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A delegation from the Université de Namur took part in an exploratory mission to the Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal. The aim: to discover the research carried out in the field, meet UCAD researchers and initiate future collaborations between the two institutions.

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science proclaimed on February 11 by the United Nations General Assembly, and as part of the European alliance European Space University for Earth and Humanity (UNIVERSEH) focusing on the theme of space, discover the testimonies of four women scientists from UNamur working on astronomical themes.

Several researchers at the Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM) have recently been awarded funding from the F.R.S - FNRS following calls whose results were published in December 2024. The NISM Institute federates the research activities of the chemistry and physics departments of the University of Namur.

Initiated in 1969 by Pullmann and Del Re, the congress is an annual meeting to promote collaboration and friendship between Latin-speaking theoretical chemists. In its early years, European researchers were the main contributors. Subsequently, the Latin American community has made a major contribution, with the emergence of teams whose international reputation now extends far beyond our own community.We are delighted to be holding this meeting at the University of Namur, 55 years after the first CHITEL was organised in Paris, France. We are sure that this 2024 edition will once again be an opportunity to take advantage of the good humour and dynamism of Latin to encourage, develop and strengthen scientific exchanges.We look forward to welcoming you at the University of Namur,The CHITEL 2024 Local Organising Committee. Website

Characterization of trehalase from Acyrthosiphon pisum for the design of new insecticides SummaryAphids are major pests in agriculture, causing direct damage to plants and acting as vectors for phytopathogenic viruses. Conventional insecticides are widely used to control them, but their toxicity and efficacy pose problems in terms of the environment, human health and the emergence of resistance to these compounds. New alternatives are therefore needed, such as biological control using predators or parasitoids. However, these methods are not always economically viable on a large scale. As part of this thesis, another approach is being explored which involves developing new insecticides targeting the biochemical functions of aphids.The project aims to discover new inhibitors of trehalase, an enzyme essential for insect energy metabolism. Inhibition of this enzyme could disrupt vital insect functions without affecting mammals. This research involved several stages: the purification and complete characterization of trehalase from Acyrthosiphon pisum (the model for this study), the in vivo, in vitro and in silico analysis of commercial inhibitors on this enzyme, before moving on to the search for new inhibitors. Two points of integrated insect management were explored, biological and chemical control.The biological side saw the study of a strain of Streptomyces naturally producing trehalase-inhibiting metabolites, notably validamycin A, a molecule recognized in the literature as one of the best inhibitors, but not applicable as an insecticide. Other molecules appear to have interesting features, but we have not been able to isolate and characterize them.The chemical side has enabled us to create a pharmacophore hypothesis based on experimental results on molecules obtained by virtual screening. Although these molecules are not usable as insecticides as they stand, this hypothesis provides a better understanding of trehalase inhibitors in general and can be used to refine future analyses. JuryProf. Jean-Yves MATROULE (UNamur), presidentDr Catherine MICHAUX (UNamur), promoter and secretaryProf. Frédéric FRANCIS (ULiège), co-promoterProf. André MATAGNE (ULiège)Dr Rudy CAPARROS (ULiège)Dr Morgan HANS (Biocidal)

Program 8:50 | Welcome, registration, and poster setup9:20 | Welcome speechFirst morning session 9:30 | Vladimir N. Uversky - University of South Florida, USA - "Dancing protein clouds: strange biology and chaotic physics of intrinsically disordered proteins" 10:15 | Marie Skepö - Lunds Universitet, Sweden - "Structural and conformation properties of IDPs: computer simulations in combination with experiments" 11:00 | Coffee breakSecond morning session11:30 | Peter Tompa - Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium - "Fuzzy interactions of IDPs driving biomolecular condensation"12:15 | Sonia Longhi - Aix-Marseille Université, France - "Intrinsic disorder, phase transitions, and fibril formation by the Henipavirus V and W proteins"13:00 | Lunch and poster sessionAfternoon session14:30 | Sigrid Milles - Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Germany - "Intrinsically disordered proteins in endocytosis: an NMR and single molecule fluorescence perspective"15:15 | Jean-François Collet - Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium - "How disorder controls the transport of lipoproteins in the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria" 16:00 | Closing speech16:10 | Networking Beer Time at "Le Chapitre"VenueUniversity of Namur, auditorium Pedro Arrupe (PA02), rue de Bruxelles, 65-67 - 5000 Namur (#21 on the campus map) Download the programme (PDF) Download the campus map Registration guidelines Registration feeStudents (PhD students included): 25 €Seniors: 40 €Payment - Bank transferPayable before 6 December on the account:Name: Université de Namur - ASBLIBAN: BE10 2500 0740 2704BIC: GEBABEBBPlease mention your name/CPO4136330 /e-mail in the payment communication. Abstract guidelines Send us your abstract before 6 December by email: pdid.meeting@unamur.beFormat: Word document, maximum 1 page A4, Times New Roman  Registration All deadlines (registration, payment, abstracts) : 6 December 2024

On 9 June 2023, the NISM and naXys Institutes, the Physics and Chemistry Departments and the Namur Research College were delighted to welcome Prof. Jean-Luc Brédas from the University of Arizona. A prestigious speaker of international renown, Prof. Brédas completed his doctoral thesis with Prof. Jean-Marie André at the University of Namur.

In January 2023, an international symposium on organic chemistry was held at UNamur in honour of the 80th birthday of Professor Emeritus Alain Krief. A scientific day with six renowned speakers, including Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, 1987 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Interview.

An international group of researchers, including Professor Yoann Olivier from the NISM Institute at UNamur, has just published in the prestigious journal Nature. The subject: understanding the microscopic mechanisms that lead to the initialisation, reading and erasing of molecular qubits, a new theme in the study of materials, at the frontier between physics and chemistry.

Lately, and thanks to LUMI, one of Europe's largest supercomputers, the limits of our knowledge of cell lipid membranes have been pushed back. A team of Namur researchers, including Professor Benoît Champagne and Drs. Pierre Beaujean and Charlotte Bouquiaux, has just published in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. The results of this study pave the way for new approaches in the field of membrane lipid therapy.

One year after receiving funding from the European Research Council (ERC) for his B-Yond project, Prof Guillaume Berionni has just been named a Fellow of the prestigious European chemistry society Chemistry Europe. This distinction makes him the new representative for Belgium for a period of 2 years.

The conference is co-organized by the University of Namur, Belgium and Wuhan University of Technology, China and supported by Foshan Xianhu Laboratory and other organisms.More info on the GCMC2025 website...