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The absorption of light by molecules has applications in microscopy, medicine and data storage. With this research, the researcher from the UNamur NISM institute fills an experimental gap, which will enable molecular engineers to develop new and more efficient compounds in their various fields of application.

Yves Caudano, F.R.S.-FNRS qualified researcher, member of the NaXys and NISM Institutes and the UR-LLS (Lasers and Spectroscopies Laboratory) research unit, is taking part in a major European research project. The aim? To find new quantum light sources with unprecedented versatility, flexibility and performance.

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.

On June 9, 2024, Belgians will go to the polls to elect their European, federal and regional representatives. This triple ballot will also mark a major first in Belgium: the participation of 16-18 year-olds in European elections. With its Political Science department, and the research carried out within the Transitions Institute, UNamur is sharing its expertise to inform and raise awareness among students, the general public and professionals in the political and legal sectors, about the major issues at stake in this election! Until June 9, 2024, ten key themes will be covered on the UNamur Newsroom. Today: voter turnout in Belgium. Jérémy Dodeigne, Professor of Political Science, explains.

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.

Jérémy Dodeigne, professeur de sciences politiques à la Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales et de gestion de l'UNamur, et président de l’Institut de recherche Transitions vient de décrocher une prestigieuse ERC Starting Grant de près de 1,5 Millions d'euros pour son projet POLSTYLE.

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.

This is a technical and scientific feat that has just been patented at the UNamur. Researchers from the Laboratory of Analysis by Nuclear Reactions (LARN), the Department of Physics of UNamur (NISM Institute) and the spin-off Innovative Coating Solutions (ICS) have succeeded in developing a carbon-based coating with innovative properties that can be used in a wide range of fields, including fuel cells, decoration, and mechanical parts for automobiles.

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.

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)

On 21 and 22 September 2023, for the 4th year running, Belgian researchers came together for the bePOM conference. The format was original, with a virtual day and a hybrid day combining virtual and face-to-face sessions. A great success, and a Belgian network that is growing from strength to strength.