Solidarity in COVID-19 times

• Department of Infection and Immunity
• Clinical and Epidemiological Investigation Center (CIEC)

LIH welcomes the André Losch Foundation to its premises   

On Thursday, November 26th 2020, the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) had the pleasure of welcoming the Director of the André Losch Foundation to its premises in Strassen for a visit of its Clinical and Epidemiological Investigation Centre (CIEC). The event also provided an opportunity to discuss the status of the COVID-19 projects coordinated by LIH and supported by the Foundation.

Mrs Daniela Ragni, Director of the André Losch Foundation, was received on Thursday afternoon by Prof Ulf Nehrbass, CEO of LIH, Dr Frank Glod, Chief of Scientific Operations, Prof Rejko Krüger, Director of Transversal Translational Medicine (TTM), Prof Markus Ollert, Director of the LIH Department of Infection and Immunity, Dr Guy Fagherazzi, Group Leader of the Public Health Research unit of the LIH Department of Population Health (DoPH), and Dr Manon Gantenbein, Head of CIEC.

Following a short overview of the ongoing projects of the Research Luxembourg COVID-19 Taskforce and the main stakeholders involved, Prof Krüger provided an update on the CON-VINCE study, followed by a presentation of the latest preliminary results of the Predi-COVID project by Dr Fagherazzi and Prof Ollert. Indeed, the André Losch Foundation has been actively participating in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since April 2020, by supporting Research Luxembourg through a significant donation of EUR 1.4 million, which helped finance three COVID-19 studies, including CON-VINCE and Predi-COVID. In addition to the generous donation, the Foundation also financed four vans that are allowing nurses to collect tissue samples directly at the residence of study participants, thereby sparing them the trip to the hospital.

Finally, a guided visit of CIEC, led by Dr Gantenbein and Dr Fagherazzi, concluded the event. The CEIC team, including the research nurses, have been deeply involved in both studies, ensuring the smooth collection and transport of samples, in line with all ethical and data protection guidelines.     

Our board feels strongly about making a significant contribution to the national research efforts during this crisis”, explains Mrs Ragni.

“I was glad to have had the opportunity to visit LIH and its state-of-the art facilities, and to personally thank the researchers involved in advancing our knowledge of the disease and our ability to respond to it”, she concludes. 

The André Losch Foundation was created in 2009 with a general mission to support philanthropic projects in Luxembourg, with a particular focus on the fields of education, social cohesion, scientific research and health.