The Léon Frédéricq Foundation
A foundation at the heart of medical innovation
Located at the heart of the Liège University Hospital in Belgium, the Léon Fredericq Foundation is a university hospital institution founded to actively support medical and biomedical research in all fields of medicine. Since its creation in 2017, it has pursued a vital mission: promoting scientific excellence and medical innovation for the benefit of patients. In 2025, it will provide significant financial support to more than 250 research projects led by young researchers at the Liège University Hospital. These subsidies, totaling €2.5 million, take several forms: travel grants, operating grants, clinical research grants, assistance with the purchase of cutting-edge scientific equipment, etc. Thanks to these resources, 600 researchers and 50 departments can push the boundaries of medicine, between innovation, early diagnosis, and next-generation therapies.
The Léon Frédéricq Foundation also plays a key role in the fight against cancer. The Foundation funds young researchers specializing in oncology and actively supports the Arsène Burny Cancer Institute. This center, recognized as a global benchmark, embodies excellence in cancer care, research, and treatment. If the Léon Fredericq Foundation can realize such ambitious projects, this is obviously thanks to the generosity of its donors: citizens, foundations, corporate sponsors like Miloa, and service clubs like Rotary, including the Rotary Club of Liège, which Estelle Lhoest, the founder of Miloa, joined in 2015. Depending on the nature of the support, the Foundation can launch a call for projects, direct funds based on the wishes expressed by donors, or directly initiate research by bringing together the necessary expertise. Each donation is valued with rigor and transparency, in consultation with the relevant Commission of the Faculty of Medicine, the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and its expanded scientific office.
Among the researchers supported by the Léon Frédéricq Foundation:
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Nathalie Esser focuses her work on diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. She is particularly interested in the mechanisms of chronic inflammation linked to excess weight—called metaflammation – which promote the onset and complications of type 2 diabetes. Her research highlights the role of certain immune sensors such as the NLRP3 inflammasome and biomarkers such as GDF-15, opening new therapeutic avenues to better prevent and treat the cardiovascular and hepatic complications associated with these metabolic diseases.
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Grégory Ehx, for his part, is developing his research in immunology and hematology, with a focus on leukemia and bone marrow transplants. He is studying the mechanisms for harnessing the beneficial immune response known as “graft versus leukemia” (GVL), while seeking to limit adverse effects such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). He has also contributed to the development of innovative tools, such as BamQuery, which identifies new antigens specific to cancer cells. His work is paving the way for more targeted and personalized immunotherapies to treat leukemia. These two researchers were supported by grants from the Rotary Club of Liège.
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And Arnaud Blomme, an FNRS qualified researcher also supported by Miloa, is studying cancer cell metabolism and the mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy treatments. He has shown that the THEM6 protein plays a key role in prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy, and his research opens new avenues for restoring the effectiveness of these treatments. He is also interested in melanoma, highlighting tumor escape pathways and innovative therapeutic targets, as well as the epigenetic regulation of cell differentiation. His goal is to contribute to the development of more effective treatments for resistant cancers, including lung cancer.
Please support the medicine of tomorrow. Every donation counts. Please help advance research and improve care, and offer a healthier future for all. The Léon Fredericq Foundation needs you.
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