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BEMGI - Belgian Medical
Genomics Initiative
The aim of BeMGI is to establish a vibrant network devoted
tomedical genomics inorder to: (1) boost individual research
eforts towards understanding the biology of disease
by promoting collaborative exploitation of the most
advanced genomic tools; (2) develop approaches
to predict clinical outcome from genomic informa-
tion and fulfl a pilot role towards concerted integra-
tion of genomic information in clinical care in Belgium;
and (3) play a catalyzing role in preparing the next
generation of genomics researchers, informing medical
practitioners about evolving trends in medical genomics,
and conducting public outreach.
Network composition
Coordinator:
Michel Georges (ULg)
Belgian partners: Gert Matthijs (KUL), Séverine Vermeire
(KUL), Guy Van Camp (Antwerpen University), Miikka Vik-
kula (UCL), Anne De Paepe (Gent), Denis Franchimont (ULB)
International partners: Gert-Jan Van Ommen (Leiden Uni-
versity, The Netherlands), Peter Visscher (Queensland Insti-
tute of Medical Research, Australia)
T-TIME - T lymphocytes: from basic
biology to immunotherapy
The major objective of the present proposal is to gain insights into
the mechanisms whereby antigen-stimulated T lymphocytes acquire
and express adequate efector function during an immune response.
The long term goal of our project is to devise strategies that would
enable us to selectively induce, in clinical settings, the diferentiation of
antigen-specifc T cells toward a pre-determined functional status
(efector or regulator depending on the aimed pathology), while mini-
mizing toxicity to healthy tissues. Such strategies could be used to
treat cancer (immunotherapy of cancer) or other diseases in which the
immune response is not appropriate (e.g. asthma).
Network composition
Coordinator : Leo Oberdan (ULB)
Belgian partners: Muriel Moser (ULB), Kris Thielemans (VUB), Pierre Cou-
lie (UCL), Jean-Christophe Renauld (UCL),
Fabrice Bureau (ULg)
, Bart
Vandekerckhove (UGent), Adrian Liston (KUL), Niels Hellings (UHasselt)
International partners: Carl Figdor (Radboud University Nijmegen, The
Netherlands), Carola Vinuesa ( Australian National University, Australia)
DISCOBEL - Molecular Signaling
in Cell Death and Infammation: an
integrative approach from basic
mechanisms to disease models.
The infammatory response is crucial in host defense and
recovery from injury. Although it has primarily a benefcial
efect, infammation can also act as a double-edged sword
when not properly controlled. Consequently, a large num-
ber of infammatory diseases, either acute or chronic, result
from deregulation of important infammatory checkpoints.
Our network aims (1) to identify molecular mechanisms and
signal transduction pathways that control and regulate cell
death and infammation, (2) to establish their relevance
in mouse models of infectious or sterile infammatory
diseases, and in cancer models available in our network, and
(3) to translate this basic knowledge into potential thera-
peutic applications.
Network composition
Coordinator: Peter Vandenabeele (University of Ghent)
Belgian partners: Patrizia Agostinis (KUL),
Jacques Piette
(ULG)
and Michael Kalai (ISP-Brussels).
International partners: Simone Fulda (Goethe University
Frankfurt, Germany) and Afshin Samali (National University
of Ireland, Galway, Ireland)
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