Prof. Marc Hennequart receives a prestigious grant from the Fondation contre le cancer for his groundbreaking research into pancreatic cancer

Prof. Marc Hennequart, Principal Investigator at NARILIS since September 2023, has established a laboratory dedicated to cancer metabolism at the UNamur (URPhyM). The lab investigates the early metabolic changes driving pancreatic cancer, a particularly aggressive cancer often diagnosed at an advanced stage. By focusing their efforts on understanding the metabolic switch that occurs in pancreatic cells during the initial stages of oncogenesis, this research could pave the way for the development of new therapeutic approaches and the identification of metabolic biomarkers for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Recently, Marc’s promising research project earned him a prestigious grant from the Fondation contre le cancer, providing his team with a significant financial support to pursue the work for four more years. The funding will allow him to recruit staff to expand their research capabilities. Their next goals are now to create in vitro and in vivo models to study the transition of pancreatic acinar cells into ductal cells, a key step in cancer development. The researchers will use mass spectrometry to analyse the metabolome and proteome of acinar cells undergoing metaplasia. Thanks to a collaboration with Professor Abdenor Badaoui, a specialist in pancreatic diseases at the CHU UCL Namur, the team will furthermore analyse blood and tissue samples from pancreatic cancer patients.   

For Marc Hennequart, receiving this highly competitive grant is a major recognition of his outstanding research and a significant milestone in his career.

Interested in joining this dynamic team? A postdoctoral position with an international mobility status is currently available!

Marc Hennequart's research group