Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation

Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 3 pm

 

Academic session at the Royal Palace in Brussels

 

Celebration of 100 years of QEMF – 1926-2026

150 years since the birth of Queen Elisabeth, Music Chapel Reine Elisabeth & the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition

 

History

On the strength of her experience during the First World War, particularly in the four hospitals on the Belgian front, Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth created a medical foundation in 1926 with the aim of encouraging laboratory research and fostering contact between researchers and clinical practitioners. A good relationship between these two key groups was considered crucial for patient welfare.

 

The Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation (Q.E.M.F.) focuses on the neurosciences and supports researchers using the latest techniques to study the functioning of the nervous system, in both its normal and its abnormal state (sleep, developmental disorders, head traumas, spinal cord injuries, brain senescence (ageing), dementia, parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis etc.).

 

The result of the foresight and generosity of Queen Elisabeth, supported by various patrons, the Q.E.M.F. is and will continue to be a powerful catalyst for cooperation between all the university teams in Belgium.

 

During the period 2026-2028, a substantial annual grant of 0.5 million Euros will be distributed to five (5) inter-university research teams, five (5) university research teams and sixteen (16) research projects by young researchers. Annual scientific prizes are also awarded on the basis of publications.

 

Program

Research credits of the Q.E.M.F. 2026-2028

Presentation of the research teams

Interuniversity projects:

• Prof. dr. Winnok De Vos (UAntwerpen); Prof. dr. Wim Annaert (KU Leuven); Prof. dr. Sylvain Gabriele (UMONS)
• Prof. dr. Esther Wolfs (UHasselt); Prof. dr. Vincent Timmerman (UAntwerpen)
• Prof. Koen Poesen (KU Leuven); Prof. Veerle Somers (UHasselt)
• Prof. dr. Bieke Broux (UHasselt); Prof. dr. Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke (UGent-VIB)
• Prof. dr. Sarah Weckhuysen (UAntwerpen); Prof. dr. Pedro Gonçalves (KU Leuven-VIB)

 

 

University projects:

• Prof. dr. Ilse Smolders (VUB)
• Prof. dr. Pierre Vanderhaeghen & Prof. Vincent Bonin (KU Leuven-VIB)
• Prof. dr. Bart De Strooper (KU Leuven-VIB)
• Dr. Elena Catanzaro (UGent)
• Prof. dr. Benoit Vanhollebeke (ULB)

 

 

Young research projects:

• UGent: Dr. Marta Scarioni; Prof. dr. Thomas Tarnaud; Dr. Lien Van Hoecke
• UAntwerpen: Dr. Duc Nam Nguyen; Prof. dr. Daniele Bertoglio; Dr. Sokolova Dimitra (VIB); Dr. Cristina Vicente
• KU Leuven: Dr. Eliana Nachman; Dr. Catherine Marneffe; Dr. Iris Verbinnen
• UCLouvain: Dr. Everard Gauthier; Dr. Masrori Pegah
• UHasselt: Dr. Melanie Loix; Dr. Sam Vanherle
• ULB: Dr Simon Desiderio
• ULiège: PhD Anneline Pinson

 

 

Scientific awards 2026 of the Q.E.M.F.

Presentation of the selected publications, the laureates, and the awarding of the Q.E.M.F. 2026 scientific prizes

• UCB Neuroscience award – € 125.000: Prof. dr. Albertini Giulia, PhD (KU Leuven)
• Viscountess Valine de Spoelberch prize – € 50.000: Prof. dr. De Schepper Sebastiaan, PhD (UAntwerpen)
• Fund Janine and Jacques Delruelle prize – € 30.000: Dr. Reinhard Katja, PhD (KU Leuven)
• Ernest Solvay prize – € 25.000: Dr. Mattioni Stefania, PhD (UGent)
• Marc Hurard prize – € 15.000: Dr. Dopp Joana, PhD (KU Leuven)

 

 

 

Musical interlude by the Artists in Residence

 

Celebration

 

Reception

 

Folder –  Program –  Press kit –  Speech: prof. dr. Paul A.J.M. Boon, MD, PhD, FEAN –  Montage (Reinout Goddyn)