1 ANNUAL REPORT 2025
03 02 Finally, we firmly believe that scientific excellence cannot be achieved without a healthy and respectful work environment. In step with societal changes, we have made well-being at work a priority. This includes placing greater emphasis on the quality of professional relationships among all GIGA members. Fostering a culture of trust, openness, and mutual respect is essential to allow everyone to thrive and do their very best work. We would also like to sincerely thank all of our partners and funding organizations. Their support, whether institutional, public, or private, is essential to the fulfillment of our mission. It allows us to pursue ambitious research programs, support innovation, attract talented researchers, and maintain an environment of scientific excellence. In an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving context, their commitment is more valuable than ever. Finally, we extend our deepest thanks to all members of GIGA. Their dedication, creativity, expertise, and daily engagement are the foundation of everything we accomplish. The achievements highlighted in this report are first and foremost theirs, and we look forward to continuing this collective journey together. Brigitte Malgrange, Laurent Nguyen, Clio Ribbens & Sandrina Evrard The year 2025 has consolidated the transformations initiated in 2024, driven by a clear ambition: to bring fundamental research ever closer to clinical practice to better meet patients’ needs. This direction, at the core of our vision, has led to tangible progress that we can collectively be proud of. One of the most important developments of the past year has been the strengthening of interactions between GIGA researchers and clinicians at CHU Liège. This growing proximity is reflected in an increasing number of joint initiatives, collaborative projects, and translational research publications. The success of the “From Bench to Bedside” seminar series further illustrates the value of creating opportunities for dialogue between researchers and clinicians. Nearly every session has generated new collaborations and reinforced our conviction that scientific and medical innovation emerges most effectively when disciplines and expertise converge around common goals. This momentum encourages us to deepen our partnership with CHU Liège. Remaining closely connected to patients, understanding their needs, and translating these insights into scientific discoveries and improved healthcare solutions are more important than ever. We believe this is the path biomedical research must follow, and one that GIGA is fully committed to pursuing. We are also committed to continuing to develop interactions with other research units at the University of Liège. Interdisciplinarity, which was at the heart of the GIGA project when it was created nearly twenty years ago, must now be reaffirmed even more strongly. The scientific and societal challenges we face require cross-disciplinary approaches that bring together a wide range of expertise. Edito
4 5 Organization chart Cancer Signaling Pierre Close Cellular and Molecular Epigenetics Luc Willems Connective Tissue Biology Alain Colige Experimental Pathology Michael Herfs* Human Genetics - Breast Cancer Vincent Bours Cancer Stemness Francesca Rapino Metabolic Regulation Arnaud Blomme* Medical Chemistry Alain Chariot Metastases Research Akeila Bellahcene Mitochondria in Cell Communication Stéphanie Herkenne Mol. Analysis of Gene Expression Denis Mottet Molecular Angiogenesis Ingrid Struman* Tumours and Development Biology Agnès Noël Zebrafish Development /Pancreas Marianne Voz Gene Expression & Cancer Franck Dequiedt Anesthesia and Prioperative Neuro Vincent Bonhomme* Clinical Neurology Pierre Maquet Coma Science Group Olivia Gosseries Conscious Care Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse Developmental Neurobiology Brigitte Malgrange Mol. Regulation of Neurogenesis Laurent Nguyen MoVeRe Gaëtan Garraux Nervous System Disorders & Therapy Bernard Rogister Neuroendocrinology J Bakker*, C Cornil, AS Parent Neuroimaging, data acquisition Christophe Phillips Neurophysiology Vincent Seutin NeuroRecovery Aurore Thibaut, Nicolas Lejeune Physiology of Cognition Athena Demertzi Sleep and Health Gilles Vandewalle* Cellular & Molecular Immunobiology Fabrice Bureau Hematology Jo Caers Immunology & Infectious Disease Michel Moutschen Immunometabolims & Nutrition Sylvie Legrand, Nathalie Esser Immunophysiology Thomas Marichal* Mol. Immunology & Signal Transd. Emmanuel Dejardin Pneumology Renaud Louis Rhumatology Clio Ribbens Translational Gastroenterology Edouard Louis Virology & Immunology Catherine Sadzot Cardiology Cécile Oury, Patrizio Lancellotti* Translat. research in Nephrology François Jouret Innov. Therapies in Intensive Care Thomas Desaive Surgery Research Vincent Tchana-Sato, Olivier Detry Biomechanisms Liesbet Geris* BIO3 Kristel Van Steen Fonctional Genetics Stéphane Schurmans Human Genetics Vincent Bours Molecular Pharmacology Julien Hanson* Mol biol &funct evol of sens. systems Marjorie Lienard Nuclear Medicine Roland Hustinx Radiochemistry Thibaut Gendron Animal Genomics Tom Druet, Keith Durkin Viral Interactome Networks Jean-Claude Twizere Zebrafish Development Bernard Peers Cancer NEUROSCIENCE IMMUNOBIOLOGY Metabo & Cardio MolEC & COMPUT BUREAU : DIRECTION & ADMINISTRATORS* DIRECTION - BRIGITTE MALGRANGE, LAURENT NGUYEN, CLIO RIBBENS, SANDRINA EVRARD Direction Carine Bebrone Genomics Wouter Coppieters Cell Imaging & Flow Cytometry Sandra Ormenese In vivo Imaging Gilles Vandewalle & Fabienne Collette Immunohistology Chantal Humblet Viral Vectors Emmanuel Di Valentin Gene Editing Hélène Pendeville Proteomics Dominique Baiwir Bioinformatics Arnaud Lavergne HIPS & Organoids Ira Espuny Camacho Animal Facilities Pierre Drion PLATEFORMES SUPPORT Accounting Dir : Sandrina Evrard Team : Donatienne Boxus Marie Castronovo Marc Jacquemotte Sandrine L’heureux Axelle Lio Eva Mashyaka Teresa Orsini Infrastructure Dir : Isabelle Danese Team : Mickaël Dourcy Fabienne Simart Reception desk Gaëlle Massart Communication Aurélie Gouverneur Memory & Pathological Aging Christine Bastin Chronobiology & Cognition Christina Schmidt Succesful and Health Fabienne Collette 57 labs 580 people 10 platforms 41 people 13 people
6 7 Key facts publications
8 9 Targeting ferroptosis resistance resensitizes metastatic HR(+)HER2(-) breast cancer cells to palbociclib-hormone therapy Pottier C, Montero-Ruiz L, Jehay R, Wery C, Baiwir D, Mazzucchelli G, Bekisz S, Thissen R, Josse C, Rorive A, Gofflot S, Dahmani A, Morisset L, Collignon J, Delvenne P, Marangoni E, Noël A, Jerusalem G, Sounni NE. Cancer Commun (Lond). 2025 Jan 13. doi:10.1002/cac2.12646. Association of fibrotic-related extracellular vesicle microRNAs with lung involvement in systemic sclerosis Guiot J, André B, Potjewijd J, Jacquerie P, Cremers S, Henket M, Idoufkir L, Remacle C, Tobal R, Giltay L, Moermans C, Gester F, Polese B, Hamaïdia M, Struman I, Louis E, Malaise M, de Seny D, van Paassen P, Louis R, Ribbens C, Njock MS. Eur Respir J. 2025 Feb 13:2400276. doi:10.1183/13993003.00276-2024. Targeting uPARAP Modifies Lymphatic Vessel Architecture and Attenuates Lymphedema Gucciardo F, Lebeau A, Pirson S, Buntinx F, Ivanova E, Blacher S, Brouillard P, Deroye J, Baudin L, Pirnay A, Morfoisse F, Villette C, Nizet C, Lallemand F, Munaut C, Alitalo K, Geris L, Vikkula M, Gautier-Isola M, Noel A. Circulation. 2025 Mar 4. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072093. PMID:40035133. REM sleep quality is associated with balanced tonic activity of the locus coeruleus during wakefulness Mortazavi N, Talwar P, Koshmanova E, Sharifpour R, Beckers E, Berger A, Campbell I, Paparella I, Balda F, Dardour Hamzaoui I, Berthomier C, Bastin C, Phillips C, Maquet P, Collette F, Zubkov M, Lamalle L, Vandewalle G. J Biomed Sci. 2025 Mar 11;32(1):35. doi:10.1186/s12929-025-01127-9. RANKL blockade inhibits cancer growth through reversing the tolerogenic profile of tumor-infiltrating (plasmacytoid) dendritic cells Pilard C, Roncarati P, Ancion M, Luyckx M, Renard M, Reynders C, Lerho T, Poulain F, Bruyere D, Lebeau A, Hendrick E, Crake R, Peiffer R, Nokin MJ, Peulen O, Delvenne P, Hubert P, Herfs M. J Immunother Cancer. 2025 Mar 13;13(3):e010753. doi:10.1136/jitc-2024-010753. A neuroscientific model of near-death experiences Martial C, Fritz P, Gosseries O, Bonhomme V, Kondziella D, Nelson K, Lejeune N. Nat Rev Neurol. 2025 Jun;21(6):297-311. doi:10.1038/s41582-025-01072-z. Epub 2025 Mar 31. PMID:40159547. Can kisspeptin be a new treatment for sexual dysfunction? Bakker J. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Apr 5:S1043-2760(25)00047-5. doi:10.1016/j. tem.2025.03.002. Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Some of the best publications
10 11 Where is my mind? A neurocognitive investigation of mind blanking Andrillon T, Lutz A, Windt J, Demertzi A. Trends Cogn Sci. 2025 Jul;29(7):600-613. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.02.002. Epub 2025 Apr 24. PMID:40280833. Subversion of mRNA degradation pathways by EWSR1::FLI1 represents a therapeutic vulnerability in Ewing sarcoma Galvan B, Ongena L, Bruyr J, Fettweis G, Lucarelli E, Lavergne A, Mariavelle E, O’Grady TM, Hassoun ZEO, Claes M, Dubois L, Lee KAW, Kruys V, Gueydan C, Durand J, Hervouet E, Geyer FH, Banito A, Imle R, Mao L, Jayavelu AK, Grünewald TGP, Cidre-Aranaz F, Twizere JC, Dequiedt F. Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 16;16(1):6537. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-61725-x. Targeting myoferlin in ER/Golgi vesicle trafficking reprograms pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts Peiffer R, Laverdeur E, Gaigneaux A, Boumahd Y, Gullo C, Rademaker G, Crake R, Lavergne A, Maloujahmoum N, Agirman F, Herfs M, Masamune A, Letellier E, Bellahcène A, Peulen O. EMBO J. 2025 Nov;44(22):6425-6465. doi:10.1038/s44318-025-00570-6. A viral clonality evenness score to predict progression to adult T-cell leukaemia in asymptomatic carriers of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 in Japan: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study Karpe SD, Artesi M, Wayet J, Durkin K, Hahaut V, Uchimaru K, Makiyama J, Iwanaga M, Utsunomiya A, Kolijn PM, Langerak AW, Burny A, Marçais A, Hermine O, Watanabe T, Georges M, Van den Broeke A. Lancet Microbe. 2025 Nov;6(11):101198. doi: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2025.101198. Endothelial-driven TGFβ signaling supports lung interstitial macrophage development from monocytes Peng W, Vanneste D, Bejarano D, Abinet J, Meunier M, Radermecker C, Perin F, Cataldo D, Bureau F, Schlitzer A, Bai Q, Marichal T. Sci Immunol. 2024;9:eado1227. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adr4977. Transcription factors form a ternary complex with NIPBL/ MAU2 to localize cohesin at enhancers Fettweis G, Wagh K, Stavreva DA, Jiménez-Panizo A, Kim S, Lion M, Alegre-Martí A, Rinaldi L, Johnson TA, Gilson E, Krishnamurthy M, Wang L, Ball DA, Karpova TS, Upadhyaya A, Vertommen D, Recio JF, Estébanez-Perpiñá E, Dequiedt F, Hager GL. Nucleic Acids Res. 2025 May 10;53(9):gkaf415. doi:10.1093/nar/gkaf415. Loss of STARD7 Triggers Metabolic Reprogramming and Cell Cycle Arrest in Breast Cancer Dondajewska E, Allepuz-Fuster P, Maurizy C, Hego A, Ormenese S, Lion Q, Blomme A, Close P, Lavergne A, Karim L, Thiry M, Nemazanyy I, Krishnankutty R, Marques J Jr, von Kriegsheim A, Henneman NF, Panasyuk G, Shostak K, Chariot A. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 May 30:e03022. doi:10.1002/advs.202503022. Poly(hydroxy-oxazolidone) Thermoplastic Elastomers for Safer, Greener and Customizable Blood-Contacting Medical Devices Melo SF, Pierrard A, Lifrange F, Caliari M, D’Emal C, Debuisson M, Sardon H, Delvenne P, Lancellotti P, Detrembleur C, Jérôme C, Oury C. Adv Healthc Mater. 2025 Jun 19:e2502670. Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication
12 13 A Virtual Clinical Trial of Psychedelics to Treat Patients With Disorders of Consciousness Alnagger NLN, Cardone P, Martial C, Sanz Perl Y, Mindlin I, Sitt JD, Roseman L, Carhart-Harris R, Nutt D, Mallaroni P, Mason N, Ramaekers JG, Bonhomme V, Laureys S, Deco G, Gosseries O, Núñez P, Annen J. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2026 Feb;13(11):e11780. doi:10.1002/advs.202511780. Epub 2025 Nov 20. PMID:41261994. Regional activity within the human amygdala varies with season, mood and illuminance Campbell I, Balda Aizpurua JF, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Beckers E, Mortazavi N, Read J, Phillips C, Collette F, Talwar P, Lamalle L, Zubkov M, Vandewalle G. Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 22;16(1):11559. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-67715-3. PMID:41430082. Age-related differences in the association between REM sleep and the polygenic risk for Parkinson’s disease Talwar P, Mortazavi N, Koshmanova E, Muto V, Gasparello A, Degueldre C, Berthomier C, Collette F, Bastin C, Phillips C, Maquet P, Mikhail Z, Vandewalle G. Ann Neurol. 2025 Dec 25. doi:10.1002/ana.78112.(1):6537. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-61725-x. Targeting myoferlin in ER/Golgi vesicle trafficking reprograms pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts. Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication Read the news Read the publication ALL THE PUBLICATIONS GIGA published 519 publications in 2025. You can find all these publications on the GIGA website or in ORBI, the ULiège repository : https://orbi.uliege.be Nor Eddine Sounni Julien Guiot Agnès Noël Gilles Vandewalle Mickaël Herfs Charlotte Martial Julie Bakker Thomas Marichal Grégory Fettweis Alain Chariot Cécile Oury Athena Demertzi Franck Dequiedt Olivier Peulen Anne Vanden Broeke Olivia Gosseries
15 14 Awards & Events Coraline Radermecker, winner of the 2025 Baillet Latour Biomedical Award Coraline Radermecker, FNRS Research Associate at the Immunophysiology Laboratory received the prestigious Baillet Latour Biomedical Award, worth one million euros, on 30 April 2025. This prize recognises promising biomedical research and aims to support the career of a talented young Belgian researcher for five years. With this 2025 prize, the Baillet Latour Fund is supporting Coraline’s work in the field of respiratory physiology, and in particular the role of pulmonary neutrophils. Thomas Desaive at the at the Belgian Pavilion of the Osaka World Expo Thomas Desaive represented Belgium at the World Expo in Osaka by showcasing cutting-edge research on virtual digital twins. Through ULiège and the EDITH program, his work focuses on improving intensive care via personalized models, such as glycemia control and cardiovascular response prediction—highlighting Belgium’s leadership in innovative, predictive healthcare technologies. Stéphanie Herkenne wins an Audacious Medical grant for her research into cancer immunotherapy Stéphanie Herkenne, a biochemist at the Mitochondria in Cell Communication (MICC) laboratory at the University of Liège, has just been awarded an Audacious Medical Grant 2025 for her innovative work in the field of cancer immunotherapy and her project «Reprogramming Tumour Communication: Diverting Extracellular Vesicles for a New Generation of Cancer Immunotherapy». Justine Huart Awarded the Alvarenga de Piauhy Prize Medal of the Royal Academy of Medicine Justine Huart is a researcher at the Laboratory of Translational Research in Nephrology at ULiège and a nephrologist at the University Hospital of Liège. Her work on the relationship between the gut microbiota and blood pressure, conducted as part of her doctoral thesis, has been honored with the Alvarenga de Piauhy Prize Medal awarded by the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium. Agustina Aragón Daud received an award from the Mind Science Foundation Agustina Aragon-Daud, PhD student at the Laboratory of Physiology of Cognition, receveived an award from the Brainstorm Neuroscience Pitch Competition with her project called «Mind Blanking: Looking at the Brain When Thoughts Disappear». Marie-Julie Nokin, Justine Huart and Grégory Ehx honored by the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine Marie-Julie Nokin (GIGA Cancer - Laboratory of Biology of Tumor and Development), Justine Huart (GIGA Metabolism & Cardiovascular Biology - Laboratory of Translational Research in Nephrology and CHU - Nephrology) and Grégory Ehx (GIGA Immunobiology - Laboratory of Hematology) were honored for their work at the Royal Academy of Medicine awards ceremony. Marie-Julie Nokin - Henri Fauconnier and Jeanne et Marie François Prizes Identification of acquired vulnerabilities in the development of resistance to targeted therapies in lung adenocarcinoma Justine Huart - Médaille du Prix Alvarenga de Piauhy 2024 Exploring the impact of gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids on blood pressure homeostasis Grégory Ehx - Fondation Bekales Prize (Leukemia) Identification of targets for the development of AML immunotherapies.
17 Yasmine Belkaid, Doctor honoris causa from the University of Liège The University of Liège welcomed internationally renowned immunologist Prof. Yasmine Belkaid, Director General of the Institut Pasteur, to present her with the insignia of Honorary Doctor. At a ceremony presided over by Rectrice Anne-Sophie Nyssen, she gave a lecture to an audience of over 300. The next day, researchers from GIGA had the great honor of speaking with her. It was a fascinating conversation. Visit to the IARC in Lyon On September, Christel Péqueux and Ingrid Struman were welcomed at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, the WHO’s intergovernmental agency dedicated to research on the causes and prevention of cancer to engage with several scientific divisions of the Agency and to explore their state-of-the-art facilities, as part of the WBI/IARC pilot program launched in late 2024, which enables postdoctoral researchers from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation to conduct a research stay at the IARC. Run & Research In October 2025, we organized the first RUN & RESEARCH event in collaboration with the Doctoral School of Health Sciences, the CIP, and the FARAH. Participants could choose between a 10km trail run, a 5km jog, or a 5km walk to bring together researchers from the various biomedical research centers at the University of Liège. It was a great event, and participants are already looking forward to the second edition! Pink October Pink October 2025 was an opportunity to honor all the researchers working on cancer-related topics who are striving to advance our understanding of the disease and develop potential treatments, and to spare a thought for everyone affected by the disease. Endocrine Disruptors | European Commission In March, Anne-Simone Parent (Neuroendocrinology Laboratory), in her capacity as Chair of the World Endocrine Society’s EU Endocrine Disruptors Task Force, participated in a meeting with European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall and the office of Vice-President Teresa Ribera. 16 Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Prof. Yasmine Belkaid and Prof. Thomas Marichal (GIGA) at the ceremony to confer honorary doctorate degrees on Monday, November 17, 2025.
18 New conventions FNRS PDR Roles of pollution-recruited PMN-MDSCs Didier Cataldo Hydroxylation of proline and tumor development in the intestine Alain Chariot MCV-related hijacking of host DNA repair Michael Herfs 10.000 IMID Edouard Louis Impact of environmental exposures on the fate, spatiotemporal regulation, and functional specification of resident and recruited parenchymal macrophages in the lungs - ExposeMac Thomas Marichal Assessment of the ovarian toxicity of anticancer drugs and development of innovative pharmacoprotective options - RESPECT Carine Munaut Cell junction and lymphatic vasculature Agnès Noël MetaCEST-MRI for Ageing and AD risks Christophe Phillips FNRS MIS Anneline Pinson has been awarded an Incentive Grant for Scientific Research (MIS) to analyze how early exposure to endocrine disruptors affects brain development and long-term cognitive functions. Grégory Ehx receives an Incentive Grant for Scientific Research (MIS) to study the resistant leukemia cells responsible for relapses of acute myeloid leukemia and identify new avenues for improving treatments. Télévie TLX1 role in T-cell leukemia development Frédéric Baron Lipid-induced mRNA translation as a potential vulnerability in lung cancer Arnaud Blomme Effects of exposure to diesel particles on the establishment of a permissive lung microenvironment. Didier Cataldo Functional connections between EGFR signaling and enzymes involved in mRNA translation Alain Chariot H2020 MoMacTrajectALI Monocyte-to-Macrophage Trajectories After Lung Injury: Spatio-temporal investigation, molecular regulation & functional implications for lung regeneration and immunity Thomas Marichal Horizon Europe (1) ERC - European Research Council PerPrev-CID Personalized disease prediction and prevention in chronic inflammatory disorders Souad Rahmouni Horizon Europe (2) Cluster 1 - Health Fitness Improving Technology Interreg VI A - Meuse Rhin Jo Caers HISTOPARK MRI-based in vivo histology of disease progression in early stage PD JPI - Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research Pierre Maquet WEAVE GPR85 LIGANDS Unlocking the hidden potential of the orphan receptor GPR85 as a new therapeutic target PDR – Weave DFG Germany Julien Hanson HistoMRI in MS Histologie in vivo de la sclérose en plaques PDR – Weave DFG Germany Pierre Maquet ILCEO Analysis of the cross-talk between ILC2s and eosinophils in their development and inflammation PDR – Weave DFG Germany Christophe Desmet 19
21 Deciphering the Origin and Impact of Interferon Signaling in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Persisters Grégory Ehx Characterizing Homologous Recombination Deficiency and Response to PARPi in Endometrial Cancer Christine Gennigens, Vincent Bours Gs protein signaling and cell proliferation in cancer Julien Hanson Determining the role of ceramide loss in anti-tumor properties of extracellular vesicles Stéphanie Herkenne Crosstalk between tumor cells and lymph node cells during Pre-Metastatic Remodeling. Agnès Noël, Ingrid Struman Impact of ADAT2-mediated tRNA modifications on mRNA Translation in tumor-associated Treg And CLL development Jérôme Pagetti, Pierre Close Study of the metabolic mechanisms defining the metastatic tropism of pancreatic cancer. Olivier Peulen, Gilles Rademaker Early Detection of Colon Cancer Through BloodBased tRNA Biomarkers with Oxford Nanopore Sequencing Francesca Rapino Targeting lung cancer in dogs to explore new perspectives for treating lung cancer in humans Elodie Roels, Cécile Clercx, Julien Guiot, Bénédicte Machiels, Nadia Withof, Laurent Gillet Enhanced oncolytic virotherapy for glioblastoma through targeted AAV-mediated immune checkpoint inhibition Catherine Sadzot Deciphering mechanisms of resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors and hormone therapy in breast cancer Nor-Eddine Sounni Comprehensive Phenotyping and Transcriptomic Profiling of Ductal-Derived Pancreatic Tumors Marianne Voz Control of mRNA degradation pathways by a Prion-like oncogenic transcription factor as a new therapeutic opportunity for Ewing sarcoma Franck Dequiedt, Cyril Gueydan Integrative characterization of predictive, diagnostic, prognostic Biomarkers and Immune interactions involved in immune-related Interstitial Lung Diseases Julien Guiot, Guy Berchem The anti-viral restriction factor HLTF inhibits the infectious cycle of the HTLV-1 virus but favors clonal expansion and viral persistence by impairing host immunity Luc Willems, Jana Jeschke, Anne Van den Broeke Renewals Role of LEPRE-1-Mediated Prolyl Hydroxylation in Colorectal Cancer Progression and Tumor Microenvironment Modulation Alain Chariot ADAMTS2 represses the growth of primary tumors but stimulates the formation of metastases: from the study of the functions of an enzyme towards a better understanding of cancer progression Alain Colige Targeting 3D chromatin architecture condensates as a new therapeutic opportunity for in Ewing sarcoma Franck Dequiedt Tissue Factor/FVIIa-mediated MICA shedding: Impact on tumor cell resistance to NK cell cytotoxicity Christine Gilles Deciphering the onco-spliceosome in multiple myeloma Denis Mottet Regulation of microtubules in lymphatic endothelial cells during pathological lymphangiogenesis Agnès Noël Therapeutic targeting of class 2 and 3 BRAF mutated lung adenocarcinoma Marie-Julie Nokin Role and regulation of the U34-enzymes in lung cancer resistance to treatment Francesca Rapino Targeting ferroptosis resistance to increase sensitivity of cancer cells to radiotherapy. Nor-Eddine Sounni FRIA 1st grant Marion Balla (Neuroscience) Aurore Beuchet (Neuroscience) Cléa Mafrica (Cancer) Charles Melotte (Cancer) Cédric Servais (Cancer) Pauline Vandelft (Neuroscience) 1st grant - 2nd year Florence Putters (Metabolism & Cardiovacular Biology) 2nd grant Manon Charlet-Briart (Neuroscience) Elisa Deom (Cancer) Manon Dohet (Molecular & Computational Biology) Fatemeh Ghanavatinejad (Neuroscience) Nurcan Inci Kavum (Neuroscience) Anna Maria Obeid (Cancer) John Read (Neuroscience) Manon Stoffels (Molecular & Computational Biology) Violaine Vandenhooft (Cancer) Romane Vanhaeren (Molecular & Computational Biology) 20
22 Fondation Contre le Cancer Pierre Foidart CHU - Oncology/GIGA - Cancer Signaling Laboratory yClinical and Translational Research Reprogramming of mRNA translation and phenotypic adaptation in Whole Genome-Doubled TNBC cells. This project studies the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, to identify new therapeutic targets. Céline Grégoire CHU - Hematology/GIGA - Hematology Laboratory yClinical and Translational Research Generating potent CAR T cells with improved memory function to cure multiple myeloma. This project aims to enhance immunotherapy for multiple myeloma by improving the memory function of CAR T cells. Alexandra Veloso GIGA - Hematology Laboratory yFundamental Research Characterization of TLX1 and TLX3 Transcriptional Complexes to Uncover Their Role in Transcriptional Deregulation that drives T-cell Leukemia. This project aims to study ectopic transcription factors involved in the regulation of genes associated with the development and relapse of T-cell leukemia. Three projects of excellence, two of them led by CHU doctors: concrete proof of the links between GIGA and CHU and of our commitment to translational research, as close as possible to patients. Fondation Léon Fredericq The “Fondation Léon Fredericq” - created by the CHU de Liège, the Université de Liège, the Fonds Léon Fredericq ASBL and the Centre Anticancéreux ASBL - aims to strengthen support for fundamental, clinical and translational research, to mobilize against cancer and to support innovative projects carried out by the CHU and the Université de Liège for the benefit of patients. This is an essential project within a Faculty of Medicine and a university hospital with almost 800 researchers and over 50 medical departments, each working to improve patient care. In 2025, the Léon Fredericq Foundation provided almost 2.5 million euros in support of medical and biomedical research in Liège, awarding 250 grants to researchers and doctors at the University Hospital and the University of Liège, including 158 grants to GIGA researchers. A much-needed boost for young researchers in constant need of additional funding. MAKE A DONATION www.fondationleonfredericq.be BE48 0018 3821 0927 (BIC GEBABEBB) 23
24 25 Platforms Technology Platforms Evaluation In 2025, the GIGA Technology Platforms underwent a first evaluation by an international panel of experts : Karen De Bruyne (RWTH Aachen), Sophie Crespin (PLBS, Lille) and Michiel Vandenbosch (Maastricht University) as part of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). This evaluation was based on a comprehensive set of preparatory documents, presentations by platform managers, and an on-site visit held on December 5. The panel highlighted the outstanding quality of the preparation process, as well as the professionalism and commitment of all stakeholders involved—including the leadership team, platform managers, and coordination staff. The transparency of the discussions and the excellent organization of the evaluation process were also highly appreciated. The evaluation conclusions emphasize the essential role of the Technology Platforms as a centralized research infrastructure, making a significant contribution to the quality and impact of biomedical research conducted at the University of Liège. The experts particularly underscored several key strengths: • technological excellence, • staff expertise and dedication, • a strong collaborative dynamic, • and a solid track record in securing external funding. The evaluation also highlights the importance of these platforms in supporting researchers and advancing high-level scientific research. It should also be noted that the University of Liège is currently engaged in the implementation of a new structure, ULiège Biomed-Care, aimed at bringing together all technological platforms within a single framework, including those of the GIGA, in order to strengthen their coordination and overall impact. Being informed of this forthcoming development, the experts consider this transition towards the ULiège Biomed-Care structure as a strategic opportunity to further enhance institutional integration, inter-platform coordination, joint strategic planning, and international visibility. They fully support the proposed development plans and encourage continued efforts in this direction. Overall, this evaluation confirms the scientific and strategic value of the GIGA Technology Platforms and provides a positive outlook for their future development. Managers Gilles Vandewalle Fabienne Collette Manager Sandra Ormenese Manager Wouter Coppieters Platforms’ Manager : Carine Bebrone - carine.bebrone@uliege.be Manager Arnaud Lavergne Manager Hélène Pendeville Manager Emmanuel Di Valentin Manager Pierre Drion 25 Manager Chantal Humblet Manager Dominique Baiwir Manager Ira Espuny Camacho Take a deep dive into our platforms and explore all our equipment with the 360° view Want to explore our platforms? Website Websites : CI / FC Website Website Website Website Website Website Website Website IMMUNOHISTOLOGY CELL IMAGING & FLOW CYTOMETRY IN VIVO IMAGING GENOMICS PROTEOMICS BIOINFORMATICS GENE EDITING VIRAL VECTORS ANIMAL FACILITY HIPS & ORGANOIDS
26 Acquisition of a unique instrument in Belgium at ULiège In 2025, the SpatialP2PDissectOmics project was enhanced through the acquisition of an ultra-precise laser microdissection system, made possible by FNRS funding (€720,000). This state-of-the-art instrument—unique among Belgian universities—will significantly strengthen the service offering to the scientific community by fostering synergies between several GIGA Technology Platforms, including Immunohistology, Flow Cytometry & Cell Imaging, and Proteomics. At the core of this initiative is the innovative “Pixel2Proteomics” (P2P) approach, developed at the MSLab-Omics by the team of Gabriel Mazzucchelli, enabling advanced spatially resolved molecular analyses. GENOMICS | New Equipment The GIGA Genomics Platform has acquired several state-of-the-art sequencing instruments, further strengthening our capacity to support a wide range of genomic and transcriptomic projects (Financed by a 2021-2027 FEDER grant (WalSeq, MedReSyst Portfolio) NEWLY ACQUIRED SEQUENCING SYSTEMS • AVITI (Element Biosciences) A high-performance short read sequencer based on sequencing by binding (SBB) technology with nanoballs. AVITI delivers up to 600 GB per run with flexible read lengths (2×75, 2×150, 2×300 bp) and excellent data quality, including >90% Q30 (standard) and UltraQ modes (>90% Q40 / >70% Q50). The system supports Illumina compatible libraries, offers dual independently addressable flow cells, and eliminates index hopping and optical duplicates, making it well suited for WGS, RNA seq, single cell and other high throughput applications. • PromethION 2 Integrated (P2i, Oxford Nanopore Technologies) This integrated long read nanopore sequencer enables direct DNA and RNA sequencing, with typical read lengths ranging from 6 kb to >100 kb and up to ~580 GB per flow cell. Duplex sequencing can achieve ~Q30 accuracy. The PromethION 2i supports real time data generation, adaptive sampling, and detection of base modifications, providing a powerful platform for structural variant analysis, genome assembly, epigenetics, and transcriptomics. • Vega (PacBio) Vega brings SMRT HiFi sequencing to the platform, generating highly accurate long reads (1–20 kb) with >95% Q30+ bases and up to 60 GB per SMRT Cell in 12–24 hours. The system supports methylation detection, DeepConsensus, and HiFi long amplicon sequencing, making it ideally suited for de novo assembly, variant detection, and high confidence genomic analyses 27 See more
29 Business GIGA is opening its scientific infrastructure to companies and startups, including: - access to the technology platforms and their services; - access to various shared laboratories (molecular biology, cell culture, L2 or L3 labs). B2H offers flexible offices and laboratories for growing companies. These options allow life sciences companies to start their operations immediately. Contact B2H Amel Tounsi contact@b2h.be Bridge to Health Companies On-site Apmonia Therapeutics is a biotech company committed to develop therapeutic strategies towards multiple types of cancer. They are developing a first-in-class pipeline of next-generation peptide-based therapies targeting the tumor microenvironment to improve the lives of patients with cancer. BelmaTechnologies produces and distributes new implants for laboratory animals (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). Brenus Pharma is a pioneering clinical stage biotech aiming to prevent cancer recurrence, the main challenge for solid tumors - causing 10M deaths each year worldwide. CM4CURE SA is a spin-off company of GIGA/ ULiège dedicated to developing a bioactive coating to prevent infection and thrombosis of catheters. Dendrogenix develop first-in-class molecules, Dendrogenins, to address high unmet medical needs in hearing loss and neurology. Hephaistos Pharma specializes in molecules designed to boost immunotherapies. 28 Learn more about B2H Learn more about the companies
LiveDrop is a droplet microfluidics company whose mission is to develop and offer all-in-one integrated flow cytometers based on droplet microfluidics to boost your cell biology and microbiology studies. Quidditas Therapeutics developed an alternative technology which permits an absolute genetic recombination. Compatible with a larger scope of applications, from bioprocess improvement to genetic disorders treatment, this revolutionary technique will have a major impact in the Biotechnology field. Sagitta Biotech is driven to address unmet needs in the vaccine, oncology, and gene therapy fields. To this end, Sagitta Biotech is building its pipeline using a non-replicating active virosome platform that is specifically designed to be safe, effective, and easily manufacturable. THERAtRAME is a spin-off company of GIGA/ULiège which discovers and develops new small molecule inhibitors targeting the tRNA epitranscriptomics to cure patients with untreatable cancer. Temple Orthobiologics is a sports medicine company developing the next generation of orthobiologics to accelerate recover, rehab and return to play. XeroThera is a clinical stage company leveraging decades of scientific and business leadership in biomaterials to commercialize a patented drug delivery technology to prevent deadly surgical site infections (SSIs) and control surgical pain. 31 30
32 Thanks to our supports www.giga.uliege.be GIGA - Liège - Belgium Linkedin GIGA - Université de Liège www.facebook.com/GIGAResearch www.instagram.com GIGA_ULiege
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