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AbstractNosocomial infections are a major public health problem, exacerbated by the global spread of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Faced with this challenge, it is crucial to explore alternatives or complementary strategies to conventional treatments. Among these, the use of copper is attracting renewed interest. This metal has natural antibacterial properties that have been recognized since ancient times. It acts through multiple mechanisms such as membrane alteration, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and the denaturation of proteins and nucleic acids, leading to rapid cell death. These characteristics make it an effective biocidal agent in many contexts, particularly in hospitals.However, the selective pressure exerted by the increased presence of copper in the environment has led to the emergence of specific resistance systems in certain bacteria. These systems allow strict control of copper homeostasis by limiting its intracellular accumulation through efflux, sequestration, or oxidation mechanisms. In Caulobacter crescentus, an environmental bacterial model, copper resistance is based in particular on the Pco system. This system is composed of the PcoB protein, located in the outer membrane. Although its structure has been partially described in E. coli, its precise function remains unclear. Preliminary observations suggest that it may be involved in the export of copper from the periplasm to the outside of the cell, thus acting as a release pathway.To explore the role of PcoB in bacterial copper resistance, this study focused on the structural and functional characterization of the protein. After extraction and purification, PcoB was incorporated into artificial liposomes to develop an in vitro transport assay to assess its ability to release copper across a lipid bilayer. At the same time, a truncated mutant lacking the disordered N-terminal region was produced and subjected to the same analyses. The comparison between the complete and truncated forms aims to determine the involvement of this flexible region in the transport mechanism and stability of the protein. These approaches have laid the initial experimental foundations for studying the transport mechanism of PcoB and constitute a first step towards a detailed understanding of how the Pco system works. They also open up prospects for the development of new antibacterial strategies targeting copper management systems in bacteria.JuryProf. Johan WOUTERS (UNamur), ChairDr. Catherine MICHAUX (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Jean-Yves MATROULE (UNamur)Dr. Guillaume ROUSSEL (UCLouvain)Prof. Francesca CECCHET (UNamur)Prof. Hennie VALKENIER (ULB)

In line with its predecessors, ICEL 2026 will provide an excellent opportunity for the intellectual and social exchanges that keep our community closely connected. It will bring together participants from all over the world involved in the research, development, and manufacturing of emissive materials. A wide array of subjects will be explored, offering a comprehensive perspective on contemporary advances in these fields. We extend a warm invitation for the dissemination of recent breakthroughs in related topics, with a particular emphasis on fostering the active participation of young and motivated researchers.We especially expect to cover the following topics:Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence emittersRadical emittersOrganometallic complexesPerovskitesLasingCircularly polarized luminescenceLight emission from exciplexesGreen- and biophotonicsComputational modeling of light-emitting materialsAll practical information (registration, abstract submission, and accommodation) is available on the ICEL2026 website. Access the ICEL2026 website

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

Jean-François Nieus, F.R.S-FNRS research fellow at UNamur for nearly 20 years, readily describes himself as a "document hunter." Fascinated by the mysteries of the Middle Ages, he explores a period still marked by gray areas and clichés. His main field of study? The documentary practices of the aristocracy of northern France and the former southern Netherlands, which shed light on the political, social, and cultural mechanisms at work between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Matthieu Pignot, researcher in the History Department and member of the PraME research center, has just been awarded the title of FNRS Qualified Researcher for his work on the transmission of religious knowledge between Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The originality of his research lies in the study of writings little or unknown to historians in the context of the Christianization of Europe.

At the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, the year 2025-2026 is placed under the theme of "Lifelines" or in target languages "Lifelines, Levenslijnen, Lebenslinien". For the first time, the teaching team and students will be meeting around a common theme that will accompany them throughout the academic year. The aim: to strengthen coherence between courses, create a collective dynamic and explore Germanic languages and their cultures in a new way..

The IBAF Meetings have been organized since 2003, every two years since 2008, by the Ion Beams Division of the French Vacuum Society (SFV), the oldest national vacuum society in the world, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025.As in previous editions, IBAF 2026 will offer a rich and varied program with guest lectures, oral and poster presentations, and technical sessions. All this will be complemented by an industrial presence to promote exchanges between research and innovation. The conference will cover a wide range of topics, from ion beam instruments and techniques to the physics of ion-matter interactions, including the analysis and modification of materials, applications in the life sciences, earth and environmental sciences, and heritage sciences. More information on the IBAF2026 website

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. 

After focusing on the issues of the "Commons", the management of "common goods" , "health as a common good", this year the Chair turns its attention to the issue of "knowledge" as a "common good" and the role that the University is called upon to play in the creation and transmission of knowledge. As its title - "University and society. What can knowledge do for the common good?" - shows, the value and meaning that society places on knowledge, even more so from a universal perspective, is not self-evident. More info coming soon... Plus d'infos sur la Chaire

After focusing on the issues of the "Commons", the management of "common goods" , "health as a common good", this year the Chair turns its attention to the issue of "knowledge" as a "common good" and the role that the University is called upon to play in the creation and transmission of knowledge. As its title - "University and society. What can knowledge do for the common good?" - shows, the value and meaning that society places on knowledge, even more so from a universal perspective, is not self-evident. More info coming soon...

After focusing on the issues of the "Commons", the management of "common goods" , "health as a common good", this year the Chair turns its attention to the issue of "knowledge" as a "common good" and the role that the University is called upon to play in the creation and transmission of knowledge. As its title - "University and society. What can knowledge do for the common good?" - shows, the value and meaning that society places on knowledge, even more so from a universal perspective, is not self-evident. More info coming soon...

After focusing on the issues of the "Commons", the management of "common goods" , "health as a common good", this year the Chair turns its attention to the issue of "knowledge" as a "common good" and the role that the University is called upon to play in the creation and transmission of knowledge. As its title - "University and society. What can knowledge do for the common good?" - shows, the value and meaning that society places on knowledge, even more so from a universal perspective, is not self-evident. More info coming soon...