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JuryProf. Carine MICHIELS (UNamur), ChairProf. Anne-Catherine HEUSKIN (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Stéphane LUCAS (UNamur)Dr. Rudi LABARBE (IBA)Prof. Joao SECO (German Cancer Research Center)Prof. Simon GALAS (University of Montpellier)AbstractRadiotherapy is one of the most widely used treatments for cancer and plays a central role in modern oncology. While technological advances have greatly improved the precision of radiation delivery, damage to healthy tissues surrounding the tumor remains a major limitation. In recent years, an innovative approach known as FLASH radiotherapy has attracted considerable attention. Unlike conventional radiotherapy, FLASH delivers the therapeutic radiation dose within a fraction of a second using ultra-high dose rates. A growing body of evidence suggests that this approach may reduce radiation-induced side effects in healthy tissues while maintaining the ability to control tumours. However, the biological mechanisms responsible for this protective effect remain poorly understood.This thesis addressed two key challenges in FLASH research. The first was the development and characterization of an experimental platform capable of generating ultra-high dose rate irradiations using the ALTAÏS accelerator at the University of Namur. This work involved designing irradiation systems, validating beam dosimetry, and establishing robust experimental protocols to ensure accurate and reproducible exposure conditions. The second objective was to introduce a new biological model for FLASH investigations: the microscopic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This organism offers several advantages, including a short life cycle, ease of handling, low cost, and the conservation of many fundamental biological processes shared with higher organisms. These characteristics make it an attractive complementary model for studying radiation responses and exploring the mechanisms underlying the FLASH effect.This thesis demonstrated the suitability of C. elegans as a model for investigating biological responses to ultra-high dose rate irradiation. Studies of developmental and neurobiological endpoints across multiple irradiation conditions highlighted its potential for mechanistic FLASH research. Together, these findings provide valuable tools to advance our understanding of the FLASH effect. More broadly, they contribute to the development of safer radiotherapy strategies aimed at reducing treatment-related toxicity and improving patient quality of life.

This session will help you understand how to affiliate with a research institute through PEPS 2.0—an important step in ensuring the visibility of your scientific activities, improving the indexing of your collaborations, and ensuring the consistency of institutional information.Agenda:General overview of the PEPS platform and its main features;Procedure for affiliating with a research institute;Best practices and key considerations;Q&A session to answer your questions.Whether you’re new to UNamur or simply want to better understand how the platform works, this presentation will give you the tools you need to use PEPS 2.0 effectively.Presenters: Jean-François Bastin and Isabelle Deheneffe Sign me up

Each researcher will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and briefly present their research topics, so that ADRE staff can best address their needs.Presenters: Christine Culot, Director of ADRE, and François Leroy, Human Resources Development Manager. Sign me up

Scientific integrity pertains in particular to the following aspects:Conflicts of interest: Researchers must disclose any financial interests involved in their research but must also be aware that personal, media-related, financial interests or beliefs may compromise the conclusions of their research.Honesty: Researchers must be honest regarding their research, methods, analyses, and publications.Rigor: Research methods must be rigorous and transparent.Transparency: Researchers must be transparent regarding the funding, methodologies, and results of their research.Recognition of the contributions of all those who helped bring the publication or scientific communication to fruition. This talk will be presented in English. Presentation: Carine Michiels, Professeure ordinaire à l’UNamur (département de biologie) Sign me up

Presenters: Christine Culot, Director of ADRE; Marie-Hélène Mathieu, ADRE Secretary, providing support for preparing grant applications funded through the Research Council; William Riguelle, Head of Researcher Support and Research Outreach; Jean-Pascal Piret, Head of Project Development and Monitoring for projects funded by the F.R.S.-FNRS, the Federal Government, and the FWB. Sign me up

We therefore invite you to start by learning what a patent is and what can be patented, before moving on to the specific aspects related to the life sciences. Indeed, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical technology are among the Belgian sectors that file the most applications with the European Patent Office, reflecting the dynamism and importance of this sector in Belgium.This session will be held in English. Presentation: Eléana Somville, Scientific Advisor (ADRE) Sign me up

This training session will help participants identify protection options and the types of intellectual property to which these protections apply.Specifically: Copyright; Patents (overview); Trademarks.Presenter: Valérie Corbiau, Legal Counsel at ADRE. Sign me up

Presenters: Erika Lombart and Christelle Saout, Members of the ADRE Europe Unit; Jean-Pascal Piret, Head of Project Setup and Monitoring for projects funded by the F.R.S.-FNRS, the Federal Government, and the FWB; Isabella Fontana, Director of the International Relations Office (SRI); Amélie Schnock, International and Development Cooperation Division (SRI).  Sign me up

This session offers a practical introduction to two key programs for researchers:Proof of Concept (POC) funding, which allows you to demonstrate the technical feasibility or application potential of a scientific finding,the Win4SO program, which supports the development of spin-off projects in the Walloon Region.This presentation will highlight how these resources, combined with funding programs, can serve as a springboard to successful commercialization—whether through technology maturation, collaboration with industry, or business creation.Presentation: Joël Marinozzi, Business Developer (ADRE)  Sign me up

This session addresses this question in three parts: first, we will outline the key issues in data management; next, we will explain how to draft and submit a Data Management Plan (DMP); and finally, we will demonstrate a practical tool to help researchers determine whether a DMP is required to comply with the GDPR.This session will be held in English. Presentation: Bernard Detrembleur, Research Data Officer (ADRE)  Sign me up