BELGIAN RESEARCH 2022

Life & health sciences

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It’s time to move up a gear!

BEWARE Fellowships programme promotes the international mobility of researchers and allows 75 of them to make 3 years of research into a Walloon SME and a university, or a university college, or a research centre.

This programme is cofunded by the European Commission and the Walloon Region.

A budget of 20 million € covering the salary of the researcher and expenses linked to the equipment is available.

Interested? Have a look at www.bewarejobs.be

Together, let's take up today the Walloon technological challenges of tomorrow

This programme has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 847587 – MSCA

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www.petitpoisson.be – E.R. : Ir Isabelle Quoilin, directrice générale, Service public de Wallonie Economie Emploi Recherche, place de la Wallonie 1 à 5100 Namur – septembre 2019

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Belgian Research in Europe R&D, Technology, Innovation

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Engaging with industry on innovative and personalised medicines, rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance Interview with Mrs Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth ..............................................................10-13 Pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies are among the sectors with the highest R&D intensity 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 ....... 14-15 For a continuous improvement of the quality and safety of care An interview with Mr Benoît COLLIN, General Administrator of the NIHDI .............................................................. 16 Innovation towards a patient-centric, integrated, connected and value-based healthcare Interview with Prof. Pascal VERDONCK, Board Member of the Belgian and European Association of Hospital Managers .................................................................................. 17 Fostering access to innovative medicines and healthcare products Interview with Mr Xavier DE CUYPER, Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) ....................................................................... 18

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pharma.be Belgium’s biopharmaceutical sector, a frontrunner in the competitive European biopharmaceutical landscape ...................................................... 19

- 1st Quarter 2022 -

The pharmaceutical sector seems to be immune to the health crisis Interview with Mrs Fabienne L’HOOST, Director General of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency .................................. 20

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4.0 Made Real for the Belgian industry by Sirris Interview with Mr Herman DERACHE, Managing director of Sirris ........................................................................... 21 Improving everyone’s quality of life An interview with Mr Yves VERSCHUEREN, Managing Director essenscia ........................................................................ 23

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Summary essenscia: Innovation is at the core of the Federation for Chemistry and Life Sciences Industries............................................. 24-25 Belnet Tailor-made service packages for the Belgian research & education community An interview with Ms Nathalie PINSART, Co-general director, Belnet ........................................................................ 27 The Universities of the ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’ have a great deal of potential for innovation An interview with Dr Nathalie BURTEAU and Dr Eric WYART, President and Operational Director of the LIEU Network ........................... 28-31 Supporting health research and strategic transformation for companies Interview with Mrs Hilde CREVITS, Deputy Prime Minister of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture.............. 34-35 EWI: Excellence is the keyword in scientific research An interview with Mr Johan HANSSENS, Secretary-General of EWI ............................................................................. 36 Flemish universities as drivers for resilience Interview with Dr. Koen VERLAECKT, Secretary General of the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) ....................... 37 VLAIO: a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs in Flanders Interview with Mr Mark ANDRIES, General Administrator for Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) ......... 38 Voka Health Community DO-IT for innovation in welfare and care ..................................................... 39 Becetel Plastics pipes under the magnifying glass ............................................... 40 VARIO Independent advice for the Flemish Government and Parliament ................ 41 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 ............................... 42 VITO Reducing the risk of sustainable innovation for companies..................... 43

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Practice-oriented research makes the difference VIVES opts for multidisciplinary approach .......................................... 44-45 Vlerick Business School Research that helps the business world move forward ........................ 46-47 Fundamental and applied research at the University of Antwerp ............ 48-49 University Hospital Antwerp Pioneering in groundbreaking research .................................................. 50-51 Agoria Vlaanderen Innovation as a weapon against the crisis ................................................... 52 Inopsys Turning waste streams into the circular economy .................................... 53 Galapagos Building a biotech company with end-to-end capabilities in 20 years ....... 54-55 VIB 25 years of excellence-driven research with a strong societal impact..... 56-57 Ghent University Interdisciplinary cooperation as a core strategy ..................................... 58-59 provaxs Your partner in putting science and innovation in animal health into practice ............................................................................................ 60 Fujirebio Europe A pioneer in the field of Alzheimer diagnostics ...................................... 61 UZ Gent A dynamic organisation in full development .......................................... 62-63 CropFit and Progeno Biostimulants to upgrade agricultural capacity........................................ 64 Food2Know Bundled expertise from farm to fork ....................................................... 65 Valipac draws the card of circularity ........................................................ 66 Sillar Clinical Experienced partner in clinical development ........................................... 67 Howest To boldly go where no one has gone before ........................................ 68-69

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Summary Pack4Food European trigger for better food packaging ........................................ 70-71 Imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies An interview with Mr Luc VAN DEN HOVE, President & CEO, imec ................................................................................. 72 Health House Future of healthcare ................................................................................ 73 Rejuvenate Biomed In the fight against ageing ...................................................................... 74 KennisWest.be Digital gateway for knowledge region West Flanders ............................... 75 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) ............................................... 78 The Institute Jules Bordet, a comprehensive cancer center with a research program devoted to solid tumors and hematological malignancies Interview with Prof. Martine PICCART, Research Director of the Institute Jules Bordet ................................................. 79 Combining cross-disciplinary expertise to advance research in neurophysiology Interview with Prof. Alban de KERCHOVE d’EXAERDE, Research Director FRS-FNRS at the Neurophy Lab of ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre of Brussels (ULB), President of the Belgian Society of Neuroscience (BSN), Vice-President of the Brussels Commission on Animal Experimentation .............. 80 Translating the Nucleolus and the Ribosomes into biomedical innovations Interview with Prof. Denis L.J. LAFONTAINE, Research Director at Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S./FNRS), Professor at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Head of the RNA Molecular Biology laboratory ............................................ 81 Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction – ULB Transdisciplinary research in relation to oncology ................................... 82 ULB Center for Diabetes Research Prof. Mariana Igoillo-Esteve’s research group “Molecular Mechanisms of Polygenic and Monogenic Diabetes” ........................................................ 83 Laboratoire de Glaciologie de l’ULB - GLACIOL Ice dynamics for climate projections ....................................................... 84

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Summary Clinical Trial Center (Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc) – CTC Multicentre studies for therapeutic innovation ........................................... 85 A widely recognized expertise in interdisciplinarity Interview with Prof. Pierre JADOUL, Rector of Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles (USL-B) .......................................... 86 Medical technology for Brussels’ well-being 5th edition of the MedTech Accelerator® .................................................. 87 Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère Quality teaching and applied research close to the field .................... 88-89 Kaspard A support to mobility in medical institutions ......................................... 90 Support specific projects in the field of biotechnology/medtech Interview with Mr Elio DI RUPO, Minister-President of Wallonia ................................................................ 92-93 An ambitious innovation policy at the service of the economic and societal development of Wallonia Interview with 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 ............... 94--95 Better meet the needs of Walloon research stakeholders An interview with Mr Jean-François HEUSE, Deputy Head of Department, Department of Research and Technological Development, SPW Economy, Employment, Research ............ 96-97 Focusing on international technological missions and sustainable transition An interview with Ms Pascale DELCOMMINETTE, General Administrator, Wallonia Export & Investment Agency(AWEX) & Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI) .......................................................... 99 A more integrated and efficient innovation support system Interview with Mr Jean-Christophe DEHALU, President of the Science Policy Pole (SPP), Wallonia ................................... 100 SOWALFIN, a major player in innovation in Wallonia An interview with Mrs Anne VEREECKE, Member of the Management Committee of SOWALFIN .............................. 101 Scientific Institute of Public Service - ISSeP Regional “environmental sentinel” and “watchdog of emerging risks” Interview with Ir. Rose DETAILLE, Managing director of ISSeP ............................................................ 102-103

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Summary SRIW, a key partner in the regional strategy for Life Sciences ................. 104 Enter the world of applied research with SynHERA! .................................. 105 Improving training and the availability of highly skilled labour An interview with Mr Olivier DE WASSEIGE, Managing Director of the Walloon Business Association (Union Wallonne des Entreprises - UWE) ..................................................... 106 Agoria Wallonia Brings the technology industry into the 4.0 era ............. 107 Skywin Taking on a new dimension Interview with Mr Etienne POURBAIX, Director of the Skywin competitiveness cluster...................................... 108-111 Centre Spatial de Liège – CSL – Liège Space Centre Developing space technologies for Earth and Space monitoring ........... 112 Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules - CERM Green chemistry applied to polymers for coatings, biomaterials, and more! ....................................................................... 113 Chemical Engineering Research Unit – Liege University (ULiège) Working towards sustainable transformation processes ................. 114-115 GreenWin, the Walloon Innovation Cluster for chemical engineering and sustainable / ecoresponsible construction materials Interview with Ms Véronique GRAFF, Managing Director of the GreenWin innovation cluster ....................... 116-119 BioWin: Providing growth for SMEs in the health sector in Wallonia Interview with Mrs Sylvie PONCHAUT, Managing Director of the BioWin competitiveness cluster .................... 120-123 GIGA Infection, Immunity & Inflammation – GIGA-I3 Cutting-edge research in the fields of inflammation, hematology, virology and immunoendocrinology ................................................... 124-127 Mithra A Leader in Women’s Health .......................................................... 128-129 GSK Exploring new fields beyond classic prophylactic vaccines............. 130-131 Trasis Your partner in radiopharmacy.............................................................. 132 PDC*line Pharma Your partner in immuno-oncology......................................................... 133

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Summary ATC-Pharma Your dedicated partner for «Early Phase» clinical trials ....................... 134 Cytomine Collaborative Digital Pathology Imaging & AI Mining ........................... 135 Dendrogenix Addressing unmet medical needs in neurology and oncology ........ 136-137 Institute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG) Advanced expertise for innovative diagnostics and treatments............. 138 ANALIS More than a label of trust: a quality label ............................................ 139 QUALIblood Your expert in blood testing ................................................................. 140 X4C Innovative surface functionalization for stable and sensitive diagnostic tests .............................................................. 141 Tilman An innovative pharmaceutical laboratory for evidence-based herbal therapeutics ................................................ 142 TIMi Optimized patient care through predictive analysis .............................. 143 Les Ateliers de la Meuse Your partner for large industrial projects.............................................. 144 HELMo Gramme Applied research projects rooted in companies’ reality.................. 146-147 MecaTech Bringing together ecosystems, specialisation in sectors and collective intelligence for technological innovation Interview with Mr Anthony VAN PUTTE, Managing director of the MecaTech competitiveness cluster................. 148-151 Lisam Systems Software solutions for chemical industry .............................................. 153 UCLouvain Research: COVID-19 and Beyond Interview with Prof. Vincent BLONDEL, UCLouvain Rector ............................................................................... 154-155 Teresinha Leal & Sophie Gohy’s research group LTAP & PNEU, UCLouvain Translational research to improve survival and quality of life of patients with cystic fibrosis .................................................. 156

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Summary Translational research for the benefit of patients Interview with Prof. Jean-Luc BALLIGAND, President of the Institute for Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), WELBIO investigator ................................................................................. 157 AGC Plasma Technology Solutions Innovative vacuum plasma coating technologies .................................. 158 DIAsource ImmunoAssays An expert in clinical diagnostic products .............................................. 159 BePharBel Manufacturing A growing European CDMO focused on innovation and galenic reformulation..................................................................... 160 Medinbio More nature, more science .................................................................... 161 Charleroi CHU - Clinical Biology Laboratory Quality Management to guarantee the reliability of results issued to patients............................................................................................ 162 Laboratory of Experimental Medicine (ULB 222) - CHU de Charleroi Multidisciplinary clinic research in tune with biotechnology companies ... 163 UMONS and Health............................................................................. 164-165 Chemistry of Plasma Surface Interactions - ChIPS Dare to use plasma technology! ............................................................ 166 CoCEPTIO Your partner in Engineering & Maintenance in your industrial project ...................................................................... 167 UNamur, a University with experts at the service of Society

By Prof. Carine MICHIELS, Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations, University of Namur .... 168-171 Namur Institute of Structured Matter – NISM An expert in the synthesis and the characterization of molecular systems and nanostructured materials ............................. 172 Lasers and Spectroscopies Research Unit - LLS State-of-the-art instrumentation to monitor polluting gases ............... 173 Index of Company Profiles and Advertisers ........................................ 174-176 8

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Engaging with industry on innovative and personalised medicines, rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance Interview with Mrs Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth culture, security, industry and more. For the first time, there will be a strong focus on culture and creativity, envisaging the creation of a digital space in the cultural heritage area.

First, one of the key novelties are the R&I Missions and European Partnerships. Missions will focus on ambitious, term-bound goals such as saving 3 million lives from cancer by 2030, achieving 100 climate neutral cities, good condition of oceans, seas and inner waters, of the soils and foods. The overall impact will bridge the gap between citizens and the innovations that affect their daily lives. We introduced a more simplified and impact-oriented approach with 49 partnerships in Horizon Europe, in comparison with 120 in Horizon 2020.

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Second, another novelty is the European Innovation council (EIC), which will focus on up-scaling of startups and helping research to go the market and have a true impact on society. It will work alongside with the European innovation ecosystems and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Could you tell us about the main features of the new Horizon Europe programme?

Horizon Europe is the most ambitious programme ever implemented to address the challenges of society. Within the €95.5 billion budget, Horizon Europe will strengthen our scientific and technological base, develop solutions for healthier living, drive digital transformation and fight climate change. Over 35% of programme’s budget spending will contribute to climate objectives.

Third, the goal of Horizon Europe is to reinforce openness - open innovation, open science and open data, to allow a better exploitation of the research’ results and a more efficient diffusion of knowledge and practices.

Finally, regional innovations will also benefit Europe’s innovation ecosystems to ensure advantages for European citizens in technology, economics, science, and health.

We have a great programme in terms of scope and budget. I strongly believe that the novelties of Horizon Europe, such as the missions or the EIC, will make research and innovation more concrete, creating more impact for European citizens.

What kind of disruptive research and breakthrough innovations are you planning to support through the European Innovation Council?

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a one-stop-shop for innovators, providing support from the idea to the market with various instruments.

The programme builds on three pillars: excellent science, global challenges and European industrial competitiveness, and innovative Europe. The fourth, underlying component is widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area.

The EIC Pathfinder targets high-risk cutting-edge projects, developing radical and innovative technologies. The EIC Transition covers technology-to-market activities. The EIC Accelerator aims to create and promote co-investment where market response is absent or insufficient. It addresses SMEs with a radically new, highly risky, and thus non-bankable idea underpinned by a business plan and with a potential to scale up. Moreover, we established an EIC Fund to manage equity participations in companies selected under the EIC Accelerator. The EIC Fund has taken the decision on 111 investments totalling €500 million so far.

Horizon Europe will continue its support for excellent research through the European Research Council with an increased budget of EUR 16 billion. It will also attract more young people to a scientific career through the Maria Skłodowska-Curie actions. It will support also the development of excellent research infrastructures for European researchers to help them, for instance, explore our universe or the quantum world. Through its six clusters, it will stimulate the creation of breakthrough innovations in areas such as healthcare, climate, digital technology, energy and mobility, agri10

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Since its pilot phase from 2018-2020, the EIC has supported over 5.000 of Europe’s high potential start-ups. They have already attracted over €4.3 billion follow up investments; and over forty have achieved market valuations of over €100 million.

scientific knowledge and more as a vehicle to implement more concrete objectives that directly touch our research communities across Europe, our policy interlocutors in the Member States and also our citizens. We can build on 20 years with important achievements, like for instance the creation of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), which pushed up investments on world class Research Infrastructures, of which 37 have already been implemented, across all fields of science, mobilising close to EUR 20 billion in investments.

Among these awardees are ten Belgian start-ups and SMEs, supported with €25.9 million. An example is the Belgian company B4Plastics which works on the greenest plastics ever developed.

The EIC is also committed towards supporting women innovators across the EU, such as through the EU Prize for Women Innovators, which was awarded at the EIC summit in November 2021.

We also improved the support to researchers’ mobility and started to address the fragmentation of research careers in Europe.

The EIC will also work very closely with the European Institute of Innovation and technology (EIT) and the new European innovation Ecosystems Programme to provide support to the startups in the whole life cycle of their development: from early stage to unicorn and big tech.

However, we felt the need to revitalise ERA to put Europe in the route to strengthening its role in global science by better alignment of between EU and Member States R&I policies, and by reinforcing investments from fundamental to more downstream research.

What is your assessment of the European Research Area? How do you plan to develop it in cooperation with Member States?

My main wish with the new European Research Area is that we look at it less as a nice concept of creating a European Space for

We have also worked for a new ERA that supports the critical socio-economic transformations to make our planet more sustainable and to enable our research community, our citizens and business with top notch digital technologies and infrastructures.

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ERA is about Ideas, Innovation and Impact. And to reach our ambitions we need to be together – Member States, research stakeholders, Universities, research organisations and industry.

Let me mention the instruments that we have and which are effective to align strategies and create the volume of investments to support our economic actors to take risk and innovate.

To frame the ERA in something very tangible we were able to have the Member States signing the new Pact for Research and Innovation less than one year after the adoption of our Communication.

I am talking about Horizon Europe Partnerships and Missions in key areas – from transport to energy, as well as from digital technologies to high performance computing.

With the ERA Pact and the associated ERA policy agenda that we jointly created with the Member States and the research Community, we have established the priorities and the timing to deliver.

Horizon Europe will also help through a new generation of partnerships with industry and the research community. They will work on areas such as innovative medicines, decarbonising the energy, mobility and steel sectors as well as preserving biodiversity. We also have the European Innovation Council and will work closely together with other EU programmes and policies.

With Horizon Europe and the ERA Forum we have the resources and the shared governance to put it in practice.

To go back to the core of your question about what is my assessment.

Well, I think we have now less to talk and more to deliver.

ERA provides the strategic framework to align the public-private strategic research agendas of partnerships. 50% of Horizon Europe budget through pillar II is designed to support the competitiveness of our industry. It is essential to use these resources to leverage more investment from Member States, regions and the private sector. Furthermore, I would like to draw your attention that Member States plan to use more than €35 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Facility for research and innovation investments. This represents more than one third of Horizon Europe funding. We will continue our cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Investment Bank and the World Bank to look at the synergies between innovation and economic development in a holistic way.

We need to progress on the free circulation of knowledge, moving towards deeper integration between national R&I policies, promote better careers and develop the skills that researchers.

We need to work on strengthening resilience and competitiveness of our economies and societies, improve environment for business R&I investment, deployment of new technologies and enhancing the take up of research results.

We need to improve access to excellence, build-in more quality and stronger R&I systems across the whole of the EU without the research community, research organisations and entrepreneurs supporting Member States in exploiting the complementarities between Horizon Europe and smart specialisation strategies under Cohesion Policy.

Could you give us a few examples of EU-backed health research projects involving Belgian partners?

I applaud the many Belgian universities, labs, organisations and companies doing amazing work in our health projects. Just in coronavirus research alone, I can highlight the ORCHESTRA project, involving the University of Antwerp. It will establish an international large-scale cohort to study the pandemic and deliver recommendations for future health crises.

We need to accelerate the green and digital transformations to increase our socio economic competitiveness, in particular when we are called to deliver on the recovery.

Without the research community supporting the simplification and facilitating the inter-play between national and European R&I systems to prioritise investments and reforms will simply not be possible. Let me stress to conclude that I cannot imagine the build-up of a new European Research Area without the full adherence and support of the research community.

What measures are you considering in order to ensure integration between research and economic priorities at the EU-level?

Research and innovation priorities are key engines for our economic recovery. Investments are needed to spur economic activity in Europe and boost the growth and competitiveness of EU companies, as well as accelerate green and digital transitions. © European Commission, 2020

Europe is also lagging behind in translating R&I results into the economy. Although Europe is a world leader in some high-tech sectors such as green technology, with the growing importance and diffusion of ICT, efforts need to be channelled towards strengthening industrial innovation, technology transfer and fostering the uptake of R&I solutions and the diffusion of innovation through knowledge transfer and public-private cooperation.

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

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Moreover, Sciensano coordinates the PHIRI project. This is a network of public health bodies from 30 countries that linked up their health data resources and exchange best practices to research the virus’ impacts on population well-being, disease and mortality.

In other health research areas, I would emphasise the SLEEP REVOLUTION project, in which Ghent University participates. It uses machine learning techniques to better estimate sleep apnea severity and treatment needs.

in 36 countries around the world and is helping to study the effect of vaccines on patients and against the virus variants, including in children. Looking ahead, we are also planning a new partnership with Member States on pandemic preparedness. This partnership will improve our capacity to prevent, predict and respond to future public health emergencies through research and innovation. Another important priority will be to address cancer. Our EU mission on cancer has the goal of improving the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030, through prevention and care. I recently announced €5m euros to start the preparatory phase for the launch of the mission.

The EU missions will bring citizens, research and innovation community as well as regions towards a common goal. Another key milestone, was the launch of the Knowledge Centre on Cancer in June 2021.

It will collect and share data on cancer prevention, screening and diagnosis to inform our policies and initiatives, including the work of the cancer mission.

And let’s not forget the work of the Commission’s Joint Research Centre. They produced material to check the correct functioning of coronavirus tests and donated it to labs across Europe and beyond as well as helped develop the new digital EU COVID-19 certificate, an indispensable tool in our current travels.

What do you think are the main challenges regarding human health? What financial means is the EC planning to dedicate to health research in the coming years?

The pandemic has showed the importance of investing in research and innovation on health. We were only able to develop a vaccine in record time thanks to the decades of investments in research and innovation at EU and national levels and the strong commitment of our researchers. The Horizon Europe programme will pursue these efforts. We have increased the budget for the health cluster compared to Horizon 2020, to €8,2bn.

We are also committed to engaging with industry, including SMEs, in the area of health. We are planning various partnerships, including on innovative and personalised medicines, rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance. They will be instrumental to develop the digital health technologies of the future.

Finally, improving the role of education will also be crucial. We need to better involve our schools, universities and teachers. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the European Universities Alliances funded under ERASMUS+ will continue to support education and develop skills and doctoral programmes on health areas. On prevention, our new HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, launched in September 2021, will promote sport and healthy diets, including in schools.

The Horizon Europe programme will address various health challenges, including to continue our fight against covid-19 and future pandemics. One key project already launched is Vaccelerate, the very first European network for clinical trials for vaccines. The network is already gathering around 470 hospitals, laboratories and clinics 13

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Pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies are among the sectors with the highest R&D intensity 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

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According to the R&D survey conducted by the Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) on the 2019 figures, Belgium exceeds the European target of 3% of GDP invested in R&D for the first time and reaches 3.17%. Could you tell us more about this?

Since 2019, Belgium has indeed exceeded the 3% of GDP target that the Barcelona European Council proposed to achieve as part of the ‘Lisbon Strategy’. We have now even reached 3.5% and are in the European top two with Sweden.

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ould you tell us about the federal government's competences in the field of science policy and your priorities in this area?

The federal level plays an important role in supporting research.

We manage the Belgian participation in the European Space Agency (ESA), to which our country is the 5th net contributor, we conduct research in the federal scientific establishments and play an essential role in coordinating the research effort provided by the country's various entities (federal, regions, communities) and in the integration of our researchers into international networks.

The progress is impressive and rapid: our country was still at 2% in 2009. All sectors are progressing: business, government, higher education & non-profit and the country's three regions are progressing.

The sectors with the highest R&D intensity are: pharmaceuticals (including biotechnologies), electronics and aerospace.

My priorities are first of all to enable the existing instruments and institutions to grow in strength. For example, I have obtained an additional EUR 29 million for research programmes in support of federal competences, European partnerships in research and innovation and federal research infrastructures.

How do you support research intensity in strategic sectors such as biopharma?

The Federal Government is not responsible for innovation support in companies. That's up to the regions. On the other hand, by means of very attractive tax measures, such as the 80% reduction in withholding tax for knowledge workers, we are creating an environment that is conducive to research, development and innovation, both in companies and in universities or research centres.

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In addition, I have defined a series of priorities, including research on climate change, with my plan to create a Climate Centre that will structure and strengthen research in this field. I have also obtained recurrent funding of EUR 2 million for this Centre.

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that Belgium should be able to field a new astronaut at ESA, after Dirk Frimout and Frank De Winne, who was the first European commander of the International Space Station. It is a success, as more than 1,000 Belgians have applied.

Could you give us some examples of research projects supported by BELSPO to address major health issues?

BELSPO does not work directly on the health crisis we are experiencing. An institution like Sciensano is under the authority of the Minister of Health. However, we do support various research initiatives at national or European level that focus on the causes and effects of this health crisis and we work on closely related issues such as climate change or biodiversity.

Belgian participation in ESA, of which our country is a founding member, amounts to more than €250 million annually. The importance given to this policy by successive governments has enabled the development of a very dense network of companies active in this field, as well as very high-level scientific skills. The industrial and scientific return on this contribution is excellent.

In the field of space, the national earth observation research programme, STEREO, funds projects that use the wealth of information contained in satellite and aerial data to extract information useful to our society, particularly in epidemiology, ecosystem monitoring and risk management.

The major challenges for the next few years will be to strengthen Europe's position in a context that is changing rapidly, both geopolitically and in terms of the emergence of new players and commercial services (New Space). Space research should also be better exploited in the context of responses to major societal challenges.

800 million has been invested in R&D as part of Belgium's Recovery and Resilience Plan. Could you tell us how this was used?

Through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), we have directed almost 15% of the resources towards R&D. In this way, we hope to further strengthen our position. I am convinced that a strong scientific policy is a vector of progress and positive externalities for our societies: both fundamental and applied research.

The advances in research that we owe to space, as well as the applications of space in our daily lives, are very numerous.

Among the scientific fields that benefit from research conducted in space are medicine, the study of biodiversity, the study of the impact of climate change, but also the study of solar radiation, the behaviour of matter deprived of gravity, research on combustion, etc. In terms of applications, we can obviously mention geo-positioning and satellite guidance systems (GPS or Galileo), telecommunications, etc.

I am convinced that R&D has a fundamental role to play in supporting both the environmental and societal transition. It is in this spirit that we have chosen to support targeted projects in the framework of the RRP. These aim, among other things, to accelerate our knowledge of new energy-producing technologies (hydrogen, CO2 capture), to create a laboratory dedicated to the energy renovation of buildings, to advance work in the field of nuclear medicine to improve cancer treatments or to facilitate the ecological and digital transitions of the aerospace sector.

Space research contributes to health in various ways, whether in the field of epidemic monitoring via earth observation or telehealth via applications developed for monitoring astronauts in the International Space Station. Research related to human exploration focuses in particular on space radiation and the effects of weightlessness on health and thus helps to better understand ageing, immunology or the cardiovascular system.

In March 2021, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched an astronaut selection campaign and 1,019 Belgians applied. Could you tell us more about Belgium's contribution to ESA and the major challenges of R&D in this field? Could certain space technologies have applications in human health?

I also think it is essential to make young people aware of space research in general and to remind them of the career opportunities that exist beyond the role of astronaut. I therefore distributed the call for astronaut applications very widely because I think

What is also important is the scientific collaboration that is encouraged by space. The International Space Station is home to astronauts of all nationalities and the research programmes conducted there are usually international.

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For a continuous improvement of the quality and safety of care An interview with Mr Benoît COLLIN, General Administrator of the NIHDI

and “Appropriate Care” actions. A (medium-) long term vision, which is being developed, includes the integration of interdisciplinary care objectives in 5 areas (accessibility to care, preventive care, care pathways, mental health care, integrated care), a selection of 17 priority initiatives and 30 “Appropriate Care” initiatives to ensure optimal use of resources and to improve the performance of the health system, in a transparent way and with continuous monitoring.

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hat is the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 health crisis on the functioning of the NIHDI? This crisis has led to a lot of extra work by all our staff to adapt our health and benefits system to the new needs and realities.

Numerous measures have been taken and will be maintained when the situation returns to normal (telemedicine, digitalisation, etc.). In addition, we have organised our interventions in a different way (virtual meetings, teleworking, remote duty offices, etc.) to strengthen our support for insured persons in precarious situations and for carers.

This dual ambition faces major challenges: thinking in terms of health care objectives and health indicators, working transversally within the organisation and in consultation with external partners, providing access to relevant data, promoting appropriate care and the “evidence based” approach for an efficient use of resources while improving the quality and outcome of care. In addition, the NIHDI actively contributes to the fundamental reforms underway in hospital care. Led mainly by the FPS Public Health, these include the reform of hospital financing and the organisation of hospital activity based on local-regional networks with a view to improving the efficiency, organisation and quality of hospital care, in particular by stimulating the pooling of expertise and the allocation of qualified staff in a more appropriate manner. In addition, many other initiatives are being developed to promote the dissemination of good practice, in parallel with scientific developments. A major challenge remains: the collection, sharing and intelligent use of relevant healthcare data. This is essential to help patients understand the issues involved in their care and to encourage their involvement in the decisions that concern them. But also to develop indicators that can be used in the framework of surveillance, notification and feedback systems and, in this way, to support a process of continuous improvement in the quality and safety of care.

Could you tell us about the International Horizon Scanning Initiative (ISHI) in which NIHDI is involved?

It is a spin-off of the Horizon Scanning task force of the Beneluxa initiative, which was co-founded and is supported by the NIHDI. It aims to (re)learn about changes in the pharmaceutical world (new innovative medicines) before they appear on the market.

This allows decision-makers to react proactively by starting evaluations early, adapting regulations, consulting pharmaceutical companies early, etc. The aim is to give patients better access to new medicines and to optimise the use of the budget available in the participating countries. Furthermore, it may happen that a new innovative medicine requires the adaptation of national procedures or even regulations: the earlier the authorities are aware of this, the better they can react.

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What actions are you taking to ensure and increase the quality of care in health care insurance? What are the main challenges in this area?

Currently, various NIHDI departments are contributing to the “Multiannual Budgetary Trajectory for the Health Care Budget 2022-2024” with a focus on formulating health care objectives

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Innovation towards a patient-centric, integrated, connected and value-based healthcare Interview with Prof. Pascal VERDONCK, Board Member of the Belgian and European Association of Hospital Managers the board's question on what financial investment will be necessary in the near future to keep a secure digital hospital environment. In all cases, the topics discussed aim to increase the insight of hospital directors.

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ould you remind us of the missions and key figures of the Belgian Association of Hospital Managers?

Let me first emphasize that the Belgian Association of Hospital Managers is an association, not a federation: it gathers about 200 individual hospital managers, mainly they are CEO or CMO. All of them are leading general or university hospitals from the three linguistic communities, regardless any political or religious creed. On top the association is strongly committed to innovation and leadership for hospital & healthcare management. The association has four core values: “open, excellence, leadership, and friendship”. The latter is essential to overcome competitive considerations and solving together complex problems. The association also collaborates with (inter) national industrial partners who are selected based on their innovation file for each of the more than 20 sectors that we have identified in healthcare management: from building smart constructions, over IT infrastructure, security & privacy, towards medical devices…

As you may know, the introduction of a real innovation in healthcare practice requires a reasonable time to align the different stakeholders in this complex ecosystem.

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What do you think are the main challenges to come in terms of management and quality of hospital care?

In my 20 years of hospital experience, I have seen significant improvements: the accreditation system has enabled hospitals to organize the care process more safely thanks to the implementation of clearly defined procedures, getting rid of silo-thinking in hospitals, helping us managing pandemic crises. Yet the near future of our healthcare relies upon two pillars: innovation & data.

The first one is connecting with the patient by integrating care around the patient: care continuity must be ensured & integrated around the patient between hospitals, general practitioners, eldery houses… and home (home care & home hospitalization). Unfortunately the Belgian financing system (mainly still “fee per service” with a start of bundle payment) represents a speed brake for this innovation. Our system needs an urgent financial reform. The second pillar is based on multidisciplinary care & data platform around the patient and the application of the concepts of value based healthcare: this concept was designed by an American engineer, Michael Porter, and rewards health care providers with an incentive payment for their quality of care. The quality, measured by the patient's experience and the clinical outcome, is compared to the cost for the society in order to determine the added value for the patient. Computer & sensor technology together with data sciences will help us achieve this goal. It is therefore important to invest in high tech infrastructure, high performance computer network, 5G connectivity, … actually leading towards more personalized patient care and prevention.

How do you defend the interests of your members and what services do you offer them?

We organize study visits, seminars, round tables or nowadays webinars in Belgium or abroad. In particular, we participate in the American Congress of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) that takes place each year in March in Chicago. We are also investing in innovation by setting up joint study trips to Singapore, Dubai, Boston, Portugal, Denmark… These study trips strengthen not only the friendship of our members but they stimulate in particular their vision to increase the quality of care in their hospital taken into account the best international practices.

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What partnerships have you developed with certain global suppliers of health technologies and pharmaceutical products?

For example, Johnson & Johnson stimulated us to develop leadership with the facilitation of the participation of our members in the American Congress of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Our association is now the first international chapter of ACHE. Partners facilitate also with their international network interesting visits. In addition, webinars are organized with the support of partners like recently about the needed framework to reuse medical data.

Other webinars were set up on the theme of personalized care technologies as part of the care trajectory (monitoring a patient from the beginning to the end of his journey) with the support of Philips or in close collaboration with the federal government & administration about the national action plan “One health”. In fall 2021 we organized a workshop in partnership with Telenet and the federal policy makers focused on cybersecurity to answer 17

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Fostering access to innovative medicines and healthcare products

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Interview with Mr Xavier DE CUYPER, Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP)

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ould you remind us of the mission and areas of excellence of the FAMHP? Since 01.01.2007 the FAMHP has been the Belgian competent authority for ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and health products (medical devices and accessories), raw materials for the preparation and production of medicines, and operations performed with blood, cells and tissues of human origin, both for human and veterinary use, in clinical development and on the market. In addition to the professionalism and efficiency that the FAMHP wants to bring to all its core activities, the Agency pays particular attention to its areas of excellence, in which the organisation wants to distinguish itself. This is the VACCINE area of excellence. In addition, the agency wishes to set up an IVD center of excellence (i.e. on in vitro diagnostic medical devices). Two key areas of research and development.

procedures for distribution, storage, transport and preparation of vaccines. Advice was given to all actors and the FAMHP also played an important role in the purchase of vaccines by setting up and coordinating an advice committee and also the vaccination material. The FAMHP also decided to provide a weekly cumulative overview of adverse events reported following the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine in Belgium. This is to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines by being fully transparent.

What do you see as the main challenges ahead for public health?

One of the greatest public health challenges at European and global level is the issue of antimicrobial resistance. If action is not taken to prevent the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, ten million people will die each year worldwide from infections with resistant bacteria by 2050, according to United Nations calculations. It is therefore necessary that we, as an agency, take the necessary steps to prevent the development and spread of resistance. This applies to both human and veterinary medicine. This battle has to be fought on several levels: it is not only about encouraging the proper use of existing antibiotics, but also about ensuring as much as possible the availability of the different types of antibiotics, ensuring that new antibiotics find their way to patients as quickly as possible, avoiding antibiotic residues in the environment, and investing in prevention in order to limit antibiotic use. So the biggest challenge is to have as many antibiotics available as possible to use as little as possible.

Could you present us your various activities and the collaborations you have developed to carry them out?

Our core activities are divided into four areas. First, we advise our partners with our expertise. Second, we issue official documents such as authorizations, approvals, certificates… We also monitor the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and health products, for example by following up on reports of suspected adverse reactions and incidents that have occurred, by carrying out inspections and controls… Finally, if necessary, we take sanctions ranging from administrative fines to the implementation of a ban. In addition to these basic activities, the FAMHP also ensures that everyone has access to objective, correct, complete and transparent information to ensure the correct use of medicines and health products. In order to carry out all its tasks in an optimal way, the agency has established a culture of systematic consultation with all its partners at national level. At the European level, we contribute to building a solid network through our experts. In short, the FAMHP is a regulator but also a public service dedicated to patients and all its other stakeholders.

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What steps have you taken in the fight against coronavirus?

The FAMHP's active participation in the relevant committees and working groups of the European regulatory network (including the European Medicines Agency, EMA) enabled Belgium to participate in time in the Joint Procurements needed to give the population access to the necessary medicines as quickly as possible. What is more the FAMHP collaborated intensively in the vaccination campaign by developing, amongst other things, the 18

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pharma.be

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 Caroline Ven, took up the gauntlet, going from research to the distribution of new innovative solutions for CEO of pharma.be 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.

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n 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 biopharmaceuticals), 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 activities are focused on every phase in the pharmaceutical value chain adds to the attractiveness of Belgium as preferred location 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.

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.

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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.

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Terhulpsesteenweg 166 Chaussée de La Hulpe Brussel 1170 Bruxelles | T 02 661 91 33 | F 02 661 91 99 www.pharma.be | info@pharma.be Ondernemingsnummer/Numéro d’entreprise 0407.622.902 RPR Brussel

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

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The pharmaceutical sector seems to be immune to the health crisis Interview with Mrs Fabienne L'HOOST, Director General of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency

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ould you tell us about the Princely economic missions planned for 2021 and 2022?

In these special times our action plan had to be completely reorganised once again in 2021. Initially, Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid was to have led an economic mission to the Republic of Senegal in June 2021, another to the United Kingdom in September 2021 and a third to the United States of America (Atlanta, Boston, New York) in October 2021. Unfortunately, the pandemic decided otherwise.

For this reason, the Board of Directors of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency considered it appropriate to postpone these three missions.

Indeed, in view of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Princely Economic Mission to the United Kingdom is now scheduled for 9 to 12 May 2022, while the mission to the United States will take place from 4th to 12th of June 2022. In addition, a mission to Japan will also be organised from 5th to 9th of December 2022.

The organisation of three rather than two economic missions in one calendar year remains exceptional for the Agency. Finally, as regards the 2023 action plan, the Republic of Senegal (1st semester) and the Commonwealth of Australia (October 2023) should be the destination countries for the Belgian delegation.

What was the impact of COVID-19 on Belgian foreign trade?

Despite the pandemic, our country was the 5th largest exporter of goods within the EU in 2020 with an amount of EUR 367.5 billion, i.e. a share of 7.7% according to the Community concept. Germany remained the clear leader with a share of 25.3%, ahead of the Netherlands (12.4%) and Italy (9.1%).

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However, as a result of the health crisis, European exports (EU-27) fell by 8.2% (-EUR 428.2 billion) over the past year. Belgium's exports suffered the same fate, although they fell slightly less (-7.9%, or -EUR 31.6 billion). By comparison, exports from other European countries fell more significantly: -9.3% for Germany, -9.7% for Italy, -10.0% for Spain and even -16.3% for France.

The greater resilience of Belgium compared to the above-mentioned countries is mainly explained by a smaller drop in exports during the first containment (March-May).

reputation in the research and production of medicines and vaccines. In recent years, Belgium has even established itself as one of the world's leading centres for the distribution and supply of medicines and vaccines. Exports by Belgian companies in this sector amounted to EUR 40.5 billion in 2020, an increase of EUR 6.5 billion (+19.1%) compared to the previous year.

More recent figures from June 2021 reveal that in Belgium, for the fourth consecutive month, growth in exports (+26.5%) and imports (+27.0%) of goods is very high compared to the corresponding period in 2020. As a result, the cumulative amount of exports rose by 16.2% and imports by 12.9% in the first six months of the year. Compared to the first half of 2019 - to eliminate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic - growth is limited to 5.5% for exports and 1.0% for imports.

Both in the EU and in Belgium, the largest decrease was recorded by mineral fuel exports. Belgian exports in this sector fell by EUR 7.1 billion (-34.9%) mainly due to the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia in March 2020 and the travel restrictions during the first containment period (March-May 2020). As individual countries began to deconfine and OPEC agreed to a significant cut in crude oil production, oil prices slowly began to recover. As far as our country is concerned, it was mainly mineral fuel deliveries to the Netherlands, France and Germany that fell last year.

Which sector fared worst/best during the health crisis?

The pharmaceutical sector seems to be immune to the health crisis. This is hardly surprising, as our country has an excellent 20

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4.0 Made Real for the Belgian industry by Sirris Interview with Mr Herman DERACHE, Managing director of Sirris

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of data that will be generated may also be used for the benefit of production processes. This is why we launched our 4.0 Made Real Pilot Factory, in which smart, digital solutions can be developed and demonstrated, to help companies discover the possibilities and opportunities of Industry 4.0 in practice.

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hat is the task of Sirris and what are its key figures?

With a wealth of experience of 70 years, Sirris is the collective research and innovation centre for the technological industry in Belgium. Established on 8 high-tech sites (Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Kortrijk, Charleroi, Leuven, Hasselt, Liege), it gathers together 2,500 member companies and has a network of more than 200 partners. Each year, our 150 passionate experts support 1,500 companies in the realisation of their innovation projects (individual innovation projects or collective research projects). Our task is to help companies to make the right technological choices and to implement innovations to guarantee their sustainable economic growth and prosperous future.

Lastly, digital technology is affecting the way we do business.

Digital-based innovation often has an impact on the product and the business model. Sirris helps businesses to combine the technological possibilities and the opportunities linked to the business models of the digital era which will be the foundations of tomorrow’s innovation.

In your opinion, what are the main challenges that await industrial companies in the years to come?

March 2020 was an uppercut for our economy. COVID-19 brought about a tsunami of global changes. Consumer behaviour changed and key trends such as digitisation and the need for sustainability shifted up a gear. Disruptive times - the corona crisis, but also the Brexit, changes due to globalisation, climate change - bring enormous challenges, but also offer unique opportunities. Opportunities to do things differently, develop new products, produce more efficiently and sustainably or even develop new business models. New technologies based on data, automation and AI will be crucial to bring resilience to the Belgian manufacturing industry and safeguard our welfare.

What are your fields of expertise?

Businesses who want to innovate can count on the expertise of Sirris in 3 major fields: “the business of the future”, “the product of the business” and “the factory of the future”. Every day, 150 engineers, scientists and technicians explore the possibilities of over 20 innovative technologies. Thanks to Sirris, the combination of the right experts with a high-tech infrastructure opens up the path to innovation.

The main challenge for manufacturing companies today is adapting to the new reality of COVID-19. This is why Sirris has developed the Crisis Code Cracker, which is a thorough and pragmatic company screening to estimate its crisis resistance.

What services do you offer to companies along the 3 main lines which are “Product of the Future”, “Factory of the Future” and “Business of the Future”?

At disruptive times like these, while competition is still raging on the world stage, product innovation can take place by adding new functionalities and characteristics to products, making the products smart(er), connecting them, using other materials or entirely redesigning the products. Sirris focuses on these needs with a view to manufacturing the products of today and tomorrow hand in hand with businesses.

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Beyond new products, other factors lie behind the drastic transformation of tomorrow's production: everything needs to go faster, be more and more accurate, smaller, customised, cheaper, more ecological, more complex etc. The integration of different (new) technologies is therefore essential within the production line. Operators will be supported in their role by cobots, vision systems, wearable solutions, tablets etc. The enormous amount

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

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Improving everyone’s quality of life An interview with Mr Yves VERSCHUEREN, Managing Director essenscia 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).

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hat are essencia's key figures and missions?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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

Belgium plays a key role in the fight against the coronavirus

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essenscia: Innovation is at the core of the Federation for Chemistry and Life Sciences Industries The pharmaceutical and chemical sector is the undisputed innovation champion in Belgium in terms of investment in research and development and patent applications. Many leading sector companies have also built up renowned research centres in the country, both for chemistry, biotechnology, plastic materials and the development of new medicines.

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nnovation is the life blood of the chemical and life sciences industry. In 2020, the chemical and life sciences sector invested a record amount of EUR 5.6 billion in research and development (R&D), driven mainly by pharma and biotech. This represents an increase of more than 20 per cent over the previous year and a doubling in ten years’ time.

(about 7,800 full-time equivalent scientific researchers in 2019).

Belgium is also home to leading R&D centers with focus on sustainable innovation. Indeed, worldwide technical competence centers are part of the Belgian chemical cluster: BASF, Evonik, Covestro, Soudal, Agfa-Gevaert, Solvay, INEOS, Eastman, ExxonMobil, P&G, Total, Dow, Prayon… to name only a few. In this framework essenscia has set up a strong IP strategy since it is a key to the sector’s competitiveness.

These substantial investments - more than EUR 40 billion between 2010 and 2020 - also translate into new inventions and technologies. Of the 2,400 Belgian patents filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2020, 946 were from the technology fields of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and biotech. This is the highest number ever and chemistry and life sciences account for almost 40% of all Belgian patent applications. The share of pharma and chemistry in the total number of patents is nowhere else in the world that high.

Numerous initiatives in the field of innovation Numerous initiatives have been launched by essenscia. In 2011 the federation created the essenscia Patent Cell for chemistry and life sciences in order to provide support to the chemical and life sciences companies, in particular SMEs, so as to protect and stimulate their innovation. Various actions are being undertaken such as workshops, tailor-made advice, technology watch andcommunication actions. “How to optimize your IP portpolio?” and “Technical tools to develop and protect your intellectual property” are among the topics covered.

A European leader in clinical trials Almost nowhere else in Europe are there so many clinical trials for innovative medicines as in Belgium. With 503 new clinical trials approved in 2020, Belgium is a European leader and ranks third in Europe in the number of clinical trials per capita.

That is why the Belgian chemical and pharmaceutical industry is highly R&D-intensive. With an R&D intensity of 17.7% - the ratio of R&D expenditure to added value - the Belgian chemical and pharmaceutical industry is number one in the European Union, ahead of countries such as Germany, Sweden and France.

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A quarter of Belgium’s private sector researcher population is working for the chemical, plastics and life sciences industry

Scientific researchers at work

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For its part, the biannual essenscia Innovation Award is the most prestigious prize for industrial innovation in Belgium. It was launched in 2012 and relies upon the support of the Patent Cell.

With this competition essenscia aims to promote the many innovations in the Belgian industry and to encourage companies to invest even more in innovative and sustainable products and applications. Access to the competition is open to all industrial companies operating in Belgium. During the evaluation of the innovation projects the jury takes into account various criteria such as a clear link with chemistry, life sciences or materials, the

Start-ups innovating in the BlueChem incubator for sustainable chemistry

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contribution towards sustainable development, the strategy for intellectual property management and the value added for the Belgian economy. The winner is awarded a prize of € 30.000.

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is not always best”, “Convince” or “Ask yourself the right questions” are among the themes investigated. These videos provide students and companies with alternative tools for creative brainstorming and innovation processes.

To date 130 innovation projects have been submitted. And the various editions of this high level award ceremony – supported

by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid – all enjoyed a nationwide press coverage, allowing broad recognition for finalists and previous winners like Emulco/BASF, Agfa Graphics, GSK and Mithra that won the prize in 2019 for its flagship product Estelle, a new generation contraceptive pill based on the natural hormone estetrol.

What is more essenscia is implied in competitivity clusters for open innovation, catalysators for a sustainable chemistry: Catalisti in Flanders, GreenWin and BioWin in Wallonia. Together they work on renewable chemicals (using nature’s power), process intensification (faster, smaller, better), sidestream valorisation (waste becomes resource), and advanced sustainable products (clean and green). This collaboration enables progress in the field of production of sustainble products and materials, sustainable integration of materials, as well as treatment and valorisation of waste.

Free assistance and strategic advice to start-ups and SMEs Following the success of the first Innovation Award, essenscia founded the Innovation Circle in 2013 with the support of Deloitte and KULeuven. Thanks to this Circle start-ups and SMEs active in the fields of chemistry, materials and life sciences are provided with free assistance and strategic advice by former CEOs of the industry.

BlueChem: a unique incubator for sustainable chemistry essenscia is the main shareholder in BlueChem, the first incubator for sustainable chemistry in the Benelux that has opened its doors in 2020 in Antwerp, located at the heart of one of the largest chemical clusters in the world. Dedicated to start-ups and SME’s in chemistry, BlueChem provides the right facilities in the right place to enable ground-breaking ideas to grow from lab experiments into new chemical companies with a strong focus on sustainability and the circular economy.

As for the Innovation Fund, it was established in 2015 as a further step in essenscia’s permanent strive to boost innovation.

This initiative enjoys the financial support of major industrial companies. The Innovation Fund aims at investing in innovative start-ups in chemistry, materials and life sciences with a strong focus on sustainability and digitalisation. As a result a capital of € 35 million was invested in 34 promising companies such as Inopsys, TrendMiner, REIN4CED, Univercells or TheraVet.

The incubator relies upon state-of-the-art infrastructure offering a mix of ready-to-use and customisable labs, as well as private offices and flexible workplaces. Combined with customised services, financial support for lab equipment and direct access to an extensive network of international chemical companies, renowned research centres and the five Flemish universities, BlueChem is becoming the hotspot for sustainable chemistry in Europe.

Another important step by essenscia was the Innovation Academy: this joined initiative of Deloitte and the Innovation Circle started in 2017. In this framework Deloitte professionals act temporarily as interim CxO in order to assist start-ups in their innovation process and commercial growth.

Innovations that contribute to a successful approach of the climate challenge The chemicals, plastics and life sciences sector is striving to become a world leader in energy efficiency. Examples of innovations include hyper-efficient batteries for better energy storage, ultralight materials for a lower fuel consumption in transport, high-performance insulation for sustainable construction, essential building blocks for renewable energy, insulation materials for energy efficient household appliances, and the use of CO2 as a raw material. These examples all contribute to address global societal challenges such as tackling climate change, the transition towards a circular economy and the zero pollution ambition. This resonates perfectly with essenscia’s creed: improving everyone’s quality of life.

Les Zinnovants Essenscia is not only working with fellow member companies from the chemicals and life sciences sector. In order to be convinced of this, it suffices to consider “Les Zinnovants”: this unique collaboration between the federation and UCL university has yielded ten humorous videos to stimulate innovation. “First

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essenscia Federation for Chemistry and Life Sciences Industries

Innovation Award winner Mithra

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Contact: Yves Verschueren Managing Director essenscia Tel. : +32 2 238 97 11 E-mail : yverschueren@essenscia.be www.essenscia.be @essenscia_NL @essenscia_FR facebook.com/essenscia

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An interview with Ms Nathalie PINSART, Co-general director, Belnet

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hat are Belnet’s key figures?

We’re proud that more than 800,000 users in 250 connected institutions are nowadays using the Belnet network and services. In one year, our FileSender service, especially set up for members of the research and education community, has enabled the secure upload and download of 534,969 files. Moreover, the mobility of researchers and students has increased tremendously, as 102 institutions are now offering the eduroam service to their users and visitors.

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mechanisms are now duplicated across the 3 data centres, which increases the redundancy in a significant way.

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In order to remain future-proof, what services does Belnet plan to put in place in the coming years?

In the future, we will more often work with a tailor-made approach for the Belgian research & education (R&E) community. This approach can be put in place in different ways: whether it is with a single client with whom we will start Mrs Nathalie Pinsart, a co-creation process, or with a group of R&E Director Administration & Community (a.i.) of Belnet clients for whom we will develop tailor-made What services do you offer to the research and hospital communities? service packages that meet their specific needs. We will mainly Belnet’s primary mission is to continuously manage and develop focus on participating in projects to support researchers and the the national research network. It is therefore essential to offer stable research sector in general. Future services will be deployed in the and highly available connectivity that allows us to provide other service of Open Science. Furthermore, security services are high value-added solutions. In addition to our trademark services becoming an increasingly important part of our customers’ needs, such as eduroam, FileSender, Belnet Storage or the Belnet R&E so we will certainly develop services to enhance infrastructure Federation, we have recently started hosting the DMPonline security and data integrity. platform, which enables researchers to create Data Management Plans efficiently. The aim is also to support Open Science and FAIR data. On top of that, security services are crucial when it comes to preserving the integrity of research and medical data, that’s why they are also included in our offer.

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What is Belnet’s contribution to the EOSC programme?

At the end of 2020, Belnet was designated by the Interministerial Conference of the Federal Science Policy as the mandated organisation of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Association for Belgium. As a national research and education network, Belnet is one of the few research infrastructures in our country with a national scope. Through its mandate, Belnet will directly influence the strategic orientation of the EOSC Association and represent the interests of all actors in the Belgian research landscape. In addition to its strategic role, Belnet also has an important role to play as a service provider.

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At the end of June 2021 Belnet has strengthened its infrastructure to greatly improve the availability and resilience of its services and applications.

Can you tell us more about this?

Yes, of course. Our aim to improve the availability and resilience of our services and applications has led towards a major upgrade of Belnet’s services infrastructure involving the use of a third data centre. Substantial investments were made in order to, among other things, use the latest technologies in the area of multi-data centre traffic. This has resulted in a considerable increase in the availability, performance and efficiency of all services that are based on virtual machines such as Belnet Storage, DMPonline, Belnet Advanced Mail Security, etc. Our VM (Virtual Machine) clusters and high availability

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The Universities of the ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’ have a great deal of potential for innovation An interview with Dr Nathalie BURTEAU and Dr Eric WYART, President and Operational Director of the LIEU Network

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hat’s new at Reseau LiEU? Two important steps!

1. The LiEU Network appointed a new President, Nathalie Burteau, and a new Operational Director, Eric Wyart, in early September.

They succeed Michel Morant and Olivier Vandevyver, who were, respectively, the President and the Operational Director since 2015.

Nathalie Burteau obtained a PhD in Chemistry from UCLouvain in 1993 and continued her career in research as a Research Assistant at the Faculty of Science. In 2000, she joined the Research Administration of the Institution where she became head of the Regional and Federal Funding Unit. The coordination of the RREG brought her into contact with numerous research and innovation structures and thus enabled her to develop a wide network with public administrations and competitiveness clusters. Nathalie Burteau joined the LiEU network at its creation in 2003 and was an active member of the management committee until she became its president this year. Within LiEU, she has contributed and still contributes to the development of numerous tools to optimise business-research collaboration. Her experience of more than 25 years in the research and innovation sector and her network will enable her to face the challenges ahead for LiEU, whose aim is “to grow this network which combines proximity to university researchers with a desire to percolate the results of their research into the socio-economic world.”

Eric Wyart, new Operational Director Eric Wyart, a Civil Mechanical Engineer from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, began his career at Cenaero in 2002 when the centre was created. After completing his doctoral thesis on the industrialisation of crack propagation calculation methods for aeronautical structures under the supervision of Professors Pardoen and Remacle from UCLouvain, he successively took charge of the Metallic Structures & Processes and Computational Multiphysics Software Development teams within Cenaero. He then contributed to the setting up of regional and European projects while continuing to promote and raise awareness among companies. In 2020, he joined Plastic Omnium's R&D centre as manager of the multiphysics design platform dedicated to the fuel tank.

With its 18 years of experience, the LiEU Network ensures, with the support of the Walloon Region, the promotion of research skills, the accompaniment of business-research collaborations, the development and professionalisation of the transfer of university research results to the socio-economic world. It is at the heart of a structured and dynamic ecosystem at the service of innovation, regional economic development and, more broadly, of society.

2. The Mirval+ project (ESF project financing our KTOs) came to an end at the end of 2020. This is a perfect moment for us to evaluate the work we have accomplished during the period 2015-2020.

Within LiEU, his role will be “to create and consolidate the links that enable researchers and companies to meet. And this, so that researchers can mature their research results so that they become usable and used for the benefit of the Company and the enterprises.”

Before going into the details of this assessment, could you remind us what the LiEU Network is?

The LIEU Network brings together the KTOs (Knowledge Transfer Offices) of Belgian French-speaking Universities: • Université catholique de Louvain - UCLouvain; • Université libre de Bruxelles - ULB; 28

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University of Liège - ULiège; University of Namur - UNamur; University of Mons - UMONS; Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles.

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from the various institutions according to their field. The LIEU Network brings together the skills of more than 10,000 researchers in the following areas: agro-food, biotechnology and health, energy and environment, materials, digital technologies, human and social sciences.

The LIEU Network works closely with other players for innovation such as SynHERA, PiCarré, Innovatech, Sowalfin, Europe Entreprises Network…

These thematic working groups are actual technology platforms, operational gateways to the labs for companies seeking access to university expertise: they analyse the requests from industry, direct them to the academic teams who are in the best position to handle the technical challenge and assist them in setting up collaborations. These platforms are also platforms to promote new results, new technologies which are available for companies.

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

The ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’ Universities 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, also known as interfaces. In 2003, these organisations decided to work together and create the LIEU Network, which is supported by the Walloon Government and the Conference of Rectors.

Of course, these platforms work in close collaboration with relevant partners, especially the 6 Walloon competitiveness clusters, the 23 industry research centers or sectorial federations in such varied fields as chemistry, electronics, agribusiness, etc.

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 tech transfer, from scouting inventions to licensing and spin-off creation; • to support the teams in a continuous process of professionalisation.

What are your technology offers?

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

What partnerships have you developed?

The LIEU Network and academia have a good record of collaboration with the 6 Walloon competitiveness clusters (BioWin, Wagralim, Skywin, GreenWin, MecaTech, Logistics in Wallonia) and works at different levels. When calls for tenders are being launched by the Walloon Government through the clusters, each thematic working group helps the clusters to identify university teams that may be interested.

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

The LIEU Network also assists them in drawing up projects submitted for public funding and helps them map out regional university research potential. The LIEU Network also helps promoting the results generated by cluster projects and is typically involved in brokerage events organised by the clusters.

It is important that the LIEU Network and the clusters coordinate their efforts to achieve optimal effectiveness. © Valentin Bianchi

Could you introduce the 6 working groups organised by professional sectors of the LIEU Network?

We quickly realised the benefit of organising ourselves into thematic working groups that bring together the scientific advisers 29

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Could you tell us about your services to the 10,000 researchers of the ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’?

A researcher’s primary job is to carry out research, with all this entails in terms of scientific publishing and excellence. With this in mind, it is the responsibility of the LIEU Network and KTOs to mobilise researchers and support their efforts into the innovation process and also to contribute to the regional development.

This mobilisation ranges from awareness-raising actions and intellectual property, to research contracts and funding, even though researchers are much more familiar with this than they were 15 years ago.

Responsibility of LIEU members is to help researchers to bring projects from TRL (Technology Readiness Level) 2 to TRL 4 or even TRL 5 to 6. This includes managing IP (Intellectual Property), achieving the proof of concept, looking for relevant partners, setting up agreements, and finally transferring properly the technology to the more suitable partner to get to the market. Additionally, the LIEU Network brings some support for promoting the laboratories among companies, using industrial language and standards, instead of pure scientific approach.

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How do you assist companies?

Our first area is providing access to university expertise 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.

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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.

prise, FEDER, First Spin-Off (FSO), First entreprises, Germaine Tillion, Pôles de compétitivité, Proof-of-Concept (POC), WALInnov, WIN2Wal, WISD; - Wallonia and Europe: ERA-NET and INTERREG; - Europe: H2020.

What are the salient features of your activity report?

At the end of 2020, the project Mirval+ ended. This is a good opportunity for us to make an assessment of what we have carried out those last few years.

ERDF 19 ERDF portfolios were managed through the implementation of a support and monitoring process. The LiEU Network has developed common reporting and monitoring tools to facilitate the detection of results and the implementation of a concerted valorisation strategy.

Over the past 6 years, through the Mirval+ project, the KTOs have joined forces and expertise to contribute to the economic and social development of Wallonia. The project aimed to increase the relationship between universities and companies in terms of research and knowledge transfer. The MIRVAL+ project was therefore divided into a series of actions along the valorisation process: from the setting up of collaborative projects (more than 7,000 projects submitted) to the transfer itself (more than 500 transfers and 60 spin-offs), including raising the awareness of researchers (more than 12,000 researchers made aware of the project).

- 19 portfolios supported; - Total budget decided (universities’ share) = €114,406,172.93; - 125 university laboratories involved; - More than 300 industrial sponsors.

Seminars and documentation In order to inform researchers about the valorisation and transfer of knowledge, the KTOs of the LIEU Network organised, alone or in partnership with PICARRE, ..., 619 awareness-raising seminars gathering an audience of 12,575 people.

Based on the numerous achievements, the LiEU network aims, through its “After 2021” project, to make collaborative innovation processes involving university research and the Walloon socio-economic fabric more fluid, and in so doing to continue to maximise the impact of university research activities.

Researcher/business meeting events 78 events were organised by the LIEU Network, welcoming a total of 7,442 company representatives and 20,258 researchers and representatives of public authorities.

Here are some relevant results taken from our activity report: Protection of results Various means of intellectual property protection exist: patents, secret know-how, copyright, trademarks, designs, plant breeders’ rights. For example, 261 patents were filed during the period 2015-2020.

Spin-off A spin-off is a company created from the knowledge and technologies generated by research. In this way, universities transfer their high-level scientific activities directly to society via the industrial and economic exploitation of the knowledge and technologies developed there. 59 spin-offs have been created by the universities of the LIEU Network over the period 2015-2020 in all fields.

Licence Holding intellectual property rights gives the researcher the possibility to: - negotiate a licensing agreement whereby he/she authorises the “licensee” to use the intellectual property; - transfer these rights by assigning their intellectual property.

In the period 2015-2020, 579 knowledge transfer agreements (licences/options/assignments) were concluded.

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Calls for projects During the 2015-2020 period, 7,312 projects were submitted and 3,244 were accepted in the framework of calls for projects launched by: - Wallonia: SPW Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (DGO3); SPW Spatial Planning (DGO4); SPW Economy, Employment, Research (SPW-EER): BEWARE, Doctorat en entre31

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Flanders: innovation at the service of the economy

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Supporting health research and strategic transformation for companies Interview with Mrs Hilde CREVITS, Deputy Prime Minister of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture

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of research and innovation in the healthcare sector could not be made any clearer than through the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has not only had an unprecedented financial and economic impact, but has also had an indescribable impact on people and on our way of life.

Flanders launched two special calls for COVID-19 research projects. In a first call, 2.5 million euros was provided to fund research into possible therapeutics and vaccines, but also research on patient samples to better understand COVID-19 immunity.

Mathematical modelling, epidemiological research and technology development projects (e.g. masks, respirators, vaccine production technology) were also potential candidates. 9 projects were finally selected for launch in this first call.

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hat role does innovation play in the dynamics of Flemish companies?

Peter Drucker, the godfather of modern management once said: “Innovate or die”. All companies must dare to innovate, as innovation determines whether companies flourish and grow, or languish and stagnate. That is why I think it is important that our companies, especially our smaller ones, embrace and use new technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber security sooner rather than later. It is for this reason that I since the start of my mandate I make EUR 32 million a year available in subsidies for artificial intelligence, and EUR 20 million a year for cyber security. Both plans consist of a strategic research part and a part for the stimulation of uptake of Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security by our small businesses. They are accompanied by accompanying measures such as a knowledge centre for the ethical and sustainable use of AI and data driven application and programmes for the creation of much needed trainings in these areas. That will also help us to respond to the European digital agenda.

The crisis has an impact on each and every one of us. We therefore need to look beyond the financial and economic consequences. That is why a second special call was launched that focuses on the social consequences of the measures to combat COVID-19. This call, also of 2.5 million euros, supports research on a wide range of COVID-19 pandemic-related topics, such as research into personal welfare, or answer legal, economic, political or social questions. With that call, another 11 projects were funded.

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The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down. What has the Flemish Government done?

This crisis is unprecedented. The Flemish Government initially focused on meeting the acute financial needs of our companies.

With the corona ‘hinderpremie’ (a compensation given to all firms that were obliged to close down completely) and the corona ‘compensatiepremie’ (a compensation given to all firms experiencing a serious drop in revenue due to the measures), we helped companies that had to close down and/or saw a sharp drop in their income. The speed by which the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Enterprise (VLAIO) implemented these measures is unprecedented. In addition, we also offered additional support through PMV by, for example, expanding possibilities in the area of guarantees and subordinated loans. We set up a Welfare Fund to activate the savings of the Flemish people to strengthen our businesses.

We have also made additional investments in research and innovation. Both have been crucial during the crisis and will continue to do so during our economic relaunch. The importance

Minister Crevits visiting ArcelorMittal in Ghent

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In Flanders, however, almost all hydrogen is currently produced as ‘grey hydrogen’, using fossil fuels that release CO2. After all, producing green hydrogen is three to five times more expensive.

The investment that Flanders is now making should help to reduce the cost price for producing more environmentally friendly hydrogen. This may also involve so-called blue hydrogen, which is also produced with fossil fuels, but in which the released CO2 is collected.

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A great potential for hydrogen lies in the basic industry, such as the chemical and steel industry. Hydrogen can serve here as an energy source or as a raw material to make sustainable products.

The CO2 emissions from industry can be captured and converted into sustainable molecules or fuels with hydrogen. Hydrogen can also serve to make heavy road transport, shipping and aviation more sustainable.

Minister Crevits visiting Sioen Coating in Ardooie

We also made sure that researchers, that are in their last year of PhD, will have a chance to get an extension of their FWO-mandate so that they can still get their doctorate. We are also aware of the importance of enabling the rapid collection and sharing of available research data, and actively contribute to the European COVID-19 data platform. Therefore, a National Belgium Coordination Team Covid-19 Data Portal was established in the summer of 2021. Amongst others, ELIXIR plays an important role in this.

What measures does the new Flemish government intend to take to support innovative companies in Flanders?

The concrete measures that we will take within the framework of the projects mentioned previously are currently being developed in full consultation with all the parties concerned. Everyone must be united in this story. Impact is an important principle here: our actions and spending must make a difference. That is why we will predominantly focus on the instruments from which we can expect the greatest impact. We will place an important emphasis on the encouragement of small businesses to innovate as well as the development of our spearhead clusters. Nonetheless, we will also not lose sight of the more general support measures.

Stimulating entrepreneurship, easy access to finance and capital, strengthening our scientific base and disseminating knowledge are just as important.

Another example is the 120 million euros for 23 research infrastructure projects. These projects will focus on making the transition from knowledge production to application and valorization within the economy and society and are situated in the TRL development and demonstration. These projects are all situated in the areas of sustainability, digitalization and health, embedded in a broader Flemish ecosystem and will help Flanders to bridge the “valley of death”.

What collaborations do you intend to develop in order to carry out your action?

When we talk about economy and innovation, we automatically think of our companies and researchers. But I also want to consciously involve citizens and civil society more closely in the coming years by introducing a new innovation model for our society: the quadruple helix. By introducing innovation to everyone, we will also make it known and loved by everyone. There is a double advantage in this. The involvement of civil society can contribute to a greater social and economic impact of our excellent scientific research and industrial R&D. Conversely, it is also necessary to create a better understanding and greater confidence in the work of scientists and technology managers because new technologies are often still frightening upon their release. Trust is essential for the rapid dissemination and social acceptance of new technologies. Moreover, cooperation is essential to increase the resilience of our open economy in the light of international events, such as the Brexit or other tumultuous trade relations.

In your opinion, what are the most important challenges for Flemish companies to maintain and increase their competitive position?

When I talk to entrepreneurs, they often come back to the same three issues: the mobility issue (the traffic jams), the wage and energy costs and the skills of employees. Based on my competences, I try to respond to each of these issues. On the mobility issue, I support innovative projects on smart and connected vehicles and better use of data on our mobility. On labour and energy costs, we are supporting energy-saving measures and focusing on technologies that can boost productivity. Hence the importance of speeding up the roll-out of these technologies, especially to our SME’s. As far as skills are concerned, I will use the credo of our Lifelong Learning programme: “educating, educating, educating.”

This will be our mantra for the coming years, as well as our recipe for a strong recovery.

Can you give an example of a project within this huge amount of support?

We invest for example 125 million euros in research and innovation around hydrogen. At the same time as the investment, Flanders therefore drew up a hydrogen vision. Hydrogen is used to store, convert and transport energy. In the best-case scenario, it is produced with green electricity.

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EWI: Excellence is the keyword in scientific research An interview with Mr Johan HANSSENS, Secretary-General of EWI

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hat are the core tasks of the EWI department?

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 levers in this are the promotion of: (1) excellent scientific research, (2) an attractive and sustainable business climate and (3) 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 Odysseus programme is aimed at bringing 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 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 agro-food industry, sustainable chemistry & synthetics, materials, energy, logistics & transport, blue economy and health - Flanders also applies an integrated 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.

How does the 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, colleges, 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 agencies. 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 us a number of 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.

Vlaamse overheid Departement Economie, Wetenschap & Innovatie (EWI) Koning Albert II-laan 35, bus 10 B-1030 Brussel Email: info@ewi.vlaanderen.be http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be https://twitter.com/Departement_EWI https://www.linkedin.com/company/departementeconomie-wetenschap-en-innovatie-ewi36

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Flemish universities as drivers for resilience Interview with Dr. Koen VERLAECKT, Secretary General of the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR)

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hat are the missions and key figures of the VLIR? The Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (“VLIR”) is the National Rectors’ Conference of the five Dutch-speaking universities in Flanders (KU Leuven, Ghent University, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Hasselt University) and fosters decision-making on common policies: quality assurance in higher education, diversity, internationalization, European R&D, science communication, development cooperation, doctoral schools and tech transfer. VLIR also promotes and defends the interests of its members with public authorities at regional, national, European and international level.

How do you assess the interactions between the VLIR and the Flemish government in matters concerning higher education policy?

The government has set ambitious targets, focusing on reducing the number of study programmes and increasing study efficiency.

The Flemish Resilience Plan will provide one-off funding for innovation in higher education. VLIR and the government are working together on developing a new internationalization strategy for 2030. Yet universities continue to be very concerned about the ongoing erosion of their basic funding.

Which policy proposals do you put forward as regards higher education and research policy?

We welcome the government’s plans to invest more in R&D, keeping a healthy balance between universities and other actors, but also between basic and applied research. VLIR has tabled proposals to establish a structural funding channel for research infrastructure and it advocates co-funding for the four European universities in which its members participate. VLIR is satisfied that R&D spending surpassed for the first time in history the 3% target. The Flemish Government has expressed its intention to halve the existing budget deficit, which worsened because of the COVID-19 crisis, by 2024. VLIR will keep working to avoid that the budgets for higher education and research are impacted while stressing the importance of reducing red tape for incoming researchers and students.

The academic year 2020-2021 witnessed a total of 129 092 students enrolling in our five universities, a 3.47% increase compared to 2019-2020. This continuous growth keeps putting pressure on teaching and research infrastructure, whereas the basic funding erodes due to the government’s continuing austerity policy. In 2021 our universities together employed 27 347 FTE staff. Revenue sources consist mainly of national and regional government funding (67,6%), contract research with the private sector (11,1%) and internationally competitive funding programmes (5,9%).

© VLIR

What were the highlights of the VLIR in 2021?

During the academic year 2020-2021 the COVID-19 crisis continued to disrupt the normal academic modus operandi. VLIR consulted on a regular basis with the government and experts to ensure the safety of education and research as well as the mental well-being of students. VLIR published specific policy recommendations on adequate crisis management and co-authored a public appeal to enhance the quality of government data as a source for policy-relevant research and better governance. The preparation of the Belgian National Recovery Plan, a prerequisite to obtain funding from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility, allowed to stress once more the key role that universities play in ensuring welfare and well-being. VLIR is satisfied that higher education, research and innovation figure prominently in the accompanying “Flemish Resilience” action plan, which pools European budgets and loans. The first projects, launched in the autumn of 2021, represent substantial investments in future-proofing higher education and will reinforce the research infrastructure base. In October 2021 the senior management of all Belgian universities met for the first time to discuss federal science policy and the role of universities in the European Research Area. 2021 also saw the publication of From idea to impact.

Innovating together for a better society: this co-production with the universities’ tech transfer offices presents 45 success stories in the fields of healthcare, energy, food & agriculture, mobility, circular economy, smart cities, culture & society, and COVID-19.

Moreover VLIR contributed to the preparation of a new internationalization strategy for higher education in Flanders and a new mobility programme for master students was launched in the fall of 2021. Finally, VLIR delivered an interuniversity training tool on scientific integrity.

From left to right: Herman Van Goethem (Rector UAntwerpen, Bernard Vanheusden (Rector UHasselt), Rik Van de Walle (Rector UGent and VLIR Chair), Luc Sels (Rector KU Leuven), Caroline Pauwels (Rector VUB) and Koen Verlaeckt (Secretary General VLIR)

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VLAIO: a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs in Flanders Interview with Mr Mark ANDRIES, General Administrator for Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) 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, H2020, Eureka…) and acts as leverage towards European subsidies for companies willing to participate in European projects. In 2020, 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).

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© VLAIO

hat 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 2020 and other European research programmes.

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 6 spearhead clusters: Catalisti (sustainable chemistry), SIM (materials), Flanders Food, VIL (logistics), FLUX50 (energy innovation), and the youngest one, Blue Cluster (economy and innovation in the North Sea). 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, the textile industry, etc. 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 (11 at the moment), which are bottom-up initiatives launched by companies active in drones, offshore energy, etc.

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

This task is carried out in close collaboration with FIT (Flanders Investment & Trade): with 99 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, realtor, and (air) port authorities.

Recent developments In 2020, VLAIO took 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.

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 38

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Voka Health Community DO-IT for innovation in welfare and care

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Voka launched an open call for a new socio-economic pact 2030 with 'Plan Together for Growth'. In addition to smart sustainability and digitisation, the theme of health and well-being also forms a spearhead in this. Voka Health Community is already making a move with DO-IT, an action plan towards excellent innovation in health & wellbeing.

oka Health Community is an ecosystem of more than 500 welfare and care organisations, companies, knowledge centres and patient groups from Flanders and Brussels.

“We created this in 2011 to allow innovators to jointly build bridges between the increasing insights, the technological possibilities and the changing needs in healthcare in an open and entrepreneurial way,” says project manager Ria Binst. “The DO-IT action plan is our response to the ‘Plan Together to Grow’ that focuses on more prevention, data-driven self-care and proactivity or early detection. ‘DO-IT’ stands for ‘Data and digitisation’, ‘Entrepreneurship, care and collaboration models’, ‘Innovative infrastructure and investments’ and ‘Technology’. In our opinion, these are the pillars with which we must make a difference in order to position Flanders as excellent and become an international best practice in terms of social and economic added value, and in order to offer solutions for complex challenges such as staff shortages”.

consolidate and strengthen their top positions in this area. Ria Binst explains: “The expertise built up must drive welfare, care and the economy forward. For example, we can focus on the application of (big and real world) data and digitisation, the strengthening of R&D in the field of prevention and care, the search for specific solutions for the shortage of personnel, … The second axis is about implementation, upscaling and knowledge assurance. We need to speed up the adoption of the insights by both the pioneers and the followers. This requires advice and coaching, targeted learning trajectories, matchmaking and mentoring, as well as rule-less implementation and start-up experiments.

Finally, the flanking policy is also crucial. We are talking about the ethical and legal framework of innovations, the removal of barriers, efficient interaction with orders of care professions and other bodies,...”.

DO-IT for Bridge between stakeholders

This year, Voka Health Community is putting the action plan on the agenda with partners, healthcare actors and policy makers.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are the pillars to make Flanders an innovative top region in the field of welfare, care and poverty alleviation”, says Ria Binst. “We need to evolve into a region where citizens, care users and care providers can make use of the cutting edge in valuable and necessary innovative solutions, developed with strong entrepreneurship.”

Towards an innovative top region

Of course, a great deal of R&D will be needed in order to achieve the objectives. “This is exactly where the ecosystem plays a crucial role,” says Ria Binst. “No healthcare organisation or company can innovate optimally on its own. Stakeholders need each other to share ideas, solutions and talent. That's why we also strive for partnerships that cross regions, countries and even continents. In order to bring together the right expertise, knowledge and skills, there is a need for continuous cooperation between care institutions, knowledge centres and industry.

Adoption and diffusion are also an indispensable cornerstone of the action plan. We need to evolve from ‘projects’ to broad ‘ownership’. Diffusion is the result, not the starting point”.

Three axes

Ria Binst Tel.: 0477/52.41.30 Ria.Binst@voka.be www.voka.be/healthcommunity

In order to translate the action plan into practice, Voka Health Community focuses on three axes. First and foremost, there is the strategic research with which Flanders and Brussels must 39

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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.

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he 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.”

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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.”

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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

Gontrode Heirweg 130 9090 Melle Tel.: +32 (0)9 272 50 70 E-mail: info@becetel.be http://www.becetel.be 40

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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. 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. VARIO may publish its advisory reports both on its own initiative and on request.

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ARIO’s advisory reports are strategic in nature. They address fundamental issues, are focused on the longer term and also consider the situation in other countries and regions. VARIO’s approach is systemic and evidence-based.

VARIO aims to contribute to a future-proof Flanders,” explains Danielle Raspoet, director VARIO.

Sustainable Development Goals – Opportunities for Flemish companies

© VARIO

In 2021, VARIO paid close attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. In March the council published a first, concise advice (VARIO-advisory report 17), to draw attention to the high relevance of the SDGs for science, innovation and entrepreneurship policy.

In a second, more in-depth advisory report (VARIO-advisory report 20), VARIO emphasized the opportunities the SDGs offer to turn purpose into business as well. VARIO-chairman Lieven Danneels highlights: “Focusing on the SDGs will not only increase the competitiveness and resilience of our companies, but also of our entire region. In that sense, the post-covid recovery is an excellent momentum, with large budgets being freed up in Flanders and worldwide, creating earning potential. We must continue to build up expertise in innovative solutions and technology for global societal challenges with which Flanders can market itself internationally.”

VARIO chairman Lieven Danneels and VARIO director Danielle Raspoet

Attracting private knowledge-intensive investments from abroad One of the Flemish 2030 goals is to increase the number of knowledge-driven foreign investments in Flanders that also generate employment... VARIO decided to look deeper into both foreign business R&D investments as in knowledge-intensive production investments. What is the economic and innovative added value of foreign knowledge-driven investments for Flanders? How can Flanders attract and retain more knowledge-driven investments from abroad? Which factors and actors are important in determining the location of R&D activities? From Production Facilities?

Which policy measures to support the location of new activities through inward foreign direct investment already exist and how can we learn from foreign best practices? This advisory report is still under preparation.

Strategic Autonomy Policies regarding strategic autonomy and strategic domains have been put high on the European agenda. Under the umbrella of strategic autonomy, in 2021 VARIO bundled two advisory trajectories to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the Flemish region.

Other advisory reports of 2021 Other topics VARIO dealt with in 2021 were on request and related to governmental decisions on Strategic Transformation Aid, Decree on Science & Innovation Policy, Flemish Strategy for Sustainable Development, STEM-Agenda 2030… All advisory reports can be found on vario.be.

IPCEI - important projects of common European interest IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) is a measure of the European Commission that makes state aid for companies compatible with the internal market. It is the member states themselves that are responsible for funding. On request of Flemish Minister of Innovation Hilde Crevits, VARIO carried out a strategic exploration and analysis of the strengths and opportunities in Flanders for six value chains identified by the Strategic Forum on IPCEI as potential IPCEIs: (1) Clean, connected and autonomous vehicles; (2) Smart health; (3) Low CO2 emissions industry; (4) Hydrogen technologies and systems; (5) Industrial internet of things and (6) Cybersecurity. Furthermore, VARIO compiled an assessment framework with principles and criteria to help decide whether Flanders should participate in an IPCEI (VARIO-advisory report 22).

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.

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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 wel as ‘eye opener’ in Dutch – and offers the perfect platform to make research results available for the work field.

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n 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?

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.

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.

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.

A story of collaboration and co-existence Acting as a catalyst

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

© Vlaamse Hogescholenraad

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.

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Information: www.blikopener.vlaanderen

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VITO 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.

VITO & COMPANIES VITO is working together with companies, either directly or in partnership with industry networks such as the spearhead clusters and employers’ organisations, to reduce the risk of sustainable innovation for companies. In Flanders and by extension internationally.

VITO & SCIENCE VITO has a strong reputation in the Flemish and European scientific communities and works together with internationally renowned institutions.

VITO & SOCIETY © VITO

VITO makes objective and scientific information available to policymakers and citizens in order to have an impact on social debates on the transition to a sustainable society and the achievement of climate goals.

Sustainable solutions for buildings Circular and smart construction

largest possible share of low-carbon energy sources. At VITO/EnergyVille we approach the energy transition with a system vision. And from different angles: technological, economical and sociological. Thanks to our strong multidisciplinary character and the complementarity of our research partners we fully cover our research in the entire energy chain.

In order to make Europe climate neutral by 2050 the European Commission aims for an unseen renovation wave for the building heritage. By extension of this Green Deal, Flanders also has the ambition for a more sustainable construction sector. The challenges are extensive: Flanders must renovate 90 % of its building stock by 2050 to achieve the climate goals. Whoever says sustainable, says circular. In a circular building economy waste is limited and there is maximum reuse of products and materials. VITO maximizes the support of construction companies in their exploration and adoption of a circular business model.

Food security and smart agriculture Remote sensing for more efficient and sustainable agriculture Data is the new gold, especially in the agricultural sector that is very dependent on many different factors like the weather, climate change, soil conditions, and plagues and diseases. In smart agriculture remote sensing data is used for example to make crops more disease-resistant or stronger against global warming. This is how innovative data driven technology can help farmers to obtain better yields. With a broad range of remote sensing applications VITO is a pioneer in smart agriculture.

Robust water management 360 degree vision of VITO Flanders is part of the most water scarce regions in Europe and we have experienced this several times during the last years during long-term periods of drought. Not only our water reserves are sensitive to drought, also important parts of our economy and industry are. So Flanders needs a water management that can not only lead us through periods of drought (that will become more extreme because of climate change), but that will also protect our region from water stress by heavy rainfall and, in the longer term, the rising sea level. This management must be robust: strong and shockproof, but also resilient and flexible. VITO/ Vlakwa approaches water management with a 360 degree vision where all aspects of our society that are influenced by water, are taken into account.

From economy to legislation and social fabric to technological development.

Environment and climate Sound knowledge and expertise in environmental and climate applications Air pollution and global warming are serious threats to our health and our environment. In both domains VITO can build upon many years of gathered knowledge and expertise. We use these to better monitor the environment and the climate but also to contribute to a cleaner living environment, better air quality and the fight against global warming. VITO offers services, policy supporting instruments, risk analysis and evidence-based models that enable customers to make well-informed decisions and then take action.

Circular economy and materials Sustainable, economical and robust

Personalised health Health care tailored to the individual

VITO is helping governments and companies to make the transition to circular thinking and develops circular business models. The transition to a circular economy is also strongly technology driven. Innovation can transform waste streams into raw materials and basic materials for new or existing products that can be made more sustainable this way. This is how the need for primary resources and fuels can be reduced. VITO is supporting the achievement of this innovation with her knowledge and expertise.

Through personalised prevention quick interventions are possible and worse can be avoided. With continuous monitoring by measuring multiple health parameters, tailor-made actions can be taken on an individual basis more quickly. There is still large potential for health benefits when a better prediction of who has a higher risk of a specific illness would be possible, when certain conditions can be detected sooner and when medication or therapies can be tailor-made for the patient. Preventive and personalised are the characteristics that will define the health system of the future. For VITO the end goal is a sustainable health system.

Energy solutions of the future Towards a sustainable energy system

VITO NV

The transition towards a safe, sustainable and affordable energy system is currently proceeding. In Europe the ambitions are big: by 2050 the European Union wants to be climate neutral. A large part of the profit can still be achieved at the level of energy, with a supply that today still strongly relies on fossil fuels. A sustainable energy system therefore starts with the

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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.

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IVES 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 adjust its insights in and on education.

services. At the same time, VIVES also works in a future-oriented manner in the fields of health and well-being, ecology, entrepreneurship and sustainability. 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 Denys. “We work on research questions evolving from educational institutions and companies/organisations from a wide range of other sectors that could possibly make use of drone-applications. We are extremely satisfied with this mix, because it enables us to add value for people, society and the economic system. Conversely, the cooperation with practice results in new knowledge and insights that we share with the students.”

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Impact on social development

VIVES, named after the humanist and scientist Juan Luis Vives (1493-1540), is the result of a merger between two existing university colleges in 2013. As the largest university of applied sciences in West Flanders, VIVES 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 Koen Denys, coordinator of VIVES’ Smart Technologies expertise centre.

Drones

One of today’s most edge cutting trends is the fast development of drones and drone applications. In aeronautics, VIVES’ main research domains are drones and MRO (maintenance repair & overhaul). “Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or commonly called ‘drones’ are unmanned aircrafts with a wide variety of applications,” explains lecturer and researcher Rob De Roo. “They can be used for aerial photography and filming, mapping, for the inspection of wind turbines and industrial sites, search & rescue, flora and fauna monitoring, pipeline inspections, archaeology, pollution detection... This new branch in aeronautics needs a multidisciplinary approach taking not only the technical part into account, but also many new topics for unmanned aviation such as operations, safety, human performance... Due to its large network, VIVES can provide practical solutions to most drone related challenges. VIVES also offers a dedicated unmanned aircraft systems course on professional bachelor and postgraduate level in Dutch and English, including topics such as fundamentals of flight,

On the five VIVES campuses, an average of 16,000 young people annually opt for a study programme in health care, education, social agogic work, biotechnology, industrial sciences & technology, commercial sciences or business administration. “There is an expertise centre for each field of study. Together, 175 employees deliver scientific research there, fulltime or otherwise,” says Koen Denys. “Combining expertise from these fields of study, our work is strongly organised following multidisciplinary patterns. This is especially useful in young sectors such as drones, where single research fields can’t provide complete solutions.”

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Practice-oriented research makes the difference VIVES opts for multidisciplinary approach

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

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flight training, design, manufacturing, maintenance, applications, legal and business projects.” This way, VIVES covers complete sectors and is able to offer services from design and production towards (durable) applications and legislation, including continuing education.

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“A lot of after-school training is organised for target groups,” says De Roo. “We are a partner of choice not only for companies and governments, but also for other knowledge institutions, the police, the army and fire brigades. In collaboration with Ghent University, for example, we have compiled a handbook on the safe use of drones.”

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Besides UAS, the flying drones, VIVES and its DroneLab also have expertise in driving, sailing and diving drones. In early 2022, VIVES will launch the postgraduate course Unmanned Applications Architect on the possible applications of these different types of drone. This postgraduate course is aimed at all those planning to develop new activities in the drone sector.

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MRO at VIVES is not only focussed on airline maintenance, but also on general aviation, helicopter and engine maintenance.

“We develop MRO improvements for small and large companies such as maintenance jigs, tow trucks and shop optimization.

Our specific MRO knowledge makes it possible to design and implement solutions where modifications are needed for airplanes and helicopters.” VIVES is a partner institute of Ataera, a network of aeronautical universities.

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From Ostend, VIVES and its DroneLab are active participants in Litus, a modular UAS platform for the scientific monitoring of the Flemish coast and the North Sea. “A main task of Litus consists in observing the growth and erosion of beaches and dunes. This project also can be seen as a part of a broader perspective, to develop a ‘blue economy.’ Investigation efforts not only go to the development of very light, strong materials, but also to the combination of flying, riding, floating and diving robots. In a developed blue economy drones can be important not only to inspect offshore installations, but also to transport pay loads,” says De Roo.

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VIVES’ operational drone research facility is DroneLab, established at Ostend Airport. “This is an ideal location, not only to find out how drones can work in normal circumstances above land, but also to perform tasks during heaving weather or in a harsh maritime environment. DroneLab already is equipped with more than fifty operational drone platforms.” Because the operational behaviour of drones is difficult to test in laboratory circumstances, VIVES has invested a lot in its mobile infrastructure, to do field research.

“However, for maritime operations, we also use a virtual reality drone flight simulator. This minimises the risks of material damage.

In Ostend we also have an acoustic isolated engine test lab and an indoor flight lab.”

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“Drones also are used to make photographs of agricultural areas, enabling specialists to determine crop health problems and to predict the time and quality of the harvest,” Koen Denys remarks. “Here, the work of DroneLab runs hand in hand with the green management activities of our biotechnology department. This is a nice example of multidisciplinary collaboration.”

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Thanks to high-quality programmes and, above all, practice-oriented programmes, Vlerick Business School can call itself the best management school in the Benelux. 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.

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very year, the three campuses (Ghent, Leuven and Brussels) of the 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 practice-oriented course, 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 specialise in certain industries, such as healthcare, the energy sector and financial services.”

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.

Determinants of future economic climate

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.”

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.”

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 teaching 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.”

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.”

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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.”

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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

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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

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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.”

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Fundamental and applied research at the University of Antwerp The University of Antwerp awards almost 250 doctorates every year. It has 21,374 students, 17.5% of whom come from other countries. Its nine faculties together offer 148 courses, 27 of which are in English. Together, they also combine a wide range of fundamental and practice-oriented research.

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Antwerpen was established 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.

“In this way, we also pool our research infrastructure as efficiently as possible and can provide our researchers with top-notch infrastructure.

However, certain essential infrastructure will remain available in multiple locations. The core facilities have been bundled per field of expertise, but for other equipment a distributed setting proved more appropriate. The core facilities are concentrated within certain strategic research groups, but evidently other researchers can also make use of this infrastructure. This fits in with our multidisciplinary approach.” © KM

“The three university centres had already been working closely together long before 2003,” says Vice-Rector for Research and Biologist Ronny Blust. “Back then, some courses overlapped and a significant part of the candidate courses (today: bachelor) was taught in another university centre than the master courses. Today, nothing remains of that. We have logically grouped the various study programmes we offer across the three campuses. The younger generations can hardly imagine the original structure with three institutions. This shows that the merger has been particularly successful.”

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The research is funded through four channels. “In addition to the basic investment of the Flemish government for university education, there are also subsidies through various Flemish, Belgian and European initiatives. They are awarded very competitively,” explains Blust. “We encourage and support our researchers to submit applications for these.

Such research projects can act as a lever for new ideas and strengthen the university's image in the outside world. With the resources of the Special Research Fund (BOF), we can also attract new research professors, further strengthening research and stimulating new initiatives and fields.”

Vice Rector for Research Ronny Blust

This logic means that the humanities 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 are housed in the centre of the old town, close to the town hall and the town archives.

The medical and biomedical sciences students are housed on the Drie Eiken campus, which is adjacent to the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA). “This is our Life Sciences campus, while the Middelheim-Groenenborger site will further profile itself as the Sciences & Technology campus,” says Blust. “Our current project there is the construction of a new building for the department of chemistry, but also at the Life Sciences campus and the City campus investments continue.”

Internationally, UAntwerpen excels in certain research domains.

“For example, our EMAT team is a world leader in materials research and electron microscopy. Our expertise in infection and vaccination research within the Vaxinfectio group is also at world level. We are also very strong in genetic and cancer research, environment and climate, sustainable chemistry, digital data and communication, social and political policy. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, we have moved up con-

“The research carried out at the University of Antwerp has a strong fundamental basis. In some fields we are among the best in the world. But that is not all. It is equally important for us to translate scientific knowledge and insights into applications of social and economic importance. Today's society faces numerous challenges at the level of ecology, health, sociology and economy.”

Research Excellence Consortia

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The research strategy is homogeneous and balanced for the university as a whole. “The University of Antwerp has fifteen research excellence consortia (OEC), active in various scientific disciplines. They are international showcases 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 increasing funding opportunities.”

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Centres of Research Excellence AIPRIL Antwerp Interdisciplinary Platform for Research into Inequality CASCH Catalysis for sustainable organic chemistry

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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

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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

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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

From fundamental research to applications

VAX-IDEA Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute.

In Flanders, research is further supported by cooperation with federal and regional institutes and agencies and, increasingly, with industry. As far as applications are concerned, such cooperation takes place primarily via the Industrial Research Fund (IOF). At this moment the IOF supports 8 technology consortia.

In this way, we do not limit ourselves to ongoing fundamental research, but immediately create openings for practical applications. We also ensure that in a number of our advisory committees and decision-making bodies, expertise from the outside world is brought in. Collaboration with societal and industrial partners is of key importance for our further development and provides avenues for application of our scientific and technological expertise and know-how".

siderably in recent years. We are now ranked 143 worldwide.

For a university of our scale and young history, that is a position with which we can be very satisfied. Our international reputation is also reflected in our participation in various European Union-supported research projects by academic institutions and partners from different countries, and in the increasing visibility and impact of UAntwerpen in society. Our investments in buildings and infrastructure in which researchers and companies can think and work together, such as BlueApp, The Beacon and Vaccinopolis, will further strengthen this in the future.”

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University Hospital Antwerp Pioneering in groundbreaking research As a university hospital, the University Hospital of Antwerp (UZA) conducts pioneering scientific research. “Thanks to this research, we can continue to innovate and develop new insights, techniques and therapies that will benefit patients in the future,” says Prof. Elke Smits, who, as head of the Science & Innovation department, coordinates this research.

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cientific research has always been one of the basic activities at UZA, alongside top clinical patient care and the training of medical staff. “In the past, this took place separately, in the various medical departments, explains Prof. Smits. “In 2008, the hospital appointed myself and a statistician to streamline scientific research throughout UZA. In doing so, it took advantage of the Flemish ambition to fully invest in six innovation clusters. Healthcare is one of those clusters.”

clinical research activities within the UZA. It is also an internal and external central contact point for doctors and other interested parties with questions about scientific research and access to the biobank,” says Elke Smits. The CRC also supports and streamlines the entire cycle of research and development of both the departments involved at UZA and the University of Antwerp.

The university's life sciences campus is adjacent to that of UZA. "The cooperation between the hospital and the university is expressed in joint project teams, for example for oncogenetics.”

Top clinical care

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“The CRC attracts research funding and cooperation with companies and increases the visibility With 605 beds and with more than 700,000 of our research and clinical studies. Policy is consultations and treatments in day care each managed by a steering committee, in which the year, the UZA is a midsize hospital by Belgian university is represented alongside the various standards. “Top clinical care means that we Prof. Elke Smits, echelons of the hospital - such as the managemainly treat patients here with medical problems head of the Science & Innovation ment and medical council.” The CRC also acts they have been referred to from primary care department at UZA as a platform for the unification of the various and general hospitals. In doing so, we engage workflows - such as the legal workflow - of the in groundbreaking research with an internationclinical studies and biobank applications carried out, so that they al dimension, while at the same time keeping the patient centre are completed according to uniform procedures. In 2020 alone, stage. In this way, the resulting innovations come about bot632 clinical protocols were submitted to the competent Ethics tom-up.” The UZA has been certified to the American JCI quality Committee, eight UZA employees defended their doctoral thesis standard since 2015 and in 2017 was the first European hospiin medical sciences and we also participated in 20 externally tal to receive recognition as a magnet hospital. This is the highest funded projects.” recognition for nursing care worldwide.

Within the CRC framework, the Clinical Trial Center (CTC) is responsible for conducting clinical studies, i.e. studies that also involve patients. “The CTC acts as a central point of contact where anyone who wants to start a clinical trial can apply. The CTC ensures that everyone follows the same procedures. It is also responsible for the necessary training of the research teams involved.” Another important task is the contact with patient organisations. “The role of these organisations in scientific research is constantly increasing. Patients are involved in evaluating the

Clinical Research Centre Antwerp The driving force behind the clinical research conducted is the Clinical Research Center Antwerp (CRC), which was established in 2010. “This expertise centre coordinates all translational and

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The multidisciplinary Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine (CCRG) at UZA focuses on research into and production of groundbreaking cell therapies. It has been playing a pioneering role in this for years. Besides research with its own academically developed experimental cell therapies, the CCRG also cooperates in the execution of studies of external initiators. Currently, studies are being conducted on blood cancer, brain tumours, lung cancer and multiple sclerosis.

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date, it also has older material, including samples from the Tumour Bank@UZA. The material is stored in the freezer bank, at temperatures of -80 °C and -180 °C.” Thanks to the tumour samples, the UZA was already able to start a pioneering study on the functioning of the immune system of cancer patients affected by Covid-19.

The biobank collects human body material, obtained with the consent of the patient. For this purpose, it uses a data management system, in which data about the material in question and the corresponding clinical data of the patient are stored in encrypted form. “Only the doctor in charge of the biobank can link the sample to the patient via a code table, so that in the event of incidental findings, the treating doctor can be informed.

He can then discuss it with the patient. Complete traceability is fundamental here, not only in terms of the origin of the material, but also of the researchers who use it. They must contractually commit to all legal and ethical provisions. The consent of the patient is also required for secondary use of the samples. If this is not (or no longer) possible, a favourable opinion from the Ethics Committee is sufficient.”

Strategic core facility

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The UZA considers the biobank a strategic core facility. “Biospecimens make it possible to conduct clinical studies and diagnostic research on large, representative populations. In this way, they can be used to find causal links with diseases. They therefore fit in very well with global epidemic management. In terms of logistics and economies of scale, they also represent a major step forward. After all, the existing storage facilities proved increasingly inadequate to meet the demands of the market and legislation, such as the Belgian legislation on human material. This has only been in force since 2018.”

general readability of our patient brochures and consent forms,” explains Prof. Smits. “Patient involvement will lead to optimisation of ethics, relevance, transparency, promotion and implementation of research results, among other things.”

Antwerp Biobank The UZA also houses the Antwerp Biobank, which stores body material for (future) scientific research. “Already in 2009, Time Magazine labelled biobanking as one of the top 10 ideas that would change the world. The Antwerp Biobank was founded in 2018 under the new Belgian legal framework. It processes human (residual) material from examinations and operations at the UZA and the university and, through international agreements, from institutions worldwide. Despite the recent foundation

Covid-19

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The UZA was the first Belgian hospital to admit a Covid-19 patient. The CRC Antwerp soon took the initiative to coordinate Covid-19 studies and research centrally. "We receive many requests from companies to test new medicines. In total, so far this has involved 98 academic and 47 commercial studies."

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Agoria Vlaanderen Innovation as a weapon against the crisis As the Belgian federation of the technology industry, Agoria guides its members into the future. The strategy is built around innovation based on the three foundations that are also at the heart of Europe: sustainability, digitization and Industry 4.0. The ultimate goal is to develop and apply technological novelties that improve the quality of life in all possible ways.

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ith more than 2,000 affiliated companies representing around 310,000 employees, Agoria is one of the largest trade federations in our country. “Our services are threefold,” says Peter Demuynck, general director of Agoria Flanders. “Consultancy, business development and creating an optimal business environment for our members. To this end, we not only work closely together with other sector federations, but also with a wide range of knowledge institutions and consultants”.

Age of Opportunities

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2020 was a strange year for everyone. Also the members of Agoria did not escape the consequences of Covid-19. “The importance of the strategy we formulated long before this crisis has been reaffirmed in this special period”, says Peter Demuynck.

Sustainability, digitization and Industry 4.0 are the most important building blocks for a successful recovery of our sector. During this health crisis, digital services have greatly improved the quality of our lives. Moreover, they created opportunities in the field of lifelong learning and workable from home. We believe that 2021 will mark the start of a new learning decade where education is central. In order to proactively anticipate this trend, we decided to develop digital training modules together with the VDAB. In addition, with Sirris we created ‘The 7 Transformations Experience’, a dynamic and interactive online course that provides more insight into the challenges of the ‘Factories of the Future’.

Peter Demuynck, general director of Agoria Flanders

says Peter Demuynck. “In order to succeed, it is essential that government, industry and knowledge institutions have their noses in the same direction. For our members to be able to continue innovating, they need to be supported by the researchers of our colleges and universities. In this respect, Agoria is the advocate of an even more demand-driven deployment of Flemish innovation resources. Applied research linked to the needs of the business world is an important key to success. Only in this way will there be enough resources left to make Flanders a leader in areas such as hydrogen, the circular economy, cyber security, clean connected automated vehicles, the low carbon industry, smart health and micro-electronics. Admittedly in a European context, because the seeds of further cooperation in European value chains are beginning to germinate in the meantime”.

Industry 4.0 is the future Covid-19 was also a very interesting school for Agoria. “The first corona wave clearly showed that it is difficult to keep our productivity at a high level in rapidly changing (crisis) situations,” explains Peter Demuynck. “Industry 4.0, which links the physical world and the digital world, is an enabler to stabilise and even increase productivity, even in the exceptional situations we are now facing. That is why we want to focus even more on a general migration to Industry 4.0 in the Flemish manufacturing industry. The Industrial Partnership - a consortium of 17 partners led by Agoria and Sirris - helps companies to implement the concept with the support of Vlaio. Concretely, this project consists of a scan and a coaching trajectory to successfully complete the transition phases. In 2020, we expanded this further with special initiatives to tackle the challenges of Covid-19”.

Need for additional applied research Agoria is convinced that accelerating the introduction of pioneering technologies (such as Artificial Intelligence and CyberSecurity) is crucial to prepare Flemish companies for the post-corona era.

“That is why we have taken on the role of bridge builder in 2020,”

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Inopsys builds recycling installations in mobile maritime Money containers on the sites of industrial companies. The first Inopsys has gathered the necessary funds to invest project it established this way was the construction of Steven De Laet, CEO Inopsys in the purification and extraction installations all by a system to extract zinc out of waste water on the site itself. The industrial partners don’t need to spend their money and of Janssen Pharmaceutica in Geel. This installation is recovering about can restrict themselves to their core business. Inopsys doesn’t work 40 tot 80 tons of zinc every year. The applied technology is also nor goes into the market with the extracted precious metals: the suitable for metals such as vanadium, platina and palladium. Mostly, industrial partners can include a buying option in their contract. in industrial processes, those materials are used as catalysts. In the In most contracts Inopsys gets rewarded based on the amounts of traditional approach, fractions of them are getting lost with the purified water. waste streams during production processes. On the long term, those fractions become large amounts of expensive material. Inopsys In Inopsys’ R&D department chemistry merges with engineering develops solutions for almost all non-organic materials. Installations and scientific expertise. Its work isn’t limited to noble metals, but also to recover palladium already are operational. involves the recycling of solvents and removing toxic compounds from industrial side streams. For every specific case, Inopsys applies The loss of water and metals is not the only problem. Wastewaters the combination of technologies such as coagulation, filtration, containing traces of chemical compounds, surfactants, colorants flotation, adsorption, advanced oxidation, membranes… but also and active pharmaceutical ingredients are generated, mixed and extraction, crystallization, complexation, and scavenging. For complex collected, resulting in hazardous waste. To get rid of the waste side streams, one technology might not be enough to reach the desired discharge limit. In this case, Inopsys fine-tunes and combines the best available technologies, resulting in the best available and most sustainable solutions. In the future, it might find solutions not only to recycle metals, but also organic materials. In its fundamental research programs, it develops innovative methods for removing micropollutants, including endocrine disruptors, absorbable organic halides, persistent (agro)chemicals, and PFAS, to sub-ppt levels.

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Water quality and access to clean water become a challenge. Micropollutants, endocrine disrupting chemicals, PFAS,… Inopsys developed solutions for the removal of these micropollutants.

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streams, the industry uses large trucks to transport them to special incinerator facilities. The trucks take the way back completely empty. This causes a lot of CO2 - and other emissions in the atmosphere.

Using Inopsys’ circular solutions, this can be avoided.

After treatment by Inopsys, waste water can be safely transferred into the biological treatment or directly into surface water.

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Today, many companies still see transport for incineration, as the best available technology.

Another example are the large amounts of tap water that gey last in polluting waste water streams, while containing valuable elements. However, the water as well as the valuable elements can be recovered. Inopsys is committed to ensure that side streams from industrial production processes no longer get regarded as waste, but as basic product that deserve new life.

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Galapagos is living proof that it is possible in Belgium to build an end-to-end biotech company in just twenty years, in other words: a biotech that leads the entire research and development (R&D) process and the marketing of its own medicine. The most recent milestone in that journey is the availability of the first Galapagos medicine for patients in Belgium and Europe. This brings them full circle.

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alapagos, headquartered in Mechelen (Belgium), is active in R&D of synthetic drugs (‘small molecules’) with a mode of action based on the discovery of new targets.

The biotech focuses on medicines that address the root cause of diseases with a high medical need, rather than just treating the symptoms. Dr. Erik Present, medical director Benelux, gives an overview of Galapagos’ current and upcoming developments.

disease, which are progressing in the earlier stages of clinical research (phase 1 and 2). Hopefully, we will be able to make these potential treatments available to patients in the next few years, like we did in 2020, making our first medicine - a treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or colitis ulcerosa available for patients.”

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“We have been active in R&D of small molecules for over twenty years now. We started in 1999. Our culture is based on our ambition to pioneer for patients, a way of thinking and acting that is still deeply ingrained in the company and its employees.

This means that our organization is flat, with short decision-making lines and little hierarchy. We also challenge existing conventions, which enables us to move quicker to the next stage of drug research when there is an urgent need for a medicine for a certain condition. We are not treading on the well-trodden path and are trying to think and act differently than others in our domain. This also implies that we take more risks and that some projects fail. Failure is inherent in our business and, for us, part of the process of progress. We leave room to learn from mistakes,” says Dr. Present.

Discovering novel medicines is challenging and does not only require innovative technology, but also expertise. Galapagos uses human primary cells and cells of patients to identify the proteins (‘targets’) that play a key role in causing a disease. “We then develop small molecules that inhibit these targets, restore the balance and thereby positively influence the course of the disease.” To realize this efficiently and effectively, Galapagos has developed a unique target discovery platform (illustration on the next page). “Normal adenoviruses are causing colds. We use inactivated adenoviruses as viral vectors to insert specific knockdown (KD) molecules into human cell cultures originating from patients. Doing so, we can find out which molecules can suppress the target disease. Proteins blocked by the KD molecules can be a target for a new treatment. Over the years, we have built a library of more than 6,000 molecules linked to potential targets.” The platform is unique because it looks at patient-derived tissues without bias. “This has already yielded a broad range of potential targets. As a next step, we further develop drug candidates for these targets,” explains Dr. Present.

From the outset, Galapagos demonstrated its ambition to become a fully integrated end-to-end biotech company. “This means that the entire process of drug discovery and development, from the proof-of-concept clinical trials all the way up to commercialization, is in Galapagos’ hands. The most recent milestone in that journey is the availability of our first medicine for patients in Belgium and Europe. This takes us much further than most other biotech companies, where the involvement often stops after the discovery and development phase. Usually, biotech companies sell their potential treatment to one of the global pharmaceutical players, who take care of the international commercialization. Galapagos has chosen a path of independence and continues to develop as a leading European biotech company.”

Expertise In R&D, Galapagos focuses solely on discovering new targets.

“In the last two decades, our researchers have built extensive expertise in this area. We have developed molecules that have gone through the different clinical phases. But we also have several research programs in inflammation, fibrosis and chronic kidney

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As a leading European biotech company, Galapagos staffs employees in more than 10 European countries with more than 1,300 colleagues who are pioneering for patients. Most of them work at the headquarters in Mechelen, where both R&D activities and central functions are located, like Human Resources, Finance and Legal. In addition, some 250 employees work in the research facilities in Leiden (the Netherlands) and in Romainville, near Paris (France). Overall, most of the workforce is involved in R&D activities, which accounts for 75% of Galapagos’ human and budgetary resources. The cornerstones of the company are the researchers’ accumulated and combined knowledge of diseases and medicines, the target discovery platform with the gene library and the insights generated via clinical trials. For the Belgian organization, the vibrant life sciences ecosystem also plays an important role. On a small surface, there is a lot of expertise and many opportunities for collaboration with academic centers, scientists, hospitals, doctors, patient organizations and other companies. Such a proximity in the Belgian healthcare landscape creates a wealth of opportunities for all stakeholders, of which patients are the beneficiaries. There are still untapped opportunities though, like data science and data sharing. Belgium can take up a leading role in Europe in those fields.

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Target Discovery Platform: How Galapagos identifies biological targets

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Galapagos’ unique discovery platform uses an adenoviral library to knock-down target proteins as a functional genomic screen in a disease-relevant human primary cell phenotypic assay.

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VIB 25 years of excellence-driven research with a strong societal impact As a 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. The Flemish government funds VIB.

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ver 1,700 scientists from more than 76 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.

© VIB – Ine Dehandschutter

In 2021, VIB researchers provided several scientific highlights.

For example, the identification of a new population of macrophages (immune cells) in livers affected by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by the team of Charlotte Scott (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research). These newly discovered cells are found primarily in the most damaged liver regions, where they produce a protein that can identify patients with severe fatty liver disease. With no treatment currently available for fatty liver disease, this discovery opens up potential new treatment options.

Ajit Shetty, Jo Bury and Jérôme Van Biervliet

has become the basis for a new start-up company, ExeVir Bio, which was officially launched in July 2020 – an unprecedented timeline to set up a new company. Already in the summer of 2021, ExeVir Bio has launched phase I and phase IB/II clinical trials in human patients.

Another intriguing finding was how statins affect gut microbiome compositions. The team of Jeroen Raes (VIB-KULeuven Center for Microbiology) found obesity-associated microbiota alterations in the quantitative fecal metagenomes that were sensitive to statin therapy. The researchers also observed that obesity-associated microbiota dysbiosis is negatively associated with statin treatment, hinting at new potential benefits of statins.

2021 was also a very productive year in translation and collaboration for VIB, with several start-ups successfully launched.

Protealis made its debut in the plant breeding industry. Inspired by the mission to grow more sustainable plant-based proteins locally, Protealis 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. Protealis is based on the strategic alliance of research institutes VIB and ILVO and draws on the unique know-how of each of the partners, such as breeding technologies and seed coating with proprietary yield-enhancing soil bacteria.

These innovations have been 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.

© VIB

In response to the global COVID-19 crisis, the teams of Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert (VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology) have developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 that could provide immediate protection. With the help of VIB's Discovery Sciences team, the development of these antibodies

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Muna Therapeutics was born out of K5 Therapeutics, a VIBDroia spin-off, merged with Muna, an Aarhus University-Novo Holdings start-up. Neurodegenerative brain diseases affect millions of individuals, with increasing global impact as the population ages. Palliative treatments are scarce, and no curative therapies are currently available. Muna Therapeutics focuses on developing first-in-class therapeutics for these neurodegenerative diseases to address the staggering unmet needs experienced by

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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. In 2021, the program launched Soy in Flanders, which combined citizen science (Soy in 1,000 Gardens project, which enlisted 1,150 citizen scientists to plant soybeans in their gardens) with translation into practice. The final aim is to effectively cultivate soy in our region, as an alternative source for proteins. This Grand Challenges project illustrates VIB's commitment to transparent and rapid positive impact with the involvement of many stakeholders.

patients worldwide. Muna Therapeutics builds on the pioneering research of Bart De Strooper (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) into the fundamental mechanisms that underlie Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Finally, Flamingo Therapeutics focuses on RNA-targeted therapies for cancer. This approach is based on the work by Jean-Christophe Marine (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) and Pieter Mestdagh (Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University). Their teams elucidated the link between cancer and a specific form of RNA, called long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). By expanding its alliance with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Flamingo Therapeutics can combine its expertise in oncology and lncRNAs with Ionis' experience in developing RNA therapeutics.

Beyond science and translation, VIB is also highly active in science communication. In 2021 especially providing accurate and understandable scientific information on vaccines has been crucial.

That is why VIB has set up a website and campaign (vaccinsverklaard.be) that brings together factful information for all – regardless of age or background –about vaccines' development, history, and safety.

These start-ups are examples of how VIB firmly embeds technology transfer in its mission.

An additional strategic initiative to increase the immediate social impact of VIB research is the Grand Challenges program. Projects funded through this program are by definition transdisciplinary, addressing primary challenges in healthcare and agriculture, and involve extensive collaboration with partners beyond VIB. Each of the Grand Challenges projects will also involve close interaction with many stakeholders, such as patient organizations

© VIB-IneDehandschutter

Building on basic science, translating scientific findings into both immediate and long-term impact, and providing comprehensive information for different audiences remains the three-pronged approach of VIB, and in 2021 it has once again proven a success.

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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.

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esearch 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 2008-2020 alone, this led to the creation of 88 spin-offs and the granting of 1.512 patents.

through translational research, 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.

Bottom-up IOF platforms

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 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

© UGent, Kattoo Hillewaere, Nic Vermeulen, Tim Verbrugghe, Anneke D'Hollander

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

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© UGent, Kattoo Hillewaere, Nic Vermeulen, Tim Verbrugghe, Anneke D'Hollander

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 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.

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© UGent, Kattoo Hillewaere, Nic Vermeulen, Tim Verbrugghe, Anneke D'Hollander

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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.

© UGent, Kattoo Hillewaere, Nic Vermeulen, Tim Verbrugghe, Anneke D'Hollander

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.

Reducing animal testing

© UGent, Kattoo Hillewaere, Nic Vermeulen, Tim Verbrugghe, Anneke D'Hollander

One of Ghent University’s ambitions is to reduce, refine and replace animal testing. In 2020, 45,942 animal tests were performed at Ghent University. Because some animals were reused, this translates into 45,733 involved test animals.

When it is possible to carry out research using fewer animals without loss of quality, Ghent University researchers are obliged to do so. The Animal Ethics Committees monitor this and give advice when necessary. The principle of reduction implies that as few animals as possible are used, without compromising the objectives of the research.

Where and when possible, an animal is used for multiple purposes. For example, tissue from an animal killed after use can be used for other research purposes if the initial research cannot affect the other research results. Similarly, animals killed after research (and animals that are not useful because of their phenotype) are donated for educational purposes: thus, no additional animals are killed for this purpose. Another example of reduction is the use of medical imaging techniques that allow information to be obtained from one and the same animal over a long period of time, for example on a cancer progression or a healing process.

This avoids the use of multiple sick animals, each of which must be killed and examined at successive stages.

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Your partner in putting science and innovation in animal health into practice

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e offer in-depth academic expertise and research capacity on selected fields like vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, delivery systems, wearables, data and AI,” explains business development manager dr. Sven Arnouts. “provaxs can be your academic partner to support your innovation projects in animal health. We combine knowledge and know-how on animal health with an entrepreneurial organisation of scientists and experienced tech-transfer professionals.”

From research to product development “The top-notch research performed by our scientists is the base of all our innovations,” says Arnouts. “For example, we discovered how Escherichia coli bacteria infect piglets by attaching to a receptor on their intestinal wall and consequently pass the intestinal epithelium. This mechanism is now used to increase passage of oral vaccines and drugs from the intestinal lumen into (systemic) circulation which can lead to operational applications, not only with pigs, but also with other animals and maybe with humans.”

Flexibility and tailor-made partnerships provaxs is receptive for all kinds of collaboration with its partners, from PhD research with industrial applications and R&D collaboration to co-development and outlicensing of innovative technologies. This can be realised as a research collaboration on a single project, either bilateral or in a research consortium as well as in a strategic partnership with a specific focus. “Thanks to the Industrial Research Fund of Ghent University provaxs has access to proof-of-concept funding. We provide solutions for concrete needs and opportunities, combining state-of-the-art technologies of multidisciplinary teams. Our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, number 1 on the global Shanghai ranking from 2017 to 2021, is a source of high-level research results and a centre for testing and validating technologies in vitro, in vivo and in the field.”

Market authorization “We collaborate with our partners during the process of technology transfer and during further development towards market authorization,” says Arnouts. “We are in contact with the European Medicines Agency, national agencies and their Innovation Offices which evaluate possible regulatory aspects of upcoming technologies and provide advice on applicable guidelines. Our interactions with these organisations enable us to receive early input on the regulatory landscape related to our innovations and to take this into account in our proofof-concept studies.”

“Our business development team facilitates interactions between our researchers and industry. They have daily contacts with our scientists and keep abreast of new scientific insights and developments.

Moreover, they are aware of the needs of industry. Ghent University’s proof-of-concept funding enables us to test and validate our concepts, mature technologies, and de-risk our projects up to a level where our industrial partners can take over and develop them further.”

Possible cooperation at every stage “Not only are our technologies open for licensing and our spin-off projects for investment, we can also add our scientific knowledge, expertise and creativity to your ideas through research collaboration.

All these processes are supported by a team of IP and legal advisors.”

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PROVAXS Ghent University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health Salisburylaan 133 - 9820 Merelbeke Tel. : +32 (0)495 707 334 Email: Sven.Arnouts@UGent.be - https://provaxs.be/

Fujirebio Europe I

A pioneer in the field of Alzheimer diagnostics

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Dementia is expected to affect 74.7 million people worldwide by 2030 and 131.5 million by 2050. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, but it is not easy to diagnose due to the overlap in clinical symptoms between different types of dementias and pseudo-dementias. The pathological changes that occur in AD are present long before one starts developing symptoms. With high unmet needs to correctly diagnose AD, biomarkers related to the pathology offer the opportunity to diagnose it early and accurately. Based on the sampling of cerebrospinal fluid, this technique is much simpler to implement and less expensive than medical imaging. Four tests have recently been developed and launched by Fujirebio on the fully automated Lumipulse® platform, measuring b-amyloid1-42, b-amyloid1-40, total Tau and hyperphosphorylated Tau. When the measurements of these biomarkers are indicative for AD, the likelihood of AD dementia

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Under the name Innogenetics N.V., acquired by Fujirebio Inc. (Japan) in 2010, the company has distinguished itself as pioneer in the field of Alzheimer diagnostics - first with the manual assays and now again on a fully automated platform.

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The teams at Fujirebio Europe N.V. are especially proud of their fully automated solution for AD biomarker testing. Both the automation itself as well as the implementation of the certified reference materials for b-amyloid1-42 add to the highly anticipated standardization of these markers. With implementing Lumipulse G automated assays, this “operational” standardization leads to a higher precision and more reliable results. To further support the progress in the field of AD, Fujirebio is working on plasma and other novel biomarkers as well as actively looking for partnerships to offer a wide range of solutions to clinicians and researchers.

When the progress in IVD could be matched with a success on the pharma side, patients have every reason to hope!

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ith more than 50 years’ accumulated experience, their products range from specialized manual testing to fully automated routine testing for infectious diseases including Covid-19, oncology, genetic testing, thyroid, fertility, tissue typing, bone, cardiology and neurodegeneration. Over the past 25 years Fujirebio has also shown the way with innovative automated immunoassay testing solutions such as the robust Lumipulse® chemiluminescence platform, now available across Europe, USA, and Asia.

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Over the years clinical diagnostic criteria have evolved to incorporate these biomarkers. They have first been adopted by research centers and specialized memory centers. Now they are becoming more and more implemented in routine, thereby increasing the volume of tests and creating a need to have them on an automated system. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry is highly interested in these tests as a means to include patients into their AD-trials.

When a drug will finally be approved, drug prescription can be based on the results of these assays.

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being the underlying cause of the cognitive deterioration increases.

Therefore, IVD testing offers each patient suffering from cognitive impairment a chance to receive better and more relevant care.

Fujirebio, the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) branch of the global Japanese healthcare group H.U. Group (formerly known as Miraca Holdings Inc.), is a leader in the field of high quality IVD testing solutions and a privileged partner for distribution, contract manufacturing and custom OEM solutions.

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Fujirebio Europe N.V. Technologiepark 6 - 9052 Gent Tel.: +32 (0)9 329 13 29 Email: info@fujirebio.com - https://www.fujirebio.com

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UZ Gent A dynamic organisation in full development With more than 3,000 patients a day and more than 6,000 employees, Ghent University Hospital is one of the largest and most specialised hospitals in Flanders.

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atients 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

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

Alternative administration of Covid-19 vaccines From June 2021 onwards, the Centre for Vaccinology (CEVAC) of Ghent University will participate in the IMCOVAS study, which was started at the University of Antwerp. In this study, researchers are comparing the effectiveness of alternative administration methods for the Covid 19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca. CEVAD's aim is to help find a solution to any supply shortfalls for the existing vaccines.

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.

The delivery of vaccines approved for use in the European Union depends on many factors. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, a certain vaccine is not supplied in sufficient quantities, the vaccination campaign may be delayed. A more flexible vaccination schedule can then be of great benefit.

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.

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

Therefore, the IMCOVAS study investigates the effect on immune response if certain variables are adjusted: a longer period between two vaccine doses, a vaccine of a different brand for the second dose or half the recommended dose. In addition, the study will also investigate whether an injection into the skin at a lower dose produces a similar immune response as an injection into the upper arm muscle at a normal dose.

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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.

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CT scan of bones without X-rays MRI scans work with harmless radio waves but are mainly suitable for tissues such as muscles. For bone structures such as the back or hips, a CT-scan is unsurpassed, but this technique involves ionising X-rays. Every year, patients in Belgium undergo more than 2 million CT-scans. The X-rays involved increase the risk of cancer. That is why it is not often performed on bone lesions. However, important information for a good diagnosis and correct treatment can be missed.

The new technique overcomes these disadvantages.

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.

That is why the company MRIguidance developed the software package BoneMRI. This converts MRI images to CT images in 3D. Radiologists at the UZ Gent used it for the first time to accurately convert MRI images of bone structures to CT images in 3D. These images are as precise as the classic CT images, while the patients are not exposed to X-rays. It is sufficient to scan the patient for a few minutes longer after the standard MRI.

Baby born after transplantation of frozen ovarian tissue

Double-blind study In recent months, the technique has been tested on patients with inflammatory rheumatism of the sacrum joints, Bechterew's disease. These are often young patients for whom early detection is important to avoid serious structural injuries later on. The results of conventional CT and synthetic CT were compared in a double-blind fashion and proved to be equally sensitive and specific. They scored much better than the regular MRI.

In the UZ Gent, a baby was born in early 2021 after the transplantation of the mother's own frozen ovarian tissue.

Ten years earlier, after a cancer diagnosis, the woman had healthy ovarian tissue surgically removed and frozen in order to preserve her desire to have children after cancer treatment.

Due to the chemotherapy, she reached menopause prematurely and could no longer conceive spontaneously. In April 2019, some pieces of the frozen ovarian tissue were thawed and replaced. In July 2019, the woman had her first cycle. A year later, she became pregnant with the help of hormonal stimulation and ivf. Another nine months later, the woman gave birth to a healthy baby.

In the meantime, the technique has been adopted at UZ Gent for imaging the back, the sacrum joints and the hips.

An estimated 500 patients a year will be able to have the new scan. UZ Gent is now continuing to work on examining other bones that are best not exposed to RX radiation, such as the entire spine.

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

© Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent

UZ Gent has been freezing ovarian tissue since 1999. This is usually done on young girls, sometimes even before puberty.

This explains why the first pregnancy after a transplantation of ovarian tissue occurred only recently.

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Biostimulants to upgrade agricultural capacity CropFit is a multidisciplinary consortium with expertise on biostimulants and biocontrol. Progeno is a university spin-off company that aims to empower professional plant and animal breeders. Both of them were founded in Ghent University and are working closely together.

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ropFit is not only affiliated to Ghent University, but also to HoGent. It aims to develop and transfer its technology, expertise and results on biostimulants and biocontrol through strong partnership with stakeholders and industry. Therefore, it offers a fully integrated expertise that includes extraction and purification of active molecules, screening of new bioactive molecules or promising micro-organisms, identification and characterization of bioactive molecules or micro-organisms, elucidation of the mode of action and testing proof of concept in the field or greenhouse.

“CropFit combines the work of about 150 researchers in thirty research groups,” says coordinator, professor Geert Haesaert. We want to enhance people’s life by developing inspiring technologies and sustainable products to improve crop health, crop resilience and crop production with a minimum impact on environment.”

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Plant breeding for more sustainable crop production Progeno provides professional plant and animal breeders with a direct access to state-of-the-art breeding and selection methods. Its software framework is centered around an innovative computing engine that allows it to integrate all available breeding data, generally including many years of phenotypic trial observations and sometimes vast amounts of molecular marker information, into reliable (genomic) breeding values.

“We adapt biostimulants to be favourable for the growth of specific genotypes of plants. Working on active molecules saves a lot of time.

With traditional plant breeding methods, it took, for instance to create a resistant potato cultivar, almost fifty years between the first crossing and an eatable potato. With our approach, we can reach such results much faster. To apply our research results in the agriculture economy, we are actively seeking for industrial partners to collaborate at different levels in projects, from bilateral research, development and application of technologies to licensing of patents.”

Progeno has its origins in the long-term scientific symbiosis between the university’s departments of plant production and applied mathematics, biometrics and process control. Main founder was Steven Maenhout, who prior to his PhD study during several years worked as a commercial software and database developer. Progeno’s academic research is performed in close collaboration with private breeding companies. A large number of private breeding companies already has been actively involved in the design and validation of the Progeno software. This assures the applicability of the findings and algorithms on real world and industry sized data sets.

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Recently, CropFit was successful in developing a durable alternative for a vaccine against the oomycete that causes potato blight, responsible for the deadly famine in Ireland in 1845-1852. Traditionally, the crops were repeatedly treated with fungicides. This results in undesired ecotoxicological effects, severed by the high frequency of this treatment during some growth seasons. The EU’s Green Deal however aims to reduce the use of this kind of fungicides by 50%. “So, a green alternative became a necessity,” says Haesaert.

“For this reason, our research groups investigated the possible effects of Green Leaf Volatiles (GLV) on the resistance of potato plants against the Phytophthora infestans. This water mold can destroy the complete harvest of an unprotected field in less than ten days. GLV get released from plants that suffered tissue damage. Some of them are giving warning signals to other plants.”

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“For the popular potato variety Bintje, we could demonstrate that GLV activates several defence related genes. This causes the plant to switch to a higher level of self-defence,” explains Haesaert.

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Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Campus Schoonmeersen Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1 9000 Gent Tel.: +32(0)9 264 92 02 Email: maaike.perneel@ugent.be http://www.ugent.be/cropfit/

Technologiepark 3 9052 Zwijnaarde Tel.: +32 (0)499 45 60 05 Email: info@progeno.net http://www.progeno.net

Food2Know I

Bundled expertise from farm to fork

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Food2Know was founded in 2008 at Ghent University as an industrial research consortium on animal nutrition, food and health. It is the central point of contact for industry, government and other stakeholders and guarantees high-quality research and advice.

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Furthermore, Food2Know - together with its own and external partners - looks for project opportunities and funding. With its Industrial Liaison Network it offers a supporting framework for cooperation between academia and industry.

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he centre of excellence is located in the heart of the city of Ghent. It comprises some forty research groups and laboratories from Ghent University, Free University of Brussels, University of Antwerp, Hogeschool Gent and the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO). Each of them conducts research on the topics of feed, food and/or health. They work on the relationship between the composition of animal feed and the quality of meat or fish, on preservation and packaging techniques, on the structural composition of foodstuffs, the relationship between nutrition (including nutraceuticals) and health in humans and animals, up to and including consumer behaviour and perception. With their business development centres, they bring together complementary research departments for each field of application or area of expertise. Together they cover the entire food chain, from farm to fork.

One of Food2Know’s ongoing research projects is CUSTOMEAT (FWO-SBO S002821N), which focuses on the potential of new technologies for the introduction of ‘in vitro’ farmed meat. The development has been going on for more than ten years, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The production process needs to be improved in order to obtain a cost-efficient, safe and edible product. In addition, public perception remains a challenge.

CUSTOMEAT must increase knowledge of the existing research deficits and integrate contributions from the biomedical research field with know-how from food technology. One of the other numerous projects is WeLaser (Horizon Europe), which aims to use laser technology to find alternatives to chemical weed killers.

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Food2Know does not only work within a regional and national context, but also develops activities on an international level. Via Food2Know, companies, professional sectors, consumer organisations and government institutions have direct access to top expertise and advanced equipment, both for performing analyses, for scientific or business advice, and for setting up research projects.

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As a knowledge centre, it not only brings together top experts from across the food chain, but also increases interaction with industrial and societal stakeholders. It also works to align academic research with practice and to disseminate the acquired knowledge.

Innovation and valorisation of the generated intellectual property are central to this.

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Universiteit Gent Coupure Links 653 - 9000 Gent Tel.: +32 (0)9 264 99 44 Email: Food2know@ugent.be - http://www.food2know.org

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‘Working together towards a circular economy’ is not an empty slogan at Valipac, but an ambitious objective. In recent years, the organisation has set up various projects with its stakeholders to maximise the recycling of commercial and industrial packaging waste and to process the recyclate into new packaging. With its new bonus-system for recycled content, Valipac is planting the seed that should grow into a comprehensive packaging circularity system throughout Europe.

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alipac is the accredited body for extended producer responsibility for commercial and industrial packaging. It works according to a participatory model based on consultation between the various stakeholders. “Trade federations, companies and employers’ organisations are all part of our decision-making bodies,” says Managing Director Francis Huysman. “Until recently, the focus was on registering the commercial and industrial packaging placed on the market and collected in Belgium, and encouraging selective collection from companies. With success, because in 20 years we have succeeded in raising the recycling percentage of commercial and industrial packaging from 74 to 91.5%, making us the leader in Europe. In this linear model, the recycling of plastic packaging was mainly outside 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 the entire recycling process and use of the recyclate remains on European soil. “ © Valipac

In order to promote the principle of circularity in Europe, Valipac has somewhat reinvented itself. “From 2022 onwards, we will be presenting a circular model in which the focus is on the co-responsibility of all stakeholders,” Francis Huysman explains. “Here, we will no longer only register the commercial and industrial packaging placed on the market and collected in Belgium. We are entering into partnerships with new stakeholders: traders and recycling companies will have to cooperate in full transparency in order to be able to establish where the commercial and industrial packaging waste from Belgium 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 commercial and industrial packaging. We will support their sustainable packaging with an incentive. Since 1 January 2022, we started paying our clients a bonus of 50€ per tonne of post-consumer recyclate incorporated into their commercial and industrial plastic packaging. The only condition is that the packaging is used for goods that are packaged and sold in Belgium. 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%. Logical, given that today only a handful of packaging producers offer such solutions.”

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Valipac draws the card of circularity

This new bonus-system is accompanied by the launch of the platform myRecycledContent.com, where supply and demand can find each other. “Few companies know 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. And with this we are taking another step towards a European approach, because logically the website will not only be used by Belgian players.”

Valipac Avenue Reine Astrid, 59A bte 11 1780 Wemmel Tél. : +32 (0)2 456 83 10 Email : info@valipac.be - https://www.valipac.be/ 66

Sillar Clinical

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“Our management team works on strategy and planning. In addition, we have an operational team and an extensive network of specialists for the practical implementation of clinical trials. Given the complexity

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Xavier de Cocklaan 66 9831 Sint-Martens-Latem Tel.: +32 (0) 9 395 23 60 E-mail: contact@sillar-clinical.com http://www.sillar-clinical.com

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The development of a new drug starts with the discovery and transitions into preclinical, this is the stage of research that begins before clinical trials (testing in “We receive a lot of appreciation for our broad humans) and during which important feasibility, Vanessa Parrein, knowledge and extensive network of permanent iterative testing and drug safety data are collected, co-founder and managing partner partners. The fact that we handle as a single point of typically in laboratory animals. The clinical develcontact is highly appreciated and considered a great asset.” opment is when testing is carried out on humans. The transition from Sillar Clinical’s customer-centric approach and unique focus in preclinical to clinical is a big step and not always obvious. “Sillar Clinical purposefully guiding the entire development process reduce a has a cross-functional expert team who facilitate this transition. Thus, in the major concern from the customer. “Our goal is only achieved when preclinical stage, future expectations and requirements are already taken the client can see the trees through the forest.” into account to enable the clinical stage and to get the product approved for commercialisation. This proactive approach is a great added value in the jungle of legislation, regularisations and administrative red tape, where we must never lose sight of ethical values.”

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Only after the preclinical and clinical phases have been fully completed and the safety and effectiveness of the product has been objectively demonstrated, the development company can submit a dossier to the authorities requesting Market Authorization approval to bring the medicine or medical device on the commercial market.

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From preclinical to clinical trials

Sillar Clinical’s customers are located worldwide.

“Testing new drugs or medical devices on humans is often done in the first phase on a small group of healthy volunteers in a single hospital. But the second phase, when we test on a hundred or so patients, requires the cooperation of several hospitals. And in the third phase, the data of thousands of patients from hundreds of hospitals in several countries is needed to confirm the effect of the product on a large scale. To make all this run smoothly, we screen the hospitals to select the most suitable ones. We help find the doctors with the right profile and specialisation, we make sure all the necessary documents are prepared, we help find the patients, we manage all the collected data and also carry out the necessary statistical analyses.”

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Stijn Otte, co-founder and managing director of Sillar Clinical

of the clinical journey, it is important to know and be able to select different service providers. Not everything has to be in one package,” says Otte.

“It is perfectly modular. Some companies already have some skills in house for certain aspects. In such a case, we are there to supplement those companies with their missing expertise.”

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Stijn Otte and Vanessa Parrein, who do have the necessary professional experience, founded Sillar Clinical in 2018. Sillar Clinical is a company with expertise ranging from clinical development strategies to the complete design and management of clinical trials. “No two clinical development processes are ever the same,” explains managing director Otte.

“Therefore, we strongly focus on working closely with our customers at the earliest possible stage, preferably from the transition from the preclinical to clinical stage. Our personalised approach reduces the risk of development failure at a later stage. By striving for effectiveness and efficiency, we optimise each step, ensure that the necessary safety and efficacy data are available in time, and thus reduce the overall time taken to develop drugs or medical devices. This benefits not only the companies through a positive impact on their budgets - but also the ‘waiting’ patient who can have a faster access to a new drug or medical device.”

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any (small) pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, medtechs and academic institutions have dedicated and highly specialised employees, ranging from physicians and chemists to pharmacists. But few companies have expertise in the complex international and national regulations and administrative requirements needed to bring new drugs or medical devices onto the market.

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Companies engaged in the development of a new drug or medical device must not only develop it pharmacologically or technically, but also go through an extensive process of preclinical, clinical and administrative procedures. Sillar Clinical assists them in this process.

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Howest g

To boldly go where no one has gone before

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owest is an entrepreneurial university of applied sciences. 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.”

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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.

Sizing Servers Lab In Sizing Servers Lab, Howest has been conducting applied IT research for thirteen years. “Already since 2014 the focus of this is on big data,” states coordinator Pieter Bovijn. “We have also been performing data analyses for six years. That ranges from statistics over machine learning to the latest deep learning.

Our current project ‘accelerating AI implementations’ helps organisations with an interest in artificial intelligence to take each step in creating an AI model.”

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“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: business, tourism, digital transformation, digital design, construction and energy, future proof education, social interaction, health and care.”

Among other things, Sizing Servers Lab provides assistance in the optimal storage and processing of big data. “For example, we explained the ins & outs of the Influx Database for the electricity company Cogenius. Currently, we are investigating the efficient and economic use of BigQuery. We show the best way to label each type of data (images, time series, video, ...) and provide tips & tricks to train with an AI-model. How best to bring an AI model into production is a branch in itself. We make and implement such models for companies.

Vital Schools

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. The 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.”

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“Young people sit too much and move too little throughout the day,” says teacher Gert Muylle. This problem may have been exacerbated in the past year by the high rate of home tuition due to the Covid-19. But this sedentary behaviour is also strongly visible during traditional school hours. “With Vital Schools, we develop practical examples. We physically adapt the spacious classroom environment to facilitate movement-friendly teaching.

We develop didactic methods to inform and sensitise young people and teachers. We experiment with different classroom set-ups and work closely with companies that develop school furniture.”

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The study programme Industrial Product Design (IPO) defines their role in the circular economy together with customised companies. “Today, Flemish production companies have already optimally reduced their most constant, uniform and high-quality residual flows,” explain coordinators Katrijn Sabbe and Jolan Soens. “What remains are the non-uniform residual flows, which change erratically in volume, size and shape, but still consist of very high-quality material. Precisely these changing and more difficult residual flows are interesting fodder for design students and social workplaces. Thanks to their flexible production approach, these companies can process technically high-quality, industrial post-production residual streams from their own production environment or that of nearby companies into new, circular semi-finished products or product parts.”

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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.”

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can be used to capture and understand the expertise of experts and how to contribute these insights into the training, guidance and/or accreditation of non-experts. Furthermore, we translate the accumulated knowledge about measurement technologies and immersive interfaces such as VR/AR into concrete challenges for our partners in the field and the broader labour market.”

Howest assisted four tailor-made companies for this purpose in 2021. “Our design students did not create new materials as such for these partners. That would involve chemical processes. This already happens in research centres like Centexbel and Sirris. Our added value lies in creatively inventing new product applications for clearly defined, market-ready, sometimes changing material flows.”

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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.”

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“Occupational therapy assessments aim to map, predict or evaluate the occupational performance of everyday activities. They can be important in every stage of occupational therapy processes” says Siska Vandemaele, coordinator of Smart Immersive Occupational Participation Assessment (Siopa). “Digital applications such as VR are becoming more accessible. Their use in occupational therapy increases. Currently, the technology has reached such a level that behaviour, cognitive and biometric data (i.e. attention pattern, stress, mental load) can be measured and analysed in an accessible and practical way. We explore ways for a significant, positive impact on the quality, efficiency, effectiveness and deployability of occupational therapy assessments, by the combination of VR (immersive environment) and automated analytics (smart environment).”

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“In ExpertGaze, we investigate how new measurement technologies, whether or not in combination with immersive forms of digital interfaces, can offer added value in building competences and supporting people during their job,” says project coordinator Laetitia De Leersnijder. We investigate how those technologies

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

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Pack4Food is a consortium of Flemish research institutes and more than sixty companies (food products, packaging materials including printing, filling and measuring equipment, 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. Our ambition is to formulate answers to real packaging issues, and to do so from a neutral vision and approach.”

Sustainability at the centre Logically, the research area of Pack4Food is very broad. Nevertheless, 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 optimal shelf life of food products,” says director An Vermeulen. “CIRCOPACK is a good example in this context. After all, in this research project, a scan is being developed that allows companies to interpret sustainability correctly.

This should help them to gear their packaging policy optimally to the circular economy without compromising the functionality and safety of the solutions. CIRCOPACK looks at the problem from different perspectives and across the entire chain. In this way, the footprint of both food production and packaging is calculated.”

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European trigger for better food packaging

functionality - such as the required gas or water barrier, biodegradability, recyclability, etc. - which packaging material provides the most sustainable solution.”

From agriculture to compost Roadmap as a foundation Meanwhile, Pack4Food has also earned its spurs internationally. The organisation is increasingly involved in European research projects and is putting our country on the map as a leader in innovation.

Peter Ragaert explains: “Currently we play an important role in GLOPACK where waste from the agrifood industry is converted into a new type of packaging material that can be composted at home.”

An Vermeulen continues: “So in this research project it is really the intention to close the circle completely: from agricultural product to compost. Experiments are being conducted with different raw materials e.g. citrus peels and agricultural waste such as corncobs to produce trays that allows food to be packaged in a modified atmosphere. This proof of concept has even been tested among consumers with three types of products: fresh meat, cheese and falafel.

A second part of the research was also included, namely the ‘GLOPACK packaging score’. This concept, by analogy with the nutrient score, assigns a value to the packaging. It assesses the sustainability content based on the material used, the functionality and the end-of-life of the packaging. Experiments are also underway with biodegradable sensors. These are integrated into the packaging and give an indication of the shelf life of the food based on changes in the CO2 content.

Last but not least, GLOPACK has also created an extensive database of available packaging. This will be made available to food producers in Europe as a kind of decision support system. The idea is that users will be able to quickly and efficiently determine, based on various

The fact that Pack4Food is involved in a wide range of national and European research into new and improved packaging concepts for food has a lot to do with the well thought-out and substantiated vision of the organisation. This was translated two years ago 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 project 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. This allows us to connect perfectly with the European level. Thus, in January 2022, we start REPAC², a project with Sirris, MPR&S of UHasselt (coordinator), Flanders’ FOOD, Fraunhofer (Germany), ZUT (Poland) and Natureef (Poland). The aim is to make an overview of all existing coatings for paper and cardboard, and their effect on the functionality ánd circularity of these packaging materials.”

Strong together The Roadmap appears to be opening other doors at the European level. For example, Pack4Food is currently preparing an S3 platform in cooperation with Flanders’ FOOD. “This is a platform where one or more clusters are going to cooperate on food packaging at a European level,” explains An Vermeulen. “The aim is to combine the 70

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Pack4Food does not only make a difference by initiating research.

The organisation also ensures a flow of information to the field. Peter Ragaert: “Together with various research partners, practical training is regularly given to companies, both for a group of companies and individually for one company, in Dutch and English. Our offer is very diverse and ranges from packaging techniques - such as packaging under modified atmosphere (MAP) - over packaging materials such as bioplastics, 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 on “sorting and recycling packaging” and “sustainable packaging”. Finally, Pack4Food also supports the new advanced master program ‘sustainable food packaging’ at Ghent University (www.sfp.ugent.be).”

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FOOD (coordinator) and IMEC and with financial support of EFRO, we want to investigate how such technologies can be used for quality control of reusable packaging. 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. In any case, the 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.”

expertise of various parties in order to achieve optimisations that really make a difference. We also want to develop a network of ‘living labs’: infrastructure where companies can have their packaging tested for shelf life, recycling potential, intelligence, etc.”

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Pack4Food vzw Coupure Links 653 - 9000 Gent Tel.: +32 (0)9 264 99 30 - +32 (0)9 264 99 39 E-mails: a.vermeulen@pack4food.be - peter.ragaert@pack4food.be https://pack4food.be/en/

The mission of Pack4Food is never fully achieved. That is why the organisation continues to formulate and submit project proposals.

“For example, in January 2022, we start up a project on smart camera technology,” says An Vermeulen. “Together with Flanders’

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Imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies An interview with Mr Luc VAN DEN HOVE, President & CEO, imec

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

Imec brings together more than 5,000 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, and the USA, and offices in China, Taiwan, India and Japan.

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.

© imec

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.

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.

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 72

Health House I

Future of healthcare

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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 and, more recently, the numerous spin-offs from this university. 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.

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ealth 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, in the provincial government of Flemish Brabant, in the city of Leuven and in imec.

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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 its partners and establishes links with organisations that are useful to them. In this sense, it is not merely an experience platform, but Health House is helping to find solutions to health challenges.

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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 an operation entails. Moreover, it was evaluated by Parkinson’s patients before the public presentation.

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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, twelve permanent storylines have already been created; these are visualisations of specific topics. These can be used with visitors both on site and online.

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The founding partners opted for an experience centre with a fully digital set-up. Health House uses immersive storytelling to share scientifically validated information on recent developments in and the future of healthcare. In concrete terms, these include applications of nanotechnology, 3D printing and artificial intelligence in healthcare.

There are also storylines about life-proof building and living, about the hospital of the future and about alcohol sensibilization.

Currently, Health House is located at Science Park Arenberg, in Heverlee. In the course of 2024 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 welfare 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.

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ejuvenate Biomed aims to increase the healthy years of life by protecting the health status in the aging population.

The company applies the research of the biology of aging (geroscience) to develop new safe combination drugs to maintain and re-activate our natural capacity to self-restore our cells and our cell-to-cell communication.

combination product, RJx-01 is a new safe IP protected product based on a combination of known safe prescription drugs. Based on the preclinical data, we can conclude that it has the potential to impact multiple age-related diseases simultaneously.”

Dr Ann Beliën became interested in the field of healthy aging when her father started to suffer from age-related diseases. At that time, she worked at Janssen Pharmaceutica, owned

by Johnson & Johnson (J&J). During more than seventeen years she gained international expertise ranging from discovery to full development, from bench to strategy including due diligence activities, company integration and open innovation experience at J&J. This resulted in specific scientific ideas to fight aging. In 2017, she was given the opportunity to translate her train of thought into reality. “In consultation with my employer at the time, I decided to develop the concept further independently,” explains Ann Beliën. “This laid to the foundation of Rejuvenate Biomed, an independent Belgium-based clinical R&D company.”

The first entry to the market is sarcopenia, a newly established muscle failure disease that comes with age and causes disability, low quality of life and death. Ann Beliën: “Further, sarcopenia is also induced during immobilization resulting in muscle mass and quality loss during bedrest as seen in the current Covid-19 hospitalizations and in any type of bedrest after surgery, slowing down patient recovery. Based on Rejuvenate’s preclinical efficacy data and safety profile in human, we are ready to start our phase Ib/IIb studies in sarcopenia and beyond.

The start of the first clinical trial is planned beginning 2022.”

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Weapon against Sarcopenia

Dr Ann Beliën, founder of Rejuvenate Biomed

More resources for faster results

Research at Rejuvenate is an ongoing process and needs funding.

Rejuvenate succeeded to finalize two capital rounds in 2021. The first round (3,2 million €) supports the preclinical activities, the recently closed second round (15,7 million €) the execution of the clinical plans. Ann Beliën: “This investment is more to us than a financial deal: it is the result of Vesalius Biocapital’s unrelenting belief in what we do, and the backing of Rejuveron, a company with which we share a fully aligned vision and complementary expertise. This investment will result in an intense collaboration between the Rejuveron and Rejuvenate teams, lifting us all to the next level. Becoming a clinical-stage company is a key milestone for us, and we could not have reached this point without the dedication of our excellent team and the continued support of our investors. We look forward to a future where products from our platform help people to live healthier lives!”

Already a first result Rejuvenate identifies opportunities to impact the aging process by combining individual Rx products into unique combination products that exert synergistic effects. “Our portfolio currently contains ten individual compounds, selected via systems biology, focusing on safety and their efficacy potential,” explains Ann Beliën. “Our lead

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Everyone dreams of a healthy and vital old age. A young Belgian company could make these dreams come true.

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Rejuvenate Biomed NV Vrunstraat 153 - 3550 Heusden-Zolder Email: info@rejuvenatebiomed.com https://www.rejuvenatebiomed.com/en

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Digital gateway for knowledge region West Flanders

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With the information portal KennisWest.be the provincial government provides access to targeted socio-economic information about West Flanders. This makes it easy for entrepreneurs, policy makers, researchers and instructors to find relevant data.

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he provincial government wants West Flanders to develop into a fully-fledged knowledge region. “In the first place we are strengthening our knowledge economy. Our agencies, such as POM West Flanders and TUA West play a crucial role in this. They stimulate cooperation between knowledge institutions, the business world and the government. KennisWest.be is an important supporting instrument in this,” says delegate Jean de Bethune. “The portal currently contains over 75,000 items.

The documentation is selected by content within themes such as economy, education, environment, tourism and sustainability.

You can also consult very specific documentation about West Flanders, such as about the North Sea economy or local policy.”

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“Through targeted search criteria, A-Z lists or a map of West Flanders, you can look for news, developments and documentation on local and regional policy,” explains coordinator Lode Vanden Bussche. “You can also indicate your interests. In this way, you can receive tailor-made documentation on your personal page ‘My KennisWest’ or via updates. For researchers and policy officers KennisWest.be is a tool to follow trends and figures in their research field, for example, or to find government decisions and their impact.”

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Jean de Bethune, Deputy for policy support data collection

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Targeted search criteria and quality

Lode Vanden Bussche, Coordinator of Kenniscentrum West

as important as recording new material. We only keep relevant and qualitative information.”

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Not only can the documentation be searched, it is also given context. “We always provide external and internal links to other information sources on the same subject. For example, not only do we have a fixed external link to the Crossroads Enterprise Database, we also refer (manually) to other databases and publishing companies. Internally, it is a bulwark of references, so you can easily browse through the knowledge recorded on KennisWest. be. Everything is automated as much as possible, but the selection is still very much human work and does not depend on algorithms,” underlines de Bethune. “This is quite labour-intensive.

That makes the offer more limited, but much more focused.

Quality over quantity. For example, deleting items over time is just

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“KennisWest.be does not publish sponsored articles. Anyone can supply or suggest articles. The editors of KennisWest.be decide independently whether or not they will be included,” the delegate adds.

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KennisWest.be works only with reliable sources. “We also always respect the operation and copyrights of the issuing organisations.

An example: as long as a hyperlink to a publication that can be consulted online works, we do not offer this publication digitally and we only display the link. If the link no longer works, KennisWest. be will make the pdf digitally available to the extent that this is possible under copyright law.”

KennisWest.be draws information from very different sources and channels, both from the European and federal government and from regional and local levels. “With our team, we mainly screen the Flemish quality magazines, weeklies and professional journals, but also online news sites and sites of knowledge organisations.

When choosing knowledge sources, we are advised by policy and research staff. Our sources are diverse: from Flemish government departments and advisory bodies over critical news sites to trade organisations,” says Vanden Bussche. “We focus on trends and analyses in regional policy, on West Flemish economic sectors and on local events. But also non-West Flemish issues that influence our socio-economic development are discussed.”

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Kenniscentrum West Provinciebestuur West-Vlaanderen, Filiaal 1 Koning Leopold III-laan 31 - 8200 Brugge Tel.:+32 (0) 50 40 35 36 Email: info@kenniswest.be - http://www.kenniswest.be

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Brussels: a laboratory for smart specialization

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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) 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.

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hat 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.

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.

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 administrative 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.

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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 systems, 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.

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).

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.

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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.

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The Institute Jules Bordet, a comprehensive cancer center with a research program devoted to solid tumors and hematological malignancies Interview with Prof. Martine PICCART, Research Director of the Institute Jules Bordet Other promising agents in development are the novel endocrine therapies (novel oral SERDs) and agents targeting epigenetics. IJB oncologists have designed the BIG “AURORA program” and included more than 412 Belgian patients (just over a third of all included patients in the first phase of the program!). This ambitious program, supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the US, relies on the most advanced technologies to dissect the molecular evolution of metastatic BC with the hope to better understand and counteract its lethal evolution. A first manuscript detailing the results obtained from the analyses of samples from the first 381 patients have been recently published in Cancer Discovery1 (a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research – AACR).

Recruitment is currently on hold but will restart soon in specific subpopulations of patients. OncoDNA SA, located in Gosselies, was and continues to be the central laboratory for the DNA sequencing. IJB also wants to contribute to research aimed at rendering BC more “immunogenic”: pre-operative trials allow for the exploration of stereotactic radiotherapy on the primary tumor in combination with new drugs able to activate the immune system… and their results are obtained within 6-9 months since the therapy will make an impact that can be measured at the time of surgery. Such a preoperative trial, designed by IJB and ongoing in Belgium/France (NEOCHECKRAY), focusses on the most aggressive hormone receptor positive breast tumors which are characterized by late relapses in spite of initial treatment with surgery/postoperative radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. It explores, in combination with standard preoperative chemotherapy, 3 immune-enhancing strategies: stereotactic radiotherapy alone or given with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), a drug that relieves the brake exerted by tumor cells on immune cells, or with the combination of this ICI and a new compound able to reduce anti-immune signals in the tumor microenvironment.

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hat are the key figures in relation with breast cancer (BC) research at Institut Jules Bordet (IJB)?

The IJB is a comprehensive cancer center with a research program across a wide variety of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Breast Cancer (BC) represents its most dynamic field of research with one laboratory fully dedicated to a better understanding of BC biology, a team of research nurses and data managers in charge of many national/international clinical BC trials, and a Clinical Trials Supporting Unit (CTSU) able to initiate, conduct and analyze clinical trials centered on patients’ critical needs. Close to half of the CTSU clinical trials (19/37) are BC trials, and CTSU has been the “data center” for some of the BIG famous pivotal adjuvant trials. In addition, the IJB welcomes each year 3 to 4 oncologists from different regions of the world, who spend 2-3 years at IJB conducting clinical and translational research in BC.

© Jules Bordet Institute

What is the current BC research agenda at IJB? Like many other cancer centers/departments IJB contributes to pharmaceutical industry trials which investigate new promising anticancer drugs. Among those, antibody-drug conjugates generate much excitement at IJB: they link a potent cytotoxic agent to an antibody able to direct this “poison” to the tumor cells and to spare healthy cells to a great extent (since they do not recognize the antibody). These “Trojan horses” have already generated impressive results in HER2 positive and triple negative BC. Efforts at understanding better which patients might derive the greatest benefits from these compounds are ongoing thanks to a close collaboration between the departments of medical oncology and nuclear medicine: indeed the antibody, labelled with an isotope, can be injected into the patient, allowing visualization on a PET-scan of tumor sites likely to be reached by the antibody-drug conjugate. The resulting “map” can reveal significant heterogeneity between metastases as far as uptake of the labelled antibody which has been shown to compromise the chances of success of the new molecule in up to 1/3 of patients.

What are according to you the main future challenges in BC research?

Beyond the challenge of making this tumor detectable by the immune system, other challenges include the development and implementation of improved personalized screening approaches (see the EU supported research program “my PEBS” for “My Personal Breast Screening” with 85.000 European volunteers), an improved understanding of mechanisms of “resistance” to our current anticancer therapies, as well as of “tumor dormancy”, the robust development and validation of “biomarkers” that improve treatment tailoring and the financial means to devote more attention to survivorship issues.

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Prof. Piccart with the CTSU team (former BREAST)

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Combining cross-disciplinary expertise to advance research in neurophysiology Interview with Prof. Alban de KERCHOVE d’EXAERDE, Research Director FRS-FNRS at the Neurophy Lab of ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre of Brussels (ULB), President of the Belgian Society of Neuroscience (BSN), Vice-President of the Brussels Commission on Animal Experimentation

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ould you please present your research work to us?

My research work focuses on a subcortical region of the brain, the basal ganglia, which play a key role in motor control (locomotion and motor learning, procedural memory in relation, among other things, to skills) and the reward system, but also on associated pathologies such as Parkinson’s disease, with its well-known motor disorders, addictions (result of hijacking of the reward system). This region is also involved in neuropsychiatric diseases such as Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, compulsive obsessional disorders. I’m working with mouse models to better understand the fine neuronal circuitry, and roles of genes involved in these diseases, which would not be possible in humans or primates yet. This requires behavioural studies following gene expression modifications or the activation or inhibition of neuronal populations of basal ganglia through approaches such as optogenetics or in vivo calcium imaging.

In 2018 you received the triennial award of the Simone and Pierre Clerdent foundation for your project entitled: “Genetic identification of neural circuits involved in the ADHD syndrome (attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder)”. Could you please tell us more about this?

I was awarded this prize for the development of a preclinical model of attention and hyperactivity disorders in mice. This model relies on triple validity: conceptual validity (a dysfunction located within the same region as observable in humans); face validity (the animal imitates human behaviour in terms of hyperactivity, impulsiveness and attention deficit disorders); and predictive validity (a given molecule has an identical effect in humans and mice). The model enables us to precisely evaluate how the therapies work and understand the neuronal circuits involved in this disorder in order to potentially develop new therapeutic approaches. In addition, very recently, we have published in Biological Psychiatry an article deciphering from molecule to behaviour how an alteration of a gene (mTOR) and its pathway, frequently isolated in ASD patients, in a specific neuronal population are responsible of autistic-like behaviours due to specific alteration in neuronal functions.

also involve the monitoring of animal facilities and experimental practice to ensure the proper management of the experiments. The committee met several times this year, despite the pandemic and also issues ad hoc opinions, which are provided in electronic format, in response to the individual positions of its members. For example, in an opinion issued to the previous Ministry of Animal Welfare on the possible reduction of animal experimentation, we had to emphasise the fact that the practice remains indispensable in certain pathologies.

What do you think are the main challenges that researchers must tackle in the field of neurophysiology in the coming years?

Advances in in vivo technology have led to the simultaneous recording of many neurons (electrical activity, imaging etc.), thereby generating a massive amount of data to be processed.

Today, a laboratory like mine needs to combine transversal expertise in molecular and cellular biology, electrophysiology, behaviour, signal analysis, programming, legal expertise etc.

The difficulty lies in recruiting profiles that are increasingly becoming ever broader and deeper in scope. Furthermore, these new in vivo technologies have a very substantial cost, thereby raising the cost of research. It is, however, vital to understand the exact role of a neuron and how it encodes information in a structure as complex as that of a live animal.

Can you tell us more about the work of the Brussels Commission on Animal Experimentation?

The agency is the result of the transposition of the EU directive on animal welfare at regional level. It was set up by Bruxelles Environnement as part of the 6th State Reform under the aegis of the then responsible minister. Belgian experts were recruited to sit on the commission, on which I serve as Vice-President. The commission receives applications for approval of animal facilities for animal experimentation purposes; it must then check whether they meet the legal standards in force. In addition, the commission gives advisory opinions to Bruxelles Environnement; these opinions 80

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Translating the Nucleolus and the Ribosomes into biomedical innovations Interview with Prof. Denis L.J. LAFONTAINE, Research Director at Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S./FNRS), Professor at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Head of the RNA Molecular Biology laboratory ribosome production. We have also been involved in characterizing the impact of ribosome biogenesis dysfunction on leukoencephalopathy with calcification and cysts (LCC), a terrible brain disease.

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

Created in 2001 at the ULB, my laboratory employs a dozen people and carries out several dozen research projects. It has to its credit 90 scientific publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals accounting for more than 8,500 citations (h-index 48), as well as the training of fifty researchers from 15 nationalities. The 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.

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What research partnerships have you developed?

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

Could you tell us about your spin-off project?

Our spin-off project is based on the biosensor properties of the nucleolus whose morphology varies greatly in disease such as cancer, viral infection, neurodegeneration etc. 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). We intend to create the company RIBOGENESIS in the course of 2022.

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

My team is studying how ribosomes, the nanomachines inside our cells responsible for the production of all our proteins, are made 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 cancers because the excess protein stimulates the proliferation of cancerous cells. If they are in deficit or defective, they induce ribosome-related pathologies, the so-called ribosomopathies, affecting primarily the blood (haematopoiesis) and the brain (neurodevelopmental disorders).

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. In the September 2020 issue of Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, we have developed our vision that the nucleolus is a multiphase liquid condensate.

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 in the future. © LafontaineLab – ULB

As an example, we are 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

a, The nucleolus (the ribosome cell’ factory) in a healthy (left) and diseased (right) cell (size range microns); b, The ribosome is the nanomachine inside our cells responsible for producing all our proteins (size range nanometers).

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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.

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These past two decades, the Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction has developed expertise in an innovative and ambitious fundamental and clinical research program dedicated to the preservation of the fertility of young cancer patients receiving gonadotoxic treatments. Prof. Isabelle Demeestere, gynaecologist and director of the laboratory since 2016, has initiated this research leading to more than 40 transdisciplinary scientific publications and 5 defended PhD theses in the past 5 years. She enjoys a high level of recognition at the European level.

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The second area is the study of the early stage of ovarian development with a view to improving techniques for in vitro culture of ovarian tissue. Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is the only option to preserve fertility in children, but transplantation is required to restore later ovarian function and cannot always be offered.

In vitro culture is an attractive alternative but is not feasible yet in human.

© ULB - Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction

he laboratory has structured its fundamental research activity around three axes. The first axis concerns the pharmacological protection approach. The objective is twofold: to find methods of preventing the chemotherapy-induced gonadal damage by identifying signalling pathways involved in their toxicity and to determine individualised targets to prevent these damages according to the treatment received. One of the main current projects is based on microRNA therapeutics with specific gonads targeting using nanoparticles in collaboration with engineers in nanotechnology.

Lymphoma Academic Research Organization (LYSARC).

These studies, aiming to prospectively investigate the toxicity of treatments on the gonads, are usually conducted as translational research within oncology trials. Other clinical trials focus on the efficiency and the safety of the fertility preservation techniques.

To carry out its various research projects, the laboratory handles a biobank of human materials. Composed of several hundred samples from patients (ovarian tissue, sperm, oocytes, gametes, blood, plasma and serum samples), this biobank makes it possible to perform both fundamental and clinical research. As such, the laboratory acts as a central laboratory for several fertility-related trials.

Prof. Isabelle Demeestere, Director of the Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction, Associate Researcher at the FNRS and responsible for the fertility preservation program at CUB-Erasme Hospital

Thanks to its expertise, Isabelle Demeestere participated in different European expert groups for the drafting of guidelines on fertility preservation such as the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the PanCareLIFE, a European project to improve long-term care regarding fertility, ototoxicity and health-related quality of life after cancer occurring among children and adolescents. These guidelines were published at the end of 2020 - beginning of 2021 - a great recognition for the laboratory.

Finally, the third axis aims to studying the impact of new regimen and individualized therapies on the ovarian function in young patients. At present, it focused on breast cancer – as it is the major indication for fertility preservation, and more specifically on patients carrying hereditary mutations of the breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) or breast cancer 2 (BRCA2) genes.

Today, the major challenge is to follow the progress in oncology that continuously proposes new treatments for which consequences on fertility and pregnancy are unknown. Another challenge in basic research is to improve and to find alternatives to existing techniques to offer each patient a possibility to preserve fertility. Today survival should no longer be achieved at the expense of fertility - especially if the patient has not yet had a child. Last but not least, paediatric research still needs to develop appropriate protocols to prevent infertility risks of new therapeutic approaches. This is a major challenge that the laboratory should help to meet too.

The laboratory is also active in the field of clinical research - as a participant or promoter. They are involved in large international studies in collaboration with oncological groups such as the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG), the Breast International Group (BIG) or

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Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction ULB-Campus Erasme Building GE 808 Route de Lennik 1070 Bruxelles Tel. : + 32 (0)2 555 63 58 Email : labo.repro@ulb.be https://reproduction.medecine.ulb.be/

Recruited by the ULB in 2007, Mariana Igoillo-Esteve, PhD became associate professor in 2016 and created her own research group at the ULB Center for diabetes Research (UCDR) dedicated to study the mechanisms underlying ß-cell failure in different forms of diabetes. Her Team, that she is currently expanding, is composed of 1 PhD student and 2 postdoctoral fellows. She has a large network of national and international collaborators. Her work is internationally recognized and has earned her European, national, regional, and even associative funding.

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rof. Igoillo-Esteve studies the molecular mechanisms involved in the dysfunction and death of pancreatic ß-cells and neurons in monogenic forms of diabetes associated with neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative features. Her main goal is to identify therapeutic targets to prevent ß-cell and neuronal loss. Unlike type 1 and type 2 diabetes (polygenic forms of diabetes), the monogenic forms of the disease are rare (they constitute between 1 and 4% of all diabetes cases) and are caused by mutations in a single gene. In some cases, these rare forms of diabetes have severe syndromic presentations in which the metabolic alterations are accompanied by extrapancreatic manifestations often affecting the brain.

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Mariana Igoillo-Esteve, PhD. Associate Professor at ULB Center for Diabetes Research

Prof. Mariana Igoillo-Esteve’s research group “Molecular Mechanisms of Polygenic and Monogenic Diabetes”

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including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients generated from blood cells, that are differentiated into ß-cells or neuronal cells.

This constitutes an invaluable patient-relevant model to test the effect of drug-based therapies and obtain a proof of concept for the potential use of certain drugs for the treatment of rare diseases.

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Inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from individuals with monogenic forms of diabetes (here from one Wolfram syndrome patient) are generated from blood cells and then differentiated into pancreatic ß-cells and neurons.

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Inactivating mutations in the TRMT10A gene result in altered methylation and cleavage of transfer RNA (tRNA): the tRNA fragments cause damage to pancreatic ß-cells contributing to the development of diabetes.

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Essential molecules for protein synthesis, tRNAs are decorated with a large number of posttranscriptional modifications important for their folding, stability and function. These modifications are introduced by tRNA modifying enzymes that, when mutated, cause human disease.

Prof. Igoillo-Esteve’s project is based on her initial discovery: mutations in TRMT10A, a tRNA modifying enzyme, cause a monogenic form of diabetes characterized by young onset diabetes and microcephaly; what is more, the absence of this enzyme in pancreatic ß-cells results in reduced methylation of specific tRNAs, some of which are prone to enzymatic cleavage, leading to the production of tRNA fragments that induce ß-cell death. This finding unveiled a completely novel mechanism of pancreatic ß-cell demise in diabetes. At present Prof. Igoillo-Esteve is using different targeted and high-throughput approaches to better understand the mechanism of action of these fragments and identify the molecular pathways modulated by them to understand how exactly they cause pancreatic ß-cell demise. She is also investigating the association between TRMT10A deficiency and microcephaly to assess the impact of tRNA hypomethylation and fragmentation on neuronal differentiation, function and survival. Therapeutically, the action of the tRNA fragments could be antagonized by the use of antisense oligonucleotides, synthetic RNA molecules designed to bind and block these fragments, that may contribute to prevent ß-cell loss and neuronal damage in conditions of TRMT10A deficiency.

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Prof. Igoillo-Esteve’s research group is involved in two research projects.

The first and most important one aims to study the impact of alterations in transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications and tRNA fragmentation on the development of diabetes and neuronal demise.

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U.L.B. CP618 - Route de Lennik 808 1070 Brussels (Anderlecht) Tel.: +32 (0) 2 555 6138 - Email: mariana.igoillo.esteve@ulb.be https://www.ucdr.be/molecular-mechanisms-ofpolygenic-and-monogenic-diabetes

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The second research project focuses on identifying therapeutic options based on drug repurposing or newly developed drugs, to prevent or slow diabetes and neurodegeneration in certain monogenic forms of diabetes. The focus is laid upon testing therapeutic options for Wolfram syndrome with a particular focus on GLP-1 analogues, currently used for the management of patients with type 2 diabetes. This preclinical approach involves the use of in vitro and in vivo disease models,

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Internationally acclaimed actor, the Laboratoire de Glaciologie (GLACIOL) of the Department of Geosciences, Environment, Society of the Faculty of Sciences of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is a research unit focused on the study of the cryosphere (glaciers, ice sheets and sea ice) and its relation within the climate system. This specialised expertise has enabled it to contribute to IPCC reports and to advance knowledge in an area of great societal concern.

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century. For its part, BE-OI (Beyond EPICA - Oldest Ice) aims to go back 1.5 million years into the past by drilling 3000 m deep into the oldest ice, close to the bedrock. This project should provide a better understanding of glacial cycles and variations in greenhouse gas concentration. It is complemented by DEEPICE (MSCA Innovative Training Network), the preparatory phase of the analyses that will be carried out on the oldest ice.

Prof. Frank Pattyn, co-director of the GLACIOL laboratory

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ith two full-time academics, half a dozen post-doctoral researchers and about fifteen doctoral students, GLACIOL publishes about twenty articles per year in leading and high-profile journals such as Nature and Science.

Two lines of research guide the work led by Prof. F. Pattyn and Prof. F. Fripiat. First, ice analysis performed on samples collected in Antarctica and Greenland to reconstruct the paleoclimate (over the last 800,000 years), and to study the interactions between the cryosphere, the ocean and the atmosphere. The second area is the modelling of glaciers and ice caps in Antarctica to reconstruct the dynamics of the ice in interaction with the atmosphere and ocean and to improve projections of sea level rise. GLACIOL also carries out field work: geophysical methods (radar) enable it to determine the structure of the ice and the amount of snow received by an ice cap over several decades, as well as studying the flow of the ice. Moreover, the laboratory is involved in ocean, sea-ice and sediment sampling as well as in deep drilling in Antarctica and Greenland: besides unravelling past climate history this should help to better understand the sequestration of CO2 in the ocean during interglacial and glacial periods, as well as the roles of the polar oceans on global biogeochemical cycles.

A true sentinel of the environment, ice records climatic variations while also being a victim of them. The challenge for GLACIOL and the international scientific community is to better understand the mechanisms behind these changes and to improve modelling techniques in order to obtain a better estimate of sea level by the end of the century. The laboratory has already made significant contributions to successive IPCC reports since 2013, including its 2019 “Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate”. It remains to be determined how much of the observed changes in the cryosphere and ocean are due to human activities and how much to natural variability. There is no doubt that glaciologists still have their work cut out for them!

GLACIOL is currently involved in several projects supported by BELSPO and FNRS-FWO (EoS project) as well as three European projects (H2020). PROTECT (Projecting sea-level rise: from ice sheets to local implications) aims to improve projections of future sea levels through its various components: melting ice sheets, glaciers... Within this framework, the laboratory is modelling the Antarctic ice sheet to understand its variations in the geological past and is studying its interactions with the ocean in order to improve the probability level of current estimates, which fluctuate between 50 cm and multi-metre sea level rise by the end of this

Laboratoire de Glaciologie - GLACIOL Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) ULB CP 160/03 50 Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 1050 Bruxelles Tel.: +32 (0)2 650 22 27 Email: glaciol@ulb.be https://glaciologie.ulb.be/ 84

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Clinical Trial Center (Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc) – CTC Multicentre studies for therapeutic innovation Devoted to professionalise clinical research in all aspects of commercial and academic research, the CTC ensures their implementation, monitoring and quality assurance. Two CUSLs professors, Vincent van Pesch and Jean-Pascal Machiels, share their research activities with us.

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liniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (CUSLs) has a long tradition of participation in randomised multicentre studies on multiple sclerosis (MS). “This contribution dates back to the early 2000s with the first drugs studied, such as ß interferons,” explains Prof. Vincent van Pesch, Deputy Head of Department, Neurology. Since then, some fifty phase II to IV studies have been conducted in close collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry. Since 2008, the number of available treatments has increased from 3 to 15 molecules approved for relapsing-remitting MS and one molecule for the progressive form. A series of phase III extensions and phase IV studies are underway to gather long-term data on the efficacy and toxicity of the approved molecules. In addition, there are 3 ongoing phase III studies: one for relapsing-remitting MS, one for secondary progressive MS and one for primary progressive MS. “We select as a priority the protocols with treatments whose mechanisms of action are the most innovative and relevant”, emphasises Prof. Vincent van Pesch. “We also initiate academic studies regarding immunology, advanced brain imaging and cognition in MS”.

The clinical research team on multiple sclerosis with Prof. Vincent Van Pesch at the centre (Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc)

marker-based treatment strategy for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: EORTC position and approach”. Within this framework, biopsies of the tumours of 350 patients have been taken in order to better understand the factors that predict resistance to immunotherapy treatments and to orient these treatments according to the molecular anomalies detected by DNA sequencing. This makes it easier to determine the most appropriate molecules based on the molecular pathways affected. The article concludes: “Large efforts are still needed to optimize the study designs, the theranostic tools, and the trial logistics. Designing biomarker-driven studies requires close collaboration with country competent authorities, ethical committees, and pharmaceutical companies to reduce the administrative burden and facilitate the processes linked with the design and conduct of such clinical trials.”

At a time when difficulties are mounting in recruiting patients for Phase II and III studies for relapsing-remitting MS, due to the high number of available treatments, Prof. van Pesch and his team prefer to focus on the other two forms of the disease (with greater therapeutic needs) and is following the evolution of studies that increasingly include broader assessment methods such as patient questionnaires, connected watches, smartphone applications for home monitoring, and even home blood tests. These are all attractive factors for patient recruitment. “Multiple sclerosis is the disease that has seen the most therapeutic progress in neurology in recent years,” says Prof. Vincent van Pesch. The Neurology department has played its part in this evolution and today patients are reaping the benefits on a daily basis.

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Prof. Jean-Pascal Machiels, Head, Department of Medical Oncology and Institut Roi Albert II cancer center, specialises in head and neck cancer research with the aim to develop precision medicine. He has set up a vast European protocol (France, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain) in association with the EORTC. An article was published in the Annals of Oncology (29: 2313–2327, 2018) under the title: “Personalized bio-

Circulating tumour DNA alignment

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Also in the field of head and neck cancer, Prof. Machiels studies the circulating tumor DNA of patients: he proceeds with its sequencing and thus uses it as a marker of the disease. In addition, he relies more and more upon organoids (human cancer cell cultures) to assess different molecular combinations and identify patient responses to a given treatment in order to adapt it according to the patient's response and the molecular anomalies revealed by the biopsy. An article entitled “Current applications and challenges of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN)” was published in Elsevier (Cancer Treatment Reviews 85 (2020) 101992).

According to the abstract: “Although the literature on ctDNA analysis for SCCHN is scarce compared to other tumors, preliminary results seem to hold promise for the future, including the detection of minimal residual disease or the detection of potentially targetable events through liquid biopsy. Prospective liquid-biopsy driven clinical trials are needed to validate its clinical relevance.” https://www.saintluc.be/en

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A widely recognized expertise in interdisciplinarity Interview with Prof. Pierre JADOUL, Rector of Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles (USL-B) duration of 2 years ½ and a €233 K budget. USL-B also has other ongoing projects, among which an ERC Starting Grant : “Coaching Rituals: Coaching as a social ritual: acting on people in a liberalindividualistic society (parenting, education, mental health care)”, a Marie-Skłodowska Curie project called “Nation - Power - Subjectivity: The Making of National Subjects in Late Medieval Bohemia and Brabant (1300-1450)”, an Erasmus+ Partenariat Stratégique project, “Arriver en Europe, partir d’Europe : trajectoires turques et marocaines” (Arriving in Europe, leaving Europe: Turkish and Moroccan trajectories), and a Jean Monnet module led by our European Studies Institute.

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hat 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. But far from having succumbed to compartmentalization, which at times may lead to differences in methodology and subjects between the various disciplines, USL-B 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 intrinsic creativity. The following key numbers translate the FNRS’ recognition of our fundamental research. Over the last 5 years, an average of 37% of our FNRS applications were successful, putting us regularly ahead of the global figures of the FWB (Féderation Wallonie-Bruxelles - Wallonia-Brussels Federation). We are equally proud of our average 40% admission rate to the Humanities Research Fund (Fonds pour la Recherche en Sciences humaines – FRESH) launched in 2012, which is an essential tool in our field of disciplines.

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 the non-academic world.

Its task consists in taking care of the diffusion, mobilisation and 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. For a long time now, some of our research centres have shown a keen interest in regional integration. 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 Institute (an interuniversity research platform on Brussels) and in the online magazine “Brussels Studies”. Thanks to our expertise, acquired in part through our research work on mobility issues in Brussels, we have obtained many regional-funded research projects.

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

Like the other universities of FWB, USL-B benefits from special research funds and manages to finance a great number of doctoral research fields. We simultaneously work on different interuniversity research projects (Action de Recherche Concertée Concerted Research Action - or ARC). The University obtained two BELSPO-BRAIN projects (Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks Phase 2) in 2021: “@ntidote 2.0: Cyberviolence: defining borders on permissibility and accountability” and “REGUIDE - A Holistic, Restorative and Gendered approach to Guide Returnees to their Home country”. We are also very happy to have been granted three “PDR” from FNRS, which provide funds for projects of excellence, for a 4-year duration: “Genre et esthétique du vélo : le potentiel pour la ville durable des processus de construction de genre liés aux pratiques, équipements et infrastructures cyclistes” (Gender and aesthetics of the bicycle), “Les institutions en quête de confiance. L'évolution des contours juridiques du mandat parlementaire et de la responsabilité politique” (Institutions in search of trust) and “Objectifs de la jeunesse et politiques mondiales pour la planète : les jeunes amènent-ils du changement en politique internationale de l’environnement?” (Youth goals and global policies for the planet).

What research partnerships have you developed at a European level?

In 2021 an agreement was signed with the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) (Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) - Telecommunications Sector) : “Belgium-Luxembourg Research Hub on Digital Media and Disinformation (EDMO BELUX)”, for a

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 forInterdisciplinary Research on Brussels (IRIB) and the Institute for European Studies.

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5th edition of the MedTech Accelerator®

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Since its creation in 2016, the hub.brussels’ MedTech Accelerator®, an accelerator programme specifically dedicated to the development of medical devices, has assisted 43 projects focused on improving the health and well-being of Brussels residents.

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The five finalists of the MedTech Accelerator® 2020 VR4GOOD uses Virtual Reality and provides a catalogue of immersive experiences to more efficiently handle stress, pain and recovery and reduce chemical medication.

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“The health sector is facing many challenges. This year, more than ever, events have proven the usefulness and importance of these businesses and the pressing need to search, understand, innovate and share”, says Isabelle Grippa, CEO of hub.brussels.

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ow can the medical sector be made more innovative?

How can Brussels become an e-health leader? Where do you start to bring a medical device to market that will improve the quality of doctor’s work and patient health? These are all urgent questions hub.brussels addresses with the MedTech Accelerator® via its lifetech.brussels cluster.

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Lilo Health helps make deadly, but highly preventable, diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and a wide variety of cancers, much easier to detect and prevent. Nutrition, sports activities, measurement of medical constants,… the application works like a coach who accompanies people before, during and after the illness or a possible intervention.

The MedTech Accelerator® 2020’s first prize went to the SMARCOS start-up, which specialises in building exoskeletons. The project leader, Victor Grosu, was able to develop his network in the MedTech industry thanks to the accelerator. “We made many excellent contacts in the sector. My time at the accelerator gave me a 360° view of the process and I was able to see my project from different angles and perspectives”.

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SMARCOS develops smart actuators used to build much faster various exoskeletons and assistive devices in a simple modular way. This technology is used to develop high performance, user centered devices for quality and affordable rehabilitation.

DORI revolutionises the method of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders. The method, based on ocular screening, allows a faster diagnosis.

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One of the MedTech Accelerator®’s ultimate aims is to support its candidates in building a more resilient world and a society which is more respectful of the environment, with human beings at its centre, and an economy relocated to where it is needed and flexible enough to adapt quickly in case of emergency.

“To build this new world, we need innovators, people who have ideas and implement them; people who dare. The finalists and winners of this fifth edition of the MedTech Accelerator® see beyond technology. They give it meaning by putting it to work for a noble cause: facilitating the life of patients and of healthcare workers”, concluded Barbara Trachte.

The DORI project revolutionises the method of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders.

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The SMARCOS project develops assistive devices in a simple modular way.

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“The current health crisis has severely tested the healthcare sector and highlighted its crucial importance”, emphasises Barbara Trachte, Brussels Secretary of State for Economic Transition.

“Over the past years, the MedTech Accelerator® has demonstrated that Brussels is very innovative, has advanced technology know-how and noble goals. This is what we need, even more now”.

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D-Health provides an innovative, fully cross-platform and responsive Electronic Patient Record for residential and ambulatory care facilities as well as retirement homes. The LIFELINE solution is particularly suitable for the mental health sector.

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This year, a special prize was exceptionally awarded to DORI (Diagnostic Ocular Regression Interface), which is revolutionising the method used to diagnose Alzheimer’s and memory problems.

“The programme enabled us to investigate aspects we weren’t familiar with as scientists. Particularly, the economic aspects related to the development of a new medical device: funding, how to present and sell a project”, explains project leader Arno Libert.

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MedTech Accelerator® - hub.brussels Chaussée de Charleroi 110 Charleroisesteenweg - 1060 Brussels Tel.: +32 494 57 62 80 - +32 (0)2 422 00 20 http://www.medtech-accelerator.eu/ - https://hub.brussels/en/

Quality teaching and applied research close to the field Located on two green campuses in Brussels and Walloon Brabant, the Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère (HELdB) offers quality teaching where the theoretical and practical aspects are complementary. A school attentive to the needs of its students, it offers them an opening to the world and the possibility of going further. Its research activities, technology transfer and industrial partnerships are not to be outdone.

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hree main fields of training are offered at HELdB: Educational sciences, economic and management sciences, sciences and techniques. Sciences and techniques include garden and landscape architecture, urban environmental management, dietetics, medical electronics, and the Institut Meurice engineering school, which specialises in the growth sectors of materials (polymers chemistry), environment, biotechnology, food industries and brewing.

Focus on medical electronics: the Bachelor’s degree in medical electronics trains specialized technicians. With opportunities in the maintenance, servicing, repair and sale of medical equipment such as respirators, imaging equipment, scalpels, etc. It is worth noting that medical electronics technicians have never been as much in demand as they are today since medicine is increasingly based on medical examinations and analyses using advanced technologies. This bachelor’s degree enables future technicians to meet the needs of modern medicine by ensuring the link between technology and medicine.

95% of graduates find a job within two months. Either in hospital biomedical departments or in companies as technicians, technical sales representatives and even interlocutors for public authorities in the context of public procurement. Some HELdB graduates pursue a master’s degree in 2 or 3 additional years following a bridging programme.

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management. Other postgraduate courses - specific to the Haute Ecole - are appreciated by students: the Master’s degree in pharmaceutical biotechnology, the Master’s degree in materials technology or the Master’s degree in food technology.

A unique course in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

Research, an integral part of training

The Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère is the only one to offer this bachelor’s degree in the French-speaking part of the country. On this course, students learn to assimilate the principles of operation and maintenance of the major families of medical equipment, master technical and physiological knowledge with a view to implementing, controlling and maintaining medical electronics equipment in hospitals and in the medical electronics industry, manage stress factors, integrate into multidisciplinary teams specific to the medical environment and develop a sense of responsibility specific to the health sector.

The Institut Meurice engineering school pursues a dynamic activity of applied research in its laboratories, in connection with a recognised expertise in biotechnology, the environment, brewing or catalytic chemistry. It allows for increased knowledge of the industrial environment and its needs, thanks to the close links maintained with private sector players, and for courses and training to evolve with the knowledge and skills acquired. This activity is resolutely plural and collaborative, and takes the form of its own, subsidised and sponsored research projects. Research topics include agri-food, biotechnology, environment and catalysis.

The curriculum integrates courses with a medical orientation (physiology, deontology, etc.), courses related to oral and written communication (French, technical English), technical courses (electronics, computer science, networks, etc.) based on courses with a scientific orientation ((bio) physics, mathematics), courses rooted in economic reality (marketing, management) and finally activities organised to ensure that all these notions are exploited and selected correctly when the student is in a real-life situation (internships on up-to-date medical equipment, end-of-study work).

Thanks to its collaboration with LABIRIS and Meurice R&D researchers, the research centre associated with the Meurice Institute has participated in numerous FIRST, PIT, BRIDGE, IMPULSE, Wagralim, Greenwin and BioWin projects (3 of the 7 Walloon competitiveness clusters), often associated with Walloon or Brussels companies, or at least with their sponsorship. As for sponsored research, it is carried out directly on behalf of companies, dealing with the issues these industries are working on.

Research that is both applied and directly applicable. When such research is conducted, the results belong to the industrialist. For the Institut Meurice, the gain is on several levels: new knowledge and knowledge of current problems on the ground, contribution to specialisation courses by LABIRIS people (several have visiting professor status and give lectures to students in the Master years), enrichment of training by concrete and applied cases, financing by the industries of new equipment allowing the acquisition of new skills, and job opportunities for young graduates.

For its part, the Institut Meurice engineering school offers attractive courses such as the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (first cycle of 3 years). The second cycle of 2 years delivers the degree of “Master in Industrial Engineering Sciences” and leads to the title of Industrial Engineer in the Biochemistry and Chemistry orientations.

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Ultimately, the HELdB has an educational, social and cultural project.

A project where training and research feed one another, where quality is a state of mind. Quality recognised by the media: on 9 September 2021, the Institut Meurice was honoured by the cameras of the RTBF during the programme “Matière grise”. Its brewing service thus highlighted its know-how and its teaching on yeast in a report on Belgium’s favourite drink. A well-deserved recognition.

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Moreover, the Institut Meurice has state-of-the-art equipment that few chemical engineering training institutes can boast: controlled biofermenters with a volume of 1 to 200 litres (pilot scale), protein purification lines, fluidised bed dryer, freeze-dryers, complete and autonomous microbrewery, climatic chambers and texturometer for foodstuffs, test cabins for sensory analysis in compliance with AFNOR standards, gas chromatographs with mass detection, NIR, ICP, capillary NMR, absorption and atomic emission spectrometers...

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Another research player, the Information and Research Centre on Food Intolerances and Hygiene (CIRIHA) is a research centre in the fields of adverse reactions to food and cardiovascular diseases.

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Avenue Émile Gryzon, 1 - bât 4C - 1070 Bruxelles Tel.: +32 (0)2 526 70 55

Campus de Jodoigne Chaussée de Tirlemont79A - 1370 Jodoigne Tel. : +32 (0)10 81 88 50 Email: info@cnldb.be - https://www.heldb.be 89

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In terms of technology transfer, the BioTechnology Unit (UBT) was created in 1983 to develop biotechnology skills within the Institut Meurice. Its know-how is expressed in the production of micro-organisms in dry or liquid form, the scaling-up and validation of fermentation and protein purification processes of industrial interest, and in the development of bioprocesses for purification and environmental technologies.

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It is developing as an authority in the fields of adverse reactions to food, food hygiene and practical nutrition. Its aim is to provide support to the medical, paramedical and economic world and the general public in the form of consultancy, information and training.

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The problem of falls among the elderly is a worldwide phenomenon: one in two people over the age of 75 falls every year, and there are as many as two falls a year among residents of rest and care homes. In total, falls cause 12,000 deaths per year. A vicious circle is set in motion: 35% of elderly people who have already fallen limit their movements, while care teams resort to restraint to avoid wandering and falls. This is where Kaspard comes in. Its objective: to give the elderly more freedom and autonomy in a safer environment.

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of 2021 Kaspard has accumulated over 70,000 nights of operational use of its solution. But the company has no intention of stopping there: the time has come to add a predictive dimension to its system. To this end, Kaspard is working on the development of indicators that indicate an increased risk of falls. This should make it possible to reinforce ad hoc measures in a preventive sense. This is a simple feature to add to the existing device: all that is required is to equip it with additional algorithms. The new version is expected to be on the market by 2023. But from the beginning of 2022, two new features will be introduced: fall detection and prevention during the day (H24 detection) and fall detection and prevention in twin rooms.

An additional growth factor for this company, which is already present in France and Belgium, but which wants to establish itself in the United States and, above all, to offer its solution for the home.

Indeed, its device provides a soft technology to inform and improve the quality of care. This is a particularly relevant solution at a time when nursing homes are preparing to take in more and more elderly and dependent people with a nursing staff that is unlikely to increase.

Kaspard is undeniably part of the solution: by helping nurses, its system meets a demographic and human challenge.

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A support to mobility in medical institutions

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Kaspard’s device has many advantages: it is ceiling-mounted, small, non-intrusive, non-contact and image-free. It works with a distance sensor and is based on an algorithm that allows it to offer a unique functionality: the alarm of not returning to bed. This alarm allows caregivers to get to the scene quickly and prevent falls. In fact, the number of falls is divided by three thanks to the use of this device. This is not surprising considering that the algorithm was developed in the field, as close as possible to the needs of the caregivers. Six institutions were involved in the design of the device: four nursing homes and two university hospitals. The result is a reliability rate of 99.3%.

And that’s not all: there are two additional dimensions to the device.

On the one hand, it analyses falls by means of a 3D visualisation of their circumstances. This makes it possible to reconstruct the minutes preceding the fall and to suggest ways of improving the ergonomics of the rooms or to adapt the exercises proposed by the physiotherapist.

On the other hand, the device provides activity reports on the nightly movements of residents in their rooms. This data also allows the adaptation of physiotherapy exercises and the individualisation of care in a multidisciplinary approach. The nursing staff can then target their interventions where they are most needed and more room is given to the human element. Kaspard’s system therefore provides comprehensive support for the care teams by promoting better organisation of care.

Kaspard 36 boulevard du Souverain 1170 Bruxelles Tel.: +32 (0)499 11 62 20 Email: gwendo@kaspard.com - https://kaspard.com/en/home/

Today, the Kaspard system is present in the retirement homes of the largest European groups: Korian, Orpea and Domidep. By the end

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Support specific projects in the field of biotechnology/medtech Interview with Mr Elio DI RUPO, Minister-President of Wallonia

In order to prepare the Wallonia of tomorrow, a broad consultation was launched involving citizens, but also economic and social partners and civil society.

At the same time, and in order to respond to the many devastating impacts of the Covid-19 health crisis on our economies, the European Union launched its own recovery plan, called the “Recovery and Resilience Facility”.

The Walloon government then decided, for the sake of consistency and efficiency, to aggregate these three programs to write down what is known now as “the Walloon Recovery Plan”.

Just as we were about to finalize the work and release the Plan last July, heavy rain felt on our Region, devastated many of our cities and caused massive floods and many casualties.

The Walloon Government then took immediate measures to manage the emergency of this natural disaster, to make the area safer and to help our fellow citizens in need.

As an immediate consequence, the “Walloon Recovery Plan” has been revised and supplemented with a new strategic axis that focuses on the sustainable reconstruction of the disaster areas. © Rights reserved

This recovery plan is the Walloon government's response to the many challenges it faces.

This Plan is historic in terms of the resources it mobilizes and the objectives it sets.

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etween the health crisis and the floods, how has the government defined its recovery plan?

When the Walloon government was formed in September 2019, its 2019-2024 regional policy declaration reflected the triple regional ambition to accelerate Wallonia's transition on the economic, social and environmental levels.

A budget of 7.6 billion has been set aside for this plan with six major axes.

• The first axis of the Plan will be dedicated to youth. A society that does not invest in its youth has no future. Every young person should be entitled with the right to have a job in which he or she can develop and become an individual.

This was reflected in the so called at the time “the Walloon Transition Plan”.

In the global context of the Covid pandemic, when strong measures had to be taken to limit the spread of the pandemic and to avoid an economic disaster, the ‘Get up Wallonia’ initiative was launched in mid-2020.

• The second axis of the Recovery Plan will be devoted to the environmental transition. This transition will have to be made in the fairest and most inclusive way possible. Everyone must be able to benefit from the fruits of this transformation.

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• The third axis of the Recovery Plan will be devoted to the economic development of our region. We want to develop new technological sectors in Wallonia and strengthen the connectivity of our territory.

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How can innovation be mobilised to tackle the current crises?

Innovation is a key element to face the challenges of our time, including the health crisis and the climate change. Wallonia is known as a land of talents. The Government wants to enable our talented researchers to use their full potential.

To do so, the Government has, is and will dedicate significant resources to support Universities, Research centers and companies of all scale.

This crisis has also shown the necessity and the structuring importance of investing into quality public investment in judiciously chosen, strategic sectors. The government will therefore invest, for example, in optical fibre and in the first developments of 5G in Wallonia. Technology is an essential element of the international competitiveness of Walloon companies.

I would like here to recall the R&D calls for proposals that were launched in 2020 to fight Covid. They have led to several world premieres that made Wallonia shining on the global scene.

• The fourth axis will be devoted to solidarity and social inclusion. Belgium's motto remains “Union is Strength”. As a land of solidarity and collective sharing, Wallonia has not forgotten this priority in its plan.

I do also want to recall the ambitious research projects that are currently being carried out in our Universities, Research Centers and specialized companies to develop the aircraft of tomorrow, more respectful with the environment.

The Government will work on improving the quality of our social structures, our training centers, but also the quality of social housing, not forgetting the infrastructure for the care of young children.

The Government also strengthened the resources dedicated to Welbio. This aims at promoting scientific excellence in fundamental life sciences research and translating scientific achievements into medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary biotechnology applications.

• The fifth axis concerns the governance of our region, because public action must go hand in hand with transparency and governance.

All these examples demonstrate the Walloon will in terms of research support.

• The sixth axis of the Recovery Plan will be dedicated to the reconstruction of the areas affected by the floods of last July. This new axis aims at supporting the reconstruction of affected areas and make them more resilient to future climate crises. Its repercussions will affect both the quality of life of those affected and boost the construction sector, one of the most important job creators.

What are the Government's major innovation projects for the remainder of this legislature?

The Government recently revised its smart specialization strategy after a considerable work involving many stakeholders.

In addition to the significant resources assigned to research within the framework of traditional government credits and within the framework of the recovery plan, the Government ensures the establishment of large-scale and collaborative research projects.

How does the Government intend to support innovation as part of its recovery plan?

Innovation is part of the regional strengths to face the current and future challenges. Wallonia has invested considerably over the past two decades in R&D projects to support companies, universities and research centers. This support must continue in order to pursue ambitious economic, social and environmental goals. The Government has released a budget of 609 million € by 2024 to support research and innovation in the recovery plan. These budgets are of course added up to amounts already planned every year in the budget of the Walloon Region.

To name a few, the ARIAC project that aims to create an IT tool based on trusted artificial intelligence capable of offering a competitive advantage to Walloon companies. I am also thinking of the launch of Win4excellence calls for proposals in the field of strategic sectors identified in our smart specialization strategy.

The Government has also initiated a reform of research grants to increase their readability, efficiency but also, to facilitate their access. This reform reorganizes grants by removing duplicates and filling in some identified gaps. The priorities can be summarised in two words: simplification and exploitation of results research in Walloon companies.

In this context, the Government will support applied research and technological innovation. It will focus its support on the five strategic innovation areas defined in the Smart Specialization Strategy. Different programs will be launched for Universities, research centers and companies around key themes for Wallonia. Significant resources will also be devoted to the acquisition of cutting-edge infrastructures for research programs. More specific projects will also be supported in the field of biotech/ medtech, space or defense where Wallonia has real assets and many world leaders.

Finally, the Government is also working on a reform of economic tools (SRIW, SOGEPA and SOWALFIN) which invest a lot in innovative companies. The goal is here to create a unique, strong and essential regional tool in terms of financial support, but also to improve the readability of the services offered to Walloon entrepreneurs. This reform could also increase the leverage effect of the regional promotional banks to invest more into innovative companies.

The Government will also support the development of the hydrogen sector as an important element of its energy transition strategy to allow for a speeding-up of the decarbonization of certain sectors.

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An ambitious innovation policy at the service of the economic and societal development of Wallonia Interview with 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

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hat are Wallonia's assets in terms of scientific research?

Our Region occupies an important place in the global landscape, whether in the fields of space, aeronautics, biosciences or chemistry.

© Walloon Region - Cabinet of Willy Borsus

Biotech, the Region's flagship sector, has an impact well beyond Wallonia and makes a significant contribution to Walloon employment and exports.

This success is the result of the Walloon Government's strong policy of support for Research and Innovation and the investments made by companies that perform well in these fields and that carry out continuous Research and Development programmes.

Supporting Research and Innovation helps to optimise, amplify and accelerate our triple transition: social, economic and ecological. promote job-creating professions/skills and to raise awareness of STEAM. It is indeed essential to make young people, job seekers and workers want to go into STEAM fields, in all types of education, with a view to (re)orienting them towards a professional career in these fields.

We also owe the presence of talent in Wallonia to the quality of teaching in our colleges and universities, where fundamental research occupies a central place. We encourage international and inter-regional cooperation in the field of research, as well as exchanges between researchers, universities and colleges in order to encourage innovation and inter-company collaboration and thus to keep Wallonia on the path of scientific excellence.

This is why, with the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, we have set up a single specific lifelong guidance system, organised around the 4 Walloon and Brussels Cités des métiers and the Carrefours Emploi Formation Orientation (CEFO). The revival and redeployment of our Region requires training that is better adapted to the needs of companies.

What actions are you carrying out in the framework of vocational training?

Faced with the emergence of new professions in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEAM), the Walloon Government has decided to deploy a coordinated plan to

© Walloon Region - Cabinet of Willy Borsus

What form do business/research partnerships take in Wallonia?

The Walloon Government has approved 6 competitiveness clusters that it is working to perpetuate: BioWin (life sciences), Skywin (aerospace and aeronautics), Wagralim (agro-food), Logistics in Wallonia (transport and logistics), MecaTech (mechanical engineering) and GreenWin (environmental technologies).

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These competitiveness clusters are part of our Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) for Wallonia. Together with the research centres, the competitiveness clusters are real assets for Wallonia, they promote synergies with economic players, and we want to strengthen their accessibility for companies.

How can the Walloon Government further improve the quality of research in the region?

As you will have understood, Research, Development and Innovation are priorities for us. It is clear to our Government that the revival of Wallonia will require massive support for these areas.

To encourage innovation in Walloon companies, the Government intends to increase the public resources invested in support for innovation and to achieve the European objectives of 3% of GDP invested in research and development; as we know, this European objective will increase to 4% by 2035 and 5% by 2050.

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The S3 aims to concentrate our strengths so that research and innovation enable us to better respond to the challenges facing Wallonia. Challenges that create opportunities and mobilise our innovation potential.

As a reminder, a work of co-construction with all the actors of Research and Innovation started at the beginning of 2020 and led to the selection of 5 SIAs, the renewal of the S3 and the elaboration of roadmaps for each of the SIAs.

For the year 2020, €356.5 million was invested by Wallonia, via the SPW Research. This represents 260 companies financed, as well as French-speaking universities, colleges, approved research centres and research organisations. 253 innovation vouchers were also issued for a total amount of €1.5 million.

The adoption of the S3 is only one step in a process of broad mobilisation of the regional ecosystem to achieve strong ambitions for Wallonia.

Despite this success, several obstacles to accessing research grants remained. This is why I decided to review the Walloon research aid mechanisms in order to make them easier to understand for the beneficiaries and to facilitate access.

You have also launched a Call for expressions of interest (AMI) in September 2021...

It is essential to be more in tune with the reality on the ground by responding better to the needs of businesses, the academic world and research centres.

Yes, indeed. This call aims to select Strategic Innovation Initiatives (SIIs), coherent sets of activities and projects federating the distinctive strengths and relevant actors of Wallonia in response to one or more ambitions of one or more SIAs.

This reform of research aid, through its concern to concentrate public resources, is linked to our Intelligent Specialisation Strategy (S3) since the objective is that 70% of funding should be granted to projects in the Strategic Innovation Areas (SIA) of the S3.

This is a new and innovative approach which aims to bring out critical masses of actors and to have a transversal vision around the challenges of Wallonia and the value chains grouping the relevant actors.

Could you tell us more about your Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3)?

In the first quarter of 2021, we renewed our S3 for the period 2021-2027, for an ambitious innovation policy at the service of the economic and societal development of the Region.

The objective is to set up a strategic dialogue with the Region's services, and to identify the relevant levers to be mobilised in order to achieve our ambitions.

The selection of the SIIs was made in December 2021.

The renewal of our S3 responds, through innovation, to the main societal challenges for Wallonia and is based on 5 Strategic Innovation Areas (SIAs).

As a reminder, the 5 SIAs retained by the Government are: - Circular materials; - Innovations for better health; - Innovations for agile and safe design and production; - Sustainable energy systems and housing; - Agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management.

This will be followed by a real work of support and guidance to find and develop the most appropriate sources of funding to make the projects a reality, at Walloon level but also at European level, because we want to give Wallonia and its actors an international ambition.

As you can see, research is essential for our Region and has our full support, so that together with all the sectors involved, we can meet the challenges of tomorrow.

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Better meet the needs of Walloon research stakeholders An interview with Mr Jean-François HEUSE, Deputy Head of Department, Department of Research and Technological Development, SPW Economy, Employment, Research On the other hand, there are the calls for proposals.

There are of two types: regional and international.

In these cases, the department launches, alone or, in most cases, with the support of the European Commission, calls for research projects. They can be thematic or non-thematic. A timetable is set: opening and closing of the call and decision date.

The evaluation and ranking process and the overall budget are also specified.

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ould you remind us of the competences of the Department of Research and Technological Development?

This department has two main missions. The first is to financially support Walloon research players: companies, research centres or universities, through a “counter assistance”, or through our own programmes or collaborative programmes. In 2020, this support amounted to more than 350 million euros.

Our second mission is to accompany these players.

We help them, for example, to apply for a patent, to promote their research, etc. Finally, and in addition to our magazine Athena, we also finance various awareness-raising STEM projects and events.

Could you describe the mechanisms for supporting applied research and technological innovation in favour of companies, universities, colleges, public research bodies and accredited research centres?

As I said earlier, there is, on the one hand, the “counter assistance” where companies can apply for their RDI support. The financial support is a grant or a loan which intensity varies depending on the size of the company and on the qualification of the research (industrial research or experimental development). Unlike universities, which are funded at 100%, or research centres (75%), the State aid regulations allow lower rates for companies due to the economical impact. In concrete terms, when a company needs support, they submit an application that is analysed by experts whom give their decision for funding.

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

Finally, I would also like to mention more specific aids, such as those that allow the creation of spin-offs, those that offer companies the possibility of hiring personnel, whether it be a project manager, a researcher or a doctoral student.

Could you give us some examples of research projects supported by the Department?

The Department of Research and Technological Development funds several hundreds of projects every year. For confidentiality reasons, I may not give many details, but I would like to highlight a specific grant linked to COVID-19.

© Texere

Indeed, in addition to the classic and well-known calls, an extraordinary call for COVID related R&D projects was implemented.

As early as May 2020, several research projects were submitted to fight the pandemic and for which extraordinary budgets were allocated. Other more specific funding requests were also submitted, such as those related to the establishment and analysis of a reference population for monitoring the evolution of the virus in the Walloon population, amounting to 647.000 euros, or the one relating to the sterilisation of surgical and FFP2 masks (269.000 euros), which was also reported in the media.

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.

Another important dossier was carried out at the end of 2020: that of the 32-million-euro financing of the ARIAC project by Digital Wallonia, on artificial intelligence. This project materialises the first pillar (the TRAIL Institute) relating to the TRAIL initiative. TRIAL stands for the Trusted Artificial Intelligence Labs Institute, an initiative that brings together five French-speaking universities, four research centres, the Digital Agency, AI4Belgium and SPW Research.

How do you encourage the participation of Walloon companies in federal, European and international programmes?

This is the mission of the NCP-Wallonia and its six advisors who receive a subsidy from the SPW Research. We have just renewed

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the agreement with this structure at the same time as the European Commission's new framework programme, Horizon Europe, was launched.

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reality on the ground by better responding to the needs of Walloon research actors.

The new approach, which enables beneficiaries to be better guided towards the right measures, is based on specific needs such as setting up a company or carrying out a research project alone or with others...

In addition, a consultancy contract is underway, aimed at setting up a framework conducive to increased participation of Walloon research actors in European programmes. Certain measures will therefore complement the launch by the Government of the collaborative platform “Wallonia inside EU”, the aim of which is to facilitate collaboration with sectoral entities with a view to developing a common strategy.

It is important to stress that this reform has also been carried out with the constant concern to concentrate public resources. In this sense, a clear link is made with the Intelligent Specialisation Strategy (S3) since the objective is that 70% of funding should be granted to projects in the Strategic Innovation Areas (SIAs) of the S3. As a reminder, these SIAs consist of a coherent and ambitious set of innovative activities with a high economic impact and societal contribution. They are (1) circular materials, (2) innovations for improved health, (3) innovations for agile and safe design and production, (4) sustainable energy systems and habitats and finally (5) agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management.

How can the Department contribute to the recovery of the economy and employment in Wallonia?

It is often said that one public euro invested in research yields between 4 and 5. The figures speak for themselves and translate into job creation, new markets explored and new collaborations initiated, both at home and abroad, or even patents filed! Public support is essential to “prime the pump”.

Is there anything new for research aids in Wallonia?

Since September 2021, the aids of the Department of Research and Technological Development have been restructured. It appeared essential for the Government to be more in line with the

© SPW Recherche / Carolina Levicek

These five SIAs contribute to strengthening the economy and employment, and provide a response to the major societal challenges of today, such as the energy transition.

The W_PEAFILMS project, partly co-financed by the SPW Research and the European Commission, aims to develop 100% biosourced and 100% biodegradable bioplastic materials based on pea starch.

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Focusing on international technological missions and sustainable transition An interview with Ms Pascale DELCOMMINETTE, General Administrator, Wallonia Export & Investment Agency(AWEX) & Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI) 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.

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ould 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 and companies. To do this, they rely on several networks active abroad, namely 6 scientific liaison officers, 92 economic and commercial advisors and the OWIN (Open Worldwide Innovation Network): created in partnership with Texas University, Queensland University and Tsinghua University, this network promotes rapid access to markets offering opportunities for strong growth and technological partnerships.

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. © AWEX

In addition, AWEX and WBI carry out various promotional and support activities. For example, each year they 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 universities, start-ups, spin-offs, 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, princely missions, 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, 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.

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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.

Competitiveness clusters, companies and universities offer an

Hannover Messe with AWEX-WBI “innovation” teams (universities, research centres and companies) - 2019 edition

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A more integrated and efficient innovation support system Interview with Mr Jean-Christophe DEHALU, President of the Science Policy Pole (SPP), Wallonia future and innovative environmental management.

The Pole has welcomed this strategy, which will enable it to make better use of its strengths, to better target the resources granted within the framework of the structural funds and to orient regional economic policy by relying on Wallonia's scientific and technological strengths.

However, for the PPS, the definition of the SIDs remains relatively broad. The expertise of the actors present in each SID will make it possible to identify more precisely the promising sectors for the Walloon economy. It is also essential to remain attentive to technological developments in order to support emerging sectors or fields. Other important issues: the reform of the Walloon innovation support system and the reform projects which aim to bring greater clarity and legibility to research aid. The Pole supports the targeted objectives: it is absolutely essential to offer all beneficiaries access to aid in line with their needs and to guarantee that all stages of technological maturity are met by ensuring a good transition between them.

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hat are the missions of the Science Policy Pole?

The Science Policy Pole is an advisory 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.

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What is your assessment of the Walloon government's RDI policy?

The Walloon innovation system is globally efficient according to European comparisons, but areas for improvement must be addressed. Important work has been carried out by the Minister of Research and his administration in partnership with the actors of the RDI world to define the new strategy of smart specialisation for Wallonia (S3), the strategic framework for the RDI policy and the industrial policy of Wallonia. Five Strategic Innovation Domains (SIDs) were defined: circular materials, innovations for enhanced health, innovations for agile and safe design and production, sustainable energy systems and habitats, agri-food chains of the

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On which topics do you plan to submit own-initiative opinions?

The Pole will follow the evolution of the implementation of the S3 and the reform of the policy mix in the coming months in order to assess their implications on the Walloon RDI system and its actors. One of the themes of primary importance for the SPP remains the strengthening of the attractiveness of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. The low number of new STEM graduates in French-speaking Belgium is a weakness of our innovation system that strongly impacts the economic development of the region. The cluster has already submitted several opinions on this topic and will continue its reflections during this year. A specific working group has been set up within the SPP to continue the reflection on this major subject.

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What are the main challenges facing Wallonia in terms of RDI? The Walloon RDI support system, although particularly rich, remains too fragmented and not very clear, particularly for SMEs. The reform of the policy mix is an essential element to enable Wallonia to pursue a more effective policy in the field of research and innovation. It is a question of proposing a simplified and effective aid system, meeting the needs of all the players and easily understandable for all. The implementation of this new policy mix will have an impact on many aspects of regional RDI policy, but also on all its actors. A whole new system of support for innovation will be put in place in the coming months. For the SPP, it is important that all actors (universities, colleges, research centres and companies) benefit from a more integrated and efficient system in order to be able to fully contribute to improving the competitiveness of Wallonia and to implementing the economic, social and environmental transition desired by Wallonia.

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SOWALFIN, a major player in innovation in Wallonia Interview with Mrs Anne VEREECKE, Member of the Management Committee of SOWALFIN hat are SOWALFIN's missions?

SOWALFIN offers a complete range of services for SMEs, at each key stage of their life cycle (creation, growth and transmission) but also for specific needs such as innovation, eco-transition and internationalisation.

with a network of operators in the field, 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.

This offer includes on the one hand financial products such as guarantees and co-financing in partnership with banks, direct financing via some of SOWALFIN's subsidiaries or through regional Invests. This offer also includes information, awareness and support services through a network of field operators.

What are the financial levers that a Walloon company can activate with SOWALFIN? As far as financing is concerned, SOWALFIN contributes to the financial closing of innovative and eco-innovative projects, via the subordinated loans EASY'UP and EASY'GREEN, if necessary in addition to the interventions of the 9 Walloon Invests. The projects financed by EASY'UP consist of product, service, production process or marketing innovation with or without a technological component, including the improvement of an existing product, service or process. In addition, the EASY'GREEN scheme can be activated in the case of an eco-innovative project, i.e. one that has a favourable impact on the environment or on the company's carbon footprint. © SOWALFIN

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How does SOWALFIN support innovation?

Whether it is incremental or breakthrough, technological or not, product, process or marketing, innovation is a risky process, fraught with obstacles and a source of uncertainty for the company. Specific support is therefore recommended and various operators, coordinated by SOWALFIN, offer tailor-made services aimed at challenging the company on its business model, market positioning, technical approach and intellectual property strategy.

Under the INNOVFIN scheme (in partnership with the EIF), a specific guarantee is also offered to cover bank loans financing innovative projects at a higher rate.

SOWALFIN's Innovation Unit relies on a team with complementary expertise and technical skills (materials, agri-food, digital, intellectual property, etc.). This team also works in close partnership

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 raising funds to make itself known to potential investors.

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How can SOWALFIN help companies in the field of intellectual property?

Intellectual property (IP) is a means of “managing risks” with respect to any third party (competitors, partners, employees) through the identification, protection and enhancement of IP assets.

Trademarks, designs, copyrights, patents and know-how make it possible to protect and enhance the value of the key elements of a technology, a manufacturing process or even a product in the targeted markets.

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Through its helpdesk, SOWALFIN helps SMEs and project leaders to understand the challenges of IP for their business and provides support solutions that can be accessed online (the self-diagnosis, Info Session, guides, etc.). In addition, SOWALFIN advises companies on the development of an IP strategy with a view to establishing an action plan. Finally, it refers to private agents when specific needs arise.

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Interview with Ir. Rose DETAILLE, Managing director of ISSeP should be reduced, given their persistence or the potential undesirable health effects, even at low levels of impregnation. Our results also showed that the effects of policies to raise awareness, reduce and/or ban substances are noticeable but do not totally or directly eliminate the population’s exposure. Eventually, the results confirm the idea that the biomonitoring techniques must continue to be developed in order to complement the characterization campaigns of environmental matrices.

Hence we intend to continue developing our skills in this field. We will join the PARC initiative (European partnership for the assessment of risks from chemicals) that will be launched in 2022. © ISSeP

Could you remind us of your main areas of activity?

ISSeP has four main missions: the Walloon environment quality monitoring (i.e. water, air, soil, sediments and waste), risk and pollution prevention, the Walloon reference laboratory, research and technological development. It draws on the scientific expertise of 300 agents in domains like field sampling, lab analysis, numerical modelling, geostatistical analysis, and Earth observation.

Environmental monitoring activities cover an ambient air quality network, the control of emissions from 53 industrial facilities, the physicochemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological survey of surface and groundwater as well as sediments, and lastly contaminated sites and landfill sites monitoring.

Risk and pollution prevention studies concern for instance simulating forecast models and assessing accidental and chronic risks, assessing impact on ecosystems and human health exposure through biomonitoring projects and geostatistical approaches, but also land use change monitoring by Earth observation methods.

What was ISSeP’s role in the context of the floods with regard to the analysis of surface water?

ISSeP is in charge of managing the Walloon surface water monitoring network. At the request of the SPW ARNE, ISSeP quickly modified its monitoring plan by focussing on the areas affected by flooding in order to get the full picture of the quality of Walloon waterways. Twenty additional measuring points have been added to the routinely monitored network in 2021.

At all the stations located in the affected areas, the analytical programmes were extended to a whole series of micro and macro-pollutants. The focus was placed on the quantification of hydrocarbons but other pollutants potentially resulting from these floods will also be monitored. The sampling frequency has also been increased in order to monitor the evolution of this pollution more accurately. These additional measurements will be carried out at least until the end of 2021 and may be extended in time for selected sites according to the findings.

What is your assessment of the Walloon biomonitoring project?

The first phase of the Walloon biomonitoring project made it possible to establish reference values for exposure to fifty substances on 828 Walloon residents (newborns, teenagers aged 11 to 19 and young adults aged 20 to 39). While the results showed that the exposure levels are generally of the same order of magnitude as those found in other European countries, some substances such as bisphenol A, glyphosate or certain PCBs were only found in some of the studied samples. The situation should be monitored and the population’s exposure to these substances

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ISSeP Liège Headquarters Rue Chéra, 200 - 4000 Liège Tel.: +32 (0)4 229 83 11 Email: direction@issep.be http://www.issep.be

What do you see as the key issues in R&D in your field of expertise?

First of all, environmental measurement technologies continue to evolve constantly in terms of accuracy, speed or quantity of measurements taken. It is therefore important to stay up-to-date with technological developments and fully exploit new collected

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How do you see ISSeP’s activity development in the coming years?

ISSeP is a key player in the Walloon Region with regard to environmental policy evaluation but needs to bring this recognition to the next level. Therefore, main goals are to develop our international recognition (with increased participation in larger European projects), to open up to society through citizen science, and to develop our expertise by creating networks to generate synergies.

Finally, we could provide valuable support in crisis situations: our expertise can be translated into sound advice for the authorities (e.g. how to take emergency sampling or simulate pollution plumes, in order to take rapid or long-term measures). More broadly, our expertise is applicable to issues as crucial as circular economy and environmental health studies. The development of a role as “environmental sentinel” and “watchdog of emerging risks” has to be our priority. We must aspire to fulfil this role at the regional, European and international level. We must also develop our capacities to assume it at different time scales, both in duration and in emergency situations. This will require to further strengthen interactions and complementarities between our specialist teams.

Could you give us some examples of ongoing research projects and projects with citizen participation?

The Walloon Human Biomonitoring (BMH-WAL) discussed above is a perfect example of citizen sciences. For the AIR-ECOLE project, carried out in the framework of the Walloon environmental-health plan, air quality measurements were taken inside the premises and outside twenty school buildings in the five provinces of Wallonia. This project allowed to raise teachers’ awareness about classroom ventilation and to inform municipal parties about the impact of traffic on air quality in the vicinity and inside schools. TransfAIR is an Interreg project that aims to harmonise the monitoring and information of the French-Belgian population on the quality of the air they breathe. The creation of a platform for the exchange and pooling of cross-border data, involving citizens in the monitoring process, will enable to sensitize and guide citizens towards a behaviour that is beneficial for the air quality of the Euroregion. Finally, I would like to mention ENVI-EHS: this study of hypersensitivity to electromagnetic fields using double-blind provocation tests follows a protocol co-created with electro-hypersensitive volunteers (EHS).

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a data. A working group at ISSeP is performing a technology watch and studying the opportunities of using Big Data and Artificial Intelligence techniques to better understand the complex systems that compose the environment. Another important challenge is to transform waste into a resource. It is also important to note that the current crisis is prompting us to develop predictive models to anticipate and prevent risks. A better understanding of the environmental and the health risks responds to strong societal expectations and involves improving our expertise on the characterization of chemical hazards and their impacts on humans and biodiversity. It will allow us to help mitigate the risks associated with the energy transition and the circular economy.

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SRIW, a key partner in the regional strategy for Life Sciences For more than 40 years, S.R.I.W. (Société Régionale d’Investissement de Wallonie or Regional Investment Company of Wallonia) 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.

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he strategy of S.R.I.W. 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 S.R.I.W. as a risk capital provider in the life sciences sector is crucial, considering its capital-intensive nature and the high degree of risk associated.

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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, Syndesi Therapeutics ...

- Strong track record in life sciences, as leading industry players have acquired several Walloon life sciences companies in recent years.

The S.R.I.W. Life Sciences team

S.R.I.W. 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.

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.

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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.

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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. .

SRIW Life Sciences Facts & Figures (12/31/2021) ± evergreen fund investing in Wallonia ± 59 companies in portfolio ± 297 million € assets under management ± +11,2% return on the equity portfolio in 2021 ± +204 million € cumulated return on investments. www.sriw.be/en/

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Enter the world of applied research with SynHERA! Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS): for many, these are places devoted mainly to teaching. However, in addition to this pedagogical aspect, these establishments also have, as one of their missions, applied research. On a daily basis, more than 1,000 teachers-researchers are involved in the development of applied science within the 19 Universities of Applied Sciences and the 10 associated Research Centres of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Scientists who can count on the support of SynHERA, the structure that promotes this scientific knowledge and allows companies to access it. Interview with Sabine Dossa, Director of SynHERA. programme, and in particular its pillar 2, supports work and research related to societal issues.

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abine Dossa, could you introduce us to the SynHERA structure?

We know that research is essential. As the Covid-19 crisis has shown us once again, it is this research that enables us to enrich our knowledge, to respond to the needs of society and to develop the world around us. It is on the basis of this observation that SynHERA was created more than 20 years ago: it is the only structure representing applied research within the Universities of Applied Sciences and associated Research Centres of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. SynHERA's objective is twofold. On the one hand, we support teachers-researchers in the development of their research activities. On the other hand, we allow companies to access the knowledge and expertise of these scientists. Thus, SynHERA is truly the interface between the academic world and the socio-economic world.

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How can these companies keep up to date with the different research carried out within your network?

First of all, they can consult our website (www. synhera.be) to find out more about our network.

Secondly, SynHERA has developed the LUCK platform (https://luck.synhera.be). This site, which is free of charge, provides access in a few clicks to the various research projects carried out within the Universities of Applied Sciences and associated Research Centres of the Wallonia -Brussels Federation. An online library allows everyone to access the scientific knowledge of the Universities of Applied Sciences and associated Research Centres of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. And for any other question or for a specific request, do not hesitate to contact one of the members of the SynHERA team so that together we can carry out your innovative projects!

And what type of company is SynHERA aimed at?

For all types of companies! It can be a non-profit organisation, an SME or a large company. They can also have an economic or social purpose. The important factor is that they desire to innovate.

To do this, the SynHERA team is available to identify the various possible financing sources. Among them, I can mention the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which funds applied research projects in the Universities of Applied Sciences via the FRHE call for projects.

In the Walloon Region, direct grants and project calls from the SPW Economy, Employment and Research help financing innovative projects that have a direct impact on the local economic environment. In Brussels, Innoviris also proposes numerous research programmes. At the European level, the Horizon Europe framework

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What are the advantages for a company to collaborate with researchers from the Universities of Applied Sciences and associated Research Centres?

First of all, it is important to specify that this is applied research.

That is to say, concrete research that meets a specific need. It is also multidisciplinary research with researchers active in many fields, both in the so-called “hard” sciences and in the humanities and social sciences. For these companies, SynHERA is an opportunity to come into direct contact with the most qualified experts in their field. And SynHERA's support does not stop there, as our team offers companies tailor-made support until the completion of their project(s).

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Improving training and the availability of highly skilled labour An interview with Mr Olivier DE WASSEIGE, Managing Director of the Walloon Business Association (Union Wallonne des Entreprises - UWE) within the UWE in terms of digital and to provide companies with a maximum number of tools to help them seize the opportunities offered by the digital transformation.

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hat impact has the health crisis had on Walloon companies?

The impact has been major. We estimated that the cumulative loss of added value caused by the crisis will be around 20 billion euros for the entire Walloon economy by 2024. Many companies have had to close down or slow down considerably during the second quarter of 2020. Then, when the economy was able to somewhat recover during the second half of 2020. But our companies were confronted with the surge in raw material prices caused by the disruption of the national and international supply. Today, and this is good news, the wall of bankruptcies does not seem to have materialized. The public support measures certainly explain part of this observation. The situation remains precarious, however, with health and financial uncertainties leaving businesses and consumers in a state of at the end of 2021.

Through this approach, the UWE will have a space for reflection, information and discussion on the major issues linked to the digital transition that impact the life of Walloon companies, and will also be able to formulate concrete proposals to improve the regional situation in terms of digital transformation.

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In your opinion, what are the challenges to be met in order to encourage R&D and accelerate the creation and development of innovative companies in Wallonia?

Wallonia’s international positioning in terms of R&D is rather good, whether we look at the European Commission’s Regional Innovation Scoreboard or Eurostat’s research funding statistics. Nevertheless, certain elements still need to be improved.

What was the UWE4WALLONIA plan?

Very early on in the crisis, UWE proposed to turn this unprecedented disaster into an opportunity for reform and economic recovery in Wallonia. The “UWE4WALLONIA” plan was drawn up in the summer of 2020 through rigorous work carried out within a series of thematic groups bringing together our business leaders and our sectoral federations. Proposals for reforms and concrete measures have emerged and formed the core of this proposal. Much of it is still relevant to this day.

In this context, several reforms desired by the UWE have been completed or are under consideration in Wallonia. Research grants have been simplified, the regional support ecosystem has been rationalised, an analysis of the regional research centre landscape is underway, etc.

However, other factors still need to be addressed, particularly in terms of training and the availability of highly qualified labour (in STEM professions - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - in particular). The UWE continues to work on this through constructive cooperation with the regional authorities.

General Assembly

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Could you tell us about the work of the UWE’s new Digital Commission?

Launched in December 2021 and chaired by Antonio Galvanin (Proximus), this new Commission will aim to feed the reflections

General Assembly

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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.

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elecoms, 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.

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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.

Clarisse Ramakers, General Manager Agoria Wallonie

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).

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

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.

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Skywin

Interview with Mr Etienne POURBAIX, Director of the Skywin competitiveness cluster

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Taking on a new dimension

• Modelling and numerical simulation: the Walloon industrial and scientific sector contains a few leaders on this specific international market.

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hat is Skywin’s strategy?

Let me first remind you that 70% of Belgian aeronautical companies are based in Wallonia. These Walloon companies provide an average of 5% of the components for each Airbus product.

A redefinition of these technological axes is currently underway to take into account not only technological developments such as electrification, new fuels, connected objects but also new societal and environmental constraints.

In this context, Skywin is the Walloon Aerospace cluster consisting of an association of companies, research organisations and training centres engaged in public-private partnerships and in the implementation of innovative collaborative projects.

What about the cluster’s key figures?

Skywin is active in five sectors: aeronautic, space, defence, drones, and engineering. At the end of 2020 Skywin’s 158 members (111 SMEs, 15 large companies, 7 universities and high schools, 12 research centres, 2 centres of expertise, 11 other members) represented 7,800 jobs and a turnover of €2 billion, 90 % of which is export-related. Since its inception in 2006 Skywin promoted 89 certified industrial projects over 31 calls between 2007 and 2020: 58 R&D projects (€228 M), 21 investment projects (€33 M), and 10 training projects (€15 M) for a total budget of €276 M. This amount is divided into €109 M in private budget (from industry), €75 M in public funding (for research & education), and €92 M in public funding (for industry).

Skywin is defined around 5 economic sectors and 6 technological axes.

5 economic sectors: - The two historic sectors of the Skywin: Civil Aeronautics and Space. Both have been covered since the creation of the cluster in 2006.

- The Drone sector has emerged more recently and a consolidation process is still on going. Skywin cluster focusses on the development of new flying machines, sensors, control and applicated software, and also on synergies with the space sector, especially for earth observation.

- The Defense sector is the most recent one but it was already present implicitly with the membership of some organizations and companies involved in several collaborative R&D projects.

The awareness of a needed European defense and the recent appearance of dedicated European and Federal research programs justify the integration of this specific sector.

- The Engineering sector is dedicated to the various service providers needed for the technological development of the other 4 sectors, including software developers.

© Courtesy of SABCA

The 6 technological and strategic axes of the Skywin cluster: • Composite materials and industrial processes: the Walloon aerospace industry is focusing on materials of the future, both for design and manufacturing; • Metallic materials and industrial processes: an important know-how exists in Wallonia around metal tooling and design; the integration of operational excellence and Additive Manufacturing into the industrial process are major challenges for the sector; • Embedded systems: for aeronautical, space and drone platforms; • Airport services: the number of airports will continue to grow, with new operational and technical opportunities of management; • Space and drones’ applications and systems: the global market for nano and micro-satellites (new space concept) is growing; the availability and combination of data derived from space observation and the use of drones involve the development of plenty new applications;

The members of the Skywin cluster make a significant contribution to various programmes led by Airbus. Here, a “Lower Shell” can be seen under a large piece of A380 fuselage, produced by SABCA in Brussels.

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Could you tell us a little bit more about your members?

Membership of the Skywin Cluster is open to private or public legal entities with a registered office or operation headquarter in Wallonia and who are active in the research, development and/or application of technological products and processes in the aeronautic or spatial sector.

Sullivan catalogue, an active participation in the “Made Different” program, which aims to promote the deployment of the Industry of the Future (4.0) in Wallonia, and a partnership with the Space2IDGo project which aims to export European space innovation to third countries via the use of satellite data for earth observation, geopositioning and telecommunications.

Members of the professional associations EWA (Walloon Aeronautics companies) and Wallonia Espace are de facto members of the Skywin cluster. Any other company or association may become an adherent member of the Skywin cluster, upon written request to the board of directors and following the agreement of the latter based on the following criteria: • Active in the research, development and/or application of technological products and processes within one of the 5 sectors covered by Skywin; • Have a link with at least one of the strategic focuses defined by the cluster; • Pay an annual fee.

At the international level, Skywin offers international visibility to its members and their projects through the organisation or participation in various events or exhibitions (in collaboration with AWEX). It also collaborates with NCP Wallonia to promote the involvement of companies in European projects. At last, the cluster has a network of international partners (France, Canada, Germany, etc.), and is an active participant in the European Aerospace Cluster (EACP).

Skywin is an equally active player as regards training. With its partners, it participates in the circulation and acquisition of the skills necessary for the technological development of companies. Moreover the cluster supports innovative training projects in order to support a specific advanced field or to ensure the development of skills related to an R&D project.

A company may also become a temporary member if it is part of a consortium for a certified project. Since 2007, the total number of members has increased from 86 to 158 including a remarkable rise in the number of SME’s. In 2020 the cluster welcomed 5 new members: (SME’s).

Could you detail your activities at the international level?

Skywin develops and implements its internationalization strategy in close collaboration with AWEX and regularly consults its members.

What services do you offer to your members?

In the field of innovation projects, Skywin advises and accompanies companies in the development of collaborative projects (R&D, training and investment) up to their labelling and financing. The projects bring together the skills of industrialists, universities and research centres. The ultimate goal is to create economic activity and sustainable employment.

Globally, it is based on the following actions: • Participation in the three essential events of the aerospace sector (Bourget, Farnborough, Singapore); • Actions in more difficult to access or newer markets (e.g. participation and prospection to trade fairs in Singapore, Russia, Brazil or China); • Targeted actions in geographically close markets (France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland), or more traditional ones (Quebec, USA); • Participation to economic missions abroad, in collaboration with AWEX; • Welcoming foreign delegations in Wallonia; • Active participation in European networks, in particular the EACP network – European Aerospace Cluster Partnership and the NEREUS network - Network of European Regions Using Space technologies; • Participation in one COSME project (Space2ID GO): collaboration between European clusters to support the internationalization of SMEs.

Skywin is also active in networking: its members have access to a wide network of Walloon and international industrial, scientific and training partners. What is more the cluster regularly organises thematic events to promote exchanges and partnerships (conferences, seminars, technology roundtables). It frequently takes part in its partners’ events and leads 3 thematic working groups (civil aeronautics, defence and space) aiming to anticipate mid-term technical and business evolutions.

© Courtesy of Safran Aero Boosters

The cluster also make various means available in order to boost its members’ competitiveness: the market studies from the Frost &

The manufacture of high-value components in the space sector is also the speciality of some of the Skywin members in Wallonia.

Here is a “butterfly” valve from a VULCAIN motor for Ariane.

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Skywin took part in major events in 2019: • JEC 2019 - Paris • Paris Space Week • Aeromart - Montreal • International Paris Air Show - Le Bourget • MAKS - Moscow • IAC Washington • Space Tech Expo - Bremen • Aerospace & Defence Meetings - Torino • RDV Forum CRIAQ - Montreal • SAFE Drone seminar - Avignon • R&T Day Safran Group - Paris • Belgian Royal Economic Mission - Luxembourg • Several B2B meetings (EACP, Rencontres industrielles Hautsde-France, etc.).

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Productivity and excellence in terms of aeronautical component manufacture are key factors which enable Walloon SMEs to take their place on the world stage.

As for SW_AMPASENS (Drone for the positioning of a measurement system on a High-Voltage line), it aims at developing an autonomous sensor installation system on live HV power lines through the use of drones to reduce human risk and exploitation costs. This project, co-labelled with the MecaTech cluster, was given ALX Systems as a project leader. Ampacimon (SME), Multitel, and Sirris (research centers) have joined in as partners.

Could you give us a few examples of project applications submitted to Skywin in 2019?

The cluster totaled 13 accompanied project ideas, 5 project deposits and 6 certified projects. Among them, SW_4EQUIP (Engine Embedded Electronic Equipment) targets the electrification of oil equipment for aircraft engines to reduce gas emissions.

The project leader is Safran Aero Boosters with the partnership of Bit&Byte, GDTech, Nsilition, Open Engineering, Taipro, V2i, VDDTech (SME’s), ULB and UCLouvain (universities).

Let us conclude with SW_IADAS (Artificial intelligence for autonomous drones and satellites): this project targets the development of methods to adapt artificial intelligence algorithms and highperformance platforms to the needs of “New Space” satellites and drones. Deltatec (project leader) and ALX Systems (SME), Multitel (research center), and ULiege (university) are joining forces to take up this challenge.

For its part, SW_LDCOMP (Digital laboratory for composites) focuses on the development of a full range of automated nondestructive testing tools for complex composite structures. This international partnership between Wallonia and Canada is run by Optrion as project leader. Walloon partners include Alkar, Citius Engineering, NDT Pro (SME’s), Safran Aero Boosters (large company), and ULiege (university), while Canadian partners encompass Visioimage (SME), Bombardier (large company), oN DuTy! (a program which is supported by the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) of the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)), and CTA (research center).

Skywin is also active in the field of communication and events. Could you tell us more about that?

In 2019 the cluster totaled 55 publications press and audiovisual appearances, 113 news published by electronic means via 22 newsletters, 1.048 newsletter subscribers, 27.000 website visits and 463 people present at seminars organised by the cluster.

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On top of that Skywin organised several local events in 2019.

Starting with Thermoplastics for aeronautics: Skywin had selected an international panel of experts from major actors (Airbus, Safran Group, Solvay, Hexcel Composite, Cetim, INSA, Materia Nova, INSA Rouen - France) to provide an extended overview of the potentiality of thermoplastics for aeronautic industry. Another event was the Seminar AI4Copernicus: with no less than 28 Walloon and international speakers, AI4Copernicus enabled more than 200 people (Belgian but also from 10 European countries) to take stock of knowledge in the field of the interpretation of satellite images using artificial intelligence potentialities.

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What partnerships did you set up in order to carry out your activities?

Skywin is at the heart of a dense network of regional partnerships: the Walloon Government, Wallonie recherche SPW, Wallonia.be (export investment), Wallonia Clusters, EWA, the LIEU network, digitalwallonia.be, Belgian Aerospace, Picarre (intellectual property), Wallonie Espace, NCP, Innovatech, A6K (an advanced engineering center), and ID2MOVE. Furthermore the cluster has developed important partnerships at the international level with key players such as Aero Montreal and CRIAQ (Canada), Aerospace Valley, AsTech Paris Region and the SAFE cluster (France), Luxinnovation (Luxembourg), EACP, NEREUS and the European Network of Defence-Related Regions at the European level.

Skywin also visited Imec headquarters in Leuven with more than 30 members. This world-renowned R&D center in the field of nanotechnology and digital technology could be an interesting partner within the framework of R&D collaborative projects.

What do you think are the major challenges ahead for the Walloon and international aerospace and defence sector?

We definitely need to bring up confidence in our industry when aero transportation faces a massive air pocket. In itself 2019 was a great year for Skywin. Paris Air Show late June was wonderful with a record breaking participation of Walloons companies and research centres. More than ever it was the opportunity for sustaining commercial and technological relationships as well as creating new ones back then in a steady state growth path. We also enjoyed the visit of key Belgian statesmen and stateswomen through whom significant advances have been made in defence and space, by signing pioneering contracts in the frame of the fighter replacement on one hand, by paving the way of an expanded Belgian contribution to ESA programs and its favourably induced business on the other hand.

What is more the Skywin-driven Earth Observation working group met 10 times since 2015. A position paper promoting the conclusions of the works published end 2018 has been widely diffused in 2019. And let us not forget the working groups “Civil aeronautics” and “Defence”: the objectives of these 3 working groups is to identify the strategic priorities in the aeronautics and space sectors and to strengthen the Defence industrial sector in Wallonia. The Defence working group is managed in collaboration with the MecaTech cluster.

The cluster is also carrying on the activities of the “Cercle Skywin”, a forum dedicated to its corporate members and aiming to meet in an informal setting, to share experiences, to discover opportunities for collaboration and to express expectations about Skywin action. Beyond its own communication activities, Skywin regularly participates in events proposed by its Walloon partners (Digital Wallonia, InnovaTech, other clusters, etc.).

Thanks to maturation of local companies and emerging European regulation 2019 also showed reinforcement in the drone business. We trust it will be a growing one.

Together with MecaTech, our fellow cluster focused on mechanical industry, we finalised a list of technologies for which Walloon aero and defence companies own skills or rationale to claim participation in major European R&D funds among which the European Defence Fund. It will be used in order to strengthen our relationship with decision makers inside regional and federal government as well as at the European level.

© Courtesy of Safran Aero Boosters

Locally 2019 handed over a new Walloon government with a huge ambition of progress. The competitiveness clusters were confirmed in their role although clearly challenged on their impact on economy. Connection with the new government was bolstered and clusters are now part of the ambitious transition plan for Wallonia. In the mean time the entire process for triggering, building and selecting collaborative R&D projects was redesigned and a renewed international jury was put in place.

The manufacture of composite components is taking on special significance, and requires completely flawless production methods.

Here is part of a composite booster, designed by Safran Aero Boosters.

Unfortunately 2019 saw the industry face a major setback with the grounding of the B737. No doubt Boeing will eventually settle the issue. However what’s the recovery plan? And today, after the lockdown, what’s short and middle term expectation for the aero industry? One thing for sure, it will be greener. Innovation is desperately needed! So one way or another, let us keep our technological skills and capacity to face the future.

More than ever Skywin remains committed to support this challenge.

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CSL is a research centre operated by the University of Liège, Liège Space Centre (CSL), employing 100 people and leading almost 60 projects for an annual turnover of €16M. It has the advantage of being a non-profit research organisation, with a funding from industrial contracts and R&D collaborations.

On a NASA collaboration, CSL is now involved in the Solaris mission: an innovative solar mission for continuous remote-sensing observations of the solar poles. The S-EUVI instrument is intended to image the million-degree solar corona. This instrument will be the one providing the first ever images of the Solar Poles in case the mission gets selected in March 2022.

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Centre Spatial de Liège – CSL – Liège Space Centre Developing space technologies for Earth and Space monitoring

Demonstration mirror with CSL coating (reflective over a UV band and transparent at other wavelengths, including the visible).

This mirror is dedicated to the UV Imager onboard SMILE mission (NASA).

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ounded 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. All large space integrators as well as numerous instrument primes are assigning to CSL the responsibility to fully calibrate their instrument or to support them providing Ground Support Equipment and facilities for the execution of qualification testing.

Schematic view of the S-EUVI instrument onboard the Solaris mission (ESA).

Since 2000, CSL has been developing optical coatings dedicated to space instruments. The last in date has been especially designed to the specifications of the far UV imager of the SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission. The coating provides a spectrally selective response: it is highly reflective between 160 nm and 180 nm, and mostly transparent at other wavelengths, in order to discriminate specific solar aurorae emission lines after reflection on four successive coated mirrors in the imager. In order to achieve this performance, the coating consists of a stack of tens of layers of two alternating materials, each layer being thinner than the wavelengths of operation and precisely deposited under vacuum.

In complement of 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!

CSL has indeed over the last decades developed a deep expertise in the design of Sun-watching instrumentation and auroral imagers.

Recently, CSL developed the Extreme UV Imager (EUI) for Solar Orbiter.

CSL is now involved in the Lagrange Coronal Ultraviolet Imager (LUCI) on the Lagrange L5 mission from ESA.

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 112

Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules - CERM I

Green chemistry applied to polymers for coatings, biomaterials, and more!

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As an integral part of CESAM (Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials) research unit of the University of Liège, the CERM develops proven expertise thanks to the academic strength of its 30 researchers. Its platform dedicated to the valorization of CO2 is unique in Europe.

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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 advance chemistry, and develop 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.

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The CERM enjoys a wide range of research partnerships, starting at European level with the Marie Curie programs, RENAISSANCE and EJD-FunMat, dealing with the development of environment friendly materials. It is also very active in the field of biomaterials. 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 developing innovative degradable polymers, notably within the IN FLOW project that is devoted to the development of Polymer implants for vaginal, cardiac and ophtalmic applications continuous flow technologies for the design of biodegradable materials and formulations for food, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. In addition, the CERM cooperates with various Belgian universities, especially through its participation in the EOS programme via the fundamental research project “Bio-based Factory”, which started in 2018 and focuses on merging sustainable chemistry from lignin and CO2.

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environment, in comparison to the molecules used at present. The CERM also involves itself in 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.

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CO2 self-blown non-isocyanate polyurethane foams

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The CERM can capitalize on important industrial partnerships with Solvay, Solvin, ArcelorMittal, Saint-Gobain, UCB, Dupont, Bayer, KURARAY, and a great number of SMEs. Particularly, the CERM coconceived 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.

Working towards sustainable transformation processes Created in 2016 from 3 laboratories, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit comprises 70 people including 9 academics, 4 permanent scientists, 15 postdoc or senior researchers and about 30 PhD students. Chemical engineering and process engineering are applied to design sustainable processes for transforming material, energy, microorganisms and living cells.

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ith an annual operational budget of between 64m and 65m (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 (NCE - Nanomaterials, Catalysis, Electrochemistry -, PEPs - Products, Environment and Processes and CRYO - Cryotechnology) to carry out its work around 5 main themes: energy (optimisation of production and storage processes), the environment and natural resources (recycling of phosphorous and valuable metals from waste, Life Cycle Assessment, CO2 technologies), engineering innovative materials (powders,

films, etc.), health (design of bioreactors for vaccines and medicines, production of active properties from microalgae etc.) and space (management of cryogenic fluids). These research activities are further supported by CARPOR, the platform dedicated to the Multi-scale Characterization of Porous Media.

Born from the expertise and the equipment of the Chemical Engineering Research Unit, it aims to provide a panel of complementary techniques allowing for the characterization of porosities ranging from the nanometer to the millimeter scale, evaluating thermophysical properties and humidity behavior, as well as the 3D visualization of materials. The platform is directed towards researchers from both academia and industries and proposes services covering reception of samples, conditioning, routine characterizations as well as deep results analysis and reporting.

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Chemical Engineering Research Unit – Liege University (ULiège)

Culture of encapsulated microalgae in a 5L photobioreactor (for the production of high value metabolites)

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The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is very active in the field of environmental transition: CO2 capture and use, hydrogen deployment, closing recycle loops for circular economy, life cycle analysis and eco-design. This is demonstrated by the FRITCO2T (Federation of Researchers in Innovative Technologies for CO2 Transformation) Platform, which is resulting from the decision of four research laboratories at ULiège to join their forces to accelerate the development of new technologies and new products enabling the capture and re-use of CO2 emissions. Thanks to FRITCO2T, ULiège (a founding member of the Association CO2 Value Europe in November 2017) positions itself as a pioneer in the research for new technologies and products related to CO2. One can mention the PROCURA project (Power to X and Carbon Capture & Utilization Roadmap for Belgium), a Belgian Energy Transition Fund project implying a total of 6 Belgian partners. In this project, the main role of the ULiege is to evaluate the potential for CO2 capture in Belgium and draw a roadmap for this purpose. Activities about CO2 and H2 technologies also cover strategic planning through the TRILATE project, another project from the Belgian Energy Transition Fund. In the region of Belgian, Dutch and German industrial clusters, the density of energy demand is very high, while the spatial potential for the deployment of renewable energy technologies is limited. Consequently, an analysis of the energy transport infrastructure needs for industrial clusters is crucial in the context of security of supply. This project includes the development of scientific models at different levels: processes, industrial facilities, and energy systems, as well as an integrated analysis of energy infrastructure.

With its expertise in (bio)reactors design, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit brings namely its expertise to the INTERREG project IMPROVE-STEM (experimental design/modelling/ characterisation of reactors for the development of bioreactors for large-scale culture of stem cells for therapeutic applications).

It is also worth to mention Phos4You, a North West Europe (NWE)

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Another industrial collaboration, which is already active, is continuing with Prayon in the field of process modelling. This collaboration with Prayon does not end there. The research unit is also working on a life cycle analysis of their products (phosphoric acid and derived salts). A fruitful partnership.

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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. One can cite CirMAP NWE INTERREG project (Valorisation of Recycled Concrete Fine Aggregate through 3D printing of customized shapes), aiming at developing new solutions for the design and manufacture of urban furniture by 3DP with ecological materials. On a regional scale, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit is 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 Intelligence. CBR, Duferco, SBMI and Tradecowall have decided to join forces with the CRIC and CTP Research Centres as well as two process companies (Lessine and Technord) to carry out this industrial research project.

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What is more, the Chemical Engineering Research Unit has entered into industrial partnerships to enhance its know-how. As an example, the research unit has established an interesting collaboration with Hamon on the aspects of CO2 capture from the air and neutral paraffin synthesis. Two projects are being reviewed in the framework of the Walloon government’s recovery plan. In addition, two company-based doctoral theses should be submitted; they are currently awaiting funding.

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The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is also active in photocatalysts development and use. At the European level, let us mention BACZEREAU “Development of an innovative low energy disinfection process for natural bathing areas”, in the framework of the 28th call CORNET “Collective Research Networking”. The aim of the project is to validate at pilot scale the effective and definitive disinfection performance of sol-gel photocatalytic reactor combined with UVA-Visible illumination as tertiary wastewater treatment. At the regional level as part of the WIN2WAL Programme of the Walloon Region, the PhotoTex2 project concerns the development of textile films with permanent antimicrobial properties by grafting ZnO-based photocatalysts for the manufacture of uniforms and protective textiles in hospitals. It is the subject of a collaboration with Centexbel and the industrialist ACE-Films.

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The Chemical Engineering Research Unit is also part of another Greenwin project, namely BitumClean “Optimisation of the recycling of bituminous roof coverings by pre-extraction of tars (PAH)”. The solutions envisaged include the separation of the different fractions by solvent extraction with regeneration of the latter and/or by supercritical CO2. The expected results are the recovery of the separated noble fractions and the manufacture of new membranes from the decontaminated fraction.

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INTERREG project, during which the PULSE pilot has be designed, for phosphorus recovery in wastewater sludge.

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UR Chemical Engineering - ULiège Quartier Agora - Allée du 6 Août 11, B6 4000 Liège1 (Sart Tilman) Tel.: +32 (0)4 366 44 36 E-mail: secretary.chemeng@uliege.be https://www.chemeng.uliege.be/cms/c_2275100/fr/ chemical-engineering-portail

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GreenWin, the Walloon Innovation Cluster for chemical engineering and sustainable / ecoresponsible construction materials.

Interview with Ms Véronique GRAFF, Managing Director of the GreenWin innovation cluster hat are the key figures for GreenWin? With nearly 220 members including over 150 businesses, the cluster has given its label to 68 projects for a budget of € 178M. GreenWin has been the coordinator of 2 European projects and is a partner in 2 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 two structuring programme, RENO+ (dedicated to the deep housing renovation) and HECO2 (aiming at decarbonating the Walloon heavy industry) and 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 32+% and an added value growth rate of 64+%.

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 developping with targets with want to reach by the end of that period. 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 roadmap.

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 billion 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 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 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 28 and 36%. Lastly, the cluster is made up of a network whose individual members are highly inspirational: we call them GreenWinners.

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GreenWin helps in make the planet transferable to the next generations

Impossible is NOT GreenWin

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have returned to direct employment after the training course.

CEFOCHIM was the project leader.

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: ¾ A challenge for industries given the volumes concerned; ¾ The characteristics that allow for the deployment of a “self-carrying” business model; ¾ Their capacity to generate activities and income.

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BATILOOP and WaloSCRAP have made it possible to build innovation partnerships in the field of recycling for plaster, flat glass, automotive glass etc.

CONSTRUCTION 4.0 is a key stake for our future.

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.

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.

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. 3 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.

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: ¾ RENO+ will facilitate the access to new technologies and facilitate the relationship between suppliers and final customers, in an organised and pre-scheduled manner.; ¾ 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; ¾ 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 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 is a selection.

ATISOL C2C develops new solutions for building insulation by combining three advantages: use of circular materials whose energy performances are more efficient and that are easier to implement. The project is led by DERBIGUM (Imperbel) and made up of partnerships between manufacturers of insulation materials, coatings, adhesive materials, an architecture consultancy, a university and several CRAs.

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. Its goal was to make life cycle analysis (LCA) accessible to SMEs.

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.

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.

For its part, GreenTechs is a training course aimed at production and laboratory technicians in chemistry and sustainable materials production. Its objective is to place skilled people on the job market in sectors with a shortage of candidates, prepared for the necessary changes in industrial apparatus, with a concern for the environment and safety. It is a matter of meeting needs for qualified jobs in green chemistry. At least 80% of trainees

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.

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What calls for projects are planned for 2022 on the cluster’s themes?

Three calls for projects will be organised with the projects to be submitted in March, June and December 2022 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.

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.

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 postCOVID 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

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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 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).

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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.

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Chemistry is faced with a threefold challenge: ¾ The challenges linked to climate change; ¾ Vulnerability of access to resources; ¾ Access to energy.

Construction is a major sector for environement improvement.

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.

work within a collaborative innovation approach. “Union is strength” is the Belgian national motto, and it is not a vain leitmotiv as far as GreenWin is concerned.

Construction for its part is faced with a twofold challenge: ¾ 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; ¾ The calling into question of business models and flexibility, which will increasingly be key factors in the industrial prosperity of the Belgian construction sectors.

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 has 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

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…

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What activities are you developing internationally?

From the very outburst of the pandemic, GreenWin has been very active in taking part in international, online think tanks in order to facilitate exchanges of information, international partnerships and pragmatic solutions to deal with the urgent needs and cope with material shortages. In this framework, our partnership with the EU networks for European represent other sources of cooperation, expansion and international promotion.

Environmental biotechnologies are leading to solutions.

Green Chemistry is one of the 9 strategic fields of GreenWin.

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BioWin: Providing growth for SMEs in the health sector in Wallonia Interview with Mrs Sylvie PONCHAUT, Managing Director of the BioWin competitiveness cluster 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 internationally.

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hat 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 2005-2020, 187 SMEs, which are also members of the BioWin cluster, raised nearly €3 billion of cumulative private capital.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

At the international level, BioWin works with the world’s most innovative regions to help its members to 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.

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.

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Key figures for the BioWin cluster (2020)

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- 10 global leaders (Catalent, Cenexi, Eurogentec, GSK, IBA, IRE, Polypeptide Laboratories, Takeda, UCB, Zoetis) and 187 SMEs; - 6 accredited research centres; - 5 universities with 400 research units, 11,000 researchers and 3 university hospitals; - €2,945 billion accumulated capital raised by BioWin SME members in Wallonia; - 16.567 direct jobs for BioWin’s industrial members in Wallonia and 35.000 indirect jobs (2005-2018); - 58 R&D projects that have involved 291 partners, developed 71 products and 36 services for a total budget (public and private) of €168 million.

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Together with AWEX, BioWin helps Walloon companies to 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.

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The longer-term aim is to demonstrate a proof of concept in the large-scale production of iPSC-derived human cortical neurons in 3D for the treatment of patients suffering from neurodegenerative or cerebral cortex lesions.

The eLISA project coordinated by Sunrise is focusing on the development of a portable medical device to treat patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

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.

The ProsPect project coordinated by Trasis is on the way to develop a set of integrated solutions for the preparation of best performing imaging radiotracers labelled with Fluorine-18 and Gallium-68 for the diagnostic of prostate cancer.

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.

The Benefit project coordinated by IDDI, aims to develop a new statistical method named “generalized pairwise comparisons” (GPC), which allows the analysis to take into account all the endpoints, whether for benefit or harm, as long as these endpoints can be ranked in order of priority.

Could you give us a few examples of R&D projects that have secured funding via BioWin? BioWin owns a portfolio of 58 R&I projects for a total budget of €168 million. Among them, we can quote the Theramir project: coordinated by Novadip, it aims to implement the use of exosomes in the treatment of solid tumors through a dual mechanism aimed at reducing tumor proliferation and reconstructing native tissue disrupted by the tumor.

The project Neuro Insight coordinated by Neuropath aims to develop a digital health platform to connect the patient’s daily life to the interdisciplinary team of care providers and clinicians.

What partnerships have you developed in Europe and abroad?

Over recent years, BioWin has developed several collaborations and concrete matchmaking activities with European clusters

The iCone project coordinated by Catalent (ex MaSTherCell) aims to develop and commercialise new assays for screening compounds in central-nervous-system drug-discovery programmes.

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Successful launch of Mithra’s innovative contraceptive pill

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Leon Van Rompay, CEO of Mithra

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After more than 60 years without any major innovation in Women’s Health, the Belgian biotech Mithra succeeded in developing the first contraceptive pill based on a new estrogen called Estetrol. Produced exclusively by the human fetus during pregnancy and now synthesized from a plant source, this natural estrogen has a unique mode of action and represents a fantastic therapeutic opportunity as it shows an improved benefit/risk profile.

The contraceptive pill Estelle® is already available in the United States, Canada and several European countries and will soon be available in over 90 countries. “It is a great pride for all our teams to offer the result of so many years of research available to women around the world”, said Leon Van Rompay, Mithra’s CEO. “The launch of Estelle® represents a new era in contraception and we are excited to see the commercialization of this new alternative for women starting in the United States, the world’s largest pharmaceutical market”.

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(Medicen Paris Region, Lyonbiopole, Bio-M, Biocat, 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 sector.

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 companies 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 is also still running. CE4BIG aims to foster collaborations between

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biomanufacturing. With a century of experience in pharmaceuticals, Wallonia has attained unique expertise in the 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).

clusters on a European-wide scale and to strengthen 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 development of a high-potential sector:

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.

Exploring the potential of liquid biopsy in oncology

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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.

Bernard Courtieu, CEO of OncoDNA

In the future, the momentum for this type of innovation needs to be extended and accelerated.

OncoDNA, a genomic and theranostic company specializing in precision medicine for the treatment of cancer and other genetic diseases, was delighted to announce a new partnership with the Institut Jules Bordet to investigate the biology of brain metastases using liquid biopsy from cerebrospinal fluid. This partnership added on another collaboration with the Institut Curie that aims to evaluate the clinical utility of personalized liquid biopsy for the surveillance of head and neck cancer patients.

What do you think are the great challenges to come for the Walloon biotech and medtech sector?

I see three. The first challenge is undoubtedly to guarantee the training of qualified personnel 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.

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.

Bernard Courtieu, CEO of OncoDNA, commented: “Liquid biopsy is one of the most promising tools in oncology. Through its minimally invasive nature, it facilitates the exploration of a tumor without requiring potentially heavy surgical procedures, with a huge benefit for the patient and for a fraction of the cost. We are extremely proud to be contributing to several large-scale liquid biopsy research projects, supporting leading European cancer centres to analyze circulating tumor DNA with our leading-edge sequencing solutions.”

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.

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GIGA Infection, Immunity & Inflammation – GIGA-I3 Cutting-edge research in the fields of inflammation, hematology, virology and immunoendocrinology The GIGA-Inflammation, Infection & Immunity (GIGA-I3) research unit is composed of 10 laboratories that study various but complementary aspects of immunity. The 10 laboratories of the GIGA-I3, independently of each other, carry out research in varied fields of immunology. Nevertheless, 4 research themes are particularly explored and give rise to numerous collaborations within the GIGA-I3. These research themes are inflammation, hematology, virology and immunoendocrinology.

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he cellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in inflammation, and particularly in chronic inflammation, are extensively studied in the GIGA-I3. The GIGA-I3 laboratories mainly focus their research on the most common inflammatory lung diseases, namely asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), on persistent inflammatory joint diseases and on obesity-linked inflammation.

The GIGA-I3 pays particular attention to the study of viral diseases.

The GIGA-I3 indeed investigates the role and the regulation of Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) proteins, develops humanized murine models for rapid and large-scale screening of anti-HIV responses to new immunostimulatory approaches, and takes advantage of a research model, the uterine cervical cancer associated with infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV), to study the role of natural immunity (NK cells and TCRgd) in anti-tumor and anti-viral responses.

The GIGA-I3 is also involved in clinical studies and translational research in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this context, the GIGA-I3 aims at optimizing HSCT but also evaluates the consequences of HSCT on the immune system.

Identifying the relationships between the immune and endocrine systems The GIGA-I3 is particularly involved in research aimed at identifying the relationships between the immune and endocrine systems.

In this context, the GIGA-I3 studies thymic IGF-2 in programming central self-tolerance to pancreatic islet b cells, the role of the GH/IGF-1 axis on thymic function and T-cell development and implantation/tolerance of the embryo.

Research work in the GIGA-I3 is carried out by the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, the Laboratory of Immunophysiology, the Laboratory of Hematology, the Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, the Laboratory of Immunometabolism and Nutrition, the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Signal transduction, the Laboratory of Organogenesis and Regeneration (Marc Muller), the Laboratory of Pneumology (Renaud Louis), the Laboratory of Rhumatology (Michel Malaise), the Laboratory of Translational Gastroenterology (Edouard Louis), and the Laboratory of Virology and Immunology.

Better understand mechanisms promoting common lung diseases

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Co-led by Fabrice Bureau, Christophe Desmet and Nathalie Jacobs, the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology aims at identifying and characterizing novel innate immune mechanisms that influence the response of the lung to varied environmental challenges, such as viruses, air pollution and allergens. Most studies in the field focus on the mechanisms that promote common lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“PRO” mechanisms).

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In the “PRO” line of research, the team has notably identified the dendritic cell subset responsible for triggering respiratory allergy. They have also documented a role for our own self-DNA in triggering pro-allergic immune responses when released in the extracellular milieu.

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The lab also investigates the little-studied innate immune mechanisms that normally protect the lung from unwanted detrimental immune responses (“ANTI” mechanisms). Among those ANTI-mechanisms, the team has notably identified a subset of anti-allergic regulatory macrophages in the lung interstitium. They also have documented a regulatory function for homeostatic lung eosinophils. Part of their current efforts aim at translating their “ANTI” findings toward the clinic, in the form of diagnostic tools and cellular therapeutics.

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On top of that, the European Research Council has just awarded a €1.5 million ERC Starting Grant to Thomas Marichal, FNRS Research Associate and Welbio investigator at GIGA-I3. This funding, which extends over a period of 5 years, will enable him to develop his “IM-ID” project which aims to study in depth the identity and function of a population of a lung regulatory macrophage that proves to be a promising new target in the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

A strong interest in the biology and therapeutic use of stem cells The Hematology Group (Hematology laboratory, Laboratory of Cell and Gene Therapy, and the Division of Clinical Hematology at the CHU of Liège under the leadership of Yves Beguin) has developed several major research avenues. The Hematology laboratory has elaborated a strong interest in the biology and therapeutic use of stem cells. It has investigated ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and particularly the relationships between cell cycle, expression of adhesion molecules and the migration and homing of HSC. It has acquired a solid expertise in the field of erythropoiesis, in particular in the quantitative assessment of erythropoietic activity and iron metabolism, including the diagnostic use of the soluble transferrin receptor and the therapeutic use of erythropoietic agents and iron.

Developing new targeted approaches for the prevention of respiratory diseases For its part, the Laboratory of Immunophysiology (Thomas Marichal) aims to investigate the biology of myeloid and epithelial cells at mucosal sites during homeostasis and in the context of immune-mediated disorders such as asthma. In the lung and intestinal mucosa, epithelial cells, neutrophils and macrophages are particularly exposed and responsive to external threats such as pollutants, allergens, microbes or microbial products. Understanding how these cells interact with each other to regulate homeostasis and disease development is of fundamental biological importance and has critical implications for the prevention of immune-mediated disorders such as asthma or inflammatory bowel diseases.

The Immunophysiology lab mainly uses innovative transgenic tools in mice in combination with single cell technologies to address this question.

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The Hematology laboratory investigates different options to improve graft-versus-leukaemia effects while minimizing acute and chronic GVD reactions. In particular, active research programs

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are carried out on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) for tissue repair and immunosuppression (notably in the field of HSC transplantation) as well as on the ability of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to attenuate experimental graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The lab has extensive expertise in pre-clinical studies involving cell transplantation in mice (i.e. humanized murine models of GVHD or of liver damage in NOD/SCID/IL-2Rg(null) mice) and requiring analyses by flow cytometry.

Another important program is developed on the biology of multiple myeloma, including basic science investigations of several molecules such as galectins, animal investigations of graft-versus-myeloma effects, and new imaging modalities of bone involvement and extramedullary disease. The lab has a large biobank containing thousands of blood and marrow samples from patients with haematological malignancies or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, on which numerous tests may be carried out, including sophisticated investigations of immune function and studies on immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Access to the different GIGA technological platforms (Genotranscriptomics, Proteomics, Imaging and Flow Cytometry, Bioinformatics, Immunohistology, Mouse Facility and transgenics, Zebrafish Facility and trangenics, Viral vectors, Interactomics) completes the offer of available services.

Thymus and type 1 diabetes

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The Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology is headed by Vincent Geenen, Director of Research at the F.R.S.-FNRS, Professor of Embryology and History of Biomedical Research at the University of Liege, and Head of the Endocrinology Clinic at the University Hospital of Liege.

For nearly 30 years, Vincent Geenen and his team have been working on the thymus, the central lymphoid organ of the immune system. His research has shown that the thymus has a unique role in educating the immune system to recognise and tolerate neuroendocrine functions, and that thymus dysfunction is involved in the development of selective autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes.

Currently, the Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology is developing a new type of negative/tolerant vaccination against type 1 diabetes.

At the interface between immunological and metabolic processes

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The Laboratory of Immunometabolism and Nutrition is led by Sylvie Legrand and Nicolas Paquot. Immunometabolism is an emerging field that investigates the interplay between immunological and metabolic processes. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with an estimated 1.9 billion adults being overweight or obese. Obesity-related diseases, which include not only type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart disease but also cancer, threaten to shorten the human lifespan by 5-20 years. Obesity causes a chronic low-grade inflammation which plays a role in the development of insulin resistance. This inflammation originates from the recruitment of macrophages constituting up to 50% of all adipose tissue cells and secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines.

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Obesity is a heterogeneous disease; some patients are obese but “metabolically healthy” while others develop metabolic abnormalities related to insulin resistance. The protective mechanisms by which these “healthy” obese individuals escape the harmful consequences of obesity are not yet fully understood.

The topography and the different pro-inflammatory activities of adipose tissue seem to play a role. A more in-depth comparison of the two obesity phenotypes would allow to better understand the mechanisms involved in the development of such metabolic abnormalities.

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Obesity is not only associated with chronic inflammation but has been also linked to an imbalance in the immune system.

Indeed, the dysfunction in systemic metabolism seen in obesity, by disturbing the plasma levels of lipids, glucose, insulin, etc., can impair both intrinsic metabolism and function of circulating immune cells. These immunometabolic modulations contribute to obesity-associated comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers). The team is currently focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying obesity-linked inflammation and immune dysfunction: NLRP3 inflammasome (a multi-protein platform), polarization of adipose tissue macrophages and immunometabolic modulations of PBMCs (peripheral blood monocytic cells). Let us hope that these lines of research will lead to new therapeutic options.

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matory disorders. These tools are also the basis of functional screens to identify compounds that modulate the activity of the alternative NF-kB pathway.

An expert in oncolytic herpesviruses Led by Catherine Sadzot, the Laboratory of Virology and Immunology has a long-lasting experience on human alpha herpesviruses with a special interest on Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). As all herpesviruses, VZV is assembled via a very complex process, involving many cellular and viral proteins. ORF9p, one of the tegument protein as well as the two viral protein kinases appear to play an important role in both the primary envelopment at the inner nuclear membrane and the secondary envelopment in the cytoplasm. The exact molecular mechanisms of these processes are under investigation. The team’s research aims to decipher the different steps leading to VZV assembly with a special interest to the interactions with cellular components driving this process.

A Yeast-two-hybrid screen has allowed to identify some cellular proteins interacting with ORF9p, a tegument protein. The interactions between ORF9p and the cellular adaptor complex 1, involved in trafficking, have been confirmed and characterized.

In addition, ORF9p seems to be important for the primary envelopment and the nuclear egress. This characterization of ORF9p importance in the nuclear steps of VZV envelopment is ongoing.

Inflammatory disorders and cancer development The Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Signal transduction (Emmanuel Dejardin) is focusing on the understanding of immune signaling pathways activated by TNF receptor family members.

Its aim is to dissect the mechanisms by which invading pathogens or genetic alterations contribute to inflammatory disorders and cancer development.

The transcription factor NF-kB displays a wide range of biological functions during embryonic development throughout adult life. The mammal NF-kB family encodes five members that are p50, p52, p65, RelB and c-Rel. These subunits homo- and heterodimerize forming a network of transcription factors that fulfil a wide range of biological functions such as cell proliferation, cell survival, inflammation or development and homeostasis of lymphoid organs. Two main pathways control the activation of the NF-kB network: the classical (or canonical) and the alternative (or non-canonical) NF-kB pathways.

What is more, oncolytic viruses are more and more considered as a therapeutic option combined or not to immune or chemotherapies. With its large genome and a well-characterized mechanisms of cell entry, the Herpes Virus Simplex (HSV) 1 appears to be suitable for being engineered to target a cell subpopulation and to introduce a transgene in the infected cells.

The characterization of such an oncolytic HSV engineered to target a subpopulation of glioblastoma cells and of the immune response elicited by this virus is ongoing. In this context, the team’s expertise on the BAC technology allowed it to start a new research program aiming at engineering oncolytic herpesviruses designed to specifically target a subpopulation of glioblastoma cells. These viruses are currently characterized in vitro and their efficacy will be evaluated in vivo using a xenograft orthotopic mice model.

The laboratory is dedicated to the understanding of the biological functions regulated by the alternative NF-kB pathway. The team, among others, has dissected this pathway at the molecular level and found that the kinase NIK (NF-kB-Inducing Kinase) in conjunction with the kinase IKKa induce the processing of the NF-kB precursor p100 into its active form p52. This pathway is activated by a subset of TNFR members like LTbR, CD40, BAFF-R or RANK whose biological functions are often subverted in inflammatory disorders and in cancer. The lab has developed in vitro cellular systems and transgenic mouse models to address to what extent the alternative NF-kB pathway contributes to inflam-

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One thing is certain: the research activities at GIGA-3I vividly illustrate the complexity of the functioning of the immune system and the countless ways in which we can better understand it in order to prevent the effects of its dysfunction.

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A Leader in Women’s Health As a biotech specialized in women’s health, Mithra has for mission to develop innovative products offering better efficacy, safety and quality of life, meeting women’s needs throughout their life span. Mithra is active in more than 100 countries and has the ambition to further consolidate its status as a leading company for innovation in women’s health. Listed on Euronext Brussels since June 2015, Mithra today has an approximate headcount of 350 staff members.

Innovative solutions for women Mithra’s first innovation stream is its Estetrol (E4) platform, which explores the potential of the native estrogen Estetrol in a wide range of applications in women’s health and beyond.

E4 is a native estrogen that is produced by the human fetus during pregnancy and that is now synthesized from a plant source. It represents a fantastic therapeutic opportunity because, thanks to its unique mode of action, it has a superior benefit/risk profile compared to the currently used estrogens. For example, E4 does not impact the liver and does not stimulate coagulation.

It also does not stimulate the proliferation of breast cells and will therefore not enhance the risk of breast cancer.

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The pill Estelle® combines E4 with the progestin Drospirenone.

It offers contraceptive efficacy with an excellent cycle control and presents an improved benefit/risk profile. Launched worldwide as the first pill containing a new estrogen in many years, Estelle® promises to be a major breakthrough in a space where there hasn’t been any innovation in decades.

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Donesta®, the next generation hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, aims to replace the estrogen that is no longer naturally produced by the body once a woman has become menopaused. Symptoms such as hot flushes can be quite disabling in everyday life. However, due to the fear of the side effects caused by traditional hormone therapies, only a small percentage of women treat their symptoms. Currently in its final clinical phase and with a market authorization expected in 2024, Donesta® could offer women a real alternative and a global solution to a high unmet need.

Beyond Women’s Health, Mithra is also exploring new promising avenues for E4 in wound healing and in neuroprotection, more specifically in neonatal encephalopathy, for which the company was granted an Orphan Drug Designation and therefore a fast-track development by both the European and the American drug agencies.

Recently, Mithra also diversified its R&D pipeline through a rights’ acquisition option relating to a development program led by the Belgian company BCI Pharma on innovative kinase inhibitors, notably indicated for the treatment of female cancers and endometriosis.

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Today, this E4 platform includes two products: a contraceptive pill launched in 2021 and a menopause treatment in late-stage development.

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Mithra CDMO is a one-stop innovation center that provides partners all the drug development services they need, from proof of concept to market.

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Alongside its Estetrol portfolio, Mithra also has a strong technological know-how in drug development of complex formulations. Mithra is indeed able to combine different types of polymers with different types of medicines to develop long-term therapeutic solutions such as implants, vaginal rings and intrauterine devices (IUDs). This know-how can be leveraged to help partners develop and produce their own product range, but Mithra also has its own portfolio of complex therapeutics, available for out licensing, e.g. Myring®, a monthly contraceptive vaginal ring.

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n Specialized in sterile injectables, Mithra CDMO has a highly flexible injectables facility able to handle complex and high potent products and can provide end-to-end fill and finish services for biologic large molecules (e.g. vaccines, antibodies and proteins). It can deliver small to medium batch sizes (pre-clinical, clinical and commercial stage) and up to 8 million units per year of vials, prefilled syringes or cartridges.

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Both activities, the Estetrol platform and the long-acting drug development know-how, are propelled by the Mithra CDMO, Mithra’s integrated R&D and manufacturing platform. With its 15.000 m2 of state-of-the-art facility and equipment, Mithra offers third parties end-to-end services, from development to commercial manufacturing.

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With about 2000 scientists in Belgium and a total of 9.000 employees, 20 candidate vaccines in the pipeline and 1 billion € of R&D expenditure in 2021, GSK is the largest pharma company in Belgium. This key player relies upon 4 global R&D centers in Siena (Italy), Rixensart (Belgium), Rockville (USA) and a virtual one dedicated to strategic alliances with a focus on mRNA technology. An interview with Mrs Jamila Louahed, VP Head of Global R&D at GSK Vaccines. hat are your R&D priorities? virus or bacteria. Key enablers encompass adjuvants Our R&D focus is to deliver new vaccines and (particularly AS01, the adjuvant used in Shingrix, medicines, using the science of the immune system, since adjuvants induce a more robust immune human genetics and advanced technologies. Our response allowing for increased efficacy), mRNA, Vaccines innovation strategy focuses on 3 priorities: now an established modality for vaccine developwe innovate to enter new fields beyond classic ment (GSK is collaborating with CureVac on their prophylactic vaccines including mRNA, adjuvants, second-generation technology), glycoconjugation viral vectors and bioconjugation in order to advance technology (development of vaccines against therapeutic vaccines against the progression or bacterial disease such as meningococcus), and reactivation of chronic conditions such as Theraviral vector technology, which is also useful to induce peutic Hepatitis B and address urgent threats to cellular immunity required in our hepatitis B vaccine global public health through specific prophylactic for instance. An example of this approach is our S. vaccines, including our AMR programme targeting aureus programme which is built on both our adjuvant (C. difficile and S. aureus); we are expanding our and bioconjugation technologies. With our new Mrs Jamila Louahed, portfolio of prophylactic vaccines such as the RSV R&D structure integrating both Vaccines and VP Head of Global R&D at GSK portfolio, CMV, and MMR-V in the US; we invest Medicines, this means that we are also increasing strategically to reach more people with our most impactful vaccines access to modalities across Vaccines and Pharma, for example to through lifecycle management based on our leadership in the menindevelop monoclonal antibody therapies. gitis and shingles franchises (label expansion, new formulation, development of “next generation assets” like Men ABCWY, the DTP Could you tell us about the vaccine candidates in development? next generation or improved seasonal flu), while maintaining and In people over 65, there is a substantial risk of developing RSV optimising access to our existing vaccines with a focus on the most pneumonia with around 180,000 hospitalisations and unfortunately attractive countries we operate in.

14,000 deaths each year in the US alone. Our older adults’ vaccine is in phase 3 and has the potential to be first and best in class. We To deliver against those critical priorities, we have been evolving our also have a phase 3 programme ongoing for our maternal vaccine strategic approach to R&D by focusing on key enablers that help us to prevent infection in newborns for up to six months. We are also to push the boundaries of innovation and vaccine development. We working to make the first pentavalent meningitis vaccine available. want to use our extensive technology platform portfolio across R&D This is another area of significant unmet medical need with an to allow the best vaccine to be designed for each pathogen, be it a estimated 1.2 million people a year being infected with a mortality © GSK Vaccines

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rate of around 10%. 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 in the clinic targeting key resistant pathogens as well as three candidates in late-stage research.

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Could you tell us about your research in the field of therapeutic and personalised vaccines?

Science has evolved in a much deeper understanding on correlates of immune control for some health conditions. Viral vectors such as adenovirus vectors, mRNA, self-amplifying mRNAc, genetic adjuvants as well as antigen independent immunomodulatory strategies could play an important role in delivering future therapeutic applications.

Some of the new technological platforms for targeted immunotherapy show that they have the potential to trigger potent and sustained immune response. Furthermore, the new wave of innovative technologies enables us to look at balanced and tailored approaches to address the specific attributes of the diseases/conditions we are trying to address. Depending on the disease, we might need to consider a combination of approaches focusing on small molecules that could control or stop the disease progression (i.e. prevent virus replication) and complement with a therapeutic vaccine approach to actually cure/clear the infection: if the virus replication is achieved with medicines, the virus remains in the system and has an impact on our immune response so a combined approach with therapeutic vaccine could help achieve potent multivalent/broad t-cell activation.

To increase our chances progress through clinical stages and successful deliver impactful vaccines, we are investing in technologies and expertise that will help us to better understand the chronic diseases pathophysiology and identify the antigens we need to target with our therapeutic vaccines.

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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 component. 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.

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I am thinking first of diseases and conditions for which there is still no vaccines. Another stake is the acceleration of development lead times. We have recently announced a strategic collaboration with imec, a leading nanotechnology research centre headquarted in Flanders, in order to leverage nanoelectronics to automate and improve control processes in biomanufacturing of our vacccines, including those in development phase. This collaboration will consolidate Belgium’s strategic role in vaccine R&D and make Belgium the Health and Biotech valley of tomorrow.

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GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines Avenue Fleming 20 - 1300 Wavre Email: elisabeth.e.vandamme@gsk.com (external communication for GSK in Belgium) https://be.gsk.com

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Trasis Created in 2004, Trasis provides hospital suppliers with the means to produce radiolabelled compounds. Trasis products consist of synthesizers, dispensers, and reagents. Our objective: to facilitate introduction of the newest radiopharmaceuticals into clinical practise.

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urrently present in about one third of the world’s radiopharmacies thanks to its bestseller the AllinOne synthesizer, Trasis has now grown to 160 employees having 35 engineers and chemists in R&D alone. 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.

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Your partner in radiopharmacy

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.

This new automated quality control system is expected to be released by early 2023.

Trasis partners such as ULiège and Erasmus Hospital 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 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.

At present Trasis focuses on increasing its radiochemistry reagent production capacity to include Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and aims to receive GMP certification sometime this year.

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 single patient radiopharmaceutical doses such as the Trasis Unidose machine, prepare customised doses on demand and provide unparalleled radiation protection for medical staff.

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PDC*line Pharma (www.pdc-line-pharma.com) is a clinical-stage spin-off of the French Blood Bank (EFS) that develops a new class of potent and off-the-shelf therapeutic cancer vaccines based on a proprietary cell line of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (PDC*line). Based on a robust preclinical package and a first-in-human phase Ib in melanoma, PDC*line Pharma has initiated a clinical development in lung cancer with a new candidate (PDC*lung) and a preclinical development of a neoantigens based candidate (PDC*Neo).

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Eric Halioua, President & CEO of PDC*line Pharma

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ased on a technology developed at the French Blood Bank (EFS), with a subsidiary in France notably in charge of some R&D activities, PDC*line Pharma has deployed its R&D, QC, clinical and Corporate activities in Liège (Belgium).

After taking over the management and founded the Belgian Headquarter in 2016, the successful serial entrepreneur Eric Halioua gave a new breath of life to the team that quickly reached 25 people and remains in strong growth. The Spin-off has raised nearly €31.5 M (19.5 M€ in equity and 12 M€ of non-dilutive money). In December 2019, the company closed a 20M€ B-Round of financing led by the multi-billion Asian VC KIP (Korea Investment Partners). PDC*line Pharma has chosen to position itself in a sector currently very promising: that of immuno-oncology in general and cancer vaccines in particular. Its approach is unique since it is based on an exclusive allogeneic cell line of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (PDC*line), a ground-breaking solution to address the scalability, logistic and potency challenges faced by conventional DC-based vaccines. PDC*line is much more potent than conventional DC in priming and boosting fully functional antitumor CD8+ T cells displaying a strong cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. Contrary to autologous DC-based vaccines, it is an off-the-shelf approach, easily scalable at industrial scale. In addition, it is highly versatile, and it is synergetic with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors.

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o 2020, the company got the same authorization in Germany. The clinical trial is currently ongoing with a first cohort of patients completed in September 2020. The third candidate, PDC*neo, is currently being developed at the preclinical stage.

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On top of that PDC*line Pharma has been granted exclusive license in South Korea and exclusive option in other Asian countries to LG Chem Life Sciences Company (the life science division of the Korean Geant LG), for the development and commercialization of PDC*lung cancer vaccine. The total deal value is 108 M€ (123 M$) plus significant single-digit tiered royalties on net sales in Asia. This agreement opens new markets in Asia to PDC*line Pharma and expands the global footprint of its PDC*line-based cancer vaccine.

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Currently, three anti-cancer drug candidates are being developed from PDC*line. PDC*mel, the first candidate for melanoma, was evaluated in a first-in-human phase Ib trial, ended in 2017, demonstrating the safety of the product, the absence of allogeneic rejection and its biological activity. PDC*lung, the leading candidate for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is constituted of PDC*line cells loaded with HLA-A2 restricted peptides derived from seven shared tumor antigens. In June 2019, the company got an authorization to launch an open-label, dose-escalation, phase I/II trial with PDC*lung(01) in non-small cell lung cancer in Belgium and France (with and without anti-PD-1). In November

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The prospects for development are good for PDC*line Pharma: the PDC*line technology is a platform that can be used for the treatment of virtually all cancer patients expressing HLA-A2 (50% of EU population, and 36% of US) - with extension possibilities to other HLAs. The revenues potential is in the range of € 3 BN to € 4.5 BN in the US and EU. The company’s candidate PDC*lung for non-small cell lung cancer represents a significant market in the US and EU: 380,000 new cases per year, a leading cause of cancer deaths, and potential sales of about € 1.6 BN. This drug candidate may also be used for the treatment of other cancers that express the same antigens.

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PDC*line Pharma SA CHU - Tour 5 (B34) - GIGA Avenue de l'Hôpital 11 - 4000 Liège Tel.: +32(0)4 242 77 56 Email: contact@pdc-line-pharma.com https://www.pdc-line-pharma.com/

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ATC-Pharma is specialised in phase I and IIa clinical trials, with about 20 permanent staff and 20 additional people specially trained for each project. A wise choice considering its average annual growth of 30% over the last 5 years.

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TC-Pharma has a 30-bed unit that accommodates both outpatient and inpatient volunteers for sample collection.

This unit is linked to the CHU of Liège, the company’s majority shareholder and privileged partner.

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With its scientific expertise, ATC-Pharma aims to specialise in projects that are increasingly challenging. A development that should enthuse its permanent and temporary employees. In addition, the company intends to make the most of the opportunities created by mRNA vaccines: a very promising development for the market and therefore for itself.

ATC-Pharma has developed a recognised expertise in first-in-man clinical studies. This transversal competence, highly appreciated by the pharmaceutical industry, allows it to work on very diversified therapeutic areas. In addition, its robust quality system guarantees strict compliance with safety principles and good clinical practices.

Especially since the company can count on the support of the CHU of Liège: a reinforced collaboration is to be expected at a time when ATC-Pharma wants to be a bridge between hospital research and its own clinical studies. Being the “armed arm” of the Liege hospital means that more clinical research can be carried out on the premises of the CHU thanks to the company’s sponsors. But it is not only a financial issue: by providing its specially trained staff to conduct Phase I and IIa studies, ATC-Pharma increases the visibility of the Liege University Hospital and its attractiveness to conduct such studies. A win-win partnership.

With this recognition, ATC-Pharma offers the operational implementation of clinical trials from A to Z: the review of documents (protocol, investigator’s brochure) submitted for approval to the authorities, the recruitment of volunteers and their hospitalisation, the collection of vital parameters, samples and other data, the end of study visit and the operational closure of the study.

For example, ATC-Pharma has used its expertise in vaccine research against Covid-19. In parallel with this major challenge, the company is working on the development of more traditional products: molecules studied for their potential effect on diabetes, obesity and osteoarticular diseases.

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While Phase I and IIa studies generally last from a few months to a year and a half depending on the complexity of the protocols, ATC-Pharma is increasingly called upon for more complex projects requiring more thought and application. This is a good thing because the company is very competitive in this niche.

CHU de Liège, Sart Tilman, Bâtiment B35, Tour 2, Route 124 - 4000 Liège Tel. : +32 (0)4 366 83 11 Email: contact.atc@atc-pharma.be https://www.atc-pharma.be/en/ 134

Cytomine I

Collaborative Digital Pathology Imaging & AI Mining

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A spin-off of ULiège created in 2017 and turned into Cytomine Corporation SA in 2021, Cytomine 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 February 2020, the company released Cytomine Community Edition 3.0 with a new backend focused on IA and shall release by 2022 its Edition 4.0 with management of multi-dimensional images.

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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.

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With this recognition, Cytomine is busy with extending its Enterprise edition and its proprietary machine learning algorithms catalogue, launching its AI Store, 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 open-source solution in as many hospitals as possible. Hospital groupings and the ongoing digitalisation processes offer great prospects in terms of diagnosis. For Cytomine, the time has come to move out of the laboratory and help pathologists in their daily practice. The objective: to rely on human / AI collaboration to improve patients’ lives.

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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 will use Cytomine’s open-source, cross-platform framework to develop unique tools for access to WSI, including annotations and visualisation of algorithm results.

ore 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.

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Quai Banning 6 - 4000 Liège Tel.: +32 467 12 88 92 (Grégoire Vincke, CMBDO) Email: info@cytomine.com https://cytomine.com 135

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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.

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 a new class of molecules, called dendrogenins, to develop drug candidates to treat deafness and cancer. A first drug is expected to be on the market before 2030.

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endrogenix currently employs around 15 people, including chemists and biologists, 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.

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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. © Dendrogenix

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 Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. In the field of deafness, DX243 will enter a regulatory toxicity study in 2022, prior to entering phase 1 clinical trials. This phase 1 study will be conducted 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 2020 for a second generation of dendrogenins and is working in parallel to build a strategic alliance with the best partner among major pharmaceutical laboratories that would take over the development and marketing of these new molecules. The date of market entry will therefore depend on the strategy pursued by the future pharmaceutical partner.

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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 is expected to launch animal proofs of concept as early as 2022 in the indications of ischemic stroke (a patent application covering a priority technology has been filed in 2019), head injury and diabetic brain injury.

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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, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the CSIC in Spain 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.

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And not all: the company is already planning to register new patents and develop 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!

With one patent filing per year in 3 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 intellectual property protection of new generations of dendrogenins and related prodrugs and analogues.

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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. Furthermore, Dendrogenix is in discussions with leading medical device companies in order to explore the possibility of combining their electronical solutions with biotech innovations such as Dendrogenix’s innovative molecules to improve hearing loss treatment.

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Dendrogenix 11, avenue de l'Hôpital - 4000 Liège Tel.: +32 (0)492 781 781 Email: contact@dendrogenix.com https://www.dendrogenix.com/

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Institute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG)

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.

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Advanced expertise for innovative diagnostics and treatments

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 (one in 2,000 people in Belgium) 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.

n 2020, the Institute achieved a turnover of 45 million euros, included BIO.be, its subsidiary founded in 2006 to serve biotechnology companies and the pharmaceutical industry. The IPG’s activity is based on 3 essential pillars: anatomopathology, the molecular biology laboratory and the human genetics centre, one of 8 such centres in Belgium. In anatomopathology, 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.

At present, the IPG wants to make itself more accessible to clinical doctors by digitising its activities in order to increase its diagnostic performance for the benefit of referring doctors and patients. But the challenges are not limited to digitisation for the Institute. Training doctors in molecular pathology for innovative diagnostics, technological 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): all these are avenues to further increase the IPG’s level of excellence.

In the field of 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 CHC of Liège, Vivalia, Chwapi,... 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.

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

The IPG is also an official research institute with an annual budget reserved for this activity. 25 projects are underway in collaboration 138

ANALIS n

Beyond lab technologies and solutions that improve the quality of life by contributing to advance research & discovery.

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More than a label of trust: a quality label

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Great development prospects in sight to become the label of quality for every laboratory.

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Gabi smartcare that manufactures electronic bracelets that measure 8 parameters in order to monitor and diagnose paediatric pathologies or to even prevent sudden infant death syndrome; the other, Antigon is specialized in validating blood bags at the patient’s bedside to prevent the risks of incompatibility in transfusions.

Last but not least, Analis is considering acquiring one or two similar companies specialized in the distribution of scientific equipment in the Benelux. The aim is twofold: to broaden its product range and to strengthen its presence in the Netherlands.

expertise to understand the particular needs of every laboratory to provide the smartest and most evolutive solution. In addition, this team of experts advises and assists researchers, lab managers and technicians in the implementation of new methods to accelerate research workflow and optimize the quality of results. Secondly, technical expertise: a team of more than 35 specialized field engineers provides technical services: from pre-installations to validation and certification to guarantee optimal use and quality of results and to extend useful life of the equipment.

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invested in two biotech companies in 2021:

Mr Luyckx - Analis CEO

Indeed, Analis boasts a double expertise.

Firstly, application expertise: a highly trained team dedicates its

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Founded in 1927, Analis is active in three major complementary scientific fields: clinical diagnostics (analysis of body fluids by medical analysis laboratories), life sciences (cell & gene research) and industry (materials testing and analytical chemistry). The company provides laboratories with numerous cutting-edge technologies for research, analysis, production and quality control. Beyond lab technologies, the company covers all aspects of laboratory management: from laboratory projects and automation to full instrument maintenance.

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With three offices - in Flanders, Wallonia and the Netherlands - the company, backed by a private family investor, has increased its turnover from 30 million to almost 50 million euros between 2015 and 2021. It intends to build on this dynamism by consolidating its current representations and developing new ones. In this respect, the company has concluded a joint venture, Dulis, with the French supplier Dutscher, in a new market segment: consumables and small laboratory equipment.

Cutting-edge scientific technologies and smart solutions to improve lab workflows.

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company). The other brands, such as the Singaporean Esco, allow the distributor to offer total integration of all equipment at laboratory level.

ith 140 employees, 1,200 customers, 30,000 users and 90 brands, Analis is a Belgian company specialized in scientific instruments and lab solutions in the Benelux. The company is growing rapidly and has many projects.

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Rue de Néverlée, 11 5020 Namur Tel.: +32 (0)81 25 50 50 http://www.analis.be

With such an expertise network, the company can propose alternative choices for finding ingenious and cost-effective solutions for each lab.

In effect, since 1953 Analis has been the official representative of the American company Beckman Coulter (of the influential Danaher holding

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A worldwide network of more than 90 suppliers and a long-term partnership with leading manufacturers.

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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 60 scientific publications to its credit, the laboratory offers complex biological analyses integrating more than 100 innovative analytical markers and can boast a patent for a medical device co-developed with UNamur.

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n 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 and to enable the comparison of clinical studies between them. This test is part of the regulatory recommendation in the development of steroid contraceptive, as stated by the European Medicines Agency. The laboratory is also renowned for its broad portfolio of innovative techniques to assess coagulation.

With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, it has implemented 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 neutralization tests to assess vaccines and treatments efficacy by mimicking the viral infection on cell lines. Finally, the research teams at QUALIblood are investigating the interactions between immunity, inflammation and thrombosis thanks to multiplexing techniques and 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. 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.

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 in therapy. QUALIblood is further working with a French partner to commercialize their innovative solution to detect women eligibility for hormonal contraception considering their coagulopathy status. Such prognostic biomarker would meet at last an urgent clinical need.

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.

On the strength of these promising development prospects, QUALIblood plans to leave the University campus in 2022-2023 to set up in the new Care-Ys technology park. This scale-up 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.

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Rue du Séminaire 20A - 5000 Namur Tel.: +32 81 44 49 92 Email: jonathan.douxfils@qualiblood.eu https://www.qualiblood.eu/

X4C I n

Innovative surface functionalization for stable and sensitive diagnostic tests

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4C has bet on the right horse with calixarenes.

Its stroke of genius: grafting a monolayer of these particular molecules onto any surface: conductive, insulating, semiconductor, flat, porous or even spherical (nanoparticles). The graft is covalent, i.e. stable, and the monolayer is very robust, compact and thin. As a result, it does not change the structure and intrinsic properties of the surface. It can even post-functionalise it by adding a (bio)molecule to generate customised properties: to diagnose a disease, detect a pollutant in water or a pesticide in food.

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The number 4 serves as a breadcrumb trail for X4C. 4 repeating units linked together in calixarenes, molecules that can be grafted onto any type of surface. 4 employees.

4 granted patents. 4 proofs of concept that demonstrate the added value of calixarene coatings at the surface of core components of in-vitro diagnostic tests…

t i o n © X4C - Org. Biomol. Chem., 2020, 18, 3624

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On this basis, since 2020, X4C has decided to focus on the application of calixarene coatings to improve the performance of in-vitro diagnostic tests for which there are sensitivity and/or stability issues. These include infectious diseases (such as antibodies against SARS-CoV-2) and cancer, which can be diagnosed by biomarkers or proteins.

X4C is also targeting the food industry when it comes to detecting very small quantities of unwanted substances (such as toxins, antibiotics…) in milk, meat or even wheat.

c The company is in discussion with several Belgian and European companies and is actively looking for new customers. A first commercial agreement is expected for mid 2022.

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Alongside, X4C has entered the process of upscaling the industrial production of calixarenes. Workforce increases with an expected staff of 7 people by the end Q1-2022 for covering daily needs of R&D, production, commercialization as well as transverse activities such as legal and IP. This increase in power is also reflected in the move this year, still in Gosselies, to more suitable premises. The icing on the cake: a capital increase of €500,000 at the end of October 2021 to finance the industrialisation process and reinforce commercial capacity. Great opportunities for growth!

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X4C is partnering closely with its customers for solving their specific needs in view of licensing X4C’s technology for commercial use and supplying the calixarenes required for the coating process of clients’ optimized tests.

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Rue Auguste Piccard 48 6041 Gosselies Tel.: +32 (0)2 650 24 74 / +32 (0)498 69 71 96 Email: info@x4c.eu https://x4c.eu/

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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.

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edicinal 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 19 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.

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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).

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Tilman goes far beyond classical phytotherapy: several innovative Tilman products are unique bioactive formulations with own patents.

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 is involved in a very promising new study: it targets 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 is to develop more effective galenic formulations.

For the greater good of patients.

Tilman has made a name for itself with flagship products such as Flexofytol (based on bioactive 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 quercetin and curcumin) for regulating the immune system.

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.

Tilman 15, ZI Sud - 5377 Baillonville Tel.: +32 (0) 84 320 360 Email: info@tilman.be https://www.tilman.be/ 142

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Optimized patient care through predictive analysis

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TIMi was founded in 2007 and specializes in analytics and predictive analytics (ML&AI) and Big Data. The company has 50 employees and two branches (in Bogota and Lima). TIMi serves its customers in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the United States.

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IMi is a major player in the telecom sector: its data management tool processes data from more than 300 million telephone subscribers per day. The results obtained from this processing are, typically, data visualizations (pie charts or histograms that group together counts by customer, by city, by product, etc.), KPI’s and Predictive Models. Within the TIMi framework, you can solve any data preparation problem (typically, in the telecom industry, TIMi manipulates “CDR” tables that have several tens of billions of lines, each row corresponding to a call or an internet “data” connection). The TIMi solution 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 than100 billion records – a feat made possible by a combination of low-level programming language (assembler) and optimized software’s code. TIMi is an ideal solution in Africa, where a telecom can easily refresh its “client view” and its predictive models every day with TIMi. A “client view” is a table where each row represents a subscriber and the columns are the information’s about these subscribers. TIMi also supports out-of-the-box a “client view” with more than 3,000 variables.

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o In Belgium, TIMi has been working for five years with the mutual insurance company Partena: the objective of this collaboration is to predict possible complications of medical treatments (that are reimbursed by Partena), based on the theory of “causal chains”. This solution (that involves many predictive models and complex data preparation work), is currently being developed. The final objective is to take preventive actions in order to provide better care for people.

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Beyond its expertise, TIMi is committed to the protection of the data it manages (to create predictive models, to compute KPI’s and visualizations, to create “client views” or “patient profiles”, etc.) Indeed, the data managed by TIMi typically remains on the premises of its clients (or in a European Cloud), in accordance with the European GRDP regulation. This respect for the safety of the confidential and private data is an essential part of the DNA of TIMi. Historically, TIMi was a “pure player” focused on “predictive modeling”. But since it’s a niche market with an insufficient number of clients and prospects, TIMi has decided since 2012 to extend its activities to offer one of the best “data preparation” tool available today. “Data preparation” tools are particularly suitable for establishing KPIs (or Key Performance Indicators). KPIs can be used by all companies in all sectors of economic activity. KPIs allow to assess the current situation. Then using the TIMi predictive models, companies can find, and thereafter do, the necessary adjustments to maintain or even increase their competitiveness. A promising windfall for TIMi!

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In the health sector, TIMi has an important reference in Latin America: the Sura insurance group. Sura legally has collected data over 8 years to create a “patient profile” that contains more than 23,000 variables (data extracted from the blood tests and other examinations). Using this very rich profile, Sura created with TIMi many predictive models that enable to anticipate many different complications and pathologies (preventive medicine). Another area of satisfaction for predictive models created with TIMi is the detection of complications during the birth of babies. Thank to predictive models created with TIMi and to data collected during pregnancy monitoring, Sura managed to get 20% fewer babies in intensive care at birth! There is no doubt that Sura enjoys the most advanced system worldwide for monitoring pregnant women, and TIMi is an essential component in this system. Sura is eager to go further with TIMi: its predictive model also 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.

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TIMi SPRL Chemin des 2 Villers 11 - 7812 Ath Tel.: +32 (0)479 99 27 68 Email: frank@timi.eu - https://timi.eu/

Your partner for large industrial projects With 75 full-time equivalents and two production sites spread over 30.000m², Les Ateliers de la Meuse specialise in the production of mechanically welded components, machining, the maintenance of parts and the integration of large-scale, unit or small series projects. A high level of production coupled with a dynamic R&D activity.

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he Ateliers de la Meuse have exceptional production capacities in vertical and horizontal turning, milling, lifting, sandblasting, boring, shot peening and microblasting, balancing and painting. In a market dominated by large companies, the SME prides itself on its flexibility and skills in engineering, drawing, quality assurance, welding, machining, finishing, assembly, testing, etc. A global expertise for the realization of complete projects.

manufacturing projects have been started for China and Germany.

A fine recognition of Les Ateliers de la Meuse’s expertise and an undeniable competitive advantage in a market where competition from Spain, Italy, India and China is raging.

As far as energy is concerned, the company offers maintenance services for equipment such as gas turbines, in its workshops but also at its customers’ sites, starting with Electrabel. Finally, Les Ateliers de la Meuse offers its know-how in general mechanics and subcontracting.

Les Ateliers de la Meuse is present in 5 sectors of activity. The first is the nuclear industry, for which the company has more than 30 years of know-how. It has produced 150 spent fuel storage packages for the world and has received orders for components for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Belgium. In the medical device sector, the company has entered into a strategic partnership with IBA for the development of Proteus®ONE, a proton therapy cancer treatment device: supported by the Walloon government’s Marshall Plan since 2012, this project has resulted in the production of 20 pieces of equipment. The ups and downs of the sector have affected IBA, but Les Ateliers de la Meuse has maintained its capacities and skills in anticipation of a resumption of its activity from the second quarter of 2022.

For 10 years, Les Ateliers de la Meuse has been involved in R&D projects in collaboration with large industrial companies such as IBA (industrialisation of cancer treatment equipment), Alstom (development of energy recovery flywheels) or Safran Aero Booster.

By integrating itself as early as possible in the value chain of these major clients, the company is positioning itself as the ideal partner for the marketing of products co-developed in the R&D phase. This partnership is all the more obvious as Les Ateliers de la Meuse can highlight a genuine capacity to produce very large and heavy parts. The continuity is therefore natural between this customised production capacity and the global distribution networks of large companies. A win-win situation!

In the field of heavy scientific equipment, Les Ateliers de la Meuse designs, manufactures, tests and installs test equipment and simulators (vacuum tanks) for the aerospace sector thanks to its engineering office which offers complete expertise: drafting of specifications, design, manufacture and installation on site.

Its customers include Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Motor Cars, Safran Aero Boosters (Safran Aero Booster - development of the new test bench for the A320 engines), ITER (design of cryostats, superconducting magnet assemblies for nuclear fusion), the Liège Space Centre (development of a vacuum tank) and Thales Alenia Space.

Recently the company completed the installation of two vacuum tanks in Kazakhstan: the culmination of a 7-year project. Similar

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 144

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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. A fruitful cooperation with the industrial leader John Cockerill is underway.

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ecognised 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 Advisory Board (made up of representatives from the professional world with the aim of carrying out a strategic reflection with the management).

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In the field of research, the CRIG, a cross-disciplinary research Centre, 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 enable students to develop their own research strategy 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.

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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.

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Insects: highly efficient transformers of plant matter into animal protein

HELMo Gramme has forged close and long-term partnerships with leading companies located in the Liège basin. This is the case with John Cockerill: with its 6,000 employees and 22 target countries spread over 5 continents, the company offers companies, states and communities services and associated equipment for the energy, defence, industry, environment, transport and infrastructure sectors.

Within the framework of this master’s degree, John Cockerill suggested to the students a most innovative exploratory research topic: insect (“Hermetia Illucens” or black soldier fly) rearing for the transformation of quasi-plant waste into animal proteins for fish farming and oviculture - with all the regulatory and societal issues that such a project entails.

A project for a semi-automatic insect rearing container was set up in 2020, but the SARS-CoV-2 crisis did not allow a proof of concept to be obtained. Between December 2020 and May 2021, funds were raised to install and equip a container and to relaunch the project. A collaboration was also initiated with Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech to determine the optimal conditions for insect reproduction.

Four years ago John Cockerill sponsored the launch of a joint HEC-Gramme (ULiège and HELMo Gramme) master’s degree: Industrial & Business Engineering (IBE). Every year, students from this programme join John Cockerill - proof if any were needed of the relevance of this training for the company, which is always looking for managerial and technical talent to take on the role of project managers.

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But the challenge is above all educational for the company: it is a question of showing the students the technical, organisational, regulatory, environmental and societal problems of such a project... while at the same time making its professions attractive.

Training through research in the service of innovation: a winning trio!

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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.

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Although John Cockerill might not be a direct supplier of these future installations, it is already putting its engineering, economic and business skills at the service of this project. The company also has two particularly relevant instruments at its disposal in this context: Industrya, a €42 million investment fund with an incubator and accelerator for start-ups and scale-ups in the service of industrial transformation (in association with SFPI-FPIM, SRIW & W.IN.G, Noshaq and LRM), and John Cockerill Capital, which allows for a direct stake in a project.

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In fine, the initial positioning of HELMo Gramme, based on multi-skilled training, remains more relevant than ever to meet the expectations of companies in the industrial sector – expectations that are increasingly complex and interpenetrating. The University College is and will remain attentive to the needs of industry through clusters and competitiveness centres thanks to its offer of initial training, applied research and innovation vouchers in the life sciences, industry 4.0 and the circular economy.

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of research. A survey conducted internally has revealed that research is doubly attractive to them: as a means of acquiring new knowledge and as a career opportunity thanks to the partnership policy.

Also in 2021, HELMo Gramme has appointed Sophie Pirard, Master Assistant, to follow up the project. The objective is now to obtain a proof of concept (prototype) for the fastest possible larval rearing process and to develop a realistic and profitable business model. In the medium term, the aim is to create a start-up.

It must be said that such innovative equipment is likely to attract business angels during subsequent fund-raising campaigns.

Moreover, this innovation, once it has been brought into line with European standards, could help reduce the very strong pressure on fisheries resources and marine ecosystems.

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It comes as no surprise that HELMo Gramme enjoys international recognition thanks to its

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HELMo Gramme is currently seeking to publicise its activities by communicating more to the general public. The University College also strives to make its professors aware of the importance

Quai du Condroz, 28 - 4031 Angleur Tel.: +32 (0)4 340 34 30 Email: gramme@helmo.be https://www.helmo.be/gramme

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CTI (Commission des Titres d’Ingénieurs) approval, renewed in 2019 at its maximum level for all its courses. This recognition enables it to continue its development in its various fields of expertise and to increase its European visibility with a view to forging new partnerships with companies or institutions.

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MecaTech Bringing together ecosystems, specialisation in sectors and collective intelligence for technological innovation Interview with Mr Anthony VAN PUTTE, Managing director of the MecaTech competitiveness cluster

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or 15 years, the MecaTech cluster and its 340 members, made up of manufacturers, universities and research and training centres, have successfully carried out their economic development ambition through innovative and collaborative projects: 7,500 jobs and 88% added value have been created since 2016, through 138 labelled projects.

that we want to give to the MecaTech cluster is both quantitative and qualitative. It is to encourage the emergence of a greater number of regional and international innovation projects but also to ensure that these technological innovation projects meet the socio-economic and environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.

How does the MecaTech cluster intend to meet this ambition?

Our strategy is to support our members along the entire innovation value chain, from the emergence of innovative ideas to their industrialisation. To do this, we rely on three essential levers: bringing ecosystems together, specialisation in sectors and collective intelligence.

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What is the MecaTech cluster’s ambition after these 15 years of success?

Beyond its core business of providing support in setting up and financing projects, the MecaTech cluster now aims to capitalise on what these 15 years have built in terms of experience, expertise and collaboration to go further.The final objective of this new impetus

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The first lever, bringing ecosystems together, is based on the definition of a natural ecosystem. This is born when its components develop a dense network of dependencies and exchanges of energy, information and matter that allow life to exist. Applied to our economic dimension, our desire within the cluster is to develop our dynamic network today into a true macro innovation ecosystem where each person contributes to the creation of value, not individually but collectively, by bringing together and intersecting all the ecosystems that each represents.

Collective intelligence is the third lever. How does this skill fit in with support for setting up and financing innovation projects?

Collective intelligence promotes creativity and the emergence of innovative ideas. It is located at the very beginning of the value chain, before the idea becomes an R&D project. A new Innovation - Creativity and Collective Intelligence unit has just been created within the MecaTech cluster. It will be based on the user-centred collective intelligence methodology, the living lab. The strength of the living lab approach is that it starts from the field and the need to initiate new innovations, with the technique serving these ideas. It makes it possible to combine several sources of innovation (technological, service, process, etc.). The cluster has already integrated the “WeLL” living lab in the health sector into its structure in 2018 and aims to extend this service to all the cluster’s other sectors.

The second lever, specialisation in sectors, is directly inspired by the fields of technological innovation that have dominated the calls for projects in recent years. Specific or cross-cutting, the fields with a high potential for innovation are currently energy, defence/security, the circular economy, medical technologies and digital technology.

Specialisation in these sectors within the MecaTech cluster enables us to strengthen the quality of our support and the relevance of the technological solutions generated by the projects. In addition to expertise in MedTech, energy and defence, the cluster’s team now includes new experts in digital and circular economy.

How will you deploy this strategy in practice?

At our MecaTech Day 2021, which took place last October, we wanted to demonstrate the impact of these three levers when combined. We invited our members and partners to take part in 5 creativity workshops, each specialising in a particular sector. The participants were

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divided into workshops according to their preferred sector. In the workshops focused on cross-cutting sectors such as digital or energy, the participants’ ecosystems naturally came together. Each workshop aimed to define possible solutions to a specific challenge. Facilitators specialised in collective intelligence and creativity guided the participants through a common protocol. More than 40 ideas (solutions, actions, activities, service requests) emerged from the workshops in only 2 hours! Our objective is to maintain this momentum and to continually create spaces that encourage the combination of our three levers to generate new innovative ideas, new collaborations, new projects with high added value and job creation.

sector experts have the task of mastering the knowledge of innovation trends in these sectors on a European or even global scale. They will then work with Walloon industrial players to define how the latter can enter into European calls for projects or consider exporting their innovations.

Finally, the aim of collective intelligence is to free creativity.

We hope that creativity will also be freed from territorial borders and will carry with it the ambition to take up challenges for the benefit of a greater number of people.

What is the MecaTech cluster’s track record at European level for 2020?

The cluster is involved in more than 7 projects in the framework of European calls for projects: 5 projects were submitted in the framework of Horizon 2020 and 2 projects in the framework of the European Digital Innovation Hub call (Digital Europe).

How will you apply this strategy at the international level?

We are convinced that the combination of these three levers generates a strong added value in the innovation dynamic at regional and international level. Why is this? This strategy calls for bringing the ecosystems closer together and therefore opening them up to wider collaboration prospects than those present on the Walloon territory on the one hand. On the other hand, our members’ innovation projects respond to challenges shared by the rest of the world. Our

Our EDIH project “Industrie 4.0”, one of the Belgian winners, aims to accelerate the digital transformation of Walloon manufacturing companies (including the supply chain) in line with the Walloon public strategy, Digital Wallonia. The digital transformation supported by EDIH will be achieved by accelerating the adoption of 150

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4 technologenablers: Artificial Intelligence, IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, High Performance Computing (HPC) and Cybersecurity.

The EDIH “Industrie 4.0” will offer a wide range of services such as access to technological demonstrators, living labs, incubators of Industrie 4.0, access to European funding, international networking events and many others.

The MecaTech cluster’s partners in this project are Agoria Wallonie, Sirris, Cenaero, Cetic, Multitel, Logistics in Wallonia, Hestia and the Agence du Numérique. The MecaTech Cluster is in particular responsible for the “financing assistance” and “ecosystem animation” work packages at local and European level. At the time of writing, the results of the call for projects are still awaited, with a possible deployment in 2022.

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Your European ambition for 2022?

For the past two years, we have seen an unprecedented enthusiasm for European projects on the part of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Walloon region and more generally on a European scale. In 2020, 40 European collaborative industrial projects brought together 112 entities in their innovation efforts. 84 of them were SMEs. Our ambition is to continue to encourage and facilitate access to European innovation calls for projects for all Walloon technology companies, regardless of their size. Our “International” Unit is now reinforced in this mission by the sector experts who will set up a thematic monitoring system on potential partnerships and calls for projects at European level.

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The MICROLAB project (led by LASEA, with Citius, Femto Laser, Cenaero, Sirris and Multitel) resulted in the development of a fully automated and flexible demonstrator based solely on laser technology for the creation of a complete biochip in order to respond to problems arising from the techniques currently used in micro-fluidics, which lack the necessary flexibility.

Supported by a consortium of companies (I-care, Micromega Dynamics and MoDyVA) in collaboration with Multitel and CERISIC, the LoRa-SENSE project aimed to develop new autonomous, intelligent and modular wireless industrial tools for predictive maintenance, environmental monitoring and industrial equipment monitoring applications. The project has strengthened the links between companies in Wallonia, developing new solutions and services that are now integrated into the catalogues of companies.

More precisely, the project aimed at developing a machine using a femtosecond laser to allow both the design of the microchannel part and to ensure the hermeticity of the microfluidic chip by laser sealing of the polymeric film. Both laser processes were assisted by simulation in order to ensure an optimal solution for the design of the microchannels, the optimisation of the microchannel for the targeted application, and the determination of the laser parameters used for the sealing of the chip.

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Software solutions for chemical industry

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The mission of Lisam Systems is to enable any company to have online access to all the information required for the full compliance and proper management of chemical products. This is a crucial expertise, as the safety of workers is at stake.

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In addition to its flagship product, Lisam has developed a WebSaas software suite covering the management of chemicals, incidents, audit and inspection procedures and the collection of data to assess the sustainability of industrial activity.

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There is no doubt that Lisam will be able to consolidate its position: with organic growth of +/-20% per year, the company’s objective is to become the leader in the niche of automated calculation and generation of documents describing the chemical risks of products placed on the market.

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With the digitalisation of chemical risk information, Lisam also offers a solution to import safety information directly from suppliers and distribute it to users via a digital interface (web, tablet, smartphone). Thanks to this targeted offer, the consolidated turnover of Lisam and its subsidiaries reached 19.6 million euros in 2020: 11.7 million generated by subscriptions for the use of the software, the remainder from projects carried out with clients and the consultancy activity relating to the management of risks linked to the use of chemical products.

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With its expertise, Lisam brings automation and anticipates the need for innovative solutions in a highly complex and ever-changing regulatory landscape. In a context where awareness about chemicals is growing globally and consumers are claiming for “right-to-know” information, the pressure to comply intensifies for the chemical industry. As a result, the market leans increasingly towards the digitalisation of communication between chemical manufacturers and end users. In the short term, this should improve the quality of data and facilitate access to it. A demand, Lisam is ready to meet.

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abelling, safety instructions, worker exposure to chemicals: it is vital to have real-time access to information on the protective measures to be applied for the proper use of chemicals. Therefore, any problems in accessing this type of information must be resolved immediately. This is what Lisam is all about: based in Ecaussinnes, the company relies on its 20 subsidiaries abroad to provide chemical manufacturers with a software solution to meet their legal obligations. These obligations are twofold: the registration of their products and the description of the associated risks in accordance with REACH and GHS regulations. With 1600 customers worldwide, Lisam has become one of the 5 companies able to provide regulatory support worldwide. The company now supports its customers in their product export projects.

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Lisam has made a name for itself with its ExESS software. This software enables the calculation and translation into 52 languages of regulatory documents that must accompany chemical products.

Today, a large majority of chemical companies in Belgium use ExESS. Examples include Air Liquide, Oleon, Prayon, Sopura, Lambiotte and Eurodye.

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UCLouvain Research: COVID-19 and Beyond Interview with Prof. Vincent BLONDEL, UCLouvain Rector

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in the field of transparent electronics powered by photovoltaic cells. Nick Van Gastel (de Duve Institute) is trying to understand how cellular communication via metabolites, an evolutionarily ancient form of cellular crosstalk, regulates blood cell production in the bone marrow. By also characterising how this communication is disrupted in blood malignancies such as leukaemia, he hopes to develop new therapeutic strategies. Valentin Couvreur (Earth and Life Institute) wants to develop our understanding of the acquisition of soil water by plant roots, from the scale of the cell to that of the entire plant. The aim is to question our conceptualisation of this process, which is essential for agriculture and natural ecosystems under drought conditions. Marie-Catherine de Marneffe (Institute for Language and Communication) focuses her research on computational pragmatics and aims to identify the elements that enable the semantic and pragmatic inferences we systematically make.

What UCLouvain research projects respond to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Since Covid-19 emerged in late 2019, countries from across Europe have strived to come together with a cohesive response to fight the virus. This has proven to be a difficult task given the nature of the pandemic and the differing levels of emergency and response in each country. Rather than one unified approach from all EU member States, individual countries are responding to the pandemic in very different ways. As a result, the pandemic has highlighted vulnerabilities in this response, and what’s required now is a more resilient, whole of EU approach to managing future pandemics. In order for the European Union to safeguard the health of its citizens, it has begun to prioritize investment in preparing for future pandemics. The team of Mr. Jean-Luc Gala (Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research) is involved in PANDEM-2, H2020 EU-funded project that aims to develop new solutions for efficient, EU-wide pandemic management. The goal of PANDEM-2 is to prepare Europe for future pandemics through innovations in training and to build capacity between EU member States responding to pandemics on a cross-border basis.

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Have any notable researchers recently joined UCLouvain?

Yes, five new FNRS Qualified Researchers have officially joined the pool of scientific experts at UCLouvain at the beginning of the academic year 2021-2022. Mireille Al Houayek (Louvain Drug Research Institute) seeks to identify new therapeutic targets, based on endogenous lipid mediators, to promote the resolution of chronic inflammation and pain. Samuel Poncé (Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences) is working on the numerical simulation of new materials in an automated, cost-effective and large-scale manner, with the aim of developing new techniques for predictive calculations of material properties under real conditions

© Danny Gys - FNRS

ave UCLouvain Belgian researchers received any award lately?

Four of the five FNRS Quinquennial Awards (the highest award of the Belgian National Research Fund, awarded in the presence of the King) have been awarded to UCLouvain’s researchers. The FNRS Quinquennial Awards recognised Jean-François Collet (de Duve Institute) for his work in fundamental cellular mechanisms, paving the way for a new class of antibacterial agents (Fundamental Biomedical Sciences Award); Véronique Dehant (Earth and Life Institute) for her precise characterisation of the rotation of earth and other planets, which played a key role in NASA’s InSIGHT Mars mission (Basic Sciences Award); Jean-Christophe Charlier (Louvain School of Engineering) for predicting the electronic structure and properties of multi-walled nanotubes and describing the production of high-purity cubic diamond microparticles by thermal activation of graphene (Applied Exact Sciences Award); and Vassilis Saroglou (Psychological Sciences Research Institute) for bringing together psychology’s disparate currents of thought, thus creating a multidisciplinary sub-field (Humanities and Social Sciences Award). The official award ceremony took place on October 4, 2021 in the presence of King Philippe.

Furthermore, UCLouvain actively participates in the research and innovation programmes of the European Union. In this context no less than 49 UCLouvain researchers were awarded the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants.

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the “Forum of European Universities #2 – FOREU2” where we will share and assess best practices in the implementation of R&I long-term strategies with other Alliances.

In addition, 36 three-year Circle U. Academic Chairs were awarded in the summer of 2021. They will be a catalyst for cooperation and dissemination of knowledge between universities. One of these chairs is that of Prof. Sandy Tubeuf (Faculty of Public Health) “Combating inequalities in access to health care”. The Chair aims to address the urgent issue of global and local health inequalities and seek to develop strategies to provide better health care for all. The main objective of the project is to develop a unique inter-university doctoral training where doctoral students with a multidisciplinary profile in health sciences and social sciences and humanities have the opportunity to access a solid methodological background that enables them to address real societal challenges in global health.

The Circle U. European Alliance is on track. What’s new about it?

Launched in 2020, the Circle U. European University brings together the universities of Oslo, Paris, Aarhus, Berlin Humboldt, Belgrade, Kings College London and UCLouvain.

Circle U. ERIA project (Empowering Research and Innovation Actions), co-financed by the European Commission under H2020 “Science with and for Society” (SWAFS) program and the Circle U. member universities (which includes UCLouvain) was officially launched on September 1, 2021. In line with the education strategies currently developed in the Circle U. Alliance, ERIA will strengthen the Research and Innovation (R&I) dimensions of Circle U. by supporting pilot activities in its Knowledge Hubs and empowering its early-career researchers. In the next three years, a variety of concrete actions will support four key objectives and encourage institutional transformations at research and innovation levels within the Circle U. Alliance: (1) Fostering interdisciplinarity to co-construct solutions with other sectors; (2) Involving citizens and society in research and innovation; (3) Strengthening human capital and Gender Equality; and (3) Structuring Research and Innovation collaboration at the European level. With ERIA, the Circle U. Alliance wants to make a substantial impact in the European Research and Innovation Area. This is why ERIA will reinforce its ties with other European University Alliances and will be active in

Are other projects funded by Horizon 2020?

Our university is involved in 164 projects within Horizon 2020 projects. Among them, let’s mention EuroCC project in which Mr. Gian-Marco Rignaese and Mr. Thomas Keutgen are participating alongside other Belgian Universities. Participating countries are tasked with establishing a single National Competence Centre (NCC) in the area of high-performance computing (HPC) and high-performance data analytics (HPDA). Each NCC will coordinate activities in all HPC-related fields at the national level and serve as a contact point for customers from industry, science, (future) HPC experts, and the general public alike. Let’s also mention that UCLouvain hosts 56 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.

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Emeritus Prof. Teresinha Leal and Prof. Sophie Gohy (PI, Pneumology, ENT and Dermatology Unit (PNEU) are both members of the Institute for Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC) at UCLouvain. They have joined hands to advance translational research in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF) and other respiratory diseases. They present their expertise, their research and the challenges they face.

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Translational research to improve survival and quality of life of patients with cystic fibrosis

Profs. Sophie Gohy and Teresinha Leal

Equally important, Teresinha Leal has developed a non-invasive diagnostic method for CF: the “bubble test”. Multiple intradermal injections to stimulate cholinergic (phase C) or ß-adrenergic (phase B) sweat secretion have been replaced by a needle-free method making the test applicable to small children. The parameters measured during the test can be explored as biomarkers of efficacy of CFTR modulating treatments.

eresinha Leal has built her scientific career on clinical and translational experimentation for better understanding the pathophysiology of CF and for diagnostic purposes. Sophie Gohy holds a thesis on the respiratory epithelium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the laboratory of Prof. Pilette (PNEU Unit). She currently leads the reference centre of the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc and actively participates in the research of the pulmonology laboratory thanks to a mandate as a post-doctoral clinician researcher of the FNRS.

A challenge remains: to better understand why some patients respond very clearly to treatment and others less so. Stimulating avenues of research remains essential to improve the quality of life and survival of patients.

The collaboration of the two researchers takes different forms. Sophie Gohy has entrusted Teresinha Leal with the supervision of one of her doctoral students and has taken over the translational research projects launched at the time of her emeritus. Teresinha Leal’s main ongoing project consists in developing a new mouse model of CF that better mimics the CF respiratory disease by silencing the mouse CFTR protein and expressing the human mutated CFTR protein into the animal. “We are in the final stage of characterising the phenotype,” explains Teresinha Leal. “For the first time we will have an animal model expressing a CF respiratory phenotype.” “Another ongoing project deals with the development of a nanomedicine to treat the respiratory disease of patients irrespective of the type of CFTR mutation they display” she states.

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In parallel, Sophie Gohy is involved in a project to characterise the respiratory epithelium in CF and to study immunoglobulin A-related immunity in the respiratory mucosa. Both researchers have built a network of national and European collaborations: Sophie Gohy works closely with the reference centre for CF at the Cochin Hospital in Paris, France (leaded by Prof. P.R. Burger), while Teresinha Leal worked with two professors from the KULeuven to develop the respiratory phenotype of her mouse model (Profs. G. Vande Velde and J. Vanoirbeek).

Patients with CF display increased IgA+ cells number. (a) IgA staining in the subepithelial area from one representative control and one representative patient with CF and number of IgA+ cells in the subepithelial area from 30 patients with CF, as compared with 30 controls. (b) IgA staining in the glandular area from one representative control and from one representative patient with CF and number of IgA+ cells in the glandular area from 18 patients with CF, as compared with 27 controls. (c) Identification of plasma cells (CD138+ cells (orange)) producing IgA (green; arrows) in the subepithelial area from one patient with CF. Bars indicate median and interquartile ranges.

Sophie Gohy’s clinical research aims at leading to significant therapeutic advances: several recently developed molecules are the subject of multi-centre studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry. “Clinical studies give patients access to very expensive molecules that will increase their survival,” she says. Initial feedback from patients has been very positive, with a reduction in exacerbations, hospitalisations and referrals for lung transplantation. A new cohort of patients should be recruited in 2022.

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Teresinha Leal & Sophie Gohy’s research group LTAP & PNEU, UCLouvain

Louvain Centre for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Avenue E. Mounier 53 - 1200 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 764 94 73 - E-mail: teresinha.leal@uclouvain.be - https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/irec/ltap 156

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Interview with Prof. Jean-Luc BALLIGAND, President of the Institute for Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), WELBIO investigator developed small hearts. Aquaporin 1 is a protein used to transport water and hydrogen peroxide, an oxidant responsible for reactions leading to cardiac hypertrophy. We were able to verify in biopsies of human hearts that aquaporin 1 was more abundant in people with large hearts. We have also identified a potential treatment that blocks the aquaporin 1 channel and hydrogen peroxide transport to prevent cardiac hypertrophy. This treatment is brahmi, a plant extract used in indian ayurvedic medicine that contains a molecule (bacopaside) that very effectively blocks aquaporin-1. Its efficacy to prevent hypertrophyhas been verified in a preclinical model with a standardized plant extract already available in parapharmacy. Indeed, this standardized extract (CDRI08) has already been tested in randomized controlled clinical trials for its therapeuic efficacy in various neurological disorders. The next objective here is therefore to reposition an existing treatment in a cardiovascular indication and the recent subsidy granted by the King Baudouin Foundation will enable us to launch a pilot clinical study soon.

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hat are IREC's key figures and research themes?

IREC is strong with 233 Clinicians (22 Academics, 231 Scientists, and 97 Admin & Technical Staff). Between 2015 and 2020 the Institute produced 4,800 scientific publications and it totals 19 patents and licenses over the period 2015-2019. In addition, it is at the origin of the creation of two spin-offs. Research at IREC is organized into 11 thematic research groups: cardiovascular, imaging, clinical and translational immunology, acute medicine, regenerative medicine, metabolism, obesity and diabetes, health and movement, nephrology, oncology, reproductive medicine, and medical microbiology. Added to this are the activities of the Clinical Trial Center and the platforms (2IP, CytoFlux, CTMA - Centre for Applied Molecular Technologies).

What are the main assets of research at IREC? IREC is developing translational research straddling the line between very high-flying basic science and clinical research for patients: the back and forth between problems encountered at the patient's bed and hypotheses tested in the laboratory creates a virtuous circle allowing discoveries to be transformed into new diagnostic tests and treatments for personalized medicine. Another strength of research at IREC is its transdisciplinary aspect: cross-fertilization between different disciplines is an important source of innovation.

Indeed, biology does not care about disciplinary boundaries and many cellular mechanisms are common to different organs and pathologies. Ultimately, this transdisciplinarity allows us to go beyond the organic vision of disease and adopt a holistic approach.

In your opinion, what are the major challenges of tomorrow's translational research?

The first challenge concerns research funding, which is threatened by the current economic difficulties of which culture and research are traditionally the first victims. This period is also unfavorable for collaborations with the industry, which risks harming our level of competitiveness. The second challenge relates to integration into major national, European and international research networks in order to remain competitive. Belgium's political fragmentation affects the critical mass and visibility of its research. This could be overcome by the creation of alliances between European universities, such as CircleU3. Finally, medical research faces a third challenge, which is the increasing complexity of diseases: a single treatment is not sufficient to treat patients with co-morbidities and environmental factors that in turn influence the efficacy of treatments.

There is a need for integration of multi-modal phenotypic data using algorithms of artificial intelligence to uncover new disease mechanisms and treatments, i.e. a “Network Medicine” approach4. To implement this, it is crucial to maintain the virtuous circle of translational research by maintaining a constant dialog between multidisciplinary basic and clinical researchers. Allowing caregivers to free up clinical time to develop their basic research skills is one mission of our Institute towards that goal.

Could you give us some examples of current research projects at IREC? In the treatment of cancer, biopsy samples have been used to reconstitute mini-tumors in vitro for genomic, proteomic and metabolomic analysis. Artificial intelligence is then used to determine the most effective treatment for a given tumor, verify its efficacy and validate it for application to the patient concerned.

In the field of cardiovascular diseases, we have discovered a new biomarker of blood vessel function in cells and animals carrying these diseases. This new biomarker is currently being used on human patients in prospective studies for the prediction of cardiovascular disease complications. On October 7, we published an article on cardiac hypertrophy in Science Translational Medicine entitled “Inhibition of aquaporin-1 prevents myocardial remodeling by blocking the transmembrane transport of hydrogen peroxide“1. In the framework of a WELBIO2 research programme, we found that mice deficient for the gene coding for aquaporin-1

https://uclouvain.be/en/research-institutes/irec https://welbio.org/cms/c_11740011/fr/welbio

https://uclouvain.be/en/research-institutes/irec/news/brahmi-plant-extract-prevents-cardiac-hypertrophy.html https://welbio.org/cms/c_11740011/en/welbio 3 https://www.circle-u.eu/ 4 https://www.network-medicine.org/ 1 2

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Translational research for the benefit of patients

Innovative vacuum plasma coating technologies A business unit of AGC Glass Europe strong with a staff of 40 members, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions is specialised in developing and industrialising innovative vacuum plasma coating technologies. The BU offers its equipment and services to a broad range of industries outside the glass world.

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In addition, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions seeks to highlight the environmental dimension of its technological innovations. A major transition is underway in the coating industry: the move from “wet chemical” to “dry “. This transition, which is particularly marked in the textile and decoration sectors, aims to save water for several functions.

To this end, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions offers physical vapour deposition (PVD) or plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technology for applying thin layers. These technologies are also applicable in the automotive industry, for example, for applying anti-reflective coatings on the cover glass for automotive interior displays or to the radars of the autonomous vehicles.

ounded in 2016, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions markets solutions that involve depositing thin films on a given substrate in order to functionalise it. Based on its expertise in coating large glass surfaces, the business unit has designed dedicated equipment and developed new layers with a view to offering them to other sectors where these technologies bring real added value. The team of AGC Plasma Technology Solutions in Gosselies (R&D) works hand in hand with that of Lauenförde, Germany, which is dedicated to the manufacturing and installation of machines worldwide.

AGC Plasma Technology Solutions’ know-how in building custom-designed plasma coating equipment has found prestigious applications in the optical industry. In 2021 the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and AGC Glass Europe signed a second contract to deliver a coater specially equipped for the large mirrors (M2, M3, M4 and M5) of the world largest telescope: installed in the Atacama Desert (Chilean Andes) at Cerro Armazones (3,046 m), the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), under construction, is to be equipped with a gigantic 39-meter segmented primary mirror and additional 4-meter-wide large mirrors.

AGC Plasma Technology Solutions is currently exploring several avenues of development to make the most of its expertise. The business unit is focusing on the textile and optical industries with its anti-reflective coating solutions for lidars and its range of films for various applications. In addition, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions is working with several universities to scale up plasma technologies developed in their laboratories. In this context, the business unit has developed a strong partnership with the Materia Nova Institute of UMONS (University of Mons). A relevant strategy to reconcile the academic and industrial worlds.

In 2018 AGC was already selected to assemble and install the two magnetron sputtering coaters for the primary mirror of the ELT. The third coater is designed for the additional 4-meter-wide mirrors. The magnetron sputtering coaters are important to maintain the performance of the telescope optics. Confronted with the challenge of controlling the uniformity of the highly reflective coating over the entire surface of the 4 meter-wide-mirrors, AGC has developed a technical solution including an Online Shimmable Magnet Bar technology in the cathodes that allows superior thickness control of the deposited thin layers. This feat was made possible with the support of BELSPO (the Belgian Science Policy Office), in charge of the Belgian national Contribution and representation to ESO, which relays ESO calls for tender via its Belgian Industrial Liaison Officer, in the aim to achieve a fair Belgian industrial return on ESO activities.

AGC Plasma Technology Solutions AGC Glass Europe Avenue Jean Monnet 4 - 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve Tel.: +32 (0) 499 99 30 09 Email: jeroen.schotsaert@ agc.com https://www.agc-plasma.com / www.agc-glass.eu 158

DIAsource ImmunoAssays I

With more than 30 years of experience in IVD (kits and instrumentation), DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A., a BioVendor Group company, is an international diagnostic company which has been based in Louvain-la-Neuve in a 7,500 m² facility for 10 years. It relies upon 80 employees, yields an annual turnover of €17 million and serves more than 80 countries.

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Currently DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. produces around 70 diagnostic kits in-house and its catalogue contains over 350 different products. The company markets three technologies: radioactive RIA technology, ELISA technology based on colorimetry (detection by colour generation) and the brand new CLIA technology: based on chemiluminescence (production of light and heat as a result of a chemical reaction), this immunoassay successfully combines an antibody with a new diagnostic method.

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Republic, of which it has been a member since 2017. Indeed, DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. was built on the development of radioactive immunoassays. However, national legislation has become more and more restrictive over the years. Many companies have therefore decided to replace radioactive tests with non-radioactive tests. With DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. they have the choice between the RIA and the ELISA tests. Alternatively, they can choose CLIA technology, most of which is fully automated, reducing human error and increasing performance compared to ELISA. DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. is therefore well equipped to offer alternatives when regulatory constraints become too burdensome. Changing technology without changing supplier: a must!

IAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. specializes in the development, manufacturing and marketing of clinical diagnostic products in the field of endocrinology, auto-immunity and infectious diseases. The company does everything from A to Z: order taking, development, production, quality control testing and delivery. Its success in business is based on 4 major principles: quality, service, affordability, and flexibility.

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In addition, the company supplies, installs and maintains PLCs for RIA and ELISA applications. It also produces antibodies used by competing companies to manufacture their own diagnostic kits - a win-win practice sanctioned by commercial agreements. And let’s not forget vitamin D assays for clinical and research purposes: the company was one of the first to develop and market a serum vitamin D kit.

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Another strategic focus for DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. is the acquisition of 5 companies or parts of portfolios in 5 years. The latest of these is the French company CisBio, part of PerkinElmer, for which it has acquired the manufacturing and marketing rights. This acquisition will allow the company to market its entire radioactive portfolio as of 1 January 2022 and to exercise all manufacturing and marketing rights to the kits as of 26 May 2022. A promising expansionary policy for DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A..

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This pioneering character will serve DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A. well as it prepares for a major change in European rules in 2022. At that time, the current In Vitro Diagnostics Directive will be replaced by a much more stringent regulation: the company’s entire range will be subject to approval by a Notified Body. DIAsource ImmunoAssays® S.A.’s priority is therefore clear: to obtain IVDR accreditation by 26 May 2022.

That said, the company is not forgetting its other objectives, starting with the further development of the CLIA technology in collaboration with a sister company of the BioVendor Group, based in the Czech

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DIAsource ImmunoAssays SA

A growing European CDMO focused on innovation and galenic reformulation Founded in 2012, BePharBel Manufacturing, which employs about 90 people, manufactures more than 40 different products for the European Union and Canada. Its goal: to pursue 25% annual growth in its CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) business.

Product development as a core business Built on successive acquisitions, including ERFA, a contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) formerly owned by the Sanofi-Aventis group, BePharBel Manufacturing has evolved into a CDMO that provides medium and large pharmaceutical companies with product development and manufacturing support.

Indeed, BePharBel Manufacturing is not only a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products: beyond its production services, the company’s added value lies in accompanying its clients in the development of new drugs or redevelopment of existing medicines.

This end-to-end service proposition, together with a focus on quality and flexibility, builds customer trust and long-term partnerships day after day.

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Interestingly, when it comes to new projects, the company is able to draw on the expertise of its close academic partners, which has recently led to the development of BePharBel Manufacturing’s patented Multi-layer Microparticle Controlled Release (MMCR) technology.

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Today, the company manufactures more than 40 different medicines and medical devices each year in a GMP environment. A wide variety of galenic forms are used: dry forms, sprays, ointments, creams, sterile products, etc., which confirms the extensive know-how of the BePharBel Manufacturing teams at all stages of the process.

Innovation leading to a patented galenic platform

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With a one-stop-shop approach, customers can find support at every stage of their project development by choosing from a full range of dedicated services such as formulation support, clinical batch manufacturing, commercial scale-up, analytical services and all related services such as API procurement, serialisation and packaging.

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BePharBel Manufacturing

This patented technology aims to provide controlled-release liquid dosage forms that are particularly relevant in paediatrics and gerontology where swallowing problems are common and often affect compliance.

By making this new drug delivery system available to third parties in the form of licenses, or by entering into commercial agreements for their proprietary products under development, BePharBel Manufacturing has reached another milestone in its development.

BePharBel Manufacturing Rue du Luxembourg 13 - 6180 Courcelles Tel.: +32 (0)71 46 60 60 Email: info@bepharbel.com https://www.bepharbel.com

This makes BePharBel Manufacturing want to go further and anticipate its next step. New projects are already in the pipeline.

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More nature, more science

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Following the path of agroecology, Thierry Picaud has developed an aggregative approach which stimulates the plant’s defences at the soil, root and leaf level, through natural solutions. Medinbio relies upon its multidisciplinary team to assist producers, producer organisations, the food industry as well as large-scale distribution in their efforts to reduce pesticides, obtain agricultural certification, labels (HVE (High Environmental Value), ZRP (Zero Pesticide Residue)) or achieve the Zero Synthetic Pesticide Target. Thanks to its collaborative network of universities, research centres, producers and industrialists, Medinbio is a major player in the field of biostimulants: the company is a master in the art of combining natural active ingredients, natural defence stimulators and micro-organisms to combat the pests and diseases that threaten crops.

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and essential plant oils, carefully selected from the five continents (eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, thyme, nettle, willow bark...). In addition, the company relies on a range of elicitors, i.e. natural vaccines adapted to different pathogen groups. Medinbio has also developed and patented formulations designed to manage periods of fungal risk thanks to its ultrasound extraction technique.

The plant, which has benefited from recent investments, currently produces more than 200 tonnes of liquid or powder solutions every year.

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trawberries, potatoes, melons, apples, asparagus, carrots, lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, beans, tomatoes, bananas, onions: Medinbio has chosen to devote its know-how to these plant sectors - in France and abroad. The company aims to produce without synthetic chemical pesticides, while maintaining its yield.

To this end, it offers food industry players a method and innovative products capable of combining the yield of conventional agriculture with the quality of organic agriculture.

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Created in 2013 by Thierry Picaud, engineer agronomist by training, Medinbio is specialised in the development of solutions and products for bio-intensive agriculture. The company has made a name for itself thanks to its 30 innovative formulas dedicated to 12 plant sectors. A feat made possible by its 11 employees (mostly bio-engineers), its 800 m² production site in Wavre and its ten research partners.

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Active in France, Belgium and several countries in Western Europe, North Africa and Asia, Medinbio has already attracted the interest of heavyweights in the food industry: Carrefour, Agrial, Val de Sérigny, Val Nantais, Axereal, Priméal, as well as numerous international vineyards. Ultimately, its approach is revolutionary in that it offers producers a new way of working that requires more observation and anticipation. Going back to the basics of agronomy also means restoring value to a profession that is losing its meaning.

An individual and societal revaluation for a sector of the future!

At its production unit in Wavre, the company offers a range of 40 products formulated from 20 micro-organisms (using the concept of prebiotics to amplify their effects) and 200 extracts

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Medinbio continues its development in partnership with four research stations: Vegepolys Valley (identification of two effective plant extract formulations capable of reducing and controlling vine blight), Vegenov (identification and demonstration of the effectiveness of two antioxidant-rich plant extract formulations in the management and control of potato blight - patent obtained for one of them), Agroscope in Switzerland (demonstration of the positive effect of 2 natural formulations for the management of insects in strawberry crops - 60% damage reduction) and La Morinière (identification of a plant extract-based formulation effective on apple scab and capable of replacing BSC).

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Medinbio Rue Camille Hubert 7-9 boîte A - 5032 Isnes Tel.: +32 (0)491 940 760 Email: thierry.picaud@medinbio.com http://medinbio.com/index.html

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Charleroi CHU - Clinical Biology Laboratory

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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.

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or 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.

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Quality Management to guarantee the reliability of results issued to patients

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Laboratoire de Biologie Clinique Hôpital Civil Marie Curie CHU de Charleroi Chaussée de Bruxelles 140 6042 Lodelinsart Tel.: +32 (0)71 92 47 70

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.

E-mails: 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 162

Laboratory of Experimental Medicine (ULB 222) - CHU de Charleroi I

Established in the mid-1980s and located in Charleroi CHU, the Laboratory of Experimental Medicine (LME) stands out through the resolutely multidisciplinary character of its research efforts and the direct connection to the hospital clinicians.

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Figure 1: Lab made silicone channel the channel

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In addition, the creation of regional collaborations in Charleroi would increase recruitment possibilities for LME research projects, and could even lead to new clinical investigation opportunities. In an age where technology is taking up an increasingly large place in healthcare, the Laboratory naturally intends to serve as a liaison between certain biotechnologies companies (Multitel, FMT, Hyphen Biomed, etc.) and the hospital. A win-win situation!

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Figure 2: Endothelial cells grown inside

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And that’s not all: other research projects are currently being prepared. Starting with a new European research project on stroke. Microcirculation in intensive care, internal medicine, maxillofacial surgery and paediatrics are other paths of clinical investigation for the LME.

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In a similar vein, the LME is also actively involved in the “Cerebrovascular excellence hub” scientific programme, which aims to optimise treatment for patients who suffer from intracranial aneurysms or ischemic stroke. This programme covers two doctoral theses in progress, the EMPEROR project bearing the label of the Walloon competitiveness cluster BioWin, the European project INSIST, an ERC grant headed by Dr Yacine Boulaftali (Inserm, Paris), and the ESA BIOMICS project, an optimum cerebral perfusion and cerebral metabolism study on brain injury sufferers within an intensive care framework.

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The LME has developed a large number of national (ULB, UMONS, ULiege, Catholic University of Louvain) and European research partnerships within the framework of the European sleep research consortium, the THROMBUS European Project, Action COST CA15120 (mathematical, biological and medicine modelling) and the ESA Life Science Working Group (tissue healing in space: techniques for the promotion and monitoring of tissue repair and regeneration).

00 university beds within the Universite libre de Bruxelles (ULB) network, facilitated interaction with doctors, interns and postgraduates, direct access to sensitive samples for research and to medical equipment as well as access for doctors with research projects: these are the LME’s many assets. The LME has structured its research activities in 3 major axes, namely aneurysm biology (experimental in vitro model on the behaviour of aneurysms during cardiac cycles, in vivo measurements - blood flow, movement of the aneurysm wall), platelets, red blood cells and haemostasis (3D imaging of platelet aggregates - holography - real-time imaging of the shape of red blood cells, platelet aggregation, fibrinolysis monitoring), inflammation, oxidative stress and metabolism (oxidative stress in cells, alteration of LDL by myeloperoxidase in circulation and endothelial cells, regulation of neutrophil and monocyte cell death).

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Multidisciplinary clinic research in tune with biotechnology companies

Figure 4: Particle tracking using

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Figure 5: Lab made cell culture system for long term growth of cells under flow (left side) and monitoring using the fluorescent microscope

Faculté de Médecine, Université libre de Bruxelles ISPPC, CHU de Charleroi Rue de Gozée, 706 - Montigny-le-Tilleul Tel.: +32 (0)71 92 15 11 E-mail: Karim.Zouaoui.Boudjeltia@ulb.ac.be E-mail: karim.zouaoui@chu-charleroi.be https://www2.ulb.ac.be/rech/inventaire/unites/ULB222.html

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Laboratoire de médecine expérimentale (ULB 222)

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UMONS and Health Research at UMONS is organized in 10 research institutes. One of them is directly dedicated to human health, so-called the Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (Health Institute). This institute combines 25 academic departments, comprising more than 200 people (researchers, teachers and technicians) whose research activities concern the health sector and, more specifically, focus on improving individual and public health.

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owadays, the physical and mental health is becoming a real challenge. In this context, research in the field of health requires greater coordination between all actors concerned, i.e. physicians, pharmacists, psychologists, biologists, managers, etc. Therefore, the goal of the Health Institute is to provide scientists with an interface to better understand its complexity in a transdisciplinary way.

Collaboration with Hospitals UMONS also actively collaborates with several hospitals (CHU Ambroise Paré, EpiCURA, CHWAPI and CHU Charleroi) in order to consolidate and expand existing collaborations between the scientists and the medical staff. This partnership covers fundamental, translational, and clinical research, notably relying on shared expertise, equipment, and methodologies.

The institute’s research areas are: • Stress and Emotions • Brain Disease • Organ Crosstalk • Cancer • Diagnosis/Therapy.

More recently, a new partnership has been signed with Jolimont hospital for the creation of the Covid-19 screening platform in Hainaut.

At its full capacity, the joint platform can process 7,000 tests per day, playing a very active role in the effort to fight Covid-19 in Hainaut, a province that has been hardly hit by the disease.

Aside from the Health Institute, other Institutes at UMONS also carry out research projects linked to health. Their inputs in the health sector allow us to cover topics such as: - Integration of IoT technologies in hospitals and cleanrooms; - Language and neurodegenerative diseases; - Clinical phonetics; - Development of innovative supports for cell culture and tissue engineering; - Development of software imaging solutions for bone diseases improved diagnostics; - Risks prevention in hospital organizations and in healthcare networks.

Technology platforms related to Health BioProfiling The BioProfiling platform was established with the financial support of the European Union and Wallonia, under the ERDF-ESF 2014-2020 program. This project, involving teams from UMONS and ULB, has received funding to acquire advanced equipment for the identification and quantification of biological markers. The platform consists of two complementary technological platforms: a “Meta-Vision” platform, dedicated to small molecules, and a “MS-Quanta” platform, shared with ULiège, dedicated to macromolecules (proteins).

The platform is a support for the biotechnology sector including universities, research centers, hospitals, and industrial companies in applications notably relying on metabolic analysis (NMR-based) in body fluids, identification of metabolic signatures of a disease, development of alternative methods to test the effectiveness and/or toxicity of chemical compounds and drug candidates.

Together, those institutes combine complementary skills and expertise, allowing our research teams to address complex issues related to the health sector.

Health Institute and the COVID-19

CMMI The Centre for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI) is an interuniversity research center founded in 2011 thanks to financial support from the European Union and the Walloon Region (ERDF funds). The CMMI meets the needs of the UMONS and ULB to combine and complement remarkable equipment and skills to offer an integrated high performance preclinical biomedical imaging platform to the scientific community and the industry. The objectives of the CMMI are to increase the quantity and quality of scientific productivity of its employees and to act as an essential partner in the development of projects on preclinical imaging.

Particularly, the last two years, while our society has been experiencing a dramatic health issue facing up the Covid-19 epidemic, universities all around the world have showed their implication and their crucial roles during the pandemic. To note, at the UMONS, members of the Health and Biosciences Institutes have quickly set up a Covid-19 testing platform to help their regional hospitals to face up the demand. The platform was an extraordinary example of joint efforts between the scientific community - researchers and technicians, all volunteers - and the hospitals. Two other examples of the implication of the Health Institute during the epidemic are (1) the creation of a website “Home Stress Home” dedicated to detecting and understanding anxiety and distress experienced by children and young adults (from 3 to 25 years old) during the Covid-19 epidemic; (2) the research leaded by two physicians demonstrating the anosmia as a reliable diagnosis of Covid-19. Finally, the technology platform, Bioprofiling, has been involved in several research projects to better understand the physiopathology of the Covid-19 and to develop diagnosis tools with regional biotech companies.

Some flagship projects and spin-off Nanocardio (Interreg V) Development of nanoparticles for the early detection and analysis of atheroma through MRI and optical imaging (non-invasive method, not using ionising radiation, with excellent resolution).

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to develop a platform of novel analytical tools for more efficient and safe production of biopharmaceuticals.

VIVOIMAG (H2020, MSCA) The aim of this project is to prepare bone scaffolds integrating a magnetically functionalized extracellular matrix material (MFEM) that can be used to follow the implanted material in vivo using non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

InOvo (First Spin-Off) Development of an in vitro method of assessing the toxicity associated with the presence of endocrine disruptors. The test to be validated is a morphological one which will be able to highlight a change in oocyte maturation induced by an endocrine disruptor.

Textos (Interreg V) The aim of this project is to design woven supports (using 3D weaving techniques) for bone regeneration using polyester yarns and supplemented with bioceramics and coated with chitosan.

Opticell (First Spin-Off) Development of cell culture substrates optimized to promote physiological phenotypes by modulating the mechanical and biochemical environment.

Isaid (Interreg V) The objective of the project is to develop support methods for people with mental disabilities via a cross-border partnership platform to support social and professional life.

CLEO (Computer-aided Low-dose Estimation of Osteoarticular disorders) (First Spin-Off) Development of a software solution which aims at generating a 3D image of a bone or series of bones from two radiographies, avoiding the cost and harm of IRM imaging for the patient.

Iconcensus (H2020, Innovative Medicines Initiative) A public-private partnership (PPP) with a €9.4 million project budget

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Dare to use plasma technology!

Created in 2009, ChIPS is a joint laboratory between UMONS (University of Mons) and the Materia Nova Research Center. With about forty members, including 3 professors among whom 2 are Research Associates from the FNRS, it hosts about ten PhD students and is currently conducting 7 large-scale research projects.

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hIPS develops researches focusing on the study of the interface between cold plasmas and matter. Mastering the whole range of the technological chain from the design of electrical sources for the generation of plasmas to the controlled synthesis and/or surface modification of materials, the laboratory currently develops three main lines of research, namely (i) the synthesis of functional, organic (plasma polymers) or inorganic coatings; (ii) the conversion of gases (CO2 reforming into fuels or valuable chemicals, N2 fixation for the synthesis of fertilisers and synthesis of H2 from hydrocarbon feedstocks) and (iii) the synthesis and engineering of nanomaterials at the atomic scale.

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For example, ChIPS is currently involved in the “Nitroplasm” research project as part of the “Excellence of Science” (EOS) programme co-financed by the FNRS and the FWO. This project is dedicated to the study of plasma-based technologies for the development of environmentally friendly nitrogen fixation processes. Another EOS project, PLASyntH2 , has recently (2022) been obtained and will allow ChIPS to develop further the researches on the plasma-based green hydrogen synthesis from hydrocarbon. The laboratory is also contributing to the “Virusurf” project, launched in 2020 as part of an Exceptional Research Projects (PER) call from the FNRS in the context of the COVID-19 sanitary crisis. “Virusurf” targets the development of antiviral surfaces developed by plasma technologies in collaboration with ULB (Université libre de Bruxelles) research teams. Another FNRS founded project, “Solution”, aims to develop innovative plasma-based technologies for the synthesis of nanoparticles via the deposition of material onto liquid surfaces.

ChIPS researches have already led to industrial applications. Its close and long-standing collaboration with AGC Glass Europe has contributed to the commercialization of the insulating windows based on low-emissivity filters. In addition, its recent researches in plasma-based CO2 reforming are now mature enough to be transferred at an industrial pilot scale. The laboratory also contributes to the Walibeam platform. This platform, supported by the Walloon Region and several Walloon industrial groups, focuses on ion irradiation to modify the surface of materials in order to provide new surface properties without an additional coating. This technology has many potential applications for example in glass and chemical industries.

ChIPS research has a bright future in view of the challenges ahead.

At the level of fundamental research, the laboratory uses sophisticated plasma characterization tools to better understand and design plasmas that become more and more complex and specific for increasingly precise applications (gas conversion using transient plasmas, deposition of complex coatings onto powder substrates using pulsed plasmas…).

In terms of applied research, ChIPS aims, based on the developed researches and proof-of-concepts, to convince industry to dare to invest in plasma technologies. The initial financial effort is certainly substantial, but it is worth it at a time when the trend towards electrifying industrial processes is growing. Indeed, because of their specificities, plasma technologies are certainly key players for a wise and efficient utilisation of the intermittently produced renewable electricity. A very good omen for ChIPS!

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Chemistry of Plasma Surface Interactions - ChIPS

Chemistry of Plasma Surface Interactions - ChIPS University of Mons Place du Parc, 23 - 7000 Mons Tel.: +32 (0)65 55 49 55 Email: rony.snyders@umons.ac.be https://chips.umons.ac.be/index.php/fr/ 166

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by the Walloon Region and the European Commission. This 2-million-euro project, spread over 3 years (2020-2022), is a fantastic opportunity for the company to develop in a high added value transversal project. This development is focused on 3 axes: the development of a document management platform where all the information related to the project is accessible from a single interface; 4.0 maintenance, where the objective is to generate maintenance plans from its 3D model (“digital twins”) which can also be linked to a CMMS in order to improve maintenance efficiency; and industrial automation, with the design of a central platform allowing all data to be collected in a single place and improving the management of deviations by implementing artificial intelligence modules.

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Founded in 2016 and with more than 40 experienced employees, CoCEPTIO has achieved an annual growth of more than 30%, i.e. > 6M in 2022, 85% of which is in the life sciences field. Its portfolio includes more than 75 satisfied customers, ranging from international pharmaceutical companies to spin-offs of a few people, as well as universities and hospitals.

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Your partner in Engineering & Maintenance in your industrial project

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true centre of technical and business expertise, CoCEPTIO stands out for its multidisciplinary team in project management, technical and business expertise, its desire to get as close as possible to its customers’ processes by mastering the regulatory framework, its consideration of the “Total Cost of Ownership” with an intervention at a very early stage in the projects, the integration of the qualification/ validation and maintenance aspects from the start of the project, its flexibility and its commitment to results specific to the industry.

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Today CoCEPTIO aims to become a key international player in the design and implementation of industrial projects by developing a genuine partnership strategy with its customers. The company is currently developing in Switzerland and France and is even considering a move to Quebec. This geographical expansion is combined with a desire to develop its maintenance activities, the industrial automation part of its business and the “Design & Build”/integrator approach.

These are all ways of increasing its visibility.

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Thanks to its expertise, CoCEPTIO can boast some fine references. This includes the construction of a new production plant (5,000 m²) for an ocular implant drug on the Sart Tilman site in Liège for UniD Manufacturing. Other prestigious business cards: the new commercial production plant in “Cell & Gene Therapy” (5,000 m² of fittings in an existing hall) for Catalent in Gosselies, the fitting out of clean rooms in the Légiapark next to the CHC Mont-Légia in Liège (2 x 2.000 m²) and also many other prestigious references with multinationals such as Catalent, GSK, Takeda, Baxter, Zoëtis, UCB, Pfizer, Merck,…

And let’s not forget the numerous references for hospital pharmacies, installations for stem cells, specific controlled environment,... for well-known hospitals in Belgium (as CHU Erasme, EpiCURA, CHU Ambroise Paré, Institut Jules Bordet, CHU Jolimont, CHR Verviers,...).

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In addition, the CoCEPTIO ONETeam is involved in a development project for “Engineering & Maintenance 4.0” selected in the framework of the Coopilot call for projects supported 167

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Boulevard Sainctelette, 39 7000 Mons Tel.: +32 (0)65 58 68 53 Email: info@coceptio.be https://coceptio.be/en/

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UNamur, a University with experts at the service of Society

By Prof. Carine MICHIELS, Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations, University of Namur 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…

UNamur description

(https://www.unamur.be/en)

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.

© UNamur

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 professional life.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

© UNamur

Research landscape

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Within the 11 transdisciplinary research institutes and the 6 faculties of the UNamur, the researchers develop their projects with numerous other research teams coming from the 5 continents.

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Furthermore, UNamur is committed for the international cooperation for development. This is examplified by the various research projects deployed with countries from the South.

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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), and 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).

In 2019, there have been 1019 publications, 8102 research projects, more than 1000 researchers with a budget of more than 20 million euros for the newly financed research contracts.

Five sectors of excellence have been delineated: Life sciences and health; Society, transition and digital; Heritage, cultures and societies; social and economic vulnerabilities; Materials.

These five thematics gather outstanding researchers and lead the visibility of UNamur for all the research stakeholders, be they partner universities and research centers as well as funding bodies.

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.

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.

© UNamur

A university open to the World

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…

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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.

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Besides its support to the COVID-19 testing on a national level, the UNamur is also involved in many efforts to help fighting the SARSCoV-2 in the most vulnerable countries, in particular in Africa and South America, where the impact of coronavirus could be devastating. A rapid, specific and sensitive visual detection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus RNA using colorimetric duplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) (Principal Investigator: Prof. Olivier De Backer, NARILIS, Molecular Physiology Research Unit (URPhyM)) has been developed. To this aim, researchers further simplified the diagnostic method by developing a test that does not require PCR equipment. This PCR-free gene amplification method is simple, low-cost, sensitive, specific and rapid, which makes it ideal for implementation in developing countries. A detailed protocol is made available by the UNamur to guide every laboratory to develop a SARS-CoV-2 screening platform based on LAMP technology.

UNamur inputs during the COVID-19 crisis The UNamur’s main objective is to “train students and researchers as responsible actors in the society” as stated in the UNamur’s Charter. Furthermore, the UNamur aims to be an agent of change in its region and to contribute to its cultural, social, political and economic development, in partnership with other local actors.

Early March 2020, when Belgium and the World have been confronted with the SRAS-CoV-2 pandemia, the researchers of UNamur have decided to help the Society cope with different aspects of this unprecedented crisis.

The research developed in the Department of Pharmacy (Principal Investigators: Prof. Jean-Michel Dogné & Prof. Jonathan Douxfils, NTHC, NARILIS) in collaboration with the pharmacist-biologist Julien Favresse from the Clinique Saint-Luc – Bouge, aims to evaluate the clinical performance of serologic tests. The objective is to allow for their improvement in order to limit as much as possible the false negative and the false positive results. It is also important to identify the groups of patients that display unusual serological response profiles.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus and the growth of COVID-19 cases confront the public health system to a major crisis. The diagnostic capacity is key to the monitoring of the epidemic. However, shortage of specific detection kit components or lack of robotic platforms are seriously impeding the diagnostic throughput in numerous countries. In collaboration with the Belgian reference laboratory at the KULeuven, the UNamur developed an alternative method for diagnosing Covid-19. The main advantage of the new process is that it overcomes the use of reagents that are in short supply worldwide. The new method relies on a manual protocol for extraction of viral RNA, followed by RT-qPCR analysis. The technique was approved by the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) on March 17, enabling the UNamur to support the reference laboratory and to accelerate the number of tests carried out in Belgium.

The expertise developed in UNamur in the field of metallic coating is also exploited in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2.

Indeed, some metals used as thin coating have been demonstrated to display anti-bacteria properties. Indeed, copper is used for this activity in many hospitals. The Department of Physics (Principal Investigator: Prof. S. Lucas) investigates whether similar coatings would display anti-viral properties. In parallel, the design and 3D printing of new swabs is performed with parallel clinical studies to evaluate their efficacy to sample virus and their safety and comfort for the patients.

The SANA lab (Principal Investigators: Prof. Benoît Muylkens, Prof. Nicolas Gillet & Dr. Damien Coupeau, NARILIS, Integrated Veterinary Research Unit (URVI)) recently passed the symbolic milestone of 10,000 diagnostic tests thanks to the great teamwork of 175 volunteers. The SANA team members have many faces: receptionists, administrative support staff, logisticians responsible for sample collection, tracking and labelling, researchers each carrying out different steps of the process (inactivation of the virus infectivity, viral RNA extraction and RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2), managers who validate the results, process coordinators, communicators, etc. The SANA team carries COVID-19 screening to support rest homes for elderly people, homes for disabled people and hospital structures.

© UNamur

A starting pack and detailed protocol are made available by the UNamur to guide every laboratory with expertise in molecular biology to develop a robust SARS-CoV-2 screening platform. The process is applicable in any molecular biology lab throughout the world and can be easily implemented while leaning on an adequate workforce.

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A consortium of researchers from NARILIS, naXys and DeFiPP institutes (Timoteo Carletti, Simon Clesse, Nicolas Franco, Catherine Linard, Jean-Philippe Platteau, Annick Sartenaer, Vincenzo Verardi) has been studying the evolution of the situation in Belgium for weeks. This team has created various models which lean on the statistical data provided by Sciensano. The models project the situations according to the decisions made by the authorities.

These estimations comprise a mean trend and intervals can be calculated, which can give an idea of the “trust milestones” between which we should stand. The models enable short-term simulation but also on the long-term if, for instance, the epidemic needs to be evaluated during the summer holidays and then, in September when schools and universities reopen.

Each model can be adapted to a particular aim. These works show that mathematical modeling is extremely important, that it contributes to the implemented measures analysis and help predict the evolution of

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the epidemic. They also show it is essential to sensitize the public to the importance of complying with the measures and take into account the specific Belgian context. Thanks to these works, the scientists of this new consortium can perform daily monitoring of the epidemic in a post-lockdown phase. This is of the outmost importance since these data help in decision-making. e-biom is a spin off of UNamur. It is a biological and environmental consulting firm combined with a multidisciplinary lab specializing in biological monitoring, ecological assessment and biological surveys. Its strong expertise in genetics allows to conduct species diagnosis and to address numerous ecological questions in disciplines as varied as biogeography, conservation or landscape genetics.

The lockdown as well as the other measures imposed by the Federal Government had, have and will have deep impacts on the Belgian population. Numerous researchers of UNamur look into these questions.

© UNamur

Following the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 in patient faeces, several international scientific studies showed that viral DNA can be detected in the waste water and that this DNA is not associated to infectious viral particles but the pieces of DNA. Taking advantage of its strong expertise in environmental DNA detection, e-biom developed and validated a genomic detection method for SARS-CoV-2 DNA in waste water, in collaboration with the SANA platform. With the Société Publique de Gestion de l’Eau (SPGE), sites upstream of water treatment plants have been selected, in order to cover most of the Wallonia area, with a special interest in the plants nearby hospitals.

The virus quantity is dependent on the numbers of patients but also on asymptomatic carriers. To follow the virus concentration in waste water on regularly basis thus permits to perform a sanitary surveillance on the whole population. Hence, it allows to detect an increase in viral concentration associated to a new epidemic peak or to point out the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into a new geographic area.

To name just a few examples: - Prof. Alain Decrop, who is an expert on tourism research, is studying how tourism restrictions impact not only on the different stakeholders but also on the traveler behavior.

- Economy is one of the sectors that is the most affected. Several members of DeFFiP research institute follow and investigate the situation (Principal Investigators: Prof. Marcus Dejardin, Guilhem Cassan, Etienne de Callataÿ).

- Belgian politics had to completely reorganize and Belgian politicians from the different federal entities had to coordinate their actions. Prof. Jeremy Dodeigne describes and analyzes these changes while Prof. Laurent De Briey investigates how citizens gained or lost their confidence in politicians.

- Many workers had to modify their habits: in one day, homeworking has been imposed without any preparation. Guidelines had to be defined, IT materials had to be provided. If some of them enjoyed very much being able to work at home, some others had to live through difficulties. Prof. Valerie Flohimont, from the Law Faculty, and Prof. Anne-Sophie Collard, from the Faculty of Economy, Social Sciences and Communication, provided their expertise in the field of well-being at work to analyze this new situation and to propose adequate guidelines to implement home working in different work places.

- The lockdown deeply affected everyone; many could find enough resilience to cope with this unprecedented situation but others

suffered from psychological troubles. Prof. Martin Desseilles, a psychiatrist from the Faculty of Medicine, is analyzing a survey in order to assess what are the percentages of people in each group, what are the troubles people are suffering from and what are the facts that influenced the most the frail ones.

Finally, universities are also places where ethical concerns are expressed. In the current sanitary crisis, governmental decisions raised numerous questions. Among many others, there are questions about how to choose who should receive the best treatments, why elder people were neglected during the beginning of the pandemia in Belgium, how everyone accepts or does not accept the restrictions imposed on our liberties, what kind of tracing is acceptable on the juridical, ethical and personal points of view.

Prof. Elise Degrave, Natalie Rigaux, Laurent Schumacher, Stephanie Wattiez, Valerie Flohimont, Nathalie Burnay and Dr Isabelle Dagneaux are investigating these ethical issues taking into account several angles. They also participate in public debates about these questions in order to help the Society understand the different points of view but also the politicians to take the best decisions.

The University of Namur is at the heart of the Society, completely fulfilling its role, its third mission, being a place of knowledge, thinking and actions in a world shaken by the COVID-19.

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Namur Institute of Structured Matter – NISM

Third largest institute of the University of Namur (UNamur), the Namur Institute of Structured Matter’s research interests cover organic and physical chemistry, materials chemistry, surface science, solid-state chemistry and physics from both a theoretical and experimental point of view. The applications include photonics, nonlinear optics, (photo)catalysis, plasma physics and chemistry, inhibition of viral and/or bacterial pathogens…

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ounded by academics and researchers of the departments of Chemistry and Physics of UNamur on November 6th 2017, NISM reached approximately 120 affiliated members and published 126 papers in 2019. The institute has an annual average of 45 projects, 15 new granted projects, 10 PhD thesis and 15 master thesis defended. It is also partner of five technological platform facilities of UNamur (https://platforms.unamur.be) in order to carry out measurements, characterization, calculations and modelling.

NOP: Nonlinear Optics and Photonics

HPC-MM: High Performance Computing - Multiscale Modeling

SICN: Surface, Interfaces and Carbon Nanostructures

© NISM

NISM research topics are identified by four poles: the “Nonlinear Optics and Photonics” (NOP) pole has the goal to better understand light-matter interactions in multiscale structured matter, in nature or in artificial systems, and to optimize their effects in view of technological applications; the “High Performance Computing Multiscale Modelling” (HPC-MM) pole aims at developing new materials and predicting their final properties while improving the modelling techniques and computer codes; the “Functional Structured Materials” (FSM) pole focusses its activities within two interconnected areas, that is the development of 3D porous architectures and the functionalization of nanostructures, with applications in Li-batteries, CO2 conversion, biomass conversion…; the “Surfaces, Interfaces and Carbon Nanostructures” (SICN) addresses the synthesis, the characterization and the modelling of novel materials, with particular attention to the interface between two distinct phases, and to low-dimensional structures including carbon nanostructures.

FSM: Functional Structured Materials

for a period of 12 to 18 months. The selected projects investigate the parchment degradation and ink composition using analytical methods, the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 by using novel heterogeneous catalyzers based on so-called Frustrated Lewis Pairs, and the membrane protein refolding using an advanced optical spectroscopy developed home-made.

Eager to enhance the visibility of the research outputs of its members, and to increase the interdisciplinary collaborations between them, the institute finances annual meetings, conferences IN, Seminars IN, Conferences OUT for instance. In 2020, NISM launched a call to directly fund three new projects promoting new collaborative dynamics within NISM members. Indeed, the key eligibility rule was that the submitting NISM PIs did neither collaborate nor publish together in the previous 3 years of the submission. They also had to belong to different poles. The budget of each project (60 k€) is running

In the near future, NISM is willing to become a recognized interlocutor in the field of structured matter at the national and international levels: a visible link and provider of administrative or financial support to backers, industries and academia. NISM wants promoting new external collaborations, attracting funds and becoming the contact point for academia and industrial partners. An appealing prospect!

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An expert in the synthesis and the characterization of molecular systems and nanostructured materials

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Rue de Bruxelles 61 5000 Namur Tel.: +32 (0)81 72 45 51 Email: executive-assistant.nism@unamur.be http://www.NISM.be

Map of NISM research collaborations - © NISM

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Lasers and Spectroscopies Research Unit - LLS I

State-of-the-art instrumentation to monitor polluting gases

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Created on 1 September 2006 from the merger of two research units at the University of Namur, the LLS laboratory has developed, among other, a recognised experimental and theoretical expertise in studying and measuring the quantities of polluting gases with a strong environmental or health impact. Its entire team, composed now of a dozen researchers, 2 technicians and 3 PIs, conducts about twenty projects per year at the interface between fundamental and applied research.

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he work of LLS covers three main research themes. The first one is devoted to the study of the absorption of light by molecules at very low concentration (“pollutants”) in gas phase, allowing the understanding of molecular interactions. These precise laboratory studies are of major importance to improve the knowledge of atmospheres (Earth, Mars,…) which is especially of great interest for urban pollution and global warming. The second theme is dedicated to the nonlinear optical spectroscopy of molecular and biomolecular films, surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures. These studies investigate the physicochemical properties of films, probe the behaviour of water at the surface of (bio-)materials,... developing innovative solutions for technological and biomedical purposes. The third theme, a purely fundamental research, is devoted to quantum optics and weak measurements, in view to understand the light quantum aspect. This has a promising application in the longer term: quantum computing.

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o Quantum cascade laser spectrometer and high temperature absorption cell for studies of hot gas mixtures, both developed by LLS’s team

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This flagship project reflects the challenge of controlling health and environmental problems related to air pollutants that LLS wants to help address. In this context, it is necessary to push back the limits of technology with increasingly powerful instruments and to bring together all the stakeholders: developers and users of applications, universities and companies, fundamental research and applied research. A collaborative challenge that requires leaving one’s comfort zone and cultivating complementarity. It is also a communication challenge: by publishing articles in peer-review journals as well as in the general public media, LLS reminds us that science must, more than ever, be at the service of society.

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such as protein dynamics, combustion diagnostics, spectroelectrochemistry, stopped flow and microfluidics. This instrument was further developed to allow the high spectral resolution required for the study of atmospheric pollutants in the gas phase. The IRis-F1 installed in the LLS is the first one in Belgium and the world’s first to employ the new step-sweep mode developed for high-resolution spectroscopy.

Its inauguration will take place on 2022 (https://iris-f1-namur.be/).

Currently, the LLS members involved in the 1st theme and affiliated to ILEE (Institute of Life, Earth and Environment) are excited about two important projects. The first is a work combining state-of-the-art measurements and calculations of two greenhouse gases: methane and nitrous oxide. Their absorption spectrum and the effect of temperature on it are studied. This project has received funding from the F.R.S.-FNRS. The second project is particularly emblematic of the open-mindedness of LLS. In the context of the acquisition of a new spectrometer, the laboratory has achieved a scientific and technological collaboration with IRsweep, a spin-off from ETH Zurich, which has designed and commercialised IRis-F1, a mid-infrared dual-comb spectrometer. The IRis-F1 was initially developed for the solid and liquid study, allowing very fast measurements (<μs) for applications

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The IRis-F1, the dual-comb spectrometer, based on quantum cascade lasers and developed by IRsweep

UNamur Rue de Bruxelles 61 - 5000 Namur Tel.: +32 (0)81 72 44 96 Email: muriel.lepere@unamur.be https: /www.unamur.be/en/sci/physics/ur-en/lls/

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Unité de Recherche Lasers et Spectroscopies (LLS)

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Index of Company Profiles and advertisers A ATC-Pharma .............................................................................................134 AGC Plasma Technology Solutions ..............................................................158 ANALIS ...................................................................................................139

B Becetel.......................................................................................................40 Belnet ................................................................................................... 26-27 BePharBel Manufacturing ...........................................................................160

C Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules – CERM .....................113 Charleroi CHU - Clinical Biology Laboratory ................................................162 Chemical Engineering Research Unit – Liege University (ULiège) .............. 114-115 CropFit and Progeno ...................................................................................64 ULB Center for Diabetes Research - Prof. Mariana Igoillo-Esteve’s research group “Molecular Mechanisms of Polygenic and Monogenic Diabetes” ............................83 Centre Spatial de Liège – CSL – Liège Space Centre......................................112 Cytomine .................................................................................................135 Chemistry of Plasma Surface Interactions – ChIPS .........................................166 CoCEPTIO................................................................................................167

D Dendrogenix ..................................................................................... 136-137 DIAsource ImmunoAssays...........................................................................159

F Food2Know ...............................................................................................65

G Galapagos ............................................................................................ 54-55 Laboratoire de Glaciologie de l’ULB – GLACIOL .............................................84 GSK ................................................................................................. 130-131 174

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Index of Company Profiles and advertisers H Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère ............................................................... 88-89 Health House ..............................................................................................73 HELMo Gramme .................................................................. 145-147 - Cover 3 Howest ................................................................................................. 68-69

I Inopsys ......................................................................................................53 Institute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG) ......................................................138 Scientific Institute of Public Service – ISSeP ............................................ 102-103

K Kaspard .....................................................................................................90 KennisWest.be ............................................................................................75

L Laboratory of Experimental Medicine (ULB 222) - CHU de Charleroi........................163 Lasers and Spectroscopies Research Unit - LLS ..............................................173 Lisam Systems ...........................................................................................153 Les Ateliers de la Meuse.............................................................................144

M Medinbio ................................................................................................161 Mithra Pharmaceuticals ....................................................................... 128-129

N Namur Institute of Structured Matter – NISM ................................................172

P Pack4Food ............................................................................................ 70-71 provaxs .....................................................................................................60 175

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Index of Company Profiles and advertisers Q QUALIblood .............................................................................................140

R Rejuvenate Biomed. .....................................................................................74 Research Laboratory on Human Reproduction – ULB ........................................82

S Sillar Clinical ..............................................................................................67

T Teresinha Leal & Sophie Gohy’s research group LTAP & PNEU - UCLouvain ......156 Tilman .....................................................................................................142 TIMi ........................................................................................................143 Trasis .......................................................................................................132

V Valipac ......................................................................................................66 VIVES ................................................................................................... 44-45 Vlerick Business School ........................................................32, 46-47, Cover 4

X X4C ........................................................................................................141

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DOCTORATE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TUR RN EXPER RIENC CE IN NTO KNOW WLED DGE AND MA AKE A REA AL IM MPACT T ON N YOU UR BU USINE ESS

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