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Space has become a major economic and strategic issue. As a member of the European UNIVERSEH Alliance, UNamur explores this space theme in its various departments, from physics to geology, via mathematics, computer science or philosophy. Without forgetting to address the general public, who still dream of the stars...

High-Sensitivity Birefringence Mapping Using Near-Circularly Polarized Light I will describe several techniques for mapping a two-dimensional birefringence distribution, which can be classified according to the optical schemes and principles of work:Illumination geometry (transmitted light/reflected light)Image acquisition (sequential acquisition/simultaneous acquisition)Polarization control (electrically controlled variable retardance/mechanical rotation).This classification facilitates a comparative analysis of the capabilities and limitations in these methods for birefringence characterization. Polychromatic polarizing microscopy (PPM) provides unique capabilities to alternative methods. It leverages vector interference to generate vivid, full-spectrum colors at extremely low retardances, down to < 10 nm. PPM is a significant departure from conventional polarizing microscopes that rely on Newton interference, which requires retardances above 400 nm for color formation. Furthermore, PPM's color output directly reflects the orientation of the birefringent material, a feature absent in conventional microscopy where color is solely determined by retardance.Joint seminar of ILEE & NISM!The seminar is open to external people too, no need to register. More info

Abstract Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment and is currently administered to approximately half of all cancer patients. However, the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation on normal tissues represent a major limitation, as they restrict the dose that can be safely delivered to patients and, consequently, reduce the likelihood of effective tumor control. In this context, delivering radiation at ultra-high dose rates (UHDR, > 40 Gy/s) is gaining increasing attention due to its potential to spare healthy tissues surrounding the tumor and to prevent radiation-induced side effects, as compared to conventional dose rates (CONV, on the order of Gy/min).The mechanism underlying this protective effect-termed the FLASH effect-remains elusive, driving intensive research to elucidate the biological processes triggered by this type of irradiation.In vitro models offer a valuable tool to support this research, allowing for the efficient screening of various beam parameters and biological responses in a time- and cost-effective manner. In this study, multicellular tumor spheroids and normal cells were exposed to proton irradiation at UHDR to evaluate its efficacy in controlling tumor growth and its cytotoxic impact on healthy tissues, respectively.We report that UHDR and CONV irradiation induced a comparable growth delay in 3D tumor spheroids, suggesting similar efficacy in tumor control. In normal cells, both dose rates induced similar levels of senescence; however, UHDR irradiation led to lower apoptosis induction at clinically relevant doses and early time points post-irradiation.Taken together, these findings further highlight the potential of UHDR irradiation to modulate the response of normal tissues while maintaining comparable tumor control.JuryProf. Thomas BALLIGAND (UNamur), PresidentProf. Stéphane LUCAS (UNamur), SecretaryProf. Carine MICHIELS (UNamur)Dr Sébastien PENNINCKX (Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles)Prof. Cristian FERNANDEZ (University of Bern)Dr Rudi LABARBE (IBA)

From 2020 to 2025, as part of her doctoral thesis in history, researcher Julie Duchêne conducted a ground-breaking investigation blending history and biology to trace the cohabitation between humans and wolves in Wallonia and Luxembourg, from the 18th to the early 20th century. Thanks to an innovative interdisciplinary approach, including DNA analysis of naturalized 19th-century specimens, her work sheds light on the mechanisms that led to the local extinction of the species. This research was made possible thanks to the support of numerous scientific and cultural partners.

Professor Eli Thoré and Justine Bélik have just been honoured by the Adrien Bauchau Fund (FAB). Created in memory of the founder of the Biology Department at UNamur, the FAB has been promoting excellence in education and research in the life sciences since 1989.

An unusual piece of research recently mobilized teams from UNamur's Biology Department. Genetic analyses carried out by the Environmental and Evolutionary Biology Research Unit (URBE) were able to confirm the protected status of a herd of wild mouflons based in Gesves, and thus highlight the importance of saving them.

The discovery of nuclear energy marked a turning point in human history. Today, alongside debates about its role in energy production and its destructive potential, nuclear energy continues to be used in a wide range of fields, such as medical research and cancer treatments. At UNamur, nuclear energy is thus at the heart of the work of biologists, physicists, and art historians.

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, Vice-Rector for Research Benoît Champagne and Professor Anne-Catherine Heuskin, a Télévie project sponsor, represented the UNamur community on the set of the Télévie gala. On this occasion, they presented a check for 20,000 euros to support this FRS-FNRS initiative, which raises funds to finance numerous research projects at universities in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, with one goal: to improve treatments for this disease, which now affects nearly 80,000 new patients and claims nearly 30,000 lives each year in Belgium. 

In 2025, two iconic Walloon products—Walloon honey and Liège white blood sausage—were awarded the prestigious European PGI designation. Behind this success lies the AgriLabel project, to which UNamur has been contributing for over a decade. Working alongside producers, specialists, and public institutions, our Department of History played a decisive role: demonstrating, through historical sources and scientific analysis, the close connection between these products and their local terroir. A project at the heart of economic, identity-related, cultural, and scientific issues.

For about a decade, a disease has been attracting the attention of the medical community. Its name: sarcopenia. This condition affects more than 10% of people over the age of 65 and is characterized by a significant loss of muscle mass and strength. Charlotte Beaudart, a member of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the NARILIS Research Institute, has made a name for herself on the international stage in recent years by contributing to a better understanding of this disease and raising awareness about it.

Well hidden from passersby, caves nevertheless conceal particularly aesthetic secrets. For the past four years, Martin Vlieghe has been pursuing a PhD in geology at UNamur.  He is exploring the origin of the surprisingly varied colours of certain concretions nestled in the heart of Belgian and French caves. Together with Prof. Johan Yans and Gaëtan Rochez, he samples, observes, and analyses these magnificent objects with the aim of uncovering the mysteries they conceal.

In the coming months, the University of Namur will participate in an exceptional space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), alongside Belgian astronaut Raphaël Liégeois. The BeBlob project, led by researchers Boris Hespeels (ILEE Institute) and Anne-Catherine Heuskin (NARILIS Institute), aims to study the DNA repair capabilities of a fascinating organism: the blob (Physarum polycephalum).