The Biology Department, with its wealth of tenured professors, conducts cutting-edge international scientific research. This is divided between 5 research units addressing a variety of topics in cell and molecular biology, molecular microbiology, environmental and evolutionary biology, plant biology and didactics.
From an era when biology was essentially descriptive, the biologist has gradually moved on to the use of cutting-edge techniques that require heavy investment, demand highly specialized skills and generate large masses of data.
Research units are associated with interdisciplinary research institutes, such as NARILIS, ILEE or IRDENa. In this way, the UNamur biology researcher progresses in a stimulating environment and has access to a wide range of specialized equipment, generally spread across technology platforms.
Research units
URBC - Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire
Research is devoted to understanding cellular response mechanisms in normal and pathological situations. It is also developing more applied research associated with the development of proteomics and nanotechnologies.
Permanent members
URBE - Environmental and Evolutionary Biology Research Unit
Research focuses on aquatic organisms and their interactions with the environment. It combines comparative biology (several species studied) and integrative biology (several levels of biological integration).
Permanent members
- Eli Thoré - Laboratory of Adaptive Biodynamics (LAB)
- Alice Dennis - Laboratory of Adaptive Evolution and Genomics (LEAG)
- Frédéric Silvestre - Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive Physiology (LEAP)
- Frédérick De Laender - Laboratoire d'Ecologie Environnementale des Ecosystèmes (LEEE)
URBM - Unité de recherche en biologie des micro-organismes
Research focuses on micro-organisms (mainly bacteria) at all levels of integration (from cellular to molecular) and their relationship with eukaryotic hosts.
Permanent members
URBV - Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire Végétale
Research focuses on plant organisms at the cellular and molecular levels. Topics focus mainly on polysaccharide metabolism using modern techniques, including transgenesis and molecular markers.
Permanent member
UMBD - Unité de Méthodologie et de Didactique de la Biologie
Activities revolve around initial training, continuing education and training in multimedia tools, as well as personalized and multimedia support.
Permanent members
Scientific research in biology is very active and is part of international projects in collaboration with Universities all over the world (Europe, America, Africa, Asia, Oceania).