C H ARL E R OI B RU SSE L S SO UT H The Biopark South Newsletter NewsN°1 Spring 2009

Yesterday, today, tomorrow

gation to develop beneficial applica- Igretec, as the present building is tions (which explains the orientations already saturated, and, in addition, in the areas of health care) useful for human resources for « coaching » economic development. will be at the disposal of researchers for the extension of their research to It´s in this spirit that the Institut de economic development.

EDITO Biologie et de Médecine Molécu- laires (IBMM) was set up in 1999. Lastly, a new alliance of teaching The «Aéropole» in 1990 Today, ten years later, the wager has and training is starting up, under been won. The site groups together the Technology Campus project : a Yesterday, that was in 1994, ULB three university laboratories : IBMM, master´s degree specialising in mo- made a report, took a bet and accep- Institut d’Immunologie Médicale lecular physiopathology, to be orga- ted a challenge. (IMI),the Laboratoire de Biotechno- nised only on the Charleroi site, and continuous training for professio- The report showed that the insti- logie Végétale; a public research nals – people working in university tutional development of centre (Immune Health); and seven was going to give more and more SMEs – university spin-offs : Heno- and industrial laboratories, teachers competence, power and means to gen, Euroscreen, Aliwen, Delphi Ge- in Hautes Ecoles and unemployed the different regions and that, as netics, DNAVision, BVTransgenics people. a consequence, ULB had to have a Services and Bone Therapeutics. The A new name was necessary for two presence in the Walloon Region. site is in itself an economic agent. reasons: firstly, to underline the mul- There was also an opportunity up Tomorrow, the objective is, first of all, tiple partnerships : between univer- for the taking : Hainaut became eli- to continue pursuing scientific deve- sities (ULB-UMH), between universi- gible for European aid for economic lopment and its biotechnological ap- ties and Hautes Ecoles (Technology development (Objective 1), biotech- plications. The university laboratories Campus), between universities and nology was recognised as one of the maintain their tradition of excellence public institutions (Walloon Region, principal areas of industrial develop- and, in the context of the European the Province of Hainaut, Igretec) and ment of the 21st century, ULB had a Structural Funds (ESF), a multimo- private partners (GSK, UCB, spin- long tradition of excellence in mole- dal imaging centre will be installed offs) and, secondly, as a reminder cular biology and lastly, Charleroi, as in collaboration with the Université that Charleroi is an important city, well as being the most populous city de Mons. This will enable functional neighbour of the capital of Europe in , had almost no university molecular imaging in vitro, a tool in- and with an airport : the Biopark structures. dispensable for the identification of Charleroi Brussels South meets the The wager of ULB was to suggest the therapeutic molecular targets. objectives. implantation of a molecular biology The development capacities of the research centre in the ´Aéropole of existing spin-offs and the creation of Charleroi-Gosselies´ which was al- new will be increased by the support most deserted at that time. Jean-Louis Vanherweghem of incubators: new accommodation Chairman of the Board The challenge to be met was, beyond will be built by the Intercommunale Université Libre de Bruxelles the institutional schizophrenia which gave the ´Communauté française´ The «Aéropole»... 15 years later the competence in basic research and the Regions competence in ap- plied research, beyond the natural political desire for immediate econo- mic results, to pursue in an implanta- tion in the Walloon Region, research of excellence, competitive on an in- ternational scale, with the moral obli- 2 Biopark Charleroi Brussels South hms fvuig n inter-discipli- an key favouring four themes, around projects concen - its medicine trates of faculty the of and the Walloon Region, this institute Biologicals GlaxoSmithKline ULB, of partnership public-private innovative an from Arising IMI. Médicale, logie d’Immuno- Institut the also It´s etc. sickness, sleeping allergies, cancer, AIDS, as such illnesses facing dicine me- of progress the to contributing thus and beings living of biology the elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing and discover researchers so or 200 its Medicine, and Science of Faculties ULB the from Stemming laires, IBMM. Molécu- Médecine de et Biologie de Research ? That´s of course the Institut innovation, incubation andtraining. development, research, in players between interaction close especially, and, ; products and vices ser Innovative ; platforms technology and equipment State-of-the-art ; hospi- tals and companies laboratories, university between interaction Close ; programmes important of dination coor the or prizes international tions, excellence publica- major Scientific by notably recognised ? assets Their re- laboratories, search centres andspin-offs. and institutes ULB throughout distributed sector, nology biotech- the in active researchers 500 over means that all, In South. Brussels today Charleroi Biopark are the form to players united the all spin-offs, the to laboratory university the From at aglance Biopark Charleroi BrusselsSouth… Charleroi BrusselsSouth. inaugurating theInstitut Libre deBruxelles(ULB) Médecine Moléculaires started uptheBiopark (IBMM), theUniversité de Biologieet Ten yearsafter - - s lnig o e u a incubation a up set to planning is ULB time, same the at up; set been ; has unit training a 2009, innovation in new and, industrial to coveries dis- of conversion encourage to unit development a has also Biopark The and BoneTherapeutics. Services Transgenic BV DNAVision, then Henogen, all Euroscreen,Genetics, Aliwen, Delphi of first : crease in- to continues spin-offs of number Science of was setupinthespringof2006– Faculty ULB the of tale Végé- Biotechnologie of the Laboratory – development laboratories university the the of with parallel In sonance imaging(MRI)andPetScan. re- magnetic by imaging vivo in and methods and technologies croscope mi- advanced unique integrating a interface with laboratories centredemic aca- and industry imaging provide will which multimodal new brand a by joined be soon will They Over 500people nary approach : carrying outofclinicalinvestigations. the and responses immune of rement measu- the : missions complementary two fulfills it ; Region Walloon the in ofvaccinology centre integrated first the is Health Immune researchcentre, public BioVallée).A (previously Health immune-related health areas : Immune to dedicated player Biopark Another immunological biomarkers. and transplantation organ infants, new-born in munology vaccine adjuvants, im-

et icbto, noain pro- duction, trainingandeducation. innovation, incubation, ment, develop- research, out of missions carrying their closely, interact They from the Hautes Ecoles of the region. over diplomas with people and all world the from graduates university South has over 500 personnel, mainly Today,CharleroiBrussels Biopark the imaging multimodal centre. closely the to South, linked Brussels Charleroi Biopark the in programme training a for plans has also Science Applied of Faculty ULB physiopathology.The biology,cell and molecular in specialising molecular and biochemistry in degree master´s a : Science of culty Fa- ULB the of in course new a site is 2010 the on horizon the On unit. http://www.biopark.be. click : Brussels Southinone The BioparkCharleroi

centres andenterprises. research laboratories, ty universi- of meeting the by nourished is research Biopark, South Brussels Charleroi the in tration, illus- An perspectives… promising opened has Health Immune to today extended and (IBMM) Moléculaires Médecine Institut de Biologie et de the at initiated Research key role in human health. Today vaccination plays a Immune Health IBMM handsoverto Vaccination nelui 6 a omn o te im- role important an plays system) the mune of hormone (a 6 interleukin that showed They vitro. in production antibody of activators powerful into lymphocytes T of differentiation the re- inducing in succeeded also searchers the innovation, technological A lymphocytes. B by antibodies of tion produc- the inducing of capable larly particu- lymphocytes a T of population identify to managed experimental they this model, to thanks : lympho- cytes B and T between peration of Faculty ULB coo- the for test a developed Science the in researchers researcher, FNRS qualified a Andris, Fabienne of management the Under vaccination*. in perspectives interesting opening thus lymphocytes, B and T between has managed to clarify the interaction Laboratory Physiology Animal IBMM The identified. completely been not has antibodies) the produce (which actually lymphocytes B and lymphocytes (helpers) the T between of interaction mechanisms the In particular, elucidated. entirely has been yet man not in production their regu - lating mechanisms the well-known, is antibodies of role protective the If – Tlymphocytes. cells blood of family another by this task in helped are which – phocytes lym- B – cells blood white certain by secreted are Antibodies numerous pathogens. against role protective a the organism of antibodies which play by production the induce to is cines know,we As vac- of goal principal the ter invivoanimals. - la confirmed observation an vitro , in in the differentiation of T lymphocytes *  the observations made man in confirm to Immune Health : the researchers centre are now trying research public neighbour, the its to looked IBMM laboratory the question, this answer To where hasitreached inman? : however open still is question One Complementarity . the production ofantibodies. stimulate to aim the with vaccines, of components new of development the enabling targets molecular new with industry pharmaceutical the provide should research this long-term, the In Region. Walloon the of programme post-doc First Immune the of support in the with research Health, doing now is who and IBMM at work the in pated partici- who – Eddahri Fouad – cher resear same the It´s further. interact to them encouraged and South sels Brus- Charleroi Biopark the in players different the between emerged tarity complemen- a research this Through models. February 2009 Research published in the journal Blood of 12 and vitro in n animal on vivo in - 3 Biopark Charleroi Brussels South 4

publishing. We methim… in specialised Training & Education ma Sano- of subsidiary Flemish a in worked he years, three last the in if, even well, knows the different facets of the Biopark he means This management. scientific DNAViof - charge in initially spin-off was he where the sion of genomics, in researchers other and Detiffe Jean-Pol with co-founder, also is Termonia naud Ar department. ma- genomics he the naged where Health) BioVallée Immune (now (asbl) organisation making non-profit the joined then and IBMM, Moléculaires, Médecine de et Biologie de Institut the at PhD his did He metry). Spectro- Mass and Chromatography for Centre (Development company private fessional career as training manager in a nomy,Termoniapro- Arnaud his started Training Biopark (Formation) is ´old´. An engineer in agro - of director new The Managed by: Training Biopark Charleroi Brussels South h am o nue etr optblt bten initial between compatibility better ensure to aim the ratory technicians and engineers in the life sciences. With teachers of the Hautes Ecoles which train people as labo- of training continuous the Finally,concerns areathird the tential employers. requirementsthe and unemployed the po- to of adapted programme a define to order in Formation FOREM with cations. Biopark Training (Formation) is also collaborating The second is aimed at job seekers with little or no qualifi- BioWin. cluster competitiveness the of philosophy training recent sector,the the with in compliant entirelyindustries the of requirements the of basis the on selected especially are subjects The duration. short of and specialised training, technological innovative provide to order in doctors,…) cians, technologists, project managers, PhD students and (techni- sciences life in workers all to destined is first The is dividedintothree areas. (Formation) and sector health Trainingthe to applied biotechnology concerns Biopark by provided training The platforms. technology related and sciences biomedical in expertise their by nourished mind, in already projects concrete of lots with director,secretary– a a – team and trainers two ESF young A Fund, Region). Walloon the Social and Union European European (the the of help the with 2009, January in up set was (Formation) Training Biopark unit summit, third the case, the longer no is This missing. been has training, the now to up Biopark ; South the Brussels in Charleroi present certainly are development and researchAlthough region. a in activities ovative inn of up of a golden triangle, all three indispensable for the summits setting three the training, and development Research, Biopark Training –hasbeensetup. (Formation) New intheBioparkCharleroi BrusselsSouth:atrainingunit– Biopark Training Arnaud TermoniaArnaud - two immediately aroused myenthusiasm. other the with perfectly fit to third a king ma- of idea the and chain the of parts two In first the link to helped training. I Charleroi, at ULB continuous and velopment ad- de- industrial between research, university vanced overlapping close needs sciences) biomedical and biotechnology for case the certainly is (which activity tive innova- an up setting that thought always same time staying competitive. In fact, the I´ve at other, each enrich to other, the of culture the in themselves soak every to interest have and complementary are tors sec- two culturesaredifferent,the the but course Of worlds. industrial and academic the between moved has career my 38, At last. the in projects training many dinated coor I and trainer, a was I job first my In The world of training isn´t unknown to me. ted youtothispost? attrac- What (Formation). Training park Bio- of Director the become to – Editor > You left a job you enjoyed – Scientific française. open to teachers in all Hautes Ecoles of the Communauté certain Hautes Ecoles in Hainaut, this training will later be with project pilot a as 2009 in up Set work. practical cific of-the-art techniques and help with the setting up of spe- state- ofcertain demonstrations discipline, specific a in developments latest the describing modules theoretical points : three on focuses training this evolution, constant in are which companies of expectations the and training Contact :[email protected] the BioparkCharleroi Brussels South. of centre imaging multimodal new the to linked closely is it Science, Applied of Faculty ULB the by piloted : died stu- being also is possibility training Another region. the of Ecoles Hautes the with collaboration close in develop to wants it course physiopathology.a molecular is in This biology,cell and molecular specialising and biochemistry in master A : degree master´s new a site the on organise In September 2010, the ULB Faculty of Science is going to Campus :«Dare, innovate anddecompartmentalise». the benefit for of all or, sciences, to biomedical quote the slogan of the the to Technology linked possibilities ning trai- and education the enrich to and synergies develop to opportunity unique a is installation This up. set be will » Academy Biotech a« Technologywhere the Campus of via Biopark Training (Formation) – is the university partner year-olds65 to 16 training in careersfor industry.in – ULB involved players the all 2011 in unite will which Charleroi, de Aéropole Technologythe on the neighbour immediate on the Campus, partly up start should training The Technology Campus - >  activities. the same time ensuring the durability of our sector,science at life while the in industries our researchand our laboratories of veness competiti- better a for to targeted, public the adapted quality, high of modules ning trai- provide to be will objective main Our (Formation). Training Biopark particular, in development of the Biopark in general and, the in involvement active reinforceour only activity,our of can beginning the from tion, recep- our and colleagues motivated tent compe- by surrounded TodayI´m indispensable projects. the new implementing and of up setting for arms one is Enthusiasm ties for Biopark Training priori- (Formation) ? your are What ? enthusiastic Three months into the job, are you still he remembers, « I was working with genes cloned from a from cloned genes with working was I « remembers, he », afraid were colleagues Some « laboratory, isolated an returned to Rhode-Saint-Genèse where he was confined to his entire career. Etienne Pays succeeded in his cloning ; he He was not to know that his time in Strasbourg was to mark confessed. he », environment the to adaptation and life of origin the on adolescence my observations of questions These the to back ? me brought system immune our overcome to manage parasite, primitive a such trypanosome, the could how : me intrigued This sickness. sleeping causes which parasite this on working was Rhode-Saint-Genèse in team One « trypanosome. the on experience personal of idea an with left researcheralso young The ». story long a ning begin- was I felt I : memories best my of one regionis tiful beau- a in spent springtime Vassart.That Gilbert « league col- his for genes clone to city French the for left He ». us to find the genes coding for the questions which interested Strasbourg. « The genome for at that time was left a real black he box ; we sought ULB, to back going after use because to going soon very was he which apprenticeship An Trypanosome recombinant DNA». of technologies the learned I where Glasgow in particular dge became more refined. I lived through this revolution in knowle- our ; other the after one came discoveries ; lution realrevoa - researchunderwent biology world the 70s, the of end the At « Glasgow. in post-doctorate a for Brachet, Jean by encouraged left, he », circles in round going « of feeling the having isolated, very feeling then, ; smiles », he today naive so seem which questions myself asked I « PhD, a with up followed he finished, dissertation His cleus. nu- the of chromatin the studying by differentiation cell in interestedbecame Pays Etienne ». Rhode-Saint-Genèse in biology molecular of universe fascinating the discovered I Brachet. Jean of that time, that at laboratory best the was heex- ULB because, plains, « at I was interested in genetics, I degree wanted to go first to what his did student The remembers EtiennePays. environment », Leuven in the biology study to with up signed I genes. faced changed being of fact the how tand Origin of Species and I only ever had one idea : to unders- the of theory the discovered also I debate. philosophical in and Pensées Pascal´s in myself buried I classics, in dies stu- school secondary my During life. of meaning the for quest a anything, than more is, research for passion My « trying totellyou» « Understandwhatnature´s Etienne Pays n I ii Fac, o e pae lae wt hsoy and history emotion ». with loaded places see to France, visit I and readI music. polyphonic and period this about voraciously cathedrals as such masterpieces alongside death, plague, the wars, : me intrigue period this of contrasts The France. mediaeval of history the : passion another found I´ve and bit a down worked calmed TodayI´ve understood. also she lab, the wife in my fortunately, ; holidays take didn´t I night, and day laboratory the in worked I : passion real a was it young, was I when ; character complete a got I´ve « ? lab the in years these all after passion a much as still it Is life iscomplex,difficult topenetrate». : hypothesis new doesn´t a propose again, start experiment to have you work, the mistakes, make often you : mo- rale solid a need also You skills. manual and intellectual which will allow you to demonstrate it… This requires both experiments the developing and hypothesis right the king ma- of capable being viewpoint, synthetic a having rature, lite- recent most the of aware being is researcher a Being « smile a with says, he », environment the to adapt to city searcher has in common with the trypanosome is the capa- re- good a What nature. on ideas your imposing preten- of the sions have can´t you that understand to have also you life, of mechanisms the understand to try you When research has opened up : apoL-1 involved in inflammation. of area new completely a and secrets biggest its revealed doubt no has trypanosome The point. turning a at I´m feel I CIBLES. excellence of programme the in today study we which targets therapeutic anti-inflammatory promising are they : death cell programmed in involved are and logies apolipoproteins are L over-expressed The in inflammatory patho- trypanosome. the killing of capable protein blood human a apoL-1, of discovery the doubt no was advance the adaptation of of a parasite model to its host. a The most important as trypanosome the in interested became I « Inflammation the PrixFrancqui. receivedhe 1996, In prestigiousjournals. most the in plied pro - he ; gressed. His first publication came out in 1979 ; they multi- grew laboratory his ; teams other with worked he ; experiments his continued researcher The ». answer the find to first the be to and understand to : desire one only had I risk, possible the matter no me, for As parasite. nttt e ilge t e Médecine about himself. de talks et Pays de Etienne (IBMM), Moléculaires Biologie de Laboratoire Institut the President of Committee Management the the of Moléculaire, of Parasitologie excellence, Director of programme a and (PAI) Interuniversitaire d’Attraction Pôle a of coordinatorFrancqui, Prix the of Winner 5 Career 6 Interview Express a cnrd n acns bt we w wne about wonder we when but, ; vaccines on centred was expertise our beginning the In research. clinical for tools researchbasic ting into immunology in development and conver to view a with programmes research developing Centre the Hospitalier Universitaire with (CHU) of Tivoli. In parallel, we are collaboration in investigations clinical systemto vaccines and/or injectables under development ; second, immune the of response the measuring : first, areas main two covers centre Our medicines. or cines vac - injectable new their of development the facilitate to order in partnership ideal an with companies maceutical biophar provides Health Immune : Kelen Vander Marc > Tell usaboutthisactivityinafewwords. more appropriate toourpresent activity. loon Region. It was necessary to adopt a name which was Wal - the in centre vaccinology integrated first the 2007, in created and organisation and competence of areas its redefined BioVallée Region, Walloon the by recognised centre research public a became it 2006 In 2001. in tion Marc Vander Kelen : Biovallée has evolved since its crea- >  about ImmuneHealth Marc V Biovallée is finished, you´re now Immune Health. Immune Why thischangeofname? now you´re finished, is Biovallée Contact : ULB, Department of External Relations,ResearchContact : ULB,Department ofExternal Communications : [email protected], +32(0)716002 03 ander Kelen, ilgcl ; ihl oda, ietr f h Isiu dImnlge éiae Jean- ; Médicale d’Immunologie Louis Vanherweghem, ChairmanoftheBoard ofULB. Institut the of Director Goldman, GlaxoSmithKline Michel of ; CEO Biologicals BioWin, cluster competitiveness the of President Stéphenne, nister of Research, New Technologies and External Relations of the Walloon Region ; Jean Rudy Demotte, Minister-President of the Walloon Region ; Marie-Dominique Simonet, Mi- different players in this fruitful partnership meeting took the floorthe : PhilippeVincke, RectorDuring of ULB ; Biologicals. GlaxoSmithKline by 25% and ULB by 25% Region, loon Partnership, with a total budget of 10 million euros, 50% of which are provided by the Wal- particular.in Médicale d’Immunologie Institut the Bruxelles, de Private Public a is IMI The Libre Université the and Region the Walloon for inspiration of sources find can we where is this that recalled He sectors. private and public of the between and interaction ; encouraging economics and research education, involving of collaboration Europe of for circle importance a creating the underlined Barroso Manuel José speech, his In January. last » partnership public-private of model a Médicale, d’Immunologie Institut The « ting José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, opened the academic mee- public research centre recognised bytheWalloon Region. Three questionstoMarc Vander Kelen,CEOofthe Don´t sayBioVallée anymore butImmuneHealth. Biopark Newsisaquarterlypublication oftheBioparkCharleroi BrusselsSouth Editor :NathalieGobbe •Sub-editor:NancyDath •Graphics:Paragraph - - http://www.immunehealth.be committee, alongsidenotablyGSK,UCBandBaxter. way,the by which, scientific Genetics our phi of part form Del- DNAVision, Henogen, : site the on spin-offs several with and (IBMM) Moléculaires de Médecine de Institut et the Biologie from teams some with interact also We naturally. intersect interests research our : Médicale gie d’Immunolo- Institut ULB the neighbour, immediate our Marc Vander Kelen : Of course, we work in particular with >  Hence ournewname:«ImmuneHealth». system. immune the responseof measurethe to capacity the immune system. Today, we´re therefore increasing our companies that they should be interested, in the health of biopharma to propose we We´reand interested,citation. more general reaction of the immune system to such soli- theparame- efficacy, we this demonstrating measure the ters question also can we and avaccine of efficacy the IMI :modelPPP the Charleroi BrusselsSouth Biopark? developing particular synergies you with other players in Are Europe. throughout services provide You H T U O S S L E S S U R B I O R E L R A H C http://www.biopark.be