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On 15 and 16 July, as part of the Gallo-Roman Rendezvous, the Specularia research project, run by the University of Namur and the Malagne Archaeopark, will be put through its paces in Malagne. This unique and exceptional experiment will give visitors a hands-on opportunity to discover what experimental archaeology is all about and to witness the different stages in the production of Roman window glass. This life-size experiment is part of the second phase of the Spécularia research project led by Géraldine Frère, a doctoral researcher in archaeology at the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs).

At a time when around a fifth of Europe's 200,000 species are threatened with extinction, researchers from the University of Namur are taking part in a pan-European consortium to act fast and together to generate high-quality genome resources on a large scale.

Since 2019, the Federal Science Policy (BELSPO) has been funding FED-tWIN research programmes, run jointly by Federal Scientific Establishments and universities throughout Belgium. UNamur has been awarded two of them. One for the PraME research centre dedicated to the study of medieval writing practices and linked to the PaTHs Institute.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has just published a study in the prestigious journal Nature, listing and assessing the different values we place on nature. Nicolas Dendoncker, professor in the Department of Geography and member of the ILEE Institute at UNamur, is one of the co-authors.

An international team of researchers, including Prof Frederik De Laender, from the University of Namur, publish in Nature Communications. The editor highlights that the authors use theoretical models and field data to show how eco-evolutionary processes can force species to develop more similar characteristic traits in more species-rich communities to avoid competition. Which goes against what we intuitively perceive.

A pterosaur from Brazil that preserved melanosomes in its feathers provides insight into the function of primitive feathers. An international team of palaeontologists and geologists, including UNamur (Dr Aude Cincotta and Prof. Johan Yans), has demonstrated that pterosaurs, the flying cousins of dinosaurs, had feathers and were able to control their colour.

From 11 to 13 May 2022, a hundred or so scientists and actors from the economic and cultural world gathered at UNamur to discuss the issue of water pollution. The aim? To share and enrich knowledge, but also to alert and inform about its long-term effects on fauna, flora and human beings. Scientific sessions, workshops and a conference for the public were on the programme for these three days.

In a new study published in February 2023 in the Journal of Luminescence, an international group of scientists led by Sébastien Mouchet from UNamur, reported the previously unknown fluorescence properties of transparent insect wings. This research highlights the valuable information that can be obtained from advanced optical characterisation techniques.

Recognized for his expertise in ecotoxicology, Professor Patrick Kestemont is one of the scientific experts mandated by the Walloon Region, to advise the Government and examine all the consequences on human health of PFAS, these chemical substances present in our environment.

Angélique Aristondo, a C2W post-doctoral fellow at UNamur, has distinguished herself by winning the second 2023 Gender and Health Research Award from the ARES Women and Science Committee. Her research project focuses on violence against women in Senegal.

Dr. Sébastien Mouchet, a researcher at UNamur and member of the NISM and ILEE Institutes, has just published the results of research focusing on the effects of pollution on coral reef fish in MDPI-Optics. The findings of the international, multidisciplinary team lead to crucial conclusions with implications for the health of marine ecosystems.

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)