News of Louvain Drug Research Institute https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/news/ldri Latest news of Louvain Drug Research Institute en Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:51:41 +0200 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:51:41 +0200 60 Laure Bindels, DHC at the University of Rouen Normandy https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43375 In recognition of her outstanding career and the significance of her commitment to research into the links between cancer, the microbiome and cachexia, Laure Bindels was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Rouen Normandy on Wednesday 17 June.This honorary title, awarded by the University of Rouen Normandy to mark its 60th anniversary, has been bestowed upon Laure Bindels, Professor at the Louvain Drug Research Institute at UCLouvain and a researcher at the WEL Research Institute, in recognition of her career marked by high-impact projects that have brought together dedicated teams and partners. Her field of research? Studying the link between weight loss (cachexia) and cancer, and more specifically the role of gut bacteria in the metabolic disorders associated with this disease. Cachexia is a major life-threatening issue as it reduces the effectiveness of treatments and significantly worsens the prognosis.Our warmest congratulations to Laure Bindels and her team on their achievements to date and on their research, which is raising the profile of UCLouvain beyond our borders.More information (in french) : Laure Bindels, DHC de l’Université de Rouen Normandie | Université catholique de Louvain  In recognition of her outstanding career and the significance of her commitment to research into the links between cancer, the microbiome and cachexia, Laure Bindels was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Rouen Normandy on Wednesday 17 June.

This honorary title, awarded by the University of Rouen Normandy to mark its 60th anniversary, has been bestowed upon Laure Bindels, Professor at the Louvain Drug Research Institute at UCLouvain and a researcher at the WEL Research Institute, in recognition of her career marked by high-impact projects that have brought together dedicated teams and partners. Her field of research? Studying the link between weight loss (cachexia) and cancer, and more specifically the role of gut bacteria in the metabolic disorders associated with this disease. Cachexia is a major life-threatening issue as it reduces the effectiveness of treatments and significantly worsens the prognosis.
Our warmest congratulations to Laure Bindels and her team on their achievements to date and on their research, which is raising the profile of UCLouvain beyond our borders.

More information (in french) : Laure Bindels, DHC de l’Université de Rouen Normandie | Université catholique de Louvain


 

]]> UCLouvain Page actualité https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43375 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:09:09 +0200 Louvain Drug Research Institute François PIERRARD - Thesis public defence https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43227 François PIERRARD – IMCN and LDRI CMFA  Design of Helical Peptides: From Cys–Cys Stapling to New Cys–Lys MethodologiesConceptions de peptides hélicoïdaux: de l'agrafage Cys–Cys vers de nouvelles méthodologies d'agrafage Cys–LysPromotors: Prof. Raphaël Frédérick and Prof. Olivier RiantRelated publication:François Pierrard, Yonghua Tan, Prisca Zongo, Vincent Stroobant, Perrine Savoyen, Khadija Wahni, Joris Messens, Olivier Riant, and Raphaël Frédérick. A General One-Pot Strategy for Thiol-to-Amine Peptide Stapling via S-Alkylation and Reductive Amination, submitted.This thesis defence took place on June 5, 2026.  François PIERRARD – IMCN and LDRI CMFA  

Design of Helical Peptides: From Cys–Cys Stapling to New Cys–Lys Methodologies
Conceptions de peptides hélicoïdaux: de l'agrafage Cys–Cys vers de nouvelles méthodologies d'agrafage Cys–Lys

Promotors: Prof. Raphaël Frédérick and Prof. Olivier Riant

Related publication:
François Pierrard, Yonghua Tan, Prisca Zongo, Vincent Stroobant, Perrine Savoyen, Khadija Wahni, Joris Messens, Olivier Riant, and Raphaël Frédérick. A General One-Pot Strategy for Thiol-to-Amine Peptide Stapling via S-Alkylation and Reductive Amination, submitted.

This thesis defence took place on June 5, 2026.

 

]]> UCLouvain Page actualité https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43227 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:24:55 +0200 Louvain Drug Research Institute Patrice Cani received the 2026 Francqui-Collen Prize https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43180 Patrice Cani, a professor at UCLouvain and a researcher at both the Louvain Drug Research Institute and the WEL Research Institute, is a joint winner of the 2026 Francqui-Collen Prize, one of the country's highest scientific honours. Often described as the "Belgian Nobel Prize", this award recognises excellence in non-commercial fundamental research and comes with a sum of €250,000.Patrice Cani is being honoured for his pioneering work on the gut microbiota and its role in metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. His research has profoundly transformed our understanding of the links between diet, the gut, the brain and human health. His work spans several major breakthroughs. He showed that a diet rich in saturated fats alters the gut microbiota and lets pro-inflammatory bacterial components pass into the bloodstream, driving the low-grade chronic inflammation behind insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes a finding that also revealed the role of the intestinal barrier. He went on to map the two-way dialogue between the gut and the brain, showing that this communication travels along both hormonal and nervous pathways and runs in both directions from gut to brain and from brain to gut. Alongside his work on Akkermansia muciniphila, which gave rise to a university spin-off bringing the bacterium to the global market, his team also discovered an entirely new bacterium, Dysosmobacter welbionis, whose beneficial effects on metabolism and inflammation are now opening fresh avenues of research.Copyright Palais Fondation Francqui Patrice Cani, a professor at UCLouvain and a researcher at both the Louvain Drug Research Institute and the WEL Research Institute, is a joint winner of the 2026 Francqui-Collen Prize, one of the country's highest scientific honours. Often described as the "Belgian Nobel Prize", this award recognises excellence in non-commercial fundamental research and comes with a sum of €250,000.

Patrice Cani is being honoured for his pioneering work on the gut microbiota and its role in metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. His research has profoundly transformed our understanding of the links between diet, the gut, the brain and human health. His work spans several major breakthroughs. He showed that a diet rich in saturated fats alters the gut microbiota and lets pro-inflammatory bacterial components pass into the bloodstream, driving the low-grade chronic inflammation behind insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes a finding that also revealed the role of the intestinal barrier. He went on to map the two-way dialogue between the gut and the brain, showing that this communication travels along both hormonal and nervous pathways and runs in both directions from gut to brain and from brain to gut. Alongside his work on Akkermansia muciniphila, which gave rise to a university spin-off bringing the bacterium to the global market, his team also discovered an entirely new bacterium, Dysosmobacter welbionis, whose beneficial effects on metabolism and inflammation are now opening fresh avenues of research.


Copyright Palais Fondation Francqui

]]> UCLouvain Page actualité https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/43180 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:11:28 +0200 Louvain Drug Research Institute Chi-Hsien LEE - Thesis public defense https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/42690 Chi-Hsien LEE – MNUT  Discovery of a novel myo-inositol to butyrate fermentation pathway and taxonomic expansion of the genus Dysosmobacter in the human gutPromotor: Prof. Patrice CaniRelated publications:•    Lee C-H, Bui TPN, Petitfils C, Jian C, Wong GC, Puel A, Le Roy T, Bellais S, Ben Abdallah B, Nehlich M, Leicht T, Jia M, Hoyles L, Federici M, Fernández-Real JM, Burcelin R, Dumas M-E, Delzenne NM, Clavel T, Boeren S, Troise AD, Scaloni A, Muccioli GG, de Vos WM, Van Hul M, Cani PD. Novel myo-inositol to butyrate fermentation pathway in the prevalent human gut species Dysosmobacter welbionis, a bacterium associated with improved metabolic and liver health. Gut. 2026; doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2025-336617.•    Lee C-H, Petitfils C, Bui TPN, Van Der Smissen P, Delzenne NM, Tyteca D, de Vos WM, Van Hul M, Cani PD. Dysosmobacter phytatis sp. nov., isolated from human feces, with Oscillibacter acetigenes as a later heterotypic synonym of Dysosmobacter welbionis and Pusillibacter faecalis as a later heterotypic synonym of Dysosmobacter hominis. Submitted to IJSEM in 2026. This thesis defense took place on April 22, 2026.  Chi-Hsien LEE – MNUT  

Discovery of a novel myo-inositol to butyrate fermentation pathway and taxonomic expansion of the genus Dysosmobacter in the human gut

Promotor: Prof. Patrice Cani

Related publications:
•    Lee C-H, Bui TPN, Petitfils C, Jian C, Wong GC, Puel A, Le Roy T, Bellais S, Ben Abdallah B, Nehlich M, Leicht T, Jia M, Hoyles L, Federici M, Fernández-Real JM, Burcelin R, Dumas M-E, Delzenne NM, Clavel T, Boeren S, Troise AD, Scaloni A, Muccioli GG, de Vos WM, Van Hul M, Cani PD. Novel myo-inositol to butyrate fermentation pathway in the prevalent human gut species Dysosmobacter welbionis, a bacterium associated with improved metabolic and liver health. Gut. 2026; doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2025-336617.
•    Lee C-H, Petitfils C, Bui TPN, Van Der Smissen P, Delzenne NM, Tyteca D, de Vos WM, Van Hul M, Cani PD. Dysosmobacter phytatis sp. nov., isolated from human feces, with Oscillibacter acetigenes as a later heterotypic synonym of Dysosmobacter welbionis and Pusillibacter faecalis as a later heterotypic synonym of Dysosmobacter hominis. Submitted to IJSEM in 2026. 

This thesis defense took place on April 22, 2026.


 

]]> UCLouvain Page actualité https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/42690 Tue, 12 May 2026 16:42:42 +0200 Louvain Drug Research Institute Darius MAZHARI DOROOEE - Thesis public defense https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/42163 Darius MAZHARI DOROOEE – CMFA  Structural and mechanistic investigation of the acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) inhibition in the context of ferroptosis-related diseases and cancerPromotor: Prof. Raphaël FrédérickCo-promotor: Dr Jamal El Bakali (Université de Lille)Related publications:•    Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Ravez Séverine, Vertommen Didier, Renault Nicolas, Papadopoulos Nicolas, Marteau Romain, Charnelle Emeline, Porte Karine, Gobert Alexandre, Hennuyer Nathalie, Herinckx Gaetan, Pautric Maëla, Jonneaux Aurélie, Devedjian Jean Christophe, Devos David, Staels Bart, Melnyk Patricia, Constantinescu Stefan N, Frédérick Raphaël°, El Bakali Jamal°. LIBX-A401: A Novel Selective Inhibitor of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) and Its Binding Mode (2025) Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, e202500518.•    Marteau Romain*, Ravez Séverine*, Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Bouchaoui Hind, Porte Karine, Devedjian Jean Christophe, Melnyk Patricia, Devos David, Frédérick Raphaël°, El Bakali Jamal°. Repositioning of FDA-Approved antifungal agents to interrogate Acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) in ferroptosis (2022) Biochemical Pharmacology, 204: 115239•    Charnelle Emeline*, Gobert Alexandre*, Marteau Romain, Pautric Maëla, Renault Nicolas, Jonneaux Aurélie, Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Laversin Amélie, Devedjian Jean-christophe, Melnyk Patricia, Yous Saïd, Devos David, Frédérick Raphaël, Ravez Séverine°, El Bakali Jamal°. Discovery of Potent Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) Inhibitors with Antiferroptotic Properties (2025) Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.This public defense took place on April 10, 2026.  Darius MAZHARI DOROOEE – CMFA  

Structural and mechanistic investigation of the acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) inhibition in the context of ferroptosis-related diseases and cancer

Promotor: Prof. Raphaël Frédérick
Co-promotor: Dr Jamal El Bakali (Université de Lille)

Related publications:
•    Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Ravez Séverine, Vertommen Didier, Renault Nicolas, Papadopoulos Nicolas, Marteau Romain, Charnelle Emeline, Porte Karine, Gobert Alexandre, Hennuyer Nathalie, Herinckx Gaetan, Pautric Maëla, Jonneaux Aurélie, Devedjian Jean Christophe, Devos David, Staels Bart, Melnyk Patricia, Constantinescu Stefan N, Frédérick Raphaël°, El Bakali Jamal°. LIBX-A401: A Novel Selective Inhibitor of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) and Its Binding Mode (2025) Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, e202500518.
•    Marteau Romain*, Ravez Séverine*, Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Bouchaoui Hind, Porte Karine, Devedjian Jean Christophe, Melnyk Patricia, Devos David, Frédérick Raphaël°, El Bakali Jamal°. Repositioning of FDA-Approved antifungal agents to interrogate Acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) in ferroptosis (2022) Biochemical Pharmacology, 204: 115239
•    Charnelle Emeline*, Gobert Alexandre*, Marteau Romain, Pautric Maëla, Renault Nicolas, Jonneaux Aurélie, Mazhari Dorooee Darius, Laversin Amélie, Devedjian Jean-christophe, Melnyk Patricia, Yous Saïd, Devos David, Frédérick Raphaël, Ravez Séverine°, El Bakali Jamal°. Discovery of Potent Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) Inhibitors with Antiferroptotic Properties (2025) Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

This public defense took place on April 10, 2026.

 

]]> UCLouvain Page actualité https://www.uclouvain.be/fr/node/42163 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:55:50 +0200 Louvain Drug Research Institute