For several years now, heritage sciences have been experiencing a particularly significant boom. This deeply interdisciplinary field of research aims to foster dialogue between the humanities and natural sciences with a view to improving our knowledge of heritage objects, whether they be parchments, works of art, or artifacts discovered during excavations.

Manuscripts bear witness to ancestral practices and know-how, which unfortunately are poorly documented. It is still unclear why legal documents were preferably written on sheepskin parchment in England from the 13th century until 1925. Among the hypotheses put forward is the fact that sheepskin is whiter, and therefore more attractive, but above all that documents written on it were considered unforgeable due to the tendency of sheepskin to delaminate (any malicious attempt to erase the text would thus be revealed). This delamination property was exploited because it allowed the production of high-quality writing surfaces. It was also used to prepare strong repair pieces used to fill any tears that appeared during the parchment manufacturing process. Understanding why sheepskin delaminates is of interest in the context of traditional parchment preparation techniques, offering valuable insights into the interaction between animal biology, craftsmanship, and historical needs.

Delamination is the phenomenon whereby the inner layers of the skin separate along their interface as a result of mechanical stress. The diagram (a) below shows the structure of the skin, which consists mainly of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The dermis is divided into two layers, the papillary dermis and the reticular dermis, which contain hair, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands. 

During the parchment manufacturing process, a step following liming involves scraping the skin to remove the hair. This step crushes the sebaceous glands, releasing fats and creating a void where the hair was located (diagram b). 

The study showed that delamination occurs within the papillary dermis itself, in this structurally weakened area, rather than at the papillary-reticular junction as previously assumed. 

The unique nature of the delamination process in sheepskin is highlighted by the skin structure, which differs from that of other animals (calves, goats) used to make parchment, as it has a high fat content associated with a large number of primary and secondary hair follicles. In the study, the presence of fats was confirmed using Raman spectroscopy.

This study combines experimental archaeology and advanced analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy, to characterize the delamination process and the adhesion of repair pieces on experimentally produced sheepskin parchment. It benefits from the expertise in archaeometry, biology, chemistry, and physics of the researchers involved.

Beyond its visual and structural implications, delamination has contributed to promoting the use of sheepskin for prestigious documents, improving the surface properties of parchment. The study of the interaction between metal-gallic ink and delaminated sheepskin (wetting experiments) showed that ink diffusion and writing quality are improved, a key finding that provides insight into how surface morphology and composition influence writing performance.

At UNamur, Marine Appart, a PhD student in physics, is conducting this multidisciplinary research on the archaeometry of delamination and repairs on a sheepskin parchment under the supervision of Professor Olivier Deparis (Department of Physics, NISM Institute). 

Also part of the UNamur team are:

• Professor Francesca Cecchet (expert in Raman spectroscopy), Department of Physics, NARILIS and NISM Institutes
• Professor Yves Poumay (skin specialist), Department of Medicine, NARILIS Institute
• Dr. Caroline Canon (histology specialist), Department of Medicine
• Nicolas Gros (PhD student in heritage sciences), Department of Physics, NARILIS and NISM Institutes

Other international experts

• Professor Matthew Collins (world expert in biomolecular archaeology, Department of Archaeology, The McDonald Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK)
• Jiří Vnouček (curator and expert in parchment production, Preservation Department, Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Marc Fourneau (biologist) 

This study and the resulting article were inspired by the delamination experiments conducted in 2023 by Jiří Vnouček during a symposium in Klosterneuburg, Austria, in which Prof. Olivier Deparis participated. The symposium was organized by Professor Matthew Collins as part of the ABC and ERC Beast2Craft (B2C) projects.

But it all began in 2014, when the Pergamenum21 project, dedicated to the transdisciplinary study of parchments, was launched.  Pergamenum21 is a project of the Namur Transdisciplinary Research Impulse (NaTRIP) program at the University of Namur. The project received an additional grant in 2016 from the Jean-Jacques Comhaire Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation (FRB).

The projects and events followed one after another, including: 

• May 2014: a transdisciplinary seminar on parchment, the scientific techniques used to characterize this material, and historical questions at the Mauretus Plantin Library (BUMP)
• May 2017: "Autopsy of a scriptorium: the Orval parchments put to the test of bioarchaeology," a transdisciplinary research project co-financed by the University of Namur and the Jean-Jacques Comhaire Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation
• April 2019: a publication in Scientific Reports, Nature group - Jean-Jacques Comhaire Prize: discovery of an innovative technique based on measuring the light scattered by ancient parchments. This technique makes it possible to characterize, in a non-invasive way, the nature of the skins used in the Middle Ages to make parchments
• September 2020: a residential workshop on making parchment from animal skins at the Domaine d'Haugimont – a first in Belgium
• July 2022: a new project on parchment bindings for the restoration workshop at the Moretus Plantin University Library (BUMP) thanks to the Jean-Jacques Comhaire Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation.
• September 2024: a residential symposium-workshop at the Domaine d'Haugimont on the theme of the physicochemistry of parchment and inks using experimental and historical approaches 

Overall, the work of Marine Appart and her colleagues clarifies the structural and material factors that make sheepskin parchment susceptible to delamination and offers new insights into the surface properties of this ancient writing material. UNamur is now establishing itself as a major player in parchment research.

Professor Olivier Deparis, along with several of the researchers involved in this research, are also working on the ARC PHOENIX project.  This project aims to renew our understanding of medieval parchments and ancient coins. Artificial intelligence is used to analyze the data generated by the characterization of materials. This joint study will address issues related to the production chain and the use of these objects and materials in past societies. 

HEPATANT is a project run by the Wagralim Competitiveness Cluster and coordinated by ORTIS Laboratories, a company that has been a pioneer in the field of phytosanitary products (plant-based dietary supplements) for 60 years. It aims to find a natural treatment for fatty liver disease.  Several partners are involved in the project, including Professor Thierry Arnould (UNamur, URBC-Narilis).

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an accumulation of fat in the liver linked to metabolic disorders associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, or excessive alcohol consumption.  Initially, it is often asymptomatic but can progress to inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. However, it is reversible in its early stages (steatosis).  Treatment is based on weight loss, a healthy diet (reduced sugar/fat intake), and physical exercise, as few specific drugs have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) at this time.  Dietary supplements—based on plants known to be beneficial—are often used to treat this type of condition, but there is little or no scientific and mechanistic evidence on the actual effects of these products.

If the effectiveness of a dietary supplement or combination of supplements could be demonstrated, it would be possible to intervene at the primary stage of the condition and undoubtedly prevent this liver disorder, thereby halting or at least slowing its progression to advanced or even irreversible stages.  This is the aim of this project, in which Professor Thierry Arnould was chosen for his expertise in lipid metabolism. Professor Arnould and postdoctoral researcher Célia Thomas are testing plant extracts (including hops) in vitro on fat-laden cells to investigate the effects that increase or decrease lipid accumulation. 

The originality and feasibility of the project lie in the alliance of scientific experts internationally recognized for their expertise in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, and in technological and agronomic sciences, with renowned industrialists in their field of expertise related to the project's needs. 

In addition to its main objective of creating an effective formulation against hepatic steatosis by combining the best plants or plant substances, this project also aims to generate economic growth, create and sustain jobs in Wallonia, and contribute to the international reputation of the Walloon partner universities: UCLouvain and UNamur.

Since their creation in 2006, competitiveness clusters have brought together companies, accredited research centers, and universities around ambitious collaborative projects. Supported and funded by the Walloon Region to stimulate innovation and economic growth, competitiveness cluster projects are organized around six strategic sectors: biotechnology (BioWin), aerospace (SkyWin Wallonia), logistics (Logistics in Wallonia), green chemistry (GreenWin), mechanical engineering (Mecatech), and food system transition (Wagralim). aerospace (SkyWin Wallonia), logistics (Logistics in Wallonia), green chemistry (GreenWin), mechanical engineering (Mecatech), and food system transition (Wagralim). 

The projects aim to develop innovative products, services, or processes, creating jobs and strengthening international competitiveness. UNamur is heavily involved in these projects.

From fundamental to applied research, UNamur demonstrates every day that research is a driver of transformation. Thanks to the commitment of its researchers, the support of its partners from all walks of life, funders, industrial partners, and a solid ecosystem of valorization, UNamur actively participates in shaping a society that is open to the world, more innovative, more responsible, and more sustainable.

Alison Forrester is also a member of the Faculty of Science, Department of Biology (URBC), a member of the NARILIS Research Institute, a researcher at the Namur Research College (NARC), and an investigator at the WEL Research Institute.

The mammalian body is made up of proteins, lipids and water, with proteins making up 42 % of the total dry mass of a human body. Therefore, protein synthesis is a key process for the body. The biosynthetic pathway begins with amino acid chains in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). They are modified, folded and then packaged into transport carriers at the ER Exit Site (ERES), transporting them to the Golgi for further modification. From there they are packaged into post-Golgi carriers to deliver the fully folded proteins to their destination, either inside the cell, or to the plasma membrane where they remain, or they are secreted into the extracellular space. Thus, efficient protein synthesis and transport is a key process to maintain homeostasis. 

When it is lost, it can cause many common and varied diseases.  The process is highly regulated to quickly meet the needs of the cell and the body, for example, increase in secretion of insulin in response to glucose, or increase in collagen secretion during postnatal growth, and also to ensure that no improperly made proteins are distributed throughout the cell. 

When this goes wrong, it can be the cause of diseases such as fibrosis which is caused by excessive protein production, or osteogenesis imperfecta which is caused by a mutation in one of the ERES proteins. 

Alison’s research group studies how different compounds can be used to modify the efficiency of the protein trafficking process, and how this will affect the normal balance within the cell. 

This roadmap article provides a total view of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) exit sites (ERES), specialized subdomains of the ER where folded proteins are selected and packaged into membrane-bound carriers that transport the nascent proteins on the first main step of their journey to be secreted. The discovery of ERES is not new, and the foundational discoveries of protein and lipid trafficking were awarded the Nobel prize in 2013. However, new technologies now allow us to revisit the original hypotheses, as well as to drive the field further than ever before. This renaissance has uncovered new exciting areas in this field that are discussed in this roadmap article, including how ERES are actually organised, how they can adapt their function to other known physiological roles such as autophagy and lipid droplet formation, and how the process of protein recruitment and trafficking can be regulated pharmacologically. It is the latter question that Alison Forrester is interested in addressing. 

Protein trafficking dysfunction, including misfolding or aggregation, excessive or decreased protein transport, and the stress responses linked to these dysfunctions are at the heart of many cellular pathologies, ranging from neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases), where the accumulation of toxic proteins disrupts neuronal function and kills cells; cancer, affecting cell division, migration and survival; to protein transport disorders arising from mutations in the cargo, such as cystic fibrosis. These alterations lead to an overload of quality control systems (including ER-stress and autophagy) and serious pathologies, highlighting the importance of protein transport for cellular health.

In the article, published in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, the researchers propose a multidisciplinary framework — leveraging advances in the recent progress in certain technologies including high and super-resolution imaging, synthetic reconstitution and computational modelling — to delineate the principles governing the function and plasticity of ERES. Here, the University of Namur is well positioned to provide the tools needed by Dr Forrester’s team. 

Alison obtained an F.R.S.-FNRS position as a Qualified Researcher (CQ) at the University of Namur, Department of Biology (URBC), and became a member of the NARILIS Institute in October 2022. 

Since completing her PhD, she has built her expertise in advanced imaging techniques including confocal and high-resolution microscopy, live cell imaging, notably including Lattice Light-sheet microscopy, and electron microscopy).

She works in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment, combining cell biology, chemical biology, advanced microscopy and image analysis to build fundamental projects that will develop into translation research.

Alison Forrester organizes a monthly microscopy communitymeeting, open to all light microscopy users at the University of Namur and organises a number of prestigious international conferences, including the FEBS-EMBO Advanced Lecture course on membranes and their lipids and proteins in organelle biogenesis, which will be held on the Greek island of Spetses in May 2026.

Astronaut Raphaël Liégeois will be carrying some rather unusual passengers in his luggage: dried blob samples, some of which have been irradiated with X-rays at UNamur. What are the Namur scientists hoping to achieve? They want to observe how this organism responds to the space environment and is able to repair its DNA in microgravity, and compare these results with those obtained in a similar experiment carried out on Earth. "In our laboratory, we simulate the stresses that the blob could undergo in space in order to assess its ability to survive and repair itself," explains Anne-Catherine Heuskin, professor in the Department of Physics.

While awaiting the rocket launch scheduled for 2027, researchers at UNamur are already actively preparing for the mission. For several months, they have been conducting a series of tests to ensure the reliability of the experiment: reaction to temperature variations, power failures, transport to the launch site in Florida, assembly of the mini-spacecraft that will house the samples, etc. "Every detail counts: even the choice of bags that protect the samples from light can influence the results," emphasizes Boris Hespeels.

Once on the ISS, Raphaël Liégeois will rehydrate the samples, culture them in a cabin on the station, and finally place them in a freezer at -80°C. "This procedure, which seems simple, becomes complex in zero gravity. We also have to ensure the stability of our samples, regardless of the timing of the experiment," continues Boris Hespeels. Inside the ISS, Raphaël Liégeois will have to carry out various experiments selected by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO). "And the order in which they will be carried out has not yet been determined," the two Namur-based researchers explain.  

Post-mission analyses will identify cellular protection mechanisms under extreme conditions. These results could inspire the development of protective molecules for astronauts or patients undergoing radiotherapy. "Space remains a hostile environment. Understanding how living organisms adapt to it is essential for preparing future exploration," Boris Hespeels points out.

Finally, the BeBlob project also has an educational component: activities based on the blob will be offered in schools to raise awareness among young people about scientific research and space exploration. An ambitious project is also under consideration to enable students aged 8 to 18 to work directly on samples that took part in Raphaël Liégeois' mission aboard the ISS.

The University of Namur is establishing itself as a key player in the study of the blob. Researchers at the LARN (Laboratory for Nuclear Reaction Analysis) and the ILEE (Institute of Life, Earth and Environment) and NARILIS (Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences) institutes have been conducting research into radiation resistance and DNA repair for several years. The BeBlob project builds on experience gained during previous space missions and active collaboration with ESA and BELSPO. The BeBlob project is one of three Belgian scientific experiments selected from 29 projects to be carried out during Belgian astronaut Raphaël Liégeois' mission scheduled for 2027. This scientific expertise places UNamur at the heart of space biology and fundamental research on life in extreme environments. The project is part of UNIVERSEH, the ERASMUS+ alliance of European universities that aims to build a "European university" focused on the space sector, of which UNamur is a member.