Article

Is there a doctor in the village? Analysis by a sociologist

The lack of primary care is a major public health issue. In 2022, it was estimated that 52 municipalities in French-speaking Belgium were facing a severe shortage of general practitioners. This is a worrying situation that the University Observatory for Rural Medicine (OUMRu) has been addressing since 2023, with the aim of identifying concrete solutions. Working alongside a doctor and a health geographer, Amélie Pierre, a sociologist and lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Management and Communication SciencesPo (EMCP), is studying the factors that influence access to healthcare, particularly from the patients' point of view. She emphasizes the need to take into account the realities experienced by vulnerable groups.
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Thesis defense - Registration form

Registration form - Public defense of thesis - Guillaume Maître Name First name Email address Will attend the reception following the defense Yes ( optional ) No ( optional ) Would like a parking sticker Yes ( optional ) No ( optional ) Would like a certificate for defense assistance Yes ( optional ) No ( optional ) In order to process your request, all fields marked as "mandatory" must be completed. When you submit this form, the information you have entered will be sent to UNamur and used to respond to your request. For more information about data protection and your rights, please visit This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
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Article

Delamination of sheepskin parchment: an interdisciplinary discovery published in Heritage Science

At UNamur, parchments are much more than objects of curiosity: they are at the heart of an interdisciplinary scientific adventure. Starting with historical sciences and conservation, the research has gradually incorporated the disciplines of physics, biology, chemistry, and archaeology.  This convergence has given rise to research in heritage sciences, driving innovative projects such as Marine Appart's doctoral work, supervised by Professor Olivier Deparis. This research has now been recognized with a publication in the prestigious journal Heritage Science (Nature Publishing Group).
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Event

Public defense of doctoral thesis - Arnaud BOUGAHAM

JuryProf. Guillaume BERIONNI (UNamur), PresidentProf. Stéphane VINCENT (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Carmen GALAN (University of Bristol)Dr. Louis FENSTERBANK (Collège de France)Prof. Raphaël ROBIETTE (Université catholique de Louvain)AbstractCarboxylic acids are ubiquitous in nature and inexpensive compounds. Decarboxylation has become a key chemical transformation and has been widely reported in organic chemistry except for carbohydrates. This reaction can be catalyzed by transition metal and can also be induced by light, thermal activation, or photocatalysis. Borylated compounds have stimulated the pharmaceutical industry's interest (Boromycin, Bortezomib or boron neutron capture therapy). Recent methodologies have been developed to transform carboxylic acids to boronate esters by metal-catalyzed or light-promoted or photocatalyzed reactions. In this thesis, we explored the synthesis of borylated carbohydrates through a decarboxylation pathway. More specifically, sialic acids being among the most important carbohydrates in glycobiology, we addressed the problem of the synthesis of borylated sialic acids. On the other hand, organophosphates play an important role in diverse fields: in materials chemistry, in agriculture, in organic chemistry, and in biochemistry. Phosphorylation is a key reaction in biological processes such as signal transduction and cell activity regulation. The formation of phosphorylated carbohydrates has been widely described through two-electron mechanisms. However, radical phosphorylation of carbohydrates remains unexplored. This Ph.D. thesis describes the development of new methodologies for the decarboxylative functionalization of carbohydrates, focusing on borylation and phosphorylation..
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Article

Master's students specializing in general medicine meet people with disabilities

On December 4, second-year students in the Master's program specializing in general medicine at UNamur enjoyed a unique training day. They had the opportunity to interact directly with residents of Château Vert, an institution that welcomes people with disabilities. The goal was to better understand their expectations of general practitioners and improve the quality of medical care for these patients with specific needs.
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Event

Women in Science 2026 | 6th edition

Our keynote speakers for 2026 are Professor Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke (Ghent University) and Professor Nelly Litvak (Eindhoven University of Technology). More information on the "Women in Science" website
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Article

28 new research projects funded by the FNRS

The F.R.S.-FNRS has just published the results of its various 2025 calls for proposals. These include the "Credits & Projects" and "WelCHANGE" calls, as well as the "FRIA" (Fund for Research Training in Industry and Agriculture) and "FRESH" (Fund for Research in the Humanities) calls, which aim to support doctoral theses. What are the results for UNamur? Twenty-eight projects have been selected, demonstrating the quality and richness of research at UNamur. 
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Article

Twenty films to understand digital technology: a fun challenge taken up by two experts from UNamur

Terminator to talk about AI? Wall-E to talk about technological dependence? The Truman Show to discuss social media? In a new book, two professors from UNamur, Anthony Simonofski (digital transformation—EMCP Faculty—NaDI Institute) and Benoît Vanderose (software engineering—Faculty of Computer Science—NaDI Institute), take readers on a journey at the crossroads of digital technology and cinematic imagination. 
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Article

Digital literacy through fiction: NaDI's interdisciplinary initiative

The Namur Digital Institute (NaDI) is launching a series of original events: "Les Séances du Numérique". Films followed by debates with experts to understand digital challenges and stimulate collective thinking. A project spearheaded by Anthony Simonofski, Anne-Sophie Collard, Benoît Vanderose and Fanny Barnabé.
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Article

Thomas Balligand: from Medicine to Fundamental Research at UNamur

Thomas Balligand, now a lecturer at UNamur, combines his passion for basic research with teaching in histology and cytology. After a diverse background in internal medicine and research, notably at Harvard, he is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists while pursuing his work on nanobodies and their potential in immunotherapy. His desire to awaken scientific curiosity in his students illuminates his new role at the university..
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Article

FNRS 2024 calls: Focus on the naXys Institute

Professor Elio Tuci has just been awarded Research Credit funding from the FNRS. The naXys institute specializes in the analysis of complex systems, whether in astronomy and dynamic cosmology, mathematical biology, optimization in optics, economic complexity or the study of the stability and robustness of these systems. The institute is structured around 6 research axes: Space, Bio, Optics, Eco, Robust and Robotics.
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Event

AI to the Future: User-Centric Innovation and Media Regulation

The workshop will feature:A keynote presentation on public value and AI implementation at VRT.Sessions on discoverability, user agency, and explainability.Discussions on regulation, including perspectives on the AI Act and transparency in media.An interactive session showingcasing AI-driven prototypes.The event will also highlight our project's latest findings. Join us for a day of thought-provoking discussions, knowledge exchange, and networking opportunities!Would you like to attend? Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so register as soon as possible. Registration will close on April 11, 2025. More information here
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