LAUREATES 2015 FUNDS FOR MEDICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MANAGED BY THE KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION THE FUNDS FOR MEDICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MANAGED BY THE KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION

During the past decade the King Baudouin Foundation has developed numerous activities in the areas of health and medical scientific research. The Foundation supports initiatives that create opportunities for citizens to live healthier lives or fight diseases more effectively, and initiatives that contribute towards building a health care system that is accessible to all and accepted by society.

In the area of medical scientific research, the Foundation already administers 55 Funds carrying out research in very diverse fields such as cancer, asthma, rare diseases, ageing, neurology, cardiology and others. Most of these Funds have been set up by individual donors with a clear motivation, for example to support a specific area of research on the basis of a personal experience or a sense of gratitude towards a specific institution or department etc.

Each Fund has its own management committee which is supported by an independent jury and makes decisions on the use of the financial resources, the definition of the Fund's mission etc. "Thanks to research and These Funds are managed in such a way that the donor's wishes are economic and social considered paramount and a tailored approach is developed. At the same time the Foundation seeks to make the best possible use of the progress, we are leading resources available and to create the greatest possible impact. This longer and healthier may lead to choosing specific niche areas of research, supporting lives, but we still have a young and promising researchers or awarding a Prize that recognises a long way to go to control whole career... The Foundation is also promoting cooperation among many diseases and to funding institutions as well as among research centres. promote healthier life styles. To develop an overall al, future-oriented vision on the best ways to Philanthropy has played a deliver philanthropic support in the field of medical scientific research, key role in major medical the Foundation relies on the knowledge of the recognized experts of discoveries, and continues the ‘Medical Scientific Research Advisory Committee’ and of the to be a vital complement ‘Cancer Research Advisory Committee’. to public investments in research and innovation" Once a year all the laureates are celebrated at a formal prize award Baron Peter Piot, Director, ceremony in the presence of H.R.H. Princess Astrid. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Honorary President of In 2015 a total of more than 2,5 million euro in research funding was the King Baudouin Foundation awarded to 42 researchers in different fields of medical scientific research.

03 FUND ALINE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Jean-Pierre Brion Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy & Neuropathology Erasme - ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 +32-(0)2-555 65 05 [email protected] 100.000 €

Selection made in cooperation with the Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek (SAO)-Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (FRA)

“The understanding Propagation of tau pathology by different of the mechanisms human PHF-tau species: relationship with underlying the formation toxicity and phosphorylation and the propagation Neurofibrillary tangles are one of the key brain lesions of Alzheimer’s of tau pathology in the disease and other ‘tauopathies’. These lesions correspond to accu- brain will be critical for mulation in neurons of inclusions composed of an abnormal form of a the development of protein called « tau ». These lesions progress in the brain by spreading therapeutic approaches between brain areas connected between them and the memory and in Alzheimer’s disease cognitive deficits of patients are strongly correlated with the spreading of tau pathology. Tau proteins in Alzheimer’s disease became highly targeted at interfering with phosphorylated and aggregate progressively up to form abnormal this propagation” fibres. Abnormal tau seems to have the ability to pass from one cell to another cell and to recruit normal tau in the latter to form new inclusions. Our project aims to better understand the mechanisms of propagation of tau pathology and to identify the main abnormal forms of tau that are responsible for toxicity and spreading by using human abnormal tau proteins.

Propagation of tau pathology by different human PHF-tau species: relationship with toxicity and phos- phorylation 05 FUND ALINE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Laurence Ris dept Neurosciences - UMons, Bât ‘Le Pentagone’ (Aile 1A), 20 place du Parc - 7000 + 32 (0)65 37 35 70 [email protected] 100.000 €

Selection made in cooperation with the Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek (SAO)-Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (FRA). Project supported by the Fund A.B. managed by the King Baudouin Foundation for a complementary amount of 50.000 €

“Beyond my immense Study of the relationship linking glucose curiosity about brain metabolism to Amyloid Protein Precursor functioning, I wish that my expression and processing research will help to improve Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder characterized by a progressive the quality of human life by loss of memory and intellectual abilities causing a deep impact on daily preserving brain health and life of patients but also of family caregivers. The initial causes of the mental faculties in young disease are still unknown and the current treatments which are able to and older people” improve the quality of life by slowing down the progression of dementia cannot prevent or stop the disease.

The aim of our project is to study the role of one specific protein, namely the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), known to be involved in the disease but whose functions in the healthy brain are not well under- stood. Our hypothesis is that this protein is involved in the control of energy supply to the brain. Recent researches point indeed towards a possible link between altered brain glucose regulation and Alzheimer’s disease. We thus propose to analyse the functional links between glu- cose availability, APP expression and brain activity for a better under- standing of the origins of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain activity relies on multiple interactions between specialized cells (neurons and astrocytes) and is dependent on energy supply (glucose) from the blood vessels. Our hypothesis is that Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) which is involved in Alzheimer’s plays an important role in the tight regulation of energy supply during brain activity 07 FUND A.B. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Sandra Duque VIB, Center for the Biology of Disease - KU Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, bus 602 - 3000 Leuven [email protected] 50.000 €

“I believe that gene Delivery of recombinant AAV9 encoding an therapy will play a big antibody against BACE1 to treat Alzheimer’s role in tomorrow’s disease medicine and I hope to The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is still not well understood. Current evi- be able to contribute dence suggests that the appearance of amyloid plaques (protein aggre- to its development for gates) containing amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) is central to disease patho- Alzheimer’s disease” logy. These amyloid plaques adversely affect the function of neurons in the brain, eventually leading to the cognitive decline characteristic of the disease. BACE1 (also known as beta secretase) is one of the enzymes responsible for generating Abeta, and it has recently emerged as a promising drug tar- get. One approach is to use antibodies specific to BACE1 to decrease its activity in the brain – thereby reducing the overall levels of Abeta produced. FUND A.B. However, antibody-based therapies for AD remain challenging, due to the problems involved in delivering antibodies across the blood-brain barrier in sufficient quantities to maintain an adequate therapeutic effect. ALZHEIMER’S Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vectors have been successfully used to deliver genetic material throughout the brain when administered in a single intravenous injection. In this project, therefore, we are developing and validating an AAV-based system that encodes an antibody targeting BACE1. DISEASE It is our hope that this system will lead to improvements in AD pathology, by providing long-term production of the BACE1 antibody at clinically relevant levels throughout the brain, over period of months to years.

Mouse brain section showing GFP (green fluorescent protein) in neurons (red) of the hippocampus following a single injection of AAV vector into the cerebro- spinal fluid. Neurons infected with AAV appear yellow. Cell nuclei are in blue. 09 FUND A.B. AGEING Stéphane Baudry Laboratory of Applied Biology, Faculté des Sciences de la Motricité (FSM) Erasme – ULB, Route de Lennik 808, CP 640 – 1070 Brussels +32 (0)2 555 37 65 [email protected] 40.250 €

“To better understand Balance, cognitive capacities and risk of falls in cognitive-motor interaction elderly adults in relation with clinical Alterations in balance control when patients with Alzheimer’s disease solutions” perform a cognitive task revealed an increased level of interference between motor and cognitive compared with healthy individuals of the same age. This greater interference in patients likely reflects their level of cognitive impairment, which has led some to suggest that the paradigm of dual-task as a clinical test to detect early cognitive and an increased risk of falling. The main objective of this project is to better understand the effects of ageing and cognitive impairment on the fac- tors governing the allocation of attentional resources between a motor task (maintenance of standing or staircase negotiation) and a cognitive task when these two types of tasks are carried out simultaneously FUND A.B. (dual-task situation), as it is the rule in daily living tasks. AGEING

11 FUND A.B. PSYCHIATRY Charles Kornreich Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale et Addictologie - CHU Brugmann, ULB Place Van Gehuchten 4 - 1020 Brussels [email protected] 37.000 €

“The pain felt by many Research into the treatment of refractory treatment-refractory depression depressed patients we Depression is a major public health concern and usual treatments see every day in clinical leave numerous patients with unsatisfactory responses, residual settings is a powerful symptoms, relapses and chronic courses. Depression is characterized motivation to find optimal by excessive negative ruminations. With better focusing of attention, alternative cost-effective it would be possible for depressed patients to disengage themselves treatments with few side from negative ruminations. effects” Two techniques may help them to better focus their attention. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive relatively low-cost technique with a low rate of adverse effects, which has been shown to improve attention and to display antidepressants properties. MBCT (Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) is a training of allocation of attentional resources, which has shown efficacy to FUND A.B. prevent depression relapses. Our study is the first one to test the com- bined use of tDCS and MBCT in refractory-depressed patients. PSYCHIATRY

13 FUND HENRI BENEDICTUS POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING IN THE US Korneel Grauwet Doctor Veterinary Sciences – UGent Kanselierlaan 37 - 8310 Brugge- Sint-Kruis [email protected] 45.000 USDollars

“Live to win! - Engineering Postdoctoral research on the Enhancement the next generation of of oHSV-1 oncotherapy by introducing viral oncolytic viruses NK-evasive genes at Harvard Medical School, to aid in the fight against Dept of Neurosurgery - Prof. E. Chiocca cancer” In Europe, 13,000 people per year are diagnosed with glioblastoma mul- tiforme (GBM), a devastating type of brain tumor. Patients diagnosed with GBM have a median survival of 14.6 months and a 5-year survival rate of only 5%. Promising developments are being made by the use of therapeutic oncolytic herpes simplex-1 (oHSV-1) viruses. These viruses are engineered to specifically replicate in tumor cells and destroy them in the course of progeny virus release. Newly generated viruses can further infect other tumor cells, thereby penetrating and potentially removing the complete tumor. A major obstacle to effective oHSV-1 therapy is the patients’ innate immune response, with Natural Killer (NK) cells prematurely clearing the virus preventing viral spread and tumor destruction. During my PhD, we have discovered several genes from the Herpesvirus family that inhibit NK cell-mediated immunity. This project focuses on engineering new oHSV-1 viruses which will express these NK cell-evasive genes and will overcome the patients’ innate immune responses and increase therapeutic efficiency. This project could therefore lead to the development of the next generation of oHSV-1 vectors for GBM therapy.

15 FUND HENRI BENEDICTUS POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING IN THE US Saghi Saghazadeh Doctor in engineering sciences – UCL Ruelle de la Cure 4 - 1341 Louvain-la-Neuve [email protected] 45.000 USDollars

“Not all diseases can be Postdoctoral research on Hydrogel based avoided. However, the systems for drug delivery in Harvard-MIT Health quality of treatment can Sciences & Technology - Prof. Khademhosseir always be improved. I hope that by doing this research The main objective of this project is to design hydrogel-based drug I can take a step towards delivery systems. Hydrogels are crosslinked networks of hydrophilic the development of novel polymers capable of retaining a large amount of water. Conventional drug-delivery systems” applications of hydrogels include contact lenses, vascular prostheses and coatings for stents. Due to their high water content, hydrogels are a suitable choice to hold up water-soluble therapeutics compo- nents such as proteins, DNA and peptides and to release them in a controlled-fashion. These hydrogels can also be designed to be bio- degradable by carefully choosing their components as well as their crosslinking method. Considering all these benefits, hydrogel systems are a candidate for drug delivery applications. One possible application of this method can be embedding antibiotics in skin grafts, hip or knee implants to avoid infection of the repaired tissue after surgical operation.

17 FUND MAURANGE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Leila Varghese de Duve Institute - UCL, GEPI - B1.75.04, Avenue Hippocrate 74 - 1200 Brussels [email protected] 20.000 €

“I hope that my research Identifying novel therapeutic targets in proliferative will shed light on a new blood disorders target in the development The production of all the different blood cells the body needs relies on of better therapeutics small signaling proteins, cytokines, that bind to receptors, molecular for patients living with antennae that sit across the outer surface of a cell. When a cytokine blood disorders, such as binds to the part of the receptor that is outside the cell, this turns on MPNs, that have fewer a molecular switch which is attached to the receptor inside the cell. side-effects than current These molecular switches, known as JAKs, can then transmit a mes- treatments” sage, for instance, to make the cell multiply. Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms often have a mutation in JAK which causes this molecular switch to be always on, even without the normal cytokine signal, and as a result, too many blood cells are produced, which can accumulate in the bone marrow and some- times lead to leukaemias. My project aims to understand how JAKs attach to receptors. We hope that this information could be used to develop drugs that would block this interaction as a treatment for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

19 FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS INTERDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE ULB Françoise Miot IRIBHM – ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 Brussels [email protected] 25.000 €

“When our life expectancy Role of H202 in the genesis of thyroid cancer is increasing, cancer Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, is considered as a potential inducer of threatens us all. It is a thyroid cancer. H2O2 is produced in high quantity in the thyroid to challenge to understand permit the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Duox and DuoxA protein why some cells of our complexes constitute this H2O2 generating system. Our team studies organism starts to how these enzymes work together to efficiently produce H2O2 and escape to any control, analyzes the consequences of an overproduction of H2O2 provoked in a mouse model by overexpressing Duox/DuoxA in the thyroid. The FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS leading to cancer. Trying increase of oxidative stress related to the development of thyroid to identify the molecular tumors in these models would constitute a key argument supporting players involved in the the appearance of sporadic (micro)carcinoma and a contribution to transformation of a the knowledge of thyroid tumorigenesis in human. INTERDISCIPLINARY benign thyroid tumor into a malignant tumor is our objective: it could help to MEDICAL RESEARCH understand tumorigenesis and to find therapeutic AT THE ULB targets”

21 FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS INTERDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE ULB Geneviève Dom IRIBHM – ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 Brussels [email protected] 130.000 €

Molecular characterization of the follicular adenomas and carcinomas: fundamental , diagnostic and prognostic aspects Thyroid nodules are very common and among these, about 5% are found to be cancer. The vast majority of them are thus benign but fine needle aspiration followed by cytological analyses leads to indeterminate diagnosis in 20% to 30% of the samples. A major issue FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS is the distinction between follicular adenomas (benign form), and follicular carcinoma (malignant form), which can be very challenging because there is currently no cellular or architectural criterion that could alone allow the discrimination between both types of tumors except for the presence of capsular and/or vascular invasion. This is INTERDISCIPLINARY why we study the molecular phenotypes (microRNA, mRNA, proteins) of follicular adenomas (benign) and carcinomas (malignant) to identify molecular signatures differentiating them, which would allow to use the fine needle aspirations as preoperative discriminating diagnostic MEDICAL RESEARCH tool. Being able to distinguish the follicular carcinomas from the adenomas would limit unnecessary surgical procedures. This study of expression patterns in follicular adenoma and carcinoma could also help to better understand their pathophysiology and the oncogenic AT THE ULB mechanisms underlying an eventual progression from the benign form to the malignant one.

23 FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS INTERDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE ULB Katia Coulonval, Pierre Roger, Eric Raspé, Sabine Paternot IRIBHM – ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 Brussels [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 104.000 €

Critical roles of CDKs in pathogenesis and diagnostics of breast and thyroid cancers The cell cycle is the biochemical process whereby a cell duplicates its genetic material and shares it equally into two daughter cells. Deregulation of this complex process is critically involved in numerous human pathologies including all cancers. The team of laureates has generalised its initial observation from thyroid gland that the activation of the enzyme CDK4 by a specific phosphorylation is a key FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS regulated biochemical event controlling the entry in the cell cycle in many cancer cells. How CDK4 phosphorylation is (de)regulated and which cancers more specifically depend on CDK4 phosphorylation is currently unknown. The team of laureates is developing new tools INTERDISCIPLINARY and assays to answer these questions. In collaboration with Bordet Institute, the team of laureates also aims to implement these tools to predict whether cancer patients will benefit or not of treatments with the new CDK4 inhibitory drugs that are very successfully tested MEDICAL RESEARCH by several pharmaceutical companies (Palbociclib received its first AT THE ULB approval by FDA in 2015).

25 FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS INTERDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE ULB Christine Delporte IRIBHM – ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 Brussels [email protected] 15.000 €

“ Fundamental research Role of the NFAT in hyperosmosis and aims at studying pathology of the salivary glands interactions and leverages Hyperosmotic stress is considered as a major threat for normal between multiple molecular cell function and survival. Increased extracellular osmolarity can wheels accounting for occur under pathological conditions affecting salivary gland function, normal cell function and such as Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized thereby understanding by white blood cell infiltration of salivary glands resulting in dry pathological deviation. mouth. Our project will aim at deciphering the role of a regulatory FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS factor called Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5), a protein Consequently, novel sensitive to hyperosmolar stress that can regulate the expression of therapeutic approaches genes, in osmoadaptative and inflammatory responses of salivary to treat diseases, including gland cells. The project outcomes should define the role NFAT5 in INTERDISCIPLINARY Sjögren’s syndrome, rely the pathogenesis of Sjögren’s syndrome and open new avenues for on a better understanding diagnosis and the treatment of the disease. of the basis of their MEDICAL RESEARCH pathogenesis” AT THE ULB

27 FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS INTERDISCIPLINARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE ULB Bernard Robaye IRIBHM – ULB, Route de Lennik 808 – 1070 Brussels [email protected] 35.000 €

“Spend time to improve our Purinergic signaling in the mesenchymal stem knowledge of life is a favor. cell biology Share this knowledge Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their ability to for a better is our duty” differentiate into osteoblast, adipocyte or chondrocyte. They have a great therapeutic potential not only because they exhibit regenerative or healing properties but also because they are able to control the immune system, for example in the case of graft rejection or autoimmune disease. Such activities involve complex interactions FUND DOCTOR J.P. NAETS with macrophages. Our research team has recently discovered that the purinergic signaling is essential for the intercellular communication between bone marrow derived MSCs and macrophages in the context of the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Our current research aims to INTERDISCIPLINARY know if such interactions are required for the adipogenic differentiation. Moreover, we will study the involvement of the purinergic signalization into the control by macrophages of the differentiation of MSCs isolated from the adipose tissue. The knowledge of the MSCS biology might MEDICAL RESEARCH help us to optimize their use in therapeutic treatments. AT THE ULB

29 FUND DRUWÉ-EERDEKENS NEUROLOGY Melissa Vos VIB Center for the Biology of Diseases - KU Leuven Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, bus 602 - 3000 Leuven +32 (0)16 37 69 39 [email protected] 30.000 €

“Currently, there is no Stimulation of the electron transport chain: successful treatment for a novel therapeutic strategy in Parkinson's brain diseases. Therefore, disease. they have a big impact Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects on both the patient and mainly elderly people; however, also young people can be affected by their family, but there is not PD and then it is mostly an inheritable form of the disease. PD results much known about the in symptoms such as trembling and difficulties in walking. Current cause. With my research treatment of PD is only symptomatic because the cause of the disease I hope to contribute to remains unknown. Nonetheless, defects in the energy production of a cell are often observed. We use the fruit fly to test the effects on identifying the cause so energy production in a Parkinson fly model. This way, we identified that these diseases can be 2 new agents, vitamin K2 and infrared light, that increase the energy cured or prevented” production, resulting in improved locomotion. Thus, increasing the energy production could be a novel therapeutic strategy for those PD patients suffering from defective energy production.

31 FUND DOCTOR GUSTAVE DELPORT NEUROLOGY Elisabeth Piccart Faculty of Medicine & Life Sciences– UHasselt, Martelarenlaan 42 – 3500 Hasselt +32-(0)11-26 92 59 [email protected] 20.000 €

“My passion for my work Glycine receptor antagonism in the VTA is fueled by the potential ameliorates subchronic PCP-induced impairment to contribute to better Schizophrenia is a devastating mental illness that affects 1% of the therapeutic options for general population. A key feature of schizophrenia is psychosis, schizophrenic patients i.e. hallucinations and delusions. These symptoms are caused by combined with a profound the hyperactivity of brain cells that release the neurotransmitter fascination with the dopamine, and modulation of their activity can be highly beneficial in intricacy of the brain” the treatment of psychosis. Yet, direct inhibition can induce adverse side-effects.

Our research will investigate the therapeutic potential of blocking glycinergic signaling. Glycine is neurotransmitter that indirectly enhances dopamine cell output. We aim to show that blockade of glycinergic signaling can counteract the psychotic symptoms related to exaggerated dopamine signaling, using electrophysiology and behavioral assessment in a well-described mouse model of schizophrenia.

33 FUND MAAIKE LARS TREES PANCREATIC CANCER Kathleen Claes Center for Medical Genetics - UGent, De Pintelaan 185 - 9000 Gent +32-(0)9-332 89 96 [email protected] 156.000 €

“A pessimist sees Familial pancreatic cancer: identifying the difficulty in every predisposition genes and developing a clinical opportunity. An optimist path for prevention and treatment exploration sees the opportunity in every Pancreatic cancer is a malignant disease with a notably poor prognosis. The difficulty.“ majority of pancreatic cancer cases are considered to be sporadic but it is Sir W. Churchill estimated that 5-10% of pancreatic cancer cases have a familial background. People with affected family members are at an increased risk of developing This quote from Winston pancreatic cancer. Churchill reminds me that it is important to think We will select a large cohort of Belgian families with a presumed genetic out of the box to solve predisposition for pancreatic cancer and sequence all known (pancreatic) obstacles in a creative way. cancer predisposition genes. For families showing strong clustering of pan- During my career I have creatic cancer without a deleterious mutation in the known predisposition genes, genome-wide studies will be performed to elucidate the underlying learned that working with genetic basis. a multidisciplinary team provides great opportunities Our study will be the first thorough study in Belgium performing systematic to come to appropriate large scale sequencing in families with pancreatic cancer and will shed new solutions for many insights into genes/pathways involved in the pathogenesis of pancreatic can- problems. I am convinced cer and provide important targets for therapy. Genetic counseling will be possible for patients that with this attitude our with a deleterious germline mutation and pre- team will be successful in dictive testing will be offered to at risk relatives, achieving the genetic and who may benefit from regular preventive clini- clinical goals proposed, cal screening allowing detecting cancers at ear- which will ultimately lead lier stages. New approaches, like detection of to a better cure for a circulating pancreatic cells in blood, may be first evaluated in germline mutation carriers with a devastating cancer with a clear risk for pancreatic cancer. poor prognosis” 35 FUND SOPHIA MULTIPLE SYSTEM ATROPHY Veerle Baekelandt Research Group for Neurobiology and Gene Therapy - KU Leuven Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok i - bus 7001 – 3000 Leuven +32 (0)472 540831 [email protected] 120.000 €

“It is my ultimate dream Modeling the role of alpha-synuclein strains in the that our research will pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy contribute, even at long Abnormal protein clumps are present in the brain of patients with dif- term, to an effective ferent age-related brain disorders. Alpha-synuclein is such a protein therapy for patients that is found in Parkinson’s disease, but also in multiple system atro- with MSA or Parkinson’s phy. We believe that a different shape of the alpha-synuclein protein disease” clumps might explain the differences between Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy. In this project, we want to test this hypothe- sis by the creation of a new animal model for MSA. In addition we will test alpha-synuclein protein clumps from different patients in animal models aiming to reproduce the disease. This will lead to a better under- FUND SOPHIA standing of the diseases and should in the future contribute to a more specific treatment. MULTIPLE SYSTEM ATROPHY

37 FUND SOPHIA MULTIPLE SYSTEM ATROPHY Janice Holton Director of Neuropathology Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, dept of Molecular Neuroscience UCL Institute of Neurology, 1 Wakefield Street - London WC1N 1PJ + 44(0)20-34484239 [email protected] 120.000 €

“Multiple system atrophy Understanding selective regional neuronal and is a devastating incurable cellular vulnerability in multiple system atrophy disease affecting people Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an incurable disease in which lumps of in the prime of their lives. a sticky protein called alpha-synuclein form inclusions, called glial cyto- My research goals are to plasmic inclusions, in brain cells known as oligodendrocytes. This causes improve understanding of death of nerve cells in particular brain regions. We do not understand the disease mechanisms the link between the glial cytoplasmic inclusions and nerve cell death, or leading to treatment the reasons why particular brain areas are affected. Using brain tissue donated by MSA patients after death and state of the art technologies development and a we will investigate whether alterations, known as methylation, of the positive impact on the lives DNA or small changes to the alpha-synuclein protein underlie the sus- FUND SOPHIA of MSA patients and their ceptibility of different nerve cell populations to the disease process. At caregivers” present there are no effective treatments that will slow the progress of MSA or markers (biomarkers) that enable an accurate diagnosis to be made in life. This study aims to identify cellular processes that are abnormal in MSA providing the possibility of developing new drug treat- MULTIPLE SYSTEM ments. We also hope that our study will lead to the development of bio- markers which would be an important development for patients, leading to improved diagnosis and providing a means of monitoring response to ATROPHY treatment in future clinical trials.

39 FUND VLINDERKINDJE EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA Dennis Roop Professor of Dermatology - Director, Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Research Complex 1 North, P18-8129 12800 East 19th Avenue, Mail Stop 8320, Aurora, CO 80045 -2571- USA [email protected] 75.000 €

“After you see children A Stem Cell-based Therapy for Patients with suffering from inherited Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex skin blistering diseases Project supported by DEBRA International for a complementary amount such as Epidermolysis of € 75.000 Bullosa Simplex, you are motivated to spend the Current therapy for Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex (EBS) patients is primarily limited to wound care. The technological breakthrough that rest of your life developing allows adult skin cells to be reprogrammed into immature induced a permanent corrective pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) now offers the possibility of developing a therapy for these patients” permanent corrective therapy for EBS without the risk of immune rejec- tion. Specifically, skin cells can be biopsied from a patient suffering from EBS and then “reprogrammed” into iPSCs. The iPSCs can then be grown FUND VLINDERKINDJE outside the body, genetically corrected, differentiated into new skin stem cells, and administered back to the same patient as an autograft. Given its novelty, an iPSC-based therapy for EBS will require extensive pre-clinical research before it can be approved for a clinical trial by US EPIDERMOLYSIS and European regulatory agencies. The goal of this proposal is to gene- rate the set of safety, potency and efficacy data required for approval of a clinical trial. For these studies, we will focus on patients suffering from BULLOSA the Dowling-Meara subtype of EBS (EBS-DM).

41 FUND JOHN W. MOUTON PRO RETINA RETINOPATHY Karolien Hollanders & Ingeborg Stalmans Head of the Glaucoma Clinic, Ophthalmology dept - UZ Leuven Kapucijnenvoer 33 - 3000 Leuven +32-(0)16-33 23 72 [email protected] [email protected] 20.000 €

“The voyage of discovery The role of Rho kinase inhibition in diabetic is not in seeking new retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity landscapes but To determine the therapeutic potential of Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibition for eye in having new eyes” diseases, we used mouse models of retinopathy caused by either diabetes or pre- Marcel Proust mature birth. The mice received an intra-ocular injection of a Rho-kinase inhibitor, and non-active product (vehicle) in the other eye. Approximately 2 months after the onset of diabetes, a significant reduction in signs of microvascular disease (white blood cell adhesion and vessel leakage) was observed in the eyes treated with the ROCK inhibitor. In addition, ROCK inhibition significantly reduced retinal ganglion cell death. In mice affected by retinopathy of prematurity, the ROCK inhibitor also reduced neovascularization and vascular leakage. Moreover, ROCK inhibition significantly protected against thinning of the deeper neural cell layers in the retina. These results point to a therapeutic potential of Rho-kinase inhibition in proliferative retinopathies, by reducing the process of inflammation and blood vessel impairment, with additional neuroprotective properties. Altogether, this project represents a potential innovation in the treatment of blinding retinopathies, with an exciting perspective towards a better visual progno- sis for patients suffering from diabetes or the consequences of premature birth. Worldwide, about 25 million people are blind because of retinal disease, with dia- betic retinopathy being the predominant reason in the working-age population. In premature infants, retinopathy is the main cause of visual disability. The results of this preclinical research have clearly shown that ROCK inhi- bitors have a potential therapeutic benefit in retinopathies related to diabetes and premature birth, but presumably also other eye diseases in which similar mechanisms are involved. With the support of the Fund John W Mouton Pro Retina, we wish to translate these laboratory findings into clinical research to improve the visual outcome of patients affected by various diseases of the retina and optic nerve, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Finally, retinopathies often represent signs of a systemic disease. Therefore, we want to explore the eye as ‘the window to the body’ and as such develop diagnos- tic strategies to allow earlier diagnosis and better disease monitoring of a variety of systemic diseases. 43 FUND DOCTOR & MRS RENÉ TAGNON CARDIOLOGY Céline & Laurence Dewachter Laboratory of Physiology & Pharmacology, Erasme - ULB CP604, route de Lennik 808 - 1070 Brussels +32-(0)2-555 49 89 [email protected] [email protected] 25.000 €

“Learn from yesterday, live Physiopathology and pathobiology of load- for today, hope for tomorrow. induced right ventricular failure - Effects of The important thing is not to sildenafil stop questioning. Play is the Right heart failure happens usually when the pressure in the pulmonary highest form of research” circulation increases, leading to the incapacity of the right ventricle to Albert Einstein assure its blood pump function associated with decreased cardiac out- put. This life-threatening complication is observed in several diseases/ conditions, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, congenital heart disease, left heart disease (e.g. valvulopathy, ischemic cardiomyopa- thy), pulmonary embolism and/or cardio-thoracic surgery.

However, the pathobiology of right ventricular failure remains incom- pletely understood and the pharmacological tools available for the clini- cians are insufficiently efficacious. In this context, our research project aim to test an intravenous phosphodiesterase inhibitor (sildenafil) in two experimental models of right ventricular failure on acute and chronic pulmonary hypertension and to identify its potential hemody- namic end biological effects on the myocardium it self.

45 FUND JOSEPH OSCAR WALDMANN-BERTEAU CARDIOLOGY Emeline Van Craenenbroeck Dept Cardiology- UZA, Drie Eikenstraat 655 - 2650 Edegem +32-(0)3-821 35 71 [email protected] 25.000 €

“Curiosity, wonder and MicroRNAs in exercise training for chronic heart the eager confession of failure: tools in mechanistic discovery, tailored ignorance, create openness medicine and novel therapeutic strategies to unfamiliar experiences, With at least 15 million Europeans affected, symptomatic heart failure which is the groundwork to is a syndrome that takes a truly epidemic proportion in the 21st cen- experience discovery, joy and tury. Exercise training is a powerful therapeutic strategy to improve delight” symptoms and mortality in these patients. However, part of the ‘trainability’ is determined in their genes; therefore, we could use the DNA code to prescribe how patients should exercise and what types of activity will deliver the best results. On the opposite side of the coin, exercise itself can alter the function of DNA without necessarily changing its structure, through microRNA’s circulating in the blood and regulating gene expression. In the current project, we will assess if these microRNA play a role in the response to exercise training and whether they can help us in prescribing the optimal exercise type and volume. In the future, this research eventually could lead to identi- fication of novel ‘drugable’ therapies for heart failure by using these exercise-microRNA’s.

47 FUND HENRI & JEANNINE OEHM AND FUND ELIANE DUBOIS C ANCER Alain Hendlisz & Malou Vicente Dept Digestive Oncology - Bordet Institute, rue Héger-Bordet 1 - 1000 Brussels +32 (0)2-541 73 65 [email protected] [email protected] 265.000 €

“Primum non nocere” Assessment of Metabolic and pathological Response to Treatment with Radio- chemotherapy (RCT) before Surgery in locally advanced Esophageal and gastro-esophageal junction cancer: ARTemIS-E phase I study Esophageal cancer carries a poor prognosis despite curative sur- gery and preoperative radiochemotherapy. The ARTemIS-E study addresses the innovative question of the prediction of response to radiochemotherapy through tumour sensitivity testing 1 course of chemotherapy before beginning of radiotherapy. We intent to test the capacity of FDG-PET to rapidly detect the absence of tumor response to preoperative treatment, based on data suggesting that FDG-PET is an excellent tool to predict early during chemotherapy the absence of benefit to this chemotherapy. Additionally, some preliminary data suggest that this prediction may extent to radiochemotherapy using the same drug. This opens the path for innovative trials where the impact of chemo- and radio-resistance could be comprehensively studied with potential differential approaches for responding and non-responding patients. Esophageal cancer, through its easy accessibility by endoscopy, provides furthermore a perfect model for a thorough translational research on tumoral and plasmatic determinants of resistance to combined CRT.

49 FUND MARO ASTHMA Guy Joos Dept Pneumology – UGent, De Pintelaan 185 - 9000 Gent +32-(0)9-332 26 11 [email protected] 50.000 €

“Teamwork and collaboration Research into mechanisms of neutrophilic paves the way towards asthma understanding severe asthma Asthma is a common chronic disease which is characterized by and finding new treatment inflammation of the airways. It occurs in all age groups and both options for patients with unmet environmental and genetic factors play a crucial role in the patho- needs” genesis. A majority of patients with asthma can be controlled by the currently available inhalation therapy. However 10% of adults with asthma develop severe asthma, which is difficult to treat. Severe asthma can be categorized in different inflammatory phenotypes depending on the inflammatory profile (eosinophilic vs neutrophilic). Neutrophilic asthma has been linked to the inhalation of both indoor and outdoor air pollutants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved small single-stranded noncoding RNA-molecules which control gene expression. Our research project will examine the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of neutrophilic asthma. We hope to find specific biomarkers or molecular mechanisms that will pave the way for spe- cific (add-on) treatment.

51 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Nisha Limaye de Duve Institute - UCL, Avenue Hippocrate 75 – 1200 Brussels [email protected] 25.000 €

“Our research is Ethiopathogenesis of Systemic Sclerosis motivated by the desire Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic rheumatic disease of unknown cause, to find better ways to in which the skin and internal organs develop areas of fibrous (tough, scar- help people suffering like) tissue that interferes with their normal function. While rare, SSc is lethal: overall survival is estimated to be 66% at ten years, but is reduced to just from diseases. We hope 28% by three years for patients with lung fibrosis and pulmonary arterial that by identifying the hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries connecting the heart and genetic basis of disease lungs). There are currently no treatments. An understanding of the genetic and understanding and molecular changes that cause SSc will allow us to identify therapies that can be used to normalize these changes and therefore ameliorate disease. exactly how and why these changes cause While SSc generally occurs in individuals without any family history of the pathology, we will learn disease, rare families with multiple affected individuals do exist. By carrying which molecular tools are out DNA-sequencing and identifying those genetic changes that are present in all affected members but not in unaffected members of such families, it is most likely to be effective possible to identify the gene-mutations that cause their disease. The genes against them. Not only identified to cause disease in these families will then be tested for mutations does this type of research in large numbers of patients. We will also study how cells carrying such mutations are affected, and identify drugs that have the capacity to restore hold out the hope of these cells to normalcy. These then represent potential therapies that can being able to alleviate in the future be tested for their safety and effectiveness against the disease. suffering more effectively, it also yields important insights into the basic function of these genes and the role that they play in our biology”

53 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Valérie Badot Dept of Rheumatology, Erasme -ULB, Route de Lennik 808 - 1070 Brussels [email protected] 15.000 €

“This study will evaluate Evaluation of aerobic and resistance the physical capacity of combination exercise training in patients with RA patients and the effect rheumatoid arthritis of aerobic and resistance Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disorder with combination exercise a poor prognosis if the disease is not sufficiently controlled related training. We want to to joint destruction. Decreased of physical activities, poor quality of improve medical care in life, numerous co-morbidities and increased mortality are frequently RA with a multidisciplinary associated with RA. Besides adequate medical care, exercise therapy and approach” physical activity are crucial for managing symptoms and co-morbidities in RA. Little is known about aerobic and functional physical profile of RA patients. Intensive exercise therapy including aerobic, dynamic and resistance exercises could be proposed in the management of RA patients as it is recommended for healthy patients. In this project we would like, on the one hand, to study the functional and aerobic physical capacity of stable RA patients using cardiorespiratory exercise testing by a standard cycle ergometer. On the other hand, we will evaluate in RA patients the effect of aerobic and resistance combination exercise training coached by a physiotherapist on disease activity and functional severity or on functional and aerobic physical capacity, during 3 and 12 months. Finally, we will study the adherence of patients to this program.

55 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Laure Tant Dept of Rheumatology, Erasme - ULB Route de Lennik 808 - 1070 Brussels [email protected] 20.000 €

“The discovery of Study of bronchial and alveolar inflammation in a link between lung spondyloarthritis patients abnormalities and In axial spondyloarthritis, affecting primarily young adults, new bone spondyloarthritis would formations lead to progressive ankylosis of the axial skeleton with have a direct impact on secondary loss of mobility of the spine and gradual disability. the management of these patients” Lung lesions visualized in patients with ankylosing spondylitis are usually attributed to the loss of chest expansion entailed by this pathology. High resolution imaging has enabled the detection of lung abnormalities in patients with shorter disease duration and with normal chest X-rays. However, the pathophysiology of lung disease in these earlier forms of spondyloarthritis remains understudied and poorly understood.

This research project aims to characterize lung abnormalities detected by imaging and by pulmonary function tests in patients suffering from axial spondyloarthritis. Local inflammatory processes will be studied using non-invasive methods through the characterization of the cellular and cytokine profile in patient’s sputum. A potential relationship will be sought between clinical symptoms, lung abnormalities and systemic inflammatory profile of these patients.

57 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Anne Durnez Dept of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Avenue Hippocrate 10 - 1200 Brussels +32 (0)2 764 53 91 [email protected] 17.500 €

Quality of life in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta and in their family care givers The aim of project is to investigate quality of life in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta and in their family caregivers.This study is initiated by the multidisciplinary center for treatment of Osteogenesis Imperfecta of Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc in collaboration with the center for Medical Genetics of and the Gait laboratory of the Institute of Neurosciences of the Université catholique de Louvain. It will be coordinated by Anne Durnez.

Investigators Anne Durnez (1,2,3), Fransiska Malfait (4), Pierre-Louis Docquier (5,6), Christine Detrembleur (7), Jean-Pierre Devogelaer (1) 1. Dept of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Brussels 2. Dept of Rheumatology, AZ Jan Portaels Vilvoorde 3. Dept of Rheumatology, Parc Leopold Brussels 4. Center for Medical Genetics, UZ Gent 5. Dept of Orthopedic Surgery, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Brussels 6. Institut de recherche clinique & expérimentale, Cliniques universitaires Saint- Luc UCL Brussels 7. Institute of Neurosciences, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Brussels

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a group of disorders caused by impairment of collagen biosynthesis leading to bone fragility and characterized by low-energy fractures, and frequently dentinogenesis imperfecta (abnormal formation of teeth) and hearing loss. This can lead to physical disability influencing the quality of life of the young patients and of their parents. The estimated incidence of this rare disease is 1 in 10 000 to 20 000 live births. Only few studies have examined the quality of life of children with OI and/or of their family caregivers. Moreover, no data are available for OI patients in Belgium. In this context, the objective of our study is to assess the quality of life of in children and adolescents with OI and in their family caregivers. Furthermore we aim to identify which clinical, functional, biochemical and imaging characteristics are associated with disa- bility and disease perception in OI. We hope that our study will indicate ways to improve quality of life of our young patients. 59 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Thijs Swinnen Belgian Health Professionals in Rheumatology Stuivenbergbaan 70 – 2800 Mechelen +32-(0)496-96 05 38 [email protected] 22.500 €

“If you can dream it, Towards high quality care for rheumatic and you can do it” musculoskeletal diseases in Belgium Walt Disney Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) are the most com- mon cause of disability in the European Union. Also, the reduced quality of life and cost of care add to the patient’s burden of disease. The complex nature of RMDs and its consequences requires evidence-based multidisciplinary care often combining pharmaco- logical, non-pharmacological and/or surgical treatment approaches. Unfortunately, the evidence-based ‘standards of care’ are poorly disseminated and implemented by care providers, patient’s and policy makers. Therefore this project aims to 1) identify educational needs of all stakeholders involved in the care of patients with RMDs in Belgium, 2) to systematically review all existing guidelines and quality indicators in the care of RMDs by health professionals and make them available ‘at the bedside’ for all stakeholders via an online platform after trans- lation in Dutch and French, and 3) to develop a novel modular course for health professionals to increase their competences to evaluate and treat patients with RMDs and 4) to evaluate its feasibility (is it possible to organize) and efficacy (is it helpful?).

61 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Muhammad Soyfoo Dept of Rheumatology, Erasme - ULB Route de Lennik 808 - 1070 Brussels [email protected] 12.500 €

“Because of the In vivo non-invasive skin imaging of cutaneous heterogeneous aspect involvement in systemic sclerosis of systemic sclerosis, Systemic sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease, the drive for this characterized by thickening of the skin. The involvement of internal project is primarily the organs such as the kidney, lungs, esophagus, heart, gastrointestinal early diagnosis of the tract, can be life-threatening. The degree of skin thickness, predictive disease and, hence of systemic involvement, is evaluated clinically by palpation and better management of calculating the modified Rodnan score. However, it is neither an patients” objective nor reproducible monitoring tool. In the past decade, several non-invasive diagnostic tools have emerged for the diagnosis and the management of skin diseases. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD -OCT) are two innovative cutaneous imaging techniques. They allow the three-dimensional and real-time study of the morphology of the skin, from the surface to the superficial dermis. These techniques differ in terms of resolution, penetration depth and, therefore, clinical applicability. In sclerosis, histology is characterized by epidermal atrophy associated with a flattening of the basal membrane. Thickening and flattening of the collagen fibers are also observed in the papillary dermis in histopathological analysis.

These morphological changes, by their superficial localization, could therefore be viewed by OCT and HD-OCT. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of these two techniques in the management of patients with systemic sclerosis.

63 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON RHEUMATOLOGY Diederik Decock & Kristien Van der Elst Dept of Rheumatology - KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - 3000 Leuven [email protected] [email protected] 7.500 €

“By patients for patients” Peer monitoring: essential for care in rheumatic diseases How do patients with early rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatologists, nurses and patients’ organizations evaluate peer mentoring by an expert patient? A qualitative exploratory study . A gap appears to exist between the information that patients need and the information given to these patients in reality. Healthcare pro- fessionals do not have the same personal experience of illness as for example a patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Hence, we began looking for an additional strategy that could provide patients sufficient and accurate information based on their specific needs and require- ments, such as engaging RA patients themselves. The knowledge, skills and experiences of these patients can be used as a valuable and additional education and guidance method for other people with the same chronic condition, a concept called ‘peer mentoring’. In Flanders, such structured counseling for patients with early RA is not yet imple- mented. Via an exploratory qualitative research design we want to investigate the need for a possible implementation of a peer mentoring program for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

65 FUND MARIE-THÉRÈSE DE LAVA AGEING Catherine Bolly Institute for langage & communication ILC – UCL Place Blaise Pascal 1 bte L3.03.33 - 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve +32 (0)473 75 37 97 [email protected] 25.000 €

Jeanne (85 y. old): “well you Verbal and nonverbal language in ageing. know you always wonder A naturalistic approach to study the emotional how will be the end of your and attitudinal behavior of very old people in life” Lena: “mm mm” real-world settings Jeanne: “you don’t know There is currently some evidence that adaptive strategies are at nobody knows” play in the aging process, invoked by speakers to reach social and Lena: “mm mm” communicative goals during interaction. In line with this view, our Jeanne: “so I try not to think work addresses questions that are of crucial importance for a better about it (laughs)” understanding of the age-related features of language in later life. These questions are, among others: can emotional and attitudinal states of older people (e.g. anxiety, wellness, etc.) be inferred from their way of speaking and gesturing? To what extent does the degree of familiarity between interlocutors have an impact on the older person’s communication mode? The Corpage and CorpAGEst pro- jects explore the ability of old people (aged over 75 year old) to use emotional and attitudinal expressions in a contextually appropriate manner (for example: euh ‘ur’, you know ‘tu sais’ in speech; shoulders’ shrugs, smiles, or finger pointing in gesture). The results obtained give insight into the way speech and gestures combine to convey pragmatic meaning in language use, with respect to individual varia- tion and similarities. The innovative method, which is based on the analysis of audio- and video-recorded interviews, provides an answer to the increasingly evident need to resort to naturalistic methods in the area of aging, moving from experiments in the laboratory towards empirical studies ‘into the wild’.

67 FUND MALOU MALOU NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES IN ELDERLY Chantal Van Audenhove LUCAS, Centrum voor zorgonderzoek en consultancy - KU Leuven Minderbroedersstraat 8/bus 5310 - 3000 Leuven [email protected] 120 .000 €

“The main objective ‘We DECide': Improving end-of-life care in in my research is to residential care improve the quality of Many older persons have dementia. When they receive the diagnosis, life of persons with a it is important to discuss how they want to be cared for, now and at vulnerability. The focus is the end of life. However, all too often, we do not discuss with them on the implementation of matters that concern them the most, such as end-of-life choices. We innovations in care and take too much for granted that they are no longer able to express their care policy. Talking of end- views. LUCAS KU Leuven, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, developed WeDECide, a communication training for good palliative of-life choices in dementia care for people with dementia in long-term care facilities. Care profes- care is such an innovation” sionals learn how they can raise the subject and share decisions with residents, taking into account the important barriers dementia poses on communication. Care professionals acquire skills and heighten their competence in talking and listening to people with dementia. Together they realize a personalized end-of-life care plan, with respect for the choices of the person with dementia and their loved ones.

69 FUND SUZANNE DUCHESNE PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN CANCER Barbara Gabriel Institut de recherche en sciences psychologiques IPSY - UCL Place du Cardinal Mercier 10 – 1348 Louvain la Neuve +32-(0)489-19 66 62 [email protected] 292.165 €

“Generating insight Gender specific needs in couples coping with into stress coping and prostate cancer: what’s the potential benefit regulation processes in of intimacy and we-ness? couples should help to Project call and granting in cooperation with Kom op tegen Kanker protect patients’ biological, individual and relationship Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently occurring forms of well-being” cancer. To receive this diagnosis is a critical life event characterized by pervasive physical complaints as well as psychological distress for patients. But not only patients, also their wives and their marital relationships are affected by this stress. In the psychological research literature prostate cancer is often described as ‘couple’s disease’ as posing many challenges for both partners and has to be coped with together in dyadic interaction. The present project investigates stress regulation and coping processes in couples during 2 years following treatments for prostate cancer (at 4 time points). The study focuses on gender specific aspects of dealing with the disease as well as on the potential role of we-ness, common dyadic coping, intimacy, and stress- and cancer-relevant biological indicators. For this a combina- tion of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, observed marital interaction tasks and biomarkers will be applied. With the current study we also hope to sensitize the general public for the vulnerability of these couples and the importance of psychological, and relationship relevant aspects of cancer. The research project will be realized by researchers from the Université catholique de Louvain, the Free University of Brussels, Ghent University, in close collaboration with the Universities of Geneva and Zurich.

71 FUND FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON AIDS Christiana Nöstlinger Dept of Public Health, Group HIV and Sexual Health IHAC (ITM HIV/AIDS Center) Institute of Tropical Medicine ITG, Nationalestraat 155 - 2000 + 32-(0)497-166 226 [email protected] 149.993 €

“As a psychologist and ‘I-mash’: Improving adherence and sexual social scientist, I’m health for men having sex with men (MSM) interested in understanding Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new and effective HIV preven- people’s behavior and how tion strategy not yet available on the market. People can take HIV they the world around them medication as a prevention pill, similar to oral contraceptives. But influences what they think little is known about how people at risk for HIV infection such as men and do, also when it comes having sex with men (MSM) will use it. This new method has its chal- lenges: it requires high adherence, and it does not protect against to their sexuality. Through other sexually transmitted infections. this interdisciplinary research effort, we hope This study investigates how we best can support MSM in optimally to contribute to improving using PrEP. We will develop two counseling interventions together HIV prevention and sexual with MSM: group counseling led by a psychologist, and a smart phone application for self-management. 200 men will use these inter- health so that people can ventions, and will be followed up during 9 months. We will measure feel safe when having sex” changes in terms of adherence and sexual well-being. The findings are important to understand how people can be educated and sup- ported in taking PrEP.

i-mash: improving adherence and sexual health for men having sex with men (MSM)

1. Participatory development of two interventions

2. Intervention evaluation: adherence, sexual health

n=100 n=100

3. Results dissemination, practical guidance: how to deliver PrEP within a combination prevention strategy in Belgium? 73 JURIES Our special thanks go to the jury members for their valuable contribution to the evaluation of the applicants 2015. On the base of their assessment work, the members of the Fund Management Committees were able to take well founded and argued decisions on the selection of the laureates.

Fund Druwé-Eerdekens Fund Sophia Patrick Cras, Head of dept Neurology – UZA Alberto Albanese, Director Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Anne Jeanjean, dept Neurology & Psychiatry – Neurologico Carlo Besta – Milano, IT Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Alain Maertens de Noordhout, clinical Director dept Eric Salmon, Medical director Cyclotron Research Neurology – CHR Citadelle Liège Center – ULg Niall Quinn, honorary consultant neurologist at the Michel Van Zandijcke, neurologist National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK Diederik Zegers de Beyl, dept Neurology – ULB Ritje Schouppe-Moons , chairwoman MSA-AMS.be Fund Dr Gustave Delport François Tison, Institute for degenerative diseases – CHU Bordeaux, FR Eric Constant, dept Adult Psychiatry – Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Fund John W. Mouton Pro Retina Gustave Moonen, Prof. em. of Neurology & former dean Patrick De Potter, clinical Director dept Ophalmology – Faculty of Medicine – ULg Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Daniel Souery, Director Psy Pluriel, European Center for Anneke D’Hollander, associate Professor Ophtalmology, medical psychology Radboud University Medical Center – Nijmegen, NL Fund Maaike Lars Trees Christian Hamel, dept Ophtalmology &Institute of neurosciences, CHU Montpellier, FR Colin D. Johnson, Prof. Surgical Sciences & Honorary Consultant Surgeon – University Hospital Southampton, Andrew Dick, Prof. Opthalmology, Bristol Eye Hospital, UK UK Adnan Tufail, Consultant ophtalmologist, Moorfields Eye Marc Mareel, dept of Radiotherapy & Experimental Hospital, UK Cancer Research - UGent Marc Tischkowitz, dept of Medical Genetics - Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge, UK Fund Dr & Mrs René Tagnon Fund for scientific research on Rheumatology Alex Lipski, dept Cardiology, Erasme ULB Nele Caeyers, chairwoman ReumaNet nonprofit Eric Stoupel, clinical Director dept Cardiology, organization Clinique Edith Cavell Philippe Carron, chairman ‘Hand in hand: samen tegen Philippe Van de Borne, director dept. Cardiology, Reuma’ Erasme ULB Ilse De Keyser, general coordinator ReumaNet nonprofit Jean-Luc Vandenbossche, clinical Director dept. organization Cardiology, CHU St Pierre Filip De Keyser, dept Rheumatology, Thierry Verbeet, clinical Director dept Cardiology, AZ Alma Campus Sijsele CHU Brugmann (Horta) Saskia Decuman, Expert research & development, dept of benefits RIZIV/INAMI Fund Joseph Oscar Waldmann-Berteau Dirk Elewaut, dept Rheumatology, UZ Gent Guy Berkenboom, clinical Director dept Cardiology, Valérie Gangji, dept Rheumatology, Erasme ULB Erasme ULB Xavier Janssens, dept Rheumatology, AZ Sint-Lucas Gent Guy De Backer, Prof. em. Cardiology, UZ Gent Bernard Lauwerys, clinical Director dept Rheumatology, Victor Legrand, dept Cardiology, CHR Citadelle Liège Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc UCL Angela Maas, dept Cardiology, University Medical Center Rik Lories, Skeletal Biology & Engineering Research Radboud Nijmegen, NL Center, UZ Leuven Agnès Pasquet, dept Cardiology, Cliniques universitaires Roger Mosselmans, chairman Fonds de Recherche Saint-Luc UCL Sclérodermie William Wijns, co-Director Cardiovascular Center OLV Clio Ribbens, dept Rheumatology, CHR Citadelle Liège Ziekenhuis Aalst Dieter Van Assche, dept Rehabilitation Sciences, UZ Leuven Fund Maro Bernadette Van Leeuw, chairwoman Association Lupus Erythémateux nonprofit organization Marc Decramer, Executive director UZ Leuven Renaud Louis, clinical Director dept. Pneumology, CHR Citadelle Liège Wim Stevens, Prof. em. dept Pneumology- Allergology, UA Geert Verleden, clinical Director dept Pneumology, UZ Leuven

75 Fund Marie-Thérèse De Lava Fund Suzanne Duchesne Marie-Thérèse Casman, Institute of Human and Social Frank Buntinx, Academic Center for General Practice, Sciences, ULg KU Leuven Mark Leys, dept Medical sociology, VUB Sophie Buyse, Cancer & Psychology non-profit Herman Nys, Interfaculty Centre for Biomedial Ethics organization and Law, KU Leuven Elsie Decoene, clinical nurse specialist Oncology, UZ Gent Christian Swine, associated clinical Director Geriatric Caroline Festraets, oncology nurse – coordinator, medicine CHU Montgodinne, UCL Clinique et Maternité Sainte-Elisabeth Maria Grypdonck, prof. em. Nursing department, UGent Fund Malou Malou Emmanuel Keirse, Academic Center for General Practice, Marijke Eyssen , expert KCE KU Leuven Anne Jeanjean, dept Neurology, UCL Régine Kiasuwa Mbengi, expert, Cancer Center, ISP/WIV Laurent Lefebvre, Head of dept Cognitive psychology Darius Razavi, clinical Director dept Psycho-oncology and and Neuropsychology, UMons supportive care Bordet Institute, ULB Tony Mets, dept. Gerontology, VUB Marleen Theunis, psychologist, UGent Sabine Tordeur, expert, KCE Lieve Van den Block, prof. at End of Life Care Research Group, Palliative care in long term care, VUB Carine Van Wanseele, Trefpunt Zelfhulp nonprofit organization, Leuven

Fund for scientific research on AIDS Manuel Battegay, Professor of infectious Diseases and internal Medicine at the university of Basel, CH Michel Caraël, independent Prevention expert & social scientist, FR Caroline Anne Sabin, Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Royal Free & University College Medical School, UK FUNDS FOR MEDICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MANAGED BY THE KING BAUDOUIN FOUNDATION Contact our team for more information:

Gerrit Rauws director

Annemie T’Seyen scientific secretariat +32-(0)2-549 03 03 [email protected]

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