Article

Scientists from 33 European countries join forces to generate reference genomes for nearly a hundred European species

In a new publication, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) announces the success of its pilot project. This pioneering initiative has brought together a vast collaborative network of researchers and institutions in 33 countries to produce high-quality reference genomes of 98 European species. This continental effort paves the way for a new, inclusive and equitable model of biodiversity genomics.
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Article

ALTAïS - Penetrating the depths of matter to meet today's challenges

Founded some 50 years ago, the Laboratoire d'Analyse par Réactions Nucléaires (LARN) in the Department of Physics at the University of Namur is home to a 2MV tandem particle gas pedal named ALTAÏS (Accélérateur Linéaire Tandetron pour l'Analyse et l'Implantation des Solides), in operation since 1999.
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Article

Ants survive massive doses of X-rays: a Namur scientific experiment to quantify their radioresistance

Researchers from UNamur's Departments of Biology and Physics have conducted a scientific experiment to assess the radioresistance of the common black ant Lasius niger. The results of their work have just been published in the Belgian scientific journal Belgian Journal of Zoology. The Namur-based scientists demonstrate a level of resistance far superior to that of humans. Their spontaneous approach also demonstrates a lesser-known approach to scientific research.
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Event

Annual Research Day

The program 2:00 pm | Keynote lecture on the use of AI in research - Hugues BERSINI, Professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles: "Can science be just data driven?" 3:00 pm | Presentations by UNamur researchers3:00 pm | Catherine Guirkinger: Use of AI in an economic history project3:15 pm | Nicolas Roy (PI: Alexandre Mayer): AI at the service of innovation in photonics and optics: revealing the secrets of scrolls through the classification of animal species15:25 | Nemanja Antonic (PI: Elio Tuci): An in silico representation of C. elegans collective behaviour<15h35 | Nicolas Franco : The benefits and dangers of "predicting the future" with covid-like machine learning models 15h45 | Michel Ajzen : Managerial and human implications of AI in organizations <15h55 | Robin Ghyselinck (PI : Bruno Dumas) : Deep Learning for endoscopy: towards next generation computer-aided diagnosis4:05 pm | Auguste Debroise (PI : Guilhem Cassan) : LLMs to measure the importance of stereotypes within gender representations in Hollywood films16h15 | Gabriel Dias De Carvalho : Learning practices in physics using generative AI16h25 | Sébastien Dujardin (PI : Catherine Linard) : Where Geography meets AI: A case study on mapping online flood conversations16h35 | Jeremy Dodeigne : LLMs in SHS: revolutionary tools in a Wild West Territory? Reflections on costs, transparency and open science16h45 | Antoinette Rouvroy : Governing AI in Democracy17h00 | Keynote lecture on ethics and guidelines to consider when using AI in research projects and writing research articles - Bettina BERENDT, Professor at KU Leuven18h00 | Benoît Frenay and Michaël Lobet : Creation of an IA scientific committee at UNamur18:10 | DrinkA certificate of attendance, worth 0.5 cross-disciplinary doctoral training credits, will be issued on request. Contact: secretariat.adre@unamur.beThis event is free of charge, but registration is required. I want to register
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ILEE Research day

With oral and poster presentations by ILEE affiliates. Students and young researchers are particularly invited to present their research and practice their presentation skills in English. The day is also important for ILEE members as it enables them to keep abreast of ongoing projects in different disciplines and to foster collaboration.At the end of the day, the annual general meeting of all members will take place with a summary of the past year's activities and achievements.We are honored to announce that Arnaud Péters, PhD in history and founder of sites_H, will be the keynote speaker!
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ILEE lunch seminar

His long-term collaboration with Dr. Aniruddha Chatterjee recently resulted in the first collaborative framework agreement between the University of Otago and UNamur, as well as an international Erasmus+ (EU) credit mobility funding this scientific mission. Frédéric Silvestre deepened his understanding of the advanced DNA methylation techniques employed by Dr. Chatterjee's team, including their bioinformatics workflows and innovative approach to epigenetic editing. He has given several seminars presenting LEAP's research on mangrove rivulus and turquoise molefish. He also presented at the Australasian Epigenetic Alliance conference and had the opportunity to explore potential new collaborations with other departments, including zoology, sustainable development, chemistry and marine sciences.
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Event

ILEE lunch seminar

Quentin Willot (Biology) has just joined URBE for a two-year post-doctoral position (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action, supervisor: Alice Dennis) on a project called ChillAnts. This project focuses on the study of adaptation to extreme temperatures in holarctic (trans-Beringian) ant species, from a physiological, ecological and evolutionary point of view. Quentin will present a more technical aspect of his work (Thermal Death Time Curve Modelling).
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Article

Space, between dream and strategic challenge

Space has become a major economic and strategic issue. As a member of the European UNIVERSEH Alliance, UNamur explores this space theme in its various departments, from physics to geology, via mathematics, computer science or philosophy. Without forgetting to address the general public, who still dream of the stars...
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UNamur and the blob on board the International Space Station with Belgian astronaut Raphaël Liegéois

The three Belgian scientific experiments selected to be carried out on board the International Space Station (ISS) during astronaut Raphaël Liégeois' mission in 2026 have just been unveiled by the Federal Science Policy Public Service (Belspo). One of them is carried by a team from UNamur for an experiment at the crossroads of biology and physics aimed at analyzing the resistance of the "blob", an atypical unicellular organism.
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Article

FNRS 2024 calls: Focus on the PaTHs Institute

Two researchers from the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs) have just been awarded funding from the F.R.S - FNRS following calls whose results were published in December 2024. The PaTHs institute is a federation of research centers and groups that have sprung up in and around the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. The institute is distinguished by its emphasis on critical analysis of the "traces" of the past (written, material, monumental, landscape, visual, sound...), to the point of placing the "trace" itself at the heart of scientific questioning.
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New impetus for the humanities and social sciences at UNamur

A new platform dedicated to research in the humanities and social sciences (SHS) is being launched at UNamur. The aim? To offer SHS researchers methodological support tailored to their needs and strengthen SHS excellence at UNamur. This platform, SHS Impulse, will provide various services such as financial support for training, consultancy, access to resources, or co-financed software purchases.
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