The LCSB: 15 years of biomedical research in Luxembourg

• 2024

  2009

  The LCSB is born!
  A new interdisciplinary research centre with a focus on biomedicine at the university, under the leadership of Prof. Rudi Balling.

  All in for Parkinson’s disease
  Our main research topic: the second most common neurodegenerative disease.

  Worldwide networking
  Knowledge transfer programmes with research centres all over the world.

  

• 2024

  2010

  ATTRACTing funds for metabolomics
  A first ATTRACT grant of the FNR to study small molecules known as metabolites.

  First in-house scientific conference
  The LCSB organises its first international symposium dedicated to Parkinson’s disease. The first of a series of yearly scientific conferences.

  

• 2024

  2011

  A new residence in Belval
  The LCSB moves into its new home: the “House of Biomedicine” on Campus Belval.

  Here come the computer wizards
  Start of the Bioinformatics Core: computational science becomes a pillar of the centre.

  Diving into the world of microbes
  With a new FNR ATTRACT fellow, the LCSB dives into a novel field of study: the microbiome.

  Mapping Parkinson’s
  The Parkinson’s disease map gains spotlight in the scientific community.

  

• 2024

  2012

  HuMiX – Gut on a chip
  Researchers develop an in vitro model of the human gut to study the links between the microbes and us.

  Biomedical data – Join the big league
  The LCSB gets a central role in eTRIKS, a project funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative.

  

• 2024

  2013

  A natural antibiotic in the brain
  Research on itaconic acid, a natural antibiotic in the brain, leads to a high-impact publication.

  Jump start on human metabolism
  New FNR ATTRACT grant to study human metabolism and links between diet and health.

  Prize for research on Alzheimer’s
  Novel project on Alzheimer’s and gender wins a challenge of the Geoffrey Beene Foundation.

  “De Labo fir Jonker”
  The Scienteens Lab, the first students’ lab in Luxembourg, is officially inaugurated.

  

• 2024

  2014

  FNR PEARL Chair for Parkinson’s
  Start of the National Centre of Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD).

  Making research better
  Launch of the R3 initiative for “Responsible and Reproducible Research”.

  Exploring the genetics of epilepsy
  Researchers discover several new epilepsy genes as part of an international consortium.

  

• 2024

  2015

  Opening of a second building
  The LCSB is relocating part of its team in a brand-new building on the Campus Belval.

  Powerful start for PD & mitochondria
  A new FNR ATTRACT fellow for research on Parkinson’s disease and mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells.

  Taking the lead in European project
  Big success: the LCSB is coordinating a H2020 European research project called SysMedPD.

  

• 2024

  2016

  Training the next generation
  The LCSB coordinates its first Doctoral Training Unit investigating critical transitions. It promotes interdisciplinary education.

  Wheels for Parkinson’s
  Thanks to the Fondation Losch, NCER-PD gets a mobile lab unit to reach Parkinson’s patients.

  

• 2024

  2017

  A node in a European network
  The LCSB represents Luxembourg in ELIXIR, a network managing scientific data in Europe.

  Neuropathology’s first step
  Thanks to an FNR PEARL Chair, Luxembourg gains the expertise of a specialist in neuropathology.

  Two FNR awards for HuMiX
  Awards for outstanding scientific publication and research-driven innovation for this model of the gut-microbe interface.

  Research, prevention and care
  Two programmes to strengthen the link between research and healthcare: ParkinsonNet and pdp.

  State of the art rodent facility
  A new housing facility for mice, with high-quality infrastructure, to develop in vivo disease models.

  

  

• 2024

  2018

  Focus on environmental studies
  A 5^th FNR ATTRACT fellow to study chemicals in the environment and their influence on health.

  Award for Deep Brain Stimulation
  International award for a PhD thesis on computer simulations for Deep Brain Stimulation.

  Two new Doctoral training Units
  MICROH’s focus is on studying interactions within and between microbiomes. Park-QC focuses on developing novel strategies for the identification and treatment of Parkinson’s.

  Top national science prize
  Grand Prix en sciences biologiques de l’Institut Grand-ducal awarded for LCSB researcher.

  Brain organoids in the lab
  3D cell cultures called brain organoids are produced from skin samples donated by patients.

  

  

• 2024

  2019

  Joining hands with Japan
  Signature of agreement to intensify a successful research collaboration with RIKEN.

  Studying rare children diseases
  International collaboration identifies the genetic cause of a childhood disease, leading to effective treatment.

  Two new LCSB spin-offs
  OrganoTherapeutics, working with organoids, and Nium, focusing on personalised nutrition, take their first steps.

  Award for the COSMIC study
  The FNR rewards an outstanding PhD thesis focusing on the microbiome of newborns.

  Understanding the fate of cells
  FNR award for scientific article in Nature Communications on cell identity & conversion.

  Top European grant for ExpoBiome
  ERC consolidator grant to study the interplay between microbial molecules & immune cells.

  

  

• 2024

  2020

  Scientific collaborations on COVID-19
  Within a national task force, researchers help to better understand and control the pandemic.

  Metabolic diseases and immunology
  Two new LCSB groups study the interactions between DNA, the environment and the immmune system.

  1000^th paper published!
  This LCSB paper about genetically edited cells and Parkinson’s disease is published in Cells.

  Awards for both science and outreach
  FNR rewards the exhibition “Mind the Brain” and a scientific paper on enzyme deficiency in a rare disease.

  

• 2024

  2021

  Bringing medical applications to life
  A new FNR PEARL Chair for Digital Medicine to work on digital solutions for patients and doctors.

  Empowering HealthTech innovation
  Grant to manage the country’s 1^st bioincubator as a collaboration between the LCSB, LIH and Technoport.

  First inter-institutional platform
  The LCSB and LIH create the Disease Modelling and Screening Platform, a core facility for translational research.

  

• 2024

  2022

  New director at the LCSB
  Prof. Michael Heneka takes over as the head of the LCSB, bringing his expertise on Alzheimer’s disease.

  Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s
  A new group studies the role of the immune system in Alzheimer’s and a FNR PEARL Chair supports research on this disease.

  Data science in healthcare
  The LCSB and LIH launch Clinnova to accelerate digitalisation in healthcare and precision medicine.

  Precision medicine and Parkinson’s
  LCSB researchers receive an FNR award for the 1^st proof-of-concept for precision medicine in Parkinson’s disease.

  

• 2024

  2023

  Imaging Artificial Intelligence
  A new junior research group at the LCSB aims to tackle (bio)medical image analysis with AI.

  The 100^th LCSB graduate
  Since 2009, a hundred PhD students have been trained and graduated at the LCSB.

  Better care for patients
  Launch of the “Réseau de compétences maladies neurodégénératives” to offer integrated care.

  Scienteens Lab 10-year anniversary
  In a decade, this educational lab welcomed over 14.000 pupils from Luxembourg & Greater Region.

  Prize for the COVID-19 Task Force
  The Science for Society Prize is awarded to the Research Luxembourg COVID-19 Task Force for supporting decision-makers and informing the public during the pandemic.

  

  

• 2024

  2024

  Parkinson’s research goes global
  NCER-PD joins the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, a clinical study sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

  Training digital health innovators
  Second edition confirms the success of the Digital Medical Devices summer school in Belval.

  Bridges between cells for brain health
  Researchers show that microglia use tunnelling nanotubes to promote neuronal health.

  ECDO Conference
  The LCSB hosts the 30^th European Cell Death Organization (ECDO) Conference gathering 250 researchers, clinicians and students.