Le mercredi 9 septembre 2026, Monsieur Thomas COLSON, titulaire d'un Master en sciences pharmaceutiques, à finalité spécialisée en conception et développement du médicament - bioanalyse et d'un Certificat de formation à la recherche en sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques, présentera l'examen en vue de l'obtention du grade de Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques, sous la direction de Monsieur Pierre FRANCOTTE et de Monsieur Bernard PIROTTE.

Cette épreuve consistera en la défense publique d'une thèse intitulée : "Rational Design of Positive Allosteric Modulators Selective for the Kainate Receptors". 

Le jury sera composé de :

Vincent SEUTIN (Président), Lionel POCHET (UNamur) (Secrétaire), Pierre FRANCOTTE, Bernard PIROTTE, Anne-Sophie VOISIN-CHIRET (Univ. Caen), Johan WOUTERS (UNamur).

Résumé de la thèse

This PhD work aims to develop selective positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) for the kainic acid (KA) receptors (KARs). The goal is to create chemical probes that will enable neuropharmacologists to investigate the function of KARs within the central nervous system (CNS).

The small molecules envisaged in this project are designed to bind at a specific pocket located at the dimer interface of the receptors, affecting the rate of desensitization/deactivation of the receptors. Through this mechanism, they will act as potentiators for these receptors.

Taking into account the X-ray data obtained with a reference compound previously developed in our lab (BPAM344) co-crystallized within the ligand binding domains (LBDs) of GluA2 and GluK1, we explored the 4-substitution of the benzothiadiazine (BTDs).
Thanks to a collaborative approach, these innovative ligands will be used as pharmacological tools to have a better knowledge on the KARs role in the CNS. In fine, this research is expected to lead to the development of compounds of therapeutic interest for a variety of psychiatric disorders.