NARILIS funds three new collaborative research projects between UNamur and CHU UCL Namur

End 2025, NARILIS launched a call for projects aimed at strengthening the links between UNamur and CHU UCL Namur and fostering the emergence of new synergies. Three research proposals have now been selected for funding, with each project receiving an exceptional grant of 20.000 €.

Unveiling of venom-derived peptides for innovative treatment of R/R acute myeloid leukemia

The collaboration combines Carlos Graux and Pierre-Yves Sansen’s clinical know-how in hematology, with Jean-Pierre Gillet’s expertise in cancer multidrug resistance and venomics. Their project aims to develop innovative therapeutic strategies for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML), a condition with a very poor prognosis. Animal venoms from snakes, scorpions, spiders and other species, are rich sources of bioactive molecules, with potential medicinal properties. This study explores the anticancer potential of animal venom-derived peptides by identifying compounds with selective cytotoxic activity against R/R AML cells. Using advanced proteomic analyses and patient-derived culture models, this interdisciplinary approach seeks to establish a novel drug discovery pipeline for alternative R/R AML therapies.

Role of adenovirus infection in the mutational spectrum of lung tumors

Mutations observed in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) arise not only from cigarette smoke but also, surprisingly, from the mutagenic activity of APOBEC3 enzymes. This project investigates whether adenovirus-induced APOBEC3 expression contributes to this mutational signature, posing a hidden risk of cell transformation. The collaboration combines complementary expertise: Nicolas Gillet on mouse adenoviral infection models, and Sebahat Ocak on NSCLC mouse models, lung histopathology and tumor sequencing. This preclinical study aims to characterize the APOBEC3-mediated innate response in mice subjected to adenovirus pulmonary infection, and to assess how APOBEC3B expression and adenovirus lung infection influence the mutational landscape of chemically induced lung tumors in mice.

Deciphering the pathogenicity and targets of IgG autoantibodies in long COVID-associated chronic pain condition

This highly multidisciplinary project brings together the clinical expertise from Pierre Bulpa and the neuroscience expertise from Charles Nicaise to test the hypothesis that binding of human IgG autoantibodies to sensory neurons drives the pain-related symptoms observed in long COVID patients. Building on strong preliminary evidence in animal models, the study aims to validate these findings in human derived-tissue and to assess the cytotoxic effects of patient IgG on human-derived sensory neurons in vitro. In addition, by screening the autoantibodyome of sera from long COVID patients, the project seeks to identify the specific antigenic targets within human or mouse sensory neurons. The project is embedded in a broad collaborative framework including the Belgian Long COVID research network and the Long COVID patient association.