in a range of different projects.

Value-based research: reconciling ethics and excellence

The mission of every university is, not only to diffuse knowledge, but also produce new knowledge, which requires providing an essential place for research. Our laboratories and research institutes aim to develop quality projects, by resolutely joining collaboration networks at the national and international levels. Whether this research is fundamental or more oriented, it is “meticulous in taking into account the human and social dimensions of science and technology” Research in Namur aims at balancing ethics and excellence with an internationally recognized strength: interdisciplinarity. The UNamur research institutes bring together and interweave various skills and expertise around a global topic. This way of functioning favors transdisciplinary collaboration and original approaches for research as well as for teaching. These research institutes are centers of excellence in their fields of expertise, including Energy and the Environment, Materials, Social Sciences and Humanities, Life Sciences and ICT. Within the 11 transdisciplinary research institutes and the 6 faculties of the UNamur, researchers develop their projects with numerous other research teams coming from the 5 continents. Furthermore, UNamur is committed for the international cooperation for development. This is exemplified by the various research projects deployed with countries from the South.

In 2020, there have been 1,021 publications, about 800 researchers, with a budget of more than 24 million euros for the newly financed research contracts. Five sectors of excellence have been delineated: Life sciences and health; Society, transition and digital; Heritage, culture and societies; social and economic vulnerabilities; Materials. These five themes gather outstanding researchers and lead the visibility of UNamur for all the research stakeholders, being partner universities and research centers as well as funding bodies.

The University of Namur invests in state-of-the-art equipment grouped in nine transverse technology platforms. These platforms are open to all researchers and to companies willing to perform measures or analyses and benefit from the skills of specific experts.

© UNamur

© UNamurBénédicte Maindiaux

A university open to the World

Fully integrated in the city and region, the UNamur participates actively in their social and economic development. It promotes partnerships with the local economic partners, develops evening and weekend education programs and life-long learning… It offers consultancy services and expertise to the public and private sectors. These activities extend well beyond the region or national borders through the ongoing collaboration with international bodies.

The UNamur aims to promote justice and grants special concern to those who are socially or economically fragile. To mention but a few research projects: the DFLS (Basic Rights and Social Cohesion Research Centre), the CRED (Centre for Research in the Economics of Development), or studies on the issue of disabilities conducted by the Department of Psychology. The University also promotes education for development through its NGO, the FUCID (University Foundation for International Development Cooperation).

The UNamur has found many ways to enlarge its network of contacts and to ensure international recognition: high quality teaching and research, coherent policies facilitating the exchange of students, researchers and professors as well as the hosting of international students, membership in numerous international associations, participation in development projects…

UNamur takes many initiatives showing its international openness. Thus, the institution welcomes foreign students and researchers; it ensures the mobility of students and researchers in the European framework of the “Bologna Declaration” and also beyond the frontiers of Europe; it undertakes university and scientific collaborations at the planetary scale; lastly, it participates, with its professors and researchers, in university cooperation in development.

40% of master students complete an internship or take part of their course abroad (in Europe, US, Japan, Brazil... as well as developing countries). Language training are available to all, to help students becoming citizens of the world.

A special focus for space research

Amongst the eleven research institutes, the Namur institute for Complex Systems (naXys) mentioned above is home to a research pole called ‘SPACE’. The SPACE researchers deal with the modelling of the Universe, on different scales: space debris, Solar System, extrasolar systems, up to the large-scale structures of the Universe. They focus on the non-linear interactions and chaotic dynamics of these physical and mathematical objects, sharing the tools of celestial mechanics, cosmology, general relativity and modified gravity.

The SPACE researchers have an astronomical observatory at their disposal with state-of-the-art instruments such as a large-diameter solar telescope, available both on site and remotely, unique in Wallonia, which allows the sun to be observed safely during the day, giant telescopes for visual observation, and a high-magnification telescope for observing the moon and stars at night.

The observatory of the University of Namur intends to be a place of scientific and cultural mediation open to all. Discovering the wonders of the sky is indeed an unforgettable experience for those who dare to dive in. Thanks to its educational project, the observatory allows the public, and in particular young people, to discover the stars with their own eyes and to learn about the sciences and techniques (optics, mechanics, physics, mathematics, etc.) associated with their observation.

on living organisms in order to develop adequate solutions to the challenges space travelers face or will face in the future. For this purpose, the University of Namur, in collaboration with SCK-CEN (the Belgian nuclear research centre) has launched rotifers into two missions within the International Space Station. The results are still under investigation. They will open the door to further space exploration and the research will also prove its worth on earth. These findings could, for example, lead to measures to improve the protection of professionally exposed people or cancer patients during their therapy against the negative effects of radiation exposure.

Even though the links with the space topic might at first sight perhaps not be all that apparent, significant contributions are also made by researchers at UNamur active in three other research institutes:

- NISM: researchers work on the development of new types of batteries and of new 2D and 3D coatings as well as nanomaterials with new properties that can be applied in different contexts;

- NARILIS: scientists seek to advance our understanding of the biological effects of radiations at molecular, cellular and whole organism levels;

- Esphin (Espace philosophique namurois - Namur’s philosophical space): typical of Esphin is that it unites natural scientists, life scientists and philosophers who not only deal with research ethics from an interdisciplinary point of view, but also focus on robotics from the point of view of philosophy and science and – not all that long ago – were involved in an inter-university project on the life and work of Georges Lemaître, the Belgian physicist and priest known for his contribution to the Big Bang theory.

Researchers active in both ILEE and NARILIS obtained ESA-funding for their project “Rotifers In SpacE” that aims at understanding how these very small animal can sustain different kinds of stresses such as dryness and high levels of radiations. They appear to be a suitable model system to study the impact of microgravity and ionizing radiation

The University of Namur is at the heart of the Society, completely fulfilling its roles, including its third mission, being a place of knowledge, thinking and actions in a challenging world.

https://www.unamur.be/en

UNamur © UNamur

© UNamurMarc Guillaume

Charleroi CHU - Clinical Biology Laboratory

Quality Management to guarantee the reliability of results issued to patients

Made up of a CoreLab at the Marie Curie Hospital and an Emergency Laboratory at André Vésale Hospital, the Charleroi CHU Clinical Biology Laboratory (CBL) carries out over 5.5 million tests a year on intra-hospital patients and ambulatory sample centres. Quality and technological innovation are at the heart of this approach.

For doctors based inside and outside of hospitals, the CBL performs all manner of analyses in the fields of biochemistry, haemostasis, haematology, immunohaematology, microbiology, infection serology and non-infection serology, molecular biology and medically assisted reproduction. Its team of a hundred multidisciplinary professionals are experts in the various techniques at the pre-analytic, analytic and post-analytic stage. The CBL also conducts clinical trials at the request of hospital clinicians, and as a secondary investigator issues the analyses specified by the lead investigators. This standardised procedure complies with the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, in partnership with the intra-hospital Clinical Research Unit. In addition, the CBL maintains privileged contact with its prescribers through the provision of consulting services and therapeutic advice.

Faced with regulatory requirements (federal government decree on the implementation by 2020 of hospital care networks) and competition from other public and private laboratories, the CBL has established a three-way Managerial System for Quality, Strategy and Technological Innovation.

In the field of quality, the laboratory demonstrates a certain experience in its mastery of the various standards and associated requirements: ISO9001 certified since 2006, ISO15189 accredited in its main sectors of activity and sites since 2015 and operating in an institution that is now recognised and accredited by the Haute Autorite de Sante, the CBL is continuing its recognition process by being a pilot sector for the future accreditation of the medical IT sector by following the ISO27001 standard.

In the area of strategic management, the CBL has defined a vision, missions, values and a flexible strategy map and uses modern management techniques to define a guideline and its future developments. In the area of economic management, it has developed dashboards and performance indicators, including benchmarking as well as close collaboration with the hospital’s financial management unit.

More recently, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CBL was among the first laboratories to validate a home-made PCR screening technique for the virus and to be officially recognised by the federal authorities for these services. This has enabled the CBL to be a major clinical partner in the diagnosis of the disease. This development has thus made it possible to protect both the nursing staff and patients from infection by carrying out targeted screening campaigns in units at risk, such as dialysis, oncology, geriatrics, etc.

As part of its strategic development plan, the CBL continues to invest in the automation of its techniques, enabling it to process more and more samples and to meet the new expectations of its partners, patients and clinicians. Automation techniques affect all the main sectors of the CBL: clinical biochemistry, hormonology, serology, haematology, coagulation and now autoimmunity, molecular biology and microbiology. At the same time, the CBL also trains future doctors/pharmacists specialists and technologists, in partnership with the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and the Hautes Ecoles.

These different approaches finally allow the Clinical Biology Laboratory of the Charleroi University Hospital to be a major player in the regional healthcare basin and to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

Laboratoire de Biologie Clinique

Hôpital Civil Marie Curie

CHU de Charleroi

Chaussée de Bruxelles 140

6042 Lodelinsart

Tel.: +32 (0)71 92 47 70

Emails:

alexandre.athanasopoulos@chu-charleroi.be (CBL Head of Service)

aurelie.cino@chu-charleroi.be (CBL Quality Coordinator)

http://www.chu-charleroi.be/disciplines-medicales/biologie-clinique

Physics at the service of life sciences and energy storage

An interview with Prof. Stéphane LUCAS, LARN (Laboratory of Analysis by Nuclear Reactions), UNamur

Whatare the key figures and the main research areas of LARN?

With 3 academics, 2 engineers and about thirty researchers (physicists, biologists, pharmacists, electronic engineers, etc.), the laboratory directed by Prof. A.C. Heuskin produces about twenty scientific publications per year and is currently involved in ten funded collaborative projects. Initially focused on the analysis of the chemical composition of gases, liquids or solids using nuclear reactions, its activities have been diversified and maybe now classified into three main areas: analysis using ion beams, surface treatment using low-pressure plasma and ion beams, and the impact of ion beams and materials in life sciences. The three research topics are both fundamental and applied and involve simulation and experimentation.

Could you give us some examples of ongoing research projects at LARN?

In the life sciences, my colleague Anne-Catherine Heuskin is developing a line of research initiated by Carine Michiels and myself a few years ago, on the interaction between particle beams and photons with living matter. For example, the interaction of a proton beam on healthy and cancerous cells (proton therapy) is being studied in order to better understand the mech anisms that can destroy cancerous cells while sparing healthy tissue and to develop new treatment modalities. In materials science, we are developing new coatings to give anti-oxidation properties to alloys to be used at very high temperatures, or to encapsulate powder involved in the manufacture of batteries. These coatings are produced by low-pressure plasma which is a sustainable, non-polluting and efficient process.

Both of these examples are supported by the development and use of sophisticated Monte Carlo simulation software.

What collaborations have you developed with the Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), the Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS) and the Namur Nanosafety Center (NNC)?

I created NARILIS and was his director for several years. That helps me to get to know the members, to interact with them in order to carry out joint research projects. As far as NISM is concerned, all the laboratory’s material science activities, including modelling, are carried out within it. Finally, my team was part of the genesis of the NNC with Prof. J.M. Dogné of the Department of Pharmacy. We still have various projects in common.

What research partnerships have you developed at European and international level?

They cover the three research areas and are very numerous: the laboratory has benefited from the public funding of 77 national and international projects over the last 20 years. The partners are university research teams but also companies. In addition, the laboratory performs service for the benefit of companies which generates additional revenues to maintain equipment and to establish the necessary contacts for obtaining funding for international projects. Also noteworthy is the creation of the spin-off Innovative Coating Solutions (www.incosol4u.com), which specialises in plasma surface treatment and process modelling, whose activities are international and which helps to promote the University, the Institute and the Laboratory.

What do you see as the main challenges in your field of expertise? It is important to go into areas that we are not familiar with, where our expertise is a huge added value. Material science has proven its relevance to the life sciences over the past 20 years (detection and treatment of cancer, treatment of bone fractures, etc.). Today I am moving towards similar interdisciplinary partnerships to improve the energy storage capacities of batteries. The potential applications are both novel and promising. There is nothing like an unbiased and unformatted vision to solve problems one by one, even if you have never done it before!

© LARN

Innovative Coating Solutions - ICS Surface modification and characterization at the service of industry

Founded in 2017 by S. Lucas and T. Hazevoets on the basis of the research activities of the Laboratory of Analysis by Nuclear Reactions of UNamur, ICS capitalizes on 40 years of know-how and gave solutions to 100 different customers, with more than 25 customers requests 2022.

ICS’ expertise is centred on three aspects: thin film deposition on all types of substrates to improve their performance (increase the hardness of a surface, change its colour, give it antibacterial functionality, limit its corrosion, reduce its coefficient of friction, etc.), surface characterisation and modelling of the growth and properties of layers. ICS sells simulation tools to predict and understand the properties of thin films such as porosity, electrical or thermal conductivity and optical properties (colour, transparency). These tools are now used to determine the best settings for deposition machines prior to production.

The uniqueness of ICS lies in its ability to offer a tailor-made solution to a customer’s specific problem, where the choice of coating composition or thickness is not adaptable by other companies. In addition to its proprietary physical vapour deposition (PVD) processes, ICS is one of the few companies to offer not only powder and small object coating solutions in 3 dimensions, but also a complete solution including equipment and deposition recipe. The fields of application concern high-tech sectors (mechanical, luxury, medical).

ICS offers several types of services: R&D (deposition and analysis in close collaboration with the customer, Proof of Concept), job coater activity (the customer provides parts to be coated with already established recipes), licence sales and custom simulation in order to predict the properties of a layer according to the deposition parameters and to optimise deposition processes in a fast, reliable and inexpensive way. These services have been used by one hundred different customers over the last 4 years: ASML, AGC, Givaudan, Schott, Zeiss, several renowned Swiss watch manufacturers... but also, for simulations or software sales, big names like General Electric, Lockheed Martin..

Innovation is the essence of ICS. In particular, the company is working on the development of brightly coloured coatings that do not depend on the angle of observation, based on plasmonics. Through the SUNRISE project (BEWARE funding), ICS participates in the development of a low-noise cryogenic detector, based on a thin layer of superconducting niobium nitride, for the future generation of grav itational wave detectors (cf. the EINSTEIN telescope, https://www.einsteintelescope.nl/en/). The company is also involved in surface treatment for energy storage materials through a Walloon (PLASMANODE) and European (CATHOPLASM) project.

Today ICS is in full development. A researcher and a PhD student have just joined the company to reinforce the activities of powder treatment for batteries. The activity of layer deposition on 3D substrates and flat substrates is also expanding with recent requests related to the optical field. Still incubated within the University of Namur, ICS plans to move to its own premises in the medium term. This bodes well for the company, which is always ready to take on new challenges, from the laboratory to the implementation of a deposition recipe in industrial equipment. Decorative applications and high value-added workpieces have a bright future with ICS!

Innovative Coating Solutions SA

Place Saint-Pierre, 11 - B-5380 Forville

Tel.: +32 (0)498 97 52 82

Email: eha@incosol4u.com /

Email: slu@incosol4u.com

https://www.incosol4u.com/

Dr Emile Haye, VP Product Development at ICS

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