Scientific prize

Eight ULiège researchers win prizes from the Royal Academy of Belgium | Science Class 2021


From left to right and from top to bottom: Michaël Gillon, Loïc Michel, Alice Mouton, Michaël Ovidio, Corentin Loron, Frédéric Kerff, Nicolas Sturaro and Damien Sluysmans.

Researchers at the University of Liège Faculty of Science, Michaël Gillon, Loïc Michel, Alice Mouton, Michaël Ovidio, Corentin Loron, Frédéric Kerff, Nicolas Sturaro and Damien Sluysmans have just been awarded one of the scientific prizes of the Royal Academy of Belgium. This recognition underlines the quality of their work, each in their own field of research.

Alice Mouton, winner of the Julien and Nora Nautrez-Sirlensijn Prize

Alice Mouton is a biologist and FNRS researcher at the Laboratory of Conservation Genetics (InBios) of the University of Liège. The Julien and Nora Fautrez-Firlefijn Prize, third triennial period, was awarded to her for the originality of her research, her high number of first author publications, and especially her article in the scientific journal Nature, which concerns the evolution of canids. 

Reserved for nationals of the European Union, this prize is intended to reward a Belgian or foreign researcher for one or several works in the field of biology, animal or human, excluding oncology. It is awarded every three years.

Frédéric Kerff, winner of the Leon and Henri Fredericq Prize

Frédéric Kerff is a FNRS Research Associate at the Centre for Protein Engineering (CIP / InBios) at the University of Liège. He was awarded the Léon and Henri Fredericq Prize for his research on the structure of the divisome, a multiprotein membrane complex involved in bacterial cell division, and on the structure of enzymes involved in bacterial wall synthesis and β-lactamases. 

The Leon and Henri Fredericq Prize is awarded annually to a researcher who has already published in the field of physiology or in related sciences such as molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, pharmacodynamics, etc.

Corentin Loron, winner of the Suzanne Leclercq Prize

Corentin Loron is a FNRS postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geology (Astrobiology) at the University of Liège. The Suzanne Leclercq Prize was awarded to him for his research on the oldest eukaryotes in Canadian shales, which allowed the recognition of organisms with organic walls and strong fungal affinities, thus increasing the age of Fungi and Opisthoconts by more than 500 million years. 

Reserved for researchers with less than 20 years of experience at the end of the period concerned, this international prize will be awarded every three years to the author of an original work in plant paleontology in the broadest sense [including palynology (microfossils) and its applications in paleobiogeography, paleoecology, archaeology...].

Michaël Gillon, winner of the Agathon de Potter Prize (Astronomy) 

Michaël Gillon is an astrophysicist and Senior Research Fellow at the Astrobiology research unit of the University of Liege. The Agathon de Potter Prize for Astronomy was awarded to him for his initiative in creating the TRAPPIST project, which has led to the recent discovery of about 100 exoplanets.

The Agathon De Potter Fund rewards, every three years, original work carried out in seven disciplines: Astronomy - Mathematics - Physics - Chemistry - Mineral Sciences - Animal Biology - Plant Biology including Microbiology. The Agathon de Potter Fund was officially established in 1919.

Damien Sluysmans, winner of the Frederic Swarts Prize

Damien Sluysmans is a chemist and FNRS researcher in the Laboratory of Nanochemistry and Molecular Systems (MolSys) of the ULiège. He was awarded the Frédéric Swarts Prize for his work in physical chemistry and biophysics on molecular force spectroscopy, using optical tweezers (OT) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the dynamics of biological molecules or molecules with specific synthetic functions. 

Reserved for EU nationals who have been PhDs for less than 10 years, this prize is intended to reward, every two years, an original work in pure or industrial chemistry.

Michaël Ovidio, winner of the Edmond de Selys Longchamps Prize

Michaël Ovidio is Professor in Aquatic Resources Management and Aquaculture (FOCUS) at the University of Liege.  He was awarded the Edmond de Selys Longchamps Prize for his high quality research, in perfect adequacy with the spirit of the prize, on the biology and behavior of European fish fauna and, more recently, on the protection of the biodiversity of waterways. 

This prize, created in 1901, is intended to reward the author of a research on the current or fossil fauna of Europe.

Nicolas Sturaro and Loïc Michel, winners of the Fonds Jean Lebrun Prize

Nicolas Sturaro is a scientific collaborator at the Laboratory of Oceanology (FOCUS) of the University of Liege.

Loïc Michel is a researcher at the Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Ifremer, Brest (France) and visiting lecturer at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution (FOCUS) of the University of Liege.

The Jean Lebrun Fund Prize was awarded to them for their sustained and high quality scientific production, their experience abroad, their international collaborations as well as their capacity to supervise young researchers and, more particularly, their contribution to the study of marine species food webs.

The Jean Lebrun Fund grants a three-yearly prize in the field of ecology and biogeography to reward work carried out during the period by researchers belonging to scientific institutions of the French-speaking Community of Belgium, the Walloon Region and federal institutions, provided that these researchers are from the French-speaking regime.

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