Members of the jury

  • Prof. Pierre BULPA, Co-advisor, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, CHU-UCL Namur, Godinne Campus, Intensive Care Unit
  • Prof. Diego CASTANARES ZAPATERO, UNamur, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Belgian Center for Health Care Expertise (KCE)
  • Prof. Nicolas GILLET, Co-advisor, UNamur, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, URVI
  • Prof. Bénédicte MACHIELS, ULiège, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Immunology and Vaccinology, FARAH Institute
  • Prof. Benoît MUYLKENS, Chair of the Examination Committee, UNamur, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, URVI
  • Prof. Charles NICAISE, Advisor, Secretary, UNamur, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, URPHYM, LNR
  • Prof. Johan VAN WEYENBERGH, KULeuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology

This dissertation examines the role of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the neurological manifestations of long COVID. When passively transferred to mice, patient-derived IgG induces transient mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. These IgG antibodies preferentially bind to sensory neurons in the spinal ganglia, without affecting the central nervous system, suggesting a primarily peripheral mechanism. These findings support the hypothesis that autoantibodies contribute to the pathophysiology of long COVID, particularly in patients with painful symptoms.