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Organizing CommitteeMaxime Hilbert (University of Namur)Lucie Boël (Jean Moulin University of Lyon 3, IRPhiL)Alexandre Francq (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Gustave Roussy Institute, Montpellier Institute of Functional Genomics)Eve-Aline Dubois (University of Namur)Azat Garaev (Catholic University of Louvain)Frida Trotter (Independent Researcher)Doan Vu Duc (University of Namur)Victoria Van Gheem (Catholic University of Louvain)Scientific CommitteeChristine Clavien (University of Geneva, iEH2)Alexandre Guay (Catholic University of Louvain)Quentin Hiernaux (Free University of Brussels)Vincent Ardourel (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, CNRS)Julie Jebeile (CNRM, CNRS)Baptiste Le Bihan (University of Geneva)Soazig Le Bihan (University of Montana)Matteo Mossio (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)Olivier Sartenaer (University of Namur)Pieter Thyssen (University of Liège)Laurence Bouquiaux (University of Liège)Antonine Nicoglou (University of Tours) More info

The members of the jury are:Prof. Laura RIZZERIO (Chair), UNamur; Prof. Laurent RAVEZ (Advisor, Secretary), UNamur; Prof. Aude BANDINI, University of Montreal; Prof. Bertrand HESPEL, UNamur; Prof. Sami RICHA, Saint Joseph University of BeirutProf. Grégoire WIEËRS, UNamurThe announcement will be followed by a reception in the Academic Hall.

Practical information:💶 Admission: Free🧑 Target audience: All ages📅 Date: Friday, May 22🕙 Hours: 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM (continuous) (Except for Observatory tours by reservation)📍 Location: Cour de médecine - 3 Rue Joseph Grafé, NamurOn the programLe Confluent des Savoirs, UNamur’s research outreach and public engagement service, invites you to experience an exceptional evening at the heart of the university. Step inside spaces usually off-limits to the public and be amazed by the wealth of activities on offer.Explore the zoology collections and discover the animal world through fascinating specimens and observations. Then take to the skies with tours of the Antoine Thomas Astronomical Observatory—available by reservation only—for a deep dive into the mysteries of the heavens.At the Moretus Plantin University Library (BUMP), let yourself be swept up in a captivating scavenger hunt, following in the footsteps of two iconic figures from Namur folklore: a fun adventure blending puzzles and exploration.Also travel back in time by meeting researchers who reveal the secrets of medieval parchments. Between history and the exact sciences, discover how scientific analysis today makes it possible to identify the animal origin of these precious writing materials.Finally, delve into the heart of today’s environmental challenges with the exhibition “Sentinels in Troubled Waters.” This cross-border research project (ORION) highlights the study and modeling of water quality in the Meuse River basin in the face of human pressures and the challenges of climate change.A unique evening to explore, understand, and marvel… to the rhythm of science.Whether you’re curious, passionate, or simply looking for a unique experience, the Nuit Blanche at UNamur promises a journey rich in discoveries, accessible to all. 

Tuesday, October 27, 2026UNamur invites you to attend, in person or remotely, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., for an information session on preparatory courses for the entrance exams for human medicine and veterinary medicine.On the agendapresentation of the preparatory course program for the entrance exams for human medicine and veterinary medicinePresentation of the teaching methodology used for the various disciplinesCourse SyllabiAre you enrolled in the preparatory courses for human medicine or veterinary medicine? You can pick up your printed syllabi during this information session.After this date, the syllabi will be available at the Student Services Office during its regular hours.They will also be distributed on the first Saturday of the preparatory course, Saturday, November 7, 2026. Learn about preparatory courses in human medicine and veterinary medicine

Save the date! The University of Namur is opening its doors to you on Saturday, March 20, 2027, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Mark this date on your calendar now!On the agenda:Inspiring Encounters — Talk with our professors, teaching assistants, and students.Immersive tours — Explore our lecture halls, classrooms, and labs.Valuable Information — Get answers to all your questions about our programs and what it’s like to study in Namur.Practical resources — Discover the services that support our students before, during, and after their studies.Stay tuned!The detailed afternoon schedule will be published about ten days before the event.Can’t make it that day?No problem! A second open house will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2027, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Come experience UNamur and be inspired by a university on a human scale, right in the heart of the city! More information about the Spring 2027 Open House

Save the date! On Saturday, June 26, 2027, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the University of Namur will once again open its doors to you for an afternoon of meetings and discoveries.On the agenda:Enriching Conversations — Meet our professors, teaching assistants, students, and staff members.Personalized advice — Get answers to all your questions about your future studies and university life in Namur.Practical guidance — Get all the useful information you need to complete your enrollment process: registration, preparatory courses, finding housing, financial aid, and much more.Stay tuned!The detailed afternoon program will be available about ten days before the event.Come prepare for the start of the school year with peace of mind… and head into summer with a light heart! More information about the 2027 Summer Open House

A program for each discipline In late August and early September, UNamur offers high school seniors preparatory courses tailored to their future academic programs.These review sessions are specifically designed to support students as they transition to college. By strengthening their foundation in the core subjects of their future field of study, these sessions help them start their freshman year with confidence. These preparatory courses also provide an excellent opportunity to explore the campus, meet future classmates, and become familiar with the learning methods specific to higher education.Registration for these various sessions will open on March 21, 2027. Learn about the preparatory courses Preparation for entrance exams for human medicine and veterinary medicine For students who wish to pursue a degree in human medicine or veterinary medicine, several sessions are also organized according to a specific schedule to help them prepare for the entrance exams. Learn about preparatory courses in human medicine and veterinary medicine

5 days to immerse yourself in students' daily lives During the high school break, the University of Namur invites you to experience university life from the inside.From Thursday, February 25, to Wednesday, March 3, 2027, attend classes (over 300 hours available), participate in hands-on activities, meet professors, and explore the campus and the city! More information on the courses available during the 2027 recreational leave

Join the UNamur students in their lecture halls! From Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 23, 2026, UNamur invites you to get a glimpse into the daily lives of its students.On the agenda: free access to university courses to help you take that first step in exploring higher education. More information about the courses offered in the fall of 2026

AbstractThe development of efficient heterogeneous acid catalysts is essential for the sustainable valorization of biomass-derived platform molecules. This Ph.D. thesis focuses on the design, synthesis, characterization, and catalytic evaluation of novel acidic materials for two representative biomass upgrading reactions: the ketalization of glycerol to solketal and the conversion of ethyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone. Several classes of catalysts were investigated, including Group IV metal-doped mesoporous silica nanotubes and hollow nanospheres, sulfonic acid-functionalized silica materials, and porous metal phosphonates. The aim was to establish relationships between the properties of the catalysts—in particular their acidity—and their catalytic performance.The results demonstrated that the nature of the metal cation in metal-doped nanostructured silica strongly influences catalyst acidity and reactivity. Furthermore, synthesis parameters such as the loading of the metal cation and the preparation method were shown to control the Lewis/Brønsted ratio and the strength of Lewis acid sites, allowing the tuning of catalytic performance. Materials rich in Lewis acidity preferentially promoted the conversion of ethyl levulinate, while catalysts with higher Brønsted acidity were more effective in glycerol ketalization.The introduction of sulfonic acid groups significantly enhanced Brønsted acidity and led to extremely active catalysts for solketal production. At the same time, studies on layered phosphonates highlighted the crucial role of the phosphoric spacer in ensuring material stability and enabling their reuse over multiple catalytic cycles. For amorphous porous metal phosphonates, key synthetic parameters—including acid concentration, solvent choice, and the use of a templating agent—were found to significantly influence the acidity of the materials and, consequently, their catalytic activity.Overall, this work provides valuable insights into structure-acidity-reactivity relationships and offers guidelines for the rational design of heterogeneous acid catalysts for biomass valorization.JuryProf. Jérémy DEHON (UNamur), ChairProf. Carmela APRILE (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Sophie HERMANS (UCLouvain)Prof. Damien DEBECKER (UCLouvain)Prof. Vera MEYNEN (UAntwerpen)Prof. Tatjana PARAC-VOGT (KULeuven)

Abstract  The design of a content-aware urban traffic management and monitoring system based on a swarm of drones is a challenging problem due to real-time data processing, multi-agent coordination, and decision-making under dynamic conditions. The complexity of this design problem increases with the number of options and the number of cues that traffic controllers must consider when making a decision. The research presented in this thesis addresses this challenge by exploring the potential of swarm intelligence and reinforcement learning-based controllers as design tools for developing adaptive, content-aware decision-making mechanisms for urban traffic management and monitoring using a swarm of drones. The main objective is to design distributed control mechanisms that support the emergence of robust, scalable, and effective autonomous traffic monitoring and management, while proposing and evaluating alternative solutions compared to previous research. In particular, we propose alternative approaches to elements such as the use of predefined correlations between traffic dynamics and driving characteristics, as well as the use of fixed monitoring mechanisms—such as cameras or radar sensors—combined with fixed control strategies.With regard to traffic monitoring, this thesis focuses on the evaluation of swarms of drones for traffic data collection. With regard to traffic management, this thesis focuses on the evaluation of two traffic control methodologies applied to three different urban scenarios. The control methodologies are: the centralized Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation (SPSA) and the decentralized Deep Q-Network (DQN). Briefly, in the former method, the agents operating on traffic collectively evaluate the effects of their actions on traffic quality to update their decision-making policy. The latter method requires agents managing traffic to collectively select the best action from among several alternatives based on the estimated quality of those actions.In the centralized SPSA controller, we investigate both single- and multi-agent intersection maps using a cell transition traffic model (CTM) to simulate traffic. The experimental results indicate that the proposed drone-based traffic controller can successfully mitigate traffic jams and coordinate the swarm of drones, despite constraints on individual exploration and limited communications at a single urban intersection. However, in multi-urban intersections, reducing traffic in one direction inevitably creates traffic problems in other parts of the road network due to a lack of coordination among agents managing traffic. The study also highlights the trade-off between adjacent intersections in the traffic pattern, where limiting communication can improve the swarm’s adaptability to changes. The evolved optimization controllers outperform traditional mechanisms—such as fixed traffic timing—in terms of accuracy, speed of convergence, varying vehicle input rates, and variations in the traffic model.In the second scenario, we first evaluate the performance of a centralized SPSA controller under realistic traffic dynamics using the Vissim simulator to simulate road traffic, rather than the CTM model. The aim is to evaluate the controller’s robustness against external disturbances arising from heterogeneous driving behavior. Next, we design and analyze a decentralized DQN controller for a multi-agent intersection map using the Vissim simulator. In this scenario, we extend the investigation to a more complex task in which drones must collectively transfer the collected data between intersections, and each agent selects its timing action based on both its own traffic data and information shared by other agents. The evolved drone-based DQN controllers enable the traffic units to learn about perceptual driving behavior and external disturbances from the Vissim traffic model. The results demonstrate the robustness and scalability of the evolved strategy under various conditions, including different initial conditions and driving behaviors. The swarm of drones also demonstrates adaptability to changes in traffic conditions, although this adaptability depends on the specific nature of the traffic dynamics and the information shared by other agents in the decision-making process.In the final scenario, we investigate multi-intersection traffic control on a simulated real map of the Belgian city of Namur, using a decentralized Deep Q-Network controller for traffic management and a swarm of drones for monitoring. The traffic model incorporates realistic features such as vehicle acceleration and deceleration, lane-changing behavior, and heterogeneous vehicle types. External disturbances, including parking events and pedestrian crossings, are also considered. The results demonstrate that the proposed autonomous traffic management and monitoring system is robust against disturbances and scalable to real urban areas. The study also highlights the effect of using a swarm of drones for data monitoring, compared to the same control strategy employing fixed cameras, in terms of convergence performance.In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the field of intelligent traffic management and monitoring by evaluating the potential of a swarm of drones as an effective tool for designing adaptive and coordinated traffic control and monitoring mechanisms. In the scenario under consideration, the results indicate that drone-based traffic controllers outperform conventional fixed-time traffic control and fixed-camera monitoring systems in terms of robustness, scalability, and adaptability. The findings of this research have implications for developing more resilient and autonomous drone-based traffic management systems capable of making informed collective decisions in complex and dynamic urban environments. Jury Prof. Elio Tuci - University of Namur, BelgiumProf. Laurent Schumacher - University of Namur, BelgiumProf. Marie-Ange Remiche - University of Namur, BelgiumProf. Alexandre Mauroy - University of Namur, BelgiumProf. Seyed Amir Tafrishi - University of Cardiff, UKProf. Ahmad Fakharian - Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran Sign me up

Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy in which human papillomavirus (HPV) status strongly influences therapeutic response. HPV-positive tumors generally show greater sensitivity to treatment, whereas HPV-negative tumors are associated with a poorer prognosis and increased resistance. This thesis investigated how HPV status shapes cellular adaptation to therapeutic stress, with a particular focus on therapy-induced senescence (TIS), autophagy, and MMS19.HPV- HNSCC cells developed a senescence-like phenotype following cisplatin or X-ray irradiation, whereas HPV+ cells showed limited induction. Silencing of the viral oncogenes E6 and E7 in HPV-positive cells enhanced this phenotype, indicating that HPV actively modulates treatment-induced cellular responses. Proteomic analyses further identified autophagy- and lysosome-related pathways as major features distinguishing HPV- from HPV+ cells. Autophagy inhibition predominantly impaired proliferation and clonogenic survival in HPV- cells, supporting an HPV-dependent autophagy–senescence axis involved in treatment adaptation.The second part of this thesis identified MMS19, a component of the cytosolic iron–sulfur cluster assembly machinery, as a potential determinant of HPV- HNSCC resistance. MMS19 was associated with poorer clinical outcomes, while its silencing impaired proliferation and clonogenic survival, particularly in HPV- cells.Together, these findings identify autophagy-dependent remodeling and MMS19-associated genome maintenance as potential vulnerabilities contributing to therapeutic resistance in HPV- HNSCC. Jury Prof. Anne-Catherine HEUSKIN (UNamur), ChairProf. Carine MICHIELS (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Francis RODIER (UMontreal)Prof. Yves POUMAY (UNamur)Prof. Anabelle DECOTTIGNIES (UCLouvain)Prof. Marc THERRIEN (University of Montreal)Prof. Sue YOM (UCSF)