Vous trouverez ci-joint plusieurs propositions de lieux et de thématiques de stages possibles dans la Faculté.
N'hésitez pas à contacter le professeur responsable pour en savoir plus sur la thématique et Madame Hansen pour le côté pratique - stephanie.hansen@uclouvain.be
- Professor Emmanuel Hanert
Title: Optimal placement of corals restoration projects to enhance reef resilience
Description: In this project, we will use a high-resolution biophysical dispersal model to study the connectivity of several common coral species in the entire Florida Reef Tract (www.coris.noaa.gov/portals/florida.html). The connectivity matrix will then be used to develop a metapopulation model for the Florida Reef Tract to assist in the selection of sites for coral restoration.
Keywords: marine ecosystems, connectivity, ocean modelling
Contact: emmanuel.hanert@uclouvain.be
***************************************************************************************************
- Professor Patrick Gerin (1)
Title: Biomass biorefinery to green chemicals: microbial electrosynthesis integrated with carboxylate fermentation
Description: We aim at establishing a microbial electrosynthesis process (= modification of microbial metabolism by supplying reducing equivalents using a cathode) in order to ensure the elongation of short chain carboxylic acids to longer chains. The research will focus on the conditions required to induce the elongation of acetic (C2) and butyric (C4) acids to higher caproic acid (C6). The experimental research includes the design and operation of the experimental device (electrochemical and biological reactor), chemical analyzes to control the process, and investigation of the influence of operating conditions (potential, current, etc.) on the conversion efficiency, with the prospect of optimizing the process.
Keywords: Biomass, biorefinery, carboxylates, green chemistry
Contact: patrick.gerin@uclouvain.be
***************************************************************************************************
- Professor Patrick Gerin (2)
Title: Mastering the fermentation of complex substrates by natural microbial communities, to enable the biorefining of biomass and its valorisation in green chemistry and energy
Description: Several fermentations make it possible to convert biomass (agricultural and agro-industrial products and residues, livestock manure, sewage sludge, etc.) into renewable chemicals (green chemistry) or biofuels. We are interested in acidogenic fermentation to produce molecules such as ethanol, short-chain (C2-C4) carboxylic acids, lactic acid, from complex substrates and natural microbial communities themselves. The general objective of the research is to optimize the design and control of the fermentation process to specifically desired products.
Keywords: Biomass, biorefinery, carboxylates, green chemistry, pretreatments, dowstream processing
Contact: patrick.gerin@uclouvain.be
******************************************************************************************************
- Professor Bruno Henry de Frahan
Title: Design and development of applied modeling tools on research topics related to agricultural and resource economics
Description: Research topics in agricultural and resource economics mainly cover (1) agricultural and trade policy, (2) environmental economics and policy, and (3) development economics and policy.
To study these three thematic fields, theoretical and applied modeling tools are designed and developed using a microeconomic approach.
Contacts:
Bruno Henry de Frahan: bruno.henrydefrahan@uclouvain.be
Frédéric Gaspart : frederic.gaspart@uclouvain.be
***************************************************************************************************
- Professor Yvan Larondelle
Title: Development of egg yolk with dedicated health promoting effects
Description: We have been able to design a new feed formula for laying hens that allows the production of egg yolk with unconventional lipid profile. These eggs may contribute to delaying the onset of chronic diseases or even to act in disease treatment in a synergic way with drugs. At present stage, the project comprises different complementary approaches including (1) optimization of the feed formula, (2) development of an UPC² analytical method for the analysis of nutrients in egg yolk, (3) effect of yolk storage and industrial processing on nutrient stability, (4) effect of culinary use on yolk lipid profile, (5) evaluation of biological effects on human cell lines, (6) evaluation of health-promoting effects in different animal models (zebrafish, mouse), (7) acceptance tests in humans, (8) bioavailability tests in human volunteers, (9) evaluation of impact on a targeted chronic disease in human volunteers.
Keywords: Laying hen, lipid feeding, egg yolk, chronic disease, UPC², cell culture, animal test, exploratory evaluation in human volunteers
Contact: yvan.larondelle@uclouvain.be
***************************************************************************************************
- Professor Iwona Cybulska
Title: Halophytes and medicinal plants processing – botanical extracts production and analysis
Description: The overall objective of this research is to develop processing system to produce botanical extracts and purified, refined streams of phytochemicals from local halophytes and medicinal plants. The aim is to isolate and characterize extractives from several populations of local halophytes and to optimize extraction and purification methods to obtain commercially valuable biochemicals, which can be further used in cosmetics and nutraceuticals/functional food production. The halophytic plants have been reported to contain valuable phytochemicals, such as fatty acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, tannins, saponins, quinones and coumarins, many of which have therapeutic effects in humans. The plan for this project is to examine local halophytes and screen for the most potent producers of phytochemicals and at the same time analyze for macromolecule composition to ensure that the residual biomass is well suited for other applications that could benefit local agriculture. The focus of this research will be on the optimization of the botanical extract production process, along with the purification and characterization of the products and finding the end-user applications (e.g. preparing product formulations).
Contact: iwona.cybulska@uclouvain.be