Seminars and thesis defences

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
 

Dr Tiffany BELLANGER - Postdoctoral researcher
Cellular and molecular Pharmacology (TFAR FACM)

Characterization of environmental stress resistance in Oenococcus oeni and Staphylococcus aureus via membrane analysis
 

Related publications:

• Bellanger T, Eicher C, Graces F, Cresson A, Grandvalet C, Alexandre H, Weidmann S (under review, Sci Rep) Impact of N-terminal domain on the sHSP Lo18 function.
• Bellanger T, Wien F, Combet S, Varela PF, Weidmann S. (2024). The role of membrane physiology in sHSP Lo18-lipid interaction and lipochaperone activity. Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 24;14(1):17048. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-67362-6.
• Bellanger, T., da Silva Barreira, D., Wien, F., Delarue, P., Senet, P., Rieu, A., Neiers, F., Varela, P. F., Combet, S., & Weidmann, S. (2023). Significant influence of four highly conserved amino-acids in lipochaperon-active sHsps on the structure and functions of the Lo18 protein. Scientific reports, 13(1), 19036. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46306-6
• Bellanger, T., Weidmann, S. (2023). Is the lipochaperone activity of sHSP a key to the stress response encoded in its primary sequence?. Cell Stress and Chaperones 28, 21–33 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12192-022-01308-7

Info: joseph.lorent@uclouvain.be
 

Thesis public defense of Giuditta Leone – ADDB/CMFA

Development of PEG-treprostinil conjugates for sustained local delivery in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Promotor: Prof. Rita Vanbever
Co-promotor: Prof. Raphaël Frédérick

Related publications :

•    Leone, G., Ucakar, B., Perros, F., Frédérick, R., & Vanbever, R. (2025). Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of polyethylene glycol-treprostinil conjugates for sustained local delivery in pulmonary arterial hypertension. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 214, 107287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2025.107287 
•    Leone, G., Frédérick, R., & Vanbever, R. Prodrug approaches for sustained small-molecule drug delivery to the lungs. Submitted.
•    Leone, G., Akoumia, KKF., Ucakar, B., Esfahani, H., Perros, F., Frédérick, R., Dessy, C., Vanbever, R. Polyethylene glycol double prodrug increases treprostinil lung retention in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In preparation.

Info: rita.vanbever@uclouvain.be 
 

Dr Benjamin ZAGIEL - Postdoctoral researcher - Medicinal Chemistry - CMFA
Target-directed Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry on peptide scaffolds : allowing "undruggable" targets to assemble their own binders for protein-protein interactions

Related publications:

• Zagiel Benjamin+, Peker Taleen+, Marquant Rodrigue, Cazals Guillaume, Webb Gabriel, Miclet Emeric, Bich Claudia, Sachon Emmanuelle, Moumné Roba*. Dynamic Amino Acid Side-Chains Grafting on Folded Peptide Backbone (2022) Chem. Eur. J. 28, e202200454
• Peker Taleen+, Zagiel Benjamin+, Rocard Lou, Bich Claudia, Sachon Emmanuelle, Moumné Roba*. Analytical Tools for Dynamic Combinatorial Libraries of Cyclic Peptides (2023) ChemBioChem, e202300688
• Rodrigues Ashmi,  Rocard Lou*, Moumné Roba*. Peptide and Peptidomimetic Assemblies in Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry (2023) ChemSystemsChem 5, e202300011
  
  Info: raphael.frederick@uclouvain.be