Jonathan Douxfils receives the Bekales Foundation Award for his research in women’s health

Jonathan Douxfils, head of the Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC) at UNamur, has just been awarded the Bekales Foundation Prize in Cardiology by the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, in recognition of his groundbreaking research into the venous thromboembolic risk in women using hormonal treatments.

Each year, the Bekales Foundation awards a prize to a researcher under the age of 40 who has achieved outstanding scientific success. For the 2025 edition, the prize was dedicated to cardiology research, and the jury selected Jonathan Douxfils for his work on nAPCsr (normalized Activated Protein C sensitivity ratio) and its potential role in personalized prevention of venous thromboembolic risk.

At the intersection of clinical pharmacology, hemostasis, cardiovascular health and personalized medicine, the research programme led by Jonathan over the past several years aims to improve the identification of women at increased thrombotic risk when using hormonal treatments, particularly combined oral contraceptives (COC).

The nAPCsr is a revolutionary functional blood test designed to assess resistance to activated protein C, capable of detecting both genetic predispositions and acquired prothrombotic states, such as those induced by contraceptive pills.

It therefore offers a promising approach to a more individualized thrombotic risk assessment, which could ultimately lead to more rational therapeutic choices. Recent data published by Jonathan’s team suggest that a functional screening strategy could reduce the clinical, human and economic burden of venous thromboembolic events associated with COCs, while ensuring access to safe and effective contraception.

This award recognizes the potential of Jonathan Douxfils’ research to improve women’s health and will encourage him to pursue translational research focused on patients, prevention and the continuous improvement of clinical practice.