This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Main menu
2.2
Main achievements in 2021
- Official nomination of the LNS as the national reference laboratory for acute respiratory infections by the Ministry of Health for the next 7 years.
- Publication of a study, carried out by Dr. Catherine Ragimbeau of the LNS Microbiology Department within the framework of the Campylomics project, consisting of characterising the recurrent lineages of Campylobacter jejuni in Luxembourg.
- Bacteriology-Mycology-Antibiotic Resistance and Hospital Hygiene Service of LNS microbiology department is accredited for 90% of its activity by OLAS.
- 3rd LuxMicroHub webinar with Dr Schockmel addressing the technological platforms, pharmaceutical properties, safety and efficacy profiles of currently approved Covid-19 vaccines, as well as the potential impact of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants on vaccine efficacy.
- Pisa – de Wëssensmagazin TV programme broadcasted on RTL television, Olivier Catani and Mister Science discussed the functioning of our immune system. Mr Science checked the state of his vaccination at the LNS Microbiology Department with Dr Trung Nguyen.
- Bacteriology-Mycology-Antibiotic Resistance and Hospital Hygiene Service (MycoBac-ARH) of our Microbiology Department integrated the new SIRSCAN ORION automaton into its automation panel.
- Second round table on the impact of COVID-19 on access to emotional and sexual health services and care in the sectors of disability, violence and childhood and youth with Martine Schaul, forensic medical specialist from our medico-judicial service.
- LNS Microbiology Department, represented by Tamir Abdelrahman and Anke Wieneke-Baldacchino, is involved in a publication in Eurosurveillance journal characterizing the Sars-CoV-2 variants circulating in Europe during the winter 2020-2021.
- Monique Perrin and her team of the LNS Bacteriology-Mycology Service have published the results of their work on development and validation of a new diagnostic molecular method for dermatophytes, with Alexandre Mzabi, as corresponding author.
- Nasopharyngeal sampling training for healthcare professionals by Microbiology department.
- Joint Publication of our Microbiology Department with CHL of a case series dedicated to four re-infections with a SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant in Luxembourg.
- 11 May: Lux-MicroHub webinar: Analysing SARS-CoV-2 in sewers: an effective way to monitor epidemiological status of human populations with Dr Henry-Michel Cauchie (Head of the Research Group on Environmental microbiology and Biotechnologies research unit at LIST) and Dr Leslie OGORZALY (virologist with a PhD in Environment and Health from the University of Lorraine).
- LuxMicroBiobank has exceeded the 15,000 mark for positive SARS-CoV-2 samples.
- The LNS and the Advanced Biological Laboratories (ABL) are joining forces in the fight against COVID-19 in signing an agreement that provides for the development of an integrated diagnostic solution. The project, called INNOV-COV-ID, is co-financed by the Ministry of the Economy.
- Monique Perrin and Alexandre Mzabi from our Department of Microbiology participated in an international study, which suggests COVID-19 lockdowns reduced the spread of deadly invasive bacterial diseases – potentially saving thousands of lives. The study was led by Angela Brueggemann, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Population Health.
- Trung Nguyen and Guillaume Fournier from Microbiology Department participate in a large-scale epidemiologic and evolutionary study describing the molecular evolution of Emerging Echovirus 30 strains collected in 22 countries in Europe.
- The LNS Microbiolgy Department launched COVVAC Sero, a national program exploring COVID19 serology induced by natural infection or vaccination in nursing home patients.
- The famous Waringo report, which the whole of Luxembourg is talking about, was recently made public. In this 82-page report written amongst others by a team of scientists (including Tamir Abdelrahman, head of our microbiology department), the management of the epidemic in nursing homes for the elderly people is discussed.
- Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel together with the Minister of Higher Education and Research Claude Meisch met Research Luxembourg COVID-19 Taskforce to discuss the milestones of their collaboration while looking at the actions carried out and to come. LNS was represented in the person of Tamir Abdelrahman, head of our microbiology department, who had thus the chance to meet our Prime Minister.
- Publication of a study led by Dr Catherine Ragimbeau from Microbiology Department, characterising the molecular diversity of Campylobacter jejuni by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as an alternative to sequencing.
- The LNS Microbiology Department is involved in a joint publication with LIST, UL and LCSB, demonstrating the value of monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants by sequencing in wastewater.
- Contribution of the LNS’s Microbiology Department to the publication of the clinical performance evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and antibody tests available on the market.
- Lux-MicroHub: Science to the rescue: The COVID-19 pandemic and the response by the scientific community in Luxembourg with Prof. Paul Wilmes.
- Signature of the SMTA between the LNS and the WHO formalising the role of LNS in the pilot phase of the WHO-Biohub, the platform for the exchange of SARS-COV-2 data and samples between reference laboratories and WHO.
- Impfo’Day organized by the Ministry of Health with the participation of Dr Daniel Alvarez and Dr Jean-Paul Mundama, both epidemiologist at the Microbiology department of the LNS, to raise awareness on the importance of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
- European HIV Testing Week – On this occasion, we spoke to Dr Hussenet about his department and the role it plays in the diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases.