GSK
These awards are designed to promote the sharing and recognition of the results of scientific research in the field of respiratory medicine. They recognise original, relevant and high-quality papers presented by researchers or clinicians on a variety of respiratory topics. Thanks to financial support from GSK, the BeRS organises a dedicated scientific meeting, during which candidates are invited to present their work to a panel of experts. These presentations not only enable the scientific rigour and potential impact of the research to be assessed, but also encourage exchanges between researchers and practitioners in the field. The winners are then ranked according to criteria defined by the jury members.
Following these auditions, four GSK prizes are awarded:
Basic Science Award: 1st prize : 2 000€ 2nd prize : 1 500€
Clinical Science Award: 1st prize : 2 000€ 2nd prize : 1 500€
BASIC SCIENCE AWARD 2025 – First Prize
Elisabeth De Leeuw (UGent)
Early human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) bronchiolitis and maternal allergy synergistically increase the risk of asthma in offspring via an enhanced type 2 immune response.
Using a neonatal mouse model, infection with a virus similar to hRSV followed by exposure to an allergen induces an asthma-like condition, particularly when the mothers are allergic.
Allergen-specific maternal IgG, transferred via the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), promotes the capture…
BASIC SCIENCE AWARD 2025 – Second Prize
Marco Morbidelli (ULiège)
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive form of cancer linked to asbestos, with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis.
ADAM10, a protease that is overexpressed in MPM, promotes tumour progression but is difficult to target due to its role in normal tissues.
To address this, we have developed a dual-targeting protein combining the prodomain of ADAM10 (an inhibitor…
CLINICAL SCIENCE AWARD 2025 – First Prize
Leander Jonckheere (UGent)
Cystic fibrosis, the most common autosomal recessive disorder among Caucasians, is increasingly recognised as a condition characterised by systemic immune dysregulation.
Using single-cell sequencing, flow cytometry and serum cytokine profiling, we have mapped the immune changes in people with cystic fibrosis, both before and during treatment…
CLINICAL SCIENCE AWARD 2025 – 2nd prize
Michaël Staes (KULeuven)
The incremental cardiorespiratory exercise test (EPIC) is widely used to assess exercise capacity and identify the mechanisms limiting it, but there is no consensus on how to define the maximal stage of the test.
In this study, we analysed 449 EPIC scans in patients with COPD, interstitial lung diseases and pulmonary hypertension, as well as in healthy individuals, comparing the visual identification of a VO₂ plateau at different…