On December 16, 2020, Professor Bart Loeys, a pediatric cardio-geneticist at the University of Antwerp and world-renowned specialist in Marfan syndrome and related diseases (such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome), Co-Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the 101 Genomes Foundation and leader of the GEMS projectreceived the prestigious Francqui 2020 award from His Majesty the King..

Colauréat. Professor Bart Loeys is co-recipient, with Cédric Blanpain, of this prestigious award, considered to be Belgium’s Nobel Prize, which recognizes outstanding researchers in their fields[1].

Rare diseases. If you look at the prestigious list of prize-winners, Professor Bart Loeys is one of the few – if not the only – prize-winners whose work specifically concerns the field of rare diseases! 

Professor Bart Loeys is one of the world’s leading specialists in Marfan syndrome and related diseases, such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome, which he co-discovered with Professor Hal Dietz.

Numerous newspapers have reported that he was awarded the prize for ” his clinical and translational research which has led to the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of human genetic diseases affecting blood vessels “[2].

The prize was awarded for his research into Marfan syndrome and related diseases (such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome), which has contributed to our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying aortic damage. Understanding these genetic mechanisms could help prevent aortic rupture, even outside the field of rare diseases[3].

Prestigious list of winners. Professor Bart Loeys joins such eminent laureates as Henri PirenneChristian de DuveIlya PrigogineFrançois EnglertMathias DewatripontPhilippe Van ParijsOlivier De Schutter[4] and the prestigious list goes on[5]…

The King’s request. The awards ceremony took place at the Palais des Académies, with a very small number of guests and a very strict protocol due to COVID19. During the ceremony, Professors Bart Loeys and Cédric Blanpain had the opportunity to explain their respective research to His Majesty the King. The King then asked them if it would be conceivable for them to work together on a joint project. Professor Bart Loeys asked Professor Cédric Blanpain to contribute his stem cell expertise to the
GEMS project
. This gave Professor Bart Loeys the opportunity to explain the GEMS project to the King and Professor Blanpain. To be continued?

Bravo ! For the time being, congratulations once again to Professor Bart Loeys. We look forward to the attention this prestigious award will bring to research into Marfan syndrome and related diseases. Finally, we hope that this award will convince as many people as possible to support Professor Bart Loeys’s involvement in the GEMS project.
the GEMS project run by the Foundation 101 Genomes
.

Bravo Bart and thank you for your extraordinary work, which gives hope to Marfan and related families !

Ludivine & Romain

[1]       https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/12/16/koning-filip-heeft-de-francqui-prijs-uitgereikt/

[2]       https://fondation-francqui.prezly.com/cedric-blanpain-et-bart-loeys-laureats-2020-des-deux-prix-francqui-collen-en-recherche-fondamentale-et-clinique

[3]        Read the jury’s report carefully: http://www.francquifoundation.be/new-page/prix-francqui/laureats/2020-rapport-jury-bart-loeys/

[4]        Henri Pirenne (Humanities – Philosophy and Letters), Christian de Duve (Biological and Medical Sciences – Physiological Chemistry – Biochemistry – Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1974), Ilya Prigogine (Exact Sciences – Chemistry and Molecular Physics – Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1977), François Englert (Exact Sciences – Theoretical Physics – Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013), Mathias Dewatripont (Humanities – Economics), Philippe Van Parijs (Humanities – Philosophy of Social Justice), Olivier De Schutter (Humanities – Governance Theory – International and European Human Rights Law, European Union Law)

[5]       https://www.francquifoundation.be/new-page/prix-francqui/laureats/