Seminars and thesis defences

William VAN den BOSSCHE – ADDB
Designing a method to generate phospholipid-based microbubbles in a foam-driven drug delivery system
Promotor: Prof. Ana Beloqui

Ariana JIJON VERGARA – CMFA
Interaction between TSPYL5 and USP7 proteins: a potential target in ALT-positive cancer cells
Promotor : Prof. Raphaël Frederick
 

Info: mireille.alhouayek@uclouvain.be

Bradley WARD – LDRI/TFAR/PMGK and IREC

The use and development of exploratory multi-omic analysis for complex disease: A COVID-19 proof-of-concept

Promotor: Prof. Laure Elens
Co-promotor: Prof. Leïla Belkhir

Related publications:

• Ward B, Yombi JC, Balligand JL, Cani PD, Collet JF, de Greef J, Dewulf JP, Gatto L, Haufroid V, Jodogne S, Kabamba B, Pyr Dit Ruys S, Vertommen D, Elens L, Belkhir L. HYGIEIA: HYpothesizing the Genesis of Infectious Diseases and Epidemics through an Integrated Systems Biology Approach. Viruses. 2022 Jun 23;14(7):1373. doi: 10.3390/v14071373.
• Ward B, Pyr Dit Ruys S, Balligand JL, Belkhir L, Cani PD, Collet JF, De Greef J, Dewulf JP, Gatto L, Haufroid V, Jodogne S, Kabamba B, Lingurski M, Yombi JC, Vertommen D, Elens L. Deep Plasma Proteomics with Data-Independent Acquisition: Clinical Study Protocol Optimization with a COVID-19 Cohort. Journal of Proteome Research. 2024 Sep 6;23(9):3806-3822. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00104.
• Ward B, Bindels LB, Balligand JL, Bearzatto B, Bommer G, Cani PD, De Greef J, Dewulf JP, Gatto L, Haufroid V, Jodogne S, Kabamba B, Pyr Dit Ruys S, Vertommen D, Yombi JC, Belkhir L, Elens L. (in press). Association of nasopharyngeal Dolosigranulum pigrum and Corynebacterium species with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 2 (PASC) in a longitudinal cohort. Microbiology Spectrum.

Info: laure.elens@uclouvain.be
 

Dan MA – ADDB
Adipose tissue-targeted nanoparticle-based strategy for oral peptide delivery
Emmanuel NIYIGENA – PMGK/KULeuven
A platform model for precision dosing of tacrolimus in solid organ transplant recipients
Julie PIONNEAU – MNUT
Effects of gut microbiota components on neuroinflamation in reward system brain areas and on dysregulations of hedonic food intake
Camilla RONCO – CMFA
Targetting the protein-protein interactions between SLC7A11 and SLC3A2 for designing  novel inhibitors of the system xc-
Hafsa YAGOUBI – BPBL
Effect of MAGL inhibition on the process of inflammation resolution in obesity
 

Info: mireille.alhouayek@uclouvain.be
 

Dr Alexandre GOBERT
Postdoctoral researcher - CMFA, LDRI, UCLouvain

Investigating ACSL4 inhibition and substrate specificity: a pathway to targeting ferroptosis-related neurodegenerative diseases

Related publications:

• Charnelle E, Gobert A, Marteau R, et al. Discovery of Potent Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) Inhibitors with Antiferroptotic Properties. J Med Chem. 2025;68(15):15766-15784. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c00739
• Mazhari Dorooee D, Ravez S, Vertommen D, et al. LIBX-A401: A Novel Selective Inhibitor of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) and Its Binding Mode. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025;64(19):e202500518. doi:10.1002/anie.202500518
• Doll, S., Proneth, B., Tyurina, Y. et al. ACSL4 dictates ferroptosis sensitivity by shaping cellular lipid composition. Nat Chem Biol 13, 91–98 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.2239
   

Info: quentin.spillier@uclouvain.be

Adrien ALLEGRO – MIRO/FATH
Clinical and experimental evaluation of MitoQ for the prevention of triple negative breast cancer metastasis (WinQ)

Alexandra ARCOS-ORTIZ – MNUT
Effects of Parabacteroides on host mesolimbic brain activity during reward food intake

Lou-Anne BEGHIN – CMFA/FATH
Exploiting tumor metabolic vulnerabilities to develop innovative anticancer drugs

Sarah HUBEAU – CMFA
Study of the activity, regulation, and selective inhibition of human pyruvate kinase M1 as a new therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer

Yvonne WIJMA – BPBL
Assessing the potential of prostamides and prostaglandin glycerol esters in modulating glial cells

Info: mireille.alhouayek@uclouvain.be
 

Randy BUZISA MBUKU – TFAR FACM/NMSK (IREC)

Therapeutic innovation in PJI: A biofilm-disrupting and drug-delivering hydrogel incorporating an enzymatic cocktail

Promotor: Prof. Olivier Cornu
Co-promotor: Prof. Françoise Van Bambeke

Related publications :
•    Buzisa Mbuku, R, Poilvache H, Maigret L, Vanbever R, Van Bambeke F, Cornu O. Targeting Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-related infections on implanted material with a novel dual-action thermosensitive hydrogel containing vancomycin and a tri-enzymatic cocktail: in vitro and in vivo studies. Biofilm 2025;9:100288. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100288.
•    Buzisa Mbuku, R, Poilvache H, Maigret L, Vanbever R, Van Bambeke F, Cornu O. Enzymes-enhanced antibiotic therapy reduces biofilms to undetectable levels in an implant-associated infection model. (npj biofilms and microbiomes, in revision)

Info: francoise.vanbambeke@uclouvain.be
 

Amandine BASTIN – CMFA/FATH
Beyond metabolism: Disrupting PHGDH protein–protein interactions as a therapeutic strategy in colorectal cancer

Rachel DUBOIS – CMFA 
Design, synthesis and in vitro pharmacological evaluation of new inhibitors of the CX- system, the cystine/gutamate exchanger

David NAVARRO SANAGUSTIN – REMA/BPBL
Impact of obesity on the metastatic potential of ovarian cancer toward the peritoneal cavity

Louise VAN NEDERVELDE – ADDB/BPBL
cGAS STING silencing using targeted nanomedicines to alleviate neuroinflammation in the scope of spinal cord injury and promote functional recovery

Manon VAN OPPENS – CMFA
Development of potent and selective ACSL4 inhibitors derived from LIBX-A401 as anti-ferroptotic agents for cancer treatment

Info: mireille.alhouayek@uclouvain.be
 

Barbara MATHIEU – REMA/FATH (IREC)

Deciphering the role of mitochondrial ROS in radiation therapy through their direct detection in vivo

Promotor: Prof. Bernard Gallez
Co-promotor: Prof. Pierre Sonveaux 

Related publications :

•    d’Hose, D.#, Mathieu, B.#, Mignion, L., Hardy, M., Ouari, O., Jordan, BF., Sonveaux, P., & Gallez, B. (2022). EPR investigations to study the impact of mito-metformin on the mitochondrial function of prostate cancer cells. Molecules, 27, 5872. (# First co-authorship) DOI:10.3390/molecules27185872
•    Mathieu, B., Rondeau, JD., Mignion, L., Sonveaux, P., & Gallez, B. (2025). Noninvasive in vivo discrimination between mitochondrial ROS and global ROS production in solid tumors using EPR spectroscopy. Redox Biology, 87, 103871. DOI:10.1016/j.redox.2025.103871
•    Mathieu, B., Rondeau JD., Hardy, M., Zielonka, J., Sonveaux, P., & Gallez, B. Dynamic monitoring of the mitochondrial function uncovers ROS-driven radiosensitivity. In preparation.

Info: bernard.gallez@uclouvain.be 
 

Yasmine BOUIDIDA - IREC-FATH-TUMETABO
Understanding and targeting tissue-specific metastasis in human pancreatic cancer
Promotor: Prof. Pierre Sonveaux

Yasmine VANDENSANDE - REMA and IREC/FATH
Induction of a mitochondrial oxidative stress in cholangiocarcinoma to boost the sensitivity to targeted therapy
Promotor: Prof. Bernard Gallez, copromotor:  Prof. Pierre Sonveaux

Info: mireille.alhouayek@uclouvain.be