On 16 and 17 November 2023, at the Belgian consulate residence in Los Angeles, Amici Lovanienses and Mission Lucidity had the pleasure to organize two highly informative and inspiring presentations by our renowned Alzheimer’s expert Prof. Bart De Strooper, group leader at VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research and former director of the UK DRI.

This is a time of unprecedented promise in the quest to end Alzheimer’s

During the first event, Prof. De Strooper shed light on Alzheimer's disease and its challenges and outlook, showing the exciting road ahead thanks to the latest very promising results and breakthroughs that give us hope for the future.

We warmly thank Martine Bolsens-Peetermans from Amici Lovanienses for organizing the event at the Belgian consulate residence in Los Angeles, the Consulate General of Belgium in Los Angeles, Sophie Hottat, for the warm hospitality, and thank you to our friends Jean-Baptiste Piron and Alain Charbonnier of BELWEST - Chamber of Commerce for their support and active advocacy in promoting both events.

Sarah Braet - Head of Site Digital Transformation Los Angeles at Takeda:

“Events like these highlight the critical importance of funding and addressing unmet medical needs. Supporting research and innovation in healthcare is pivotal if we want to create a better future for the world we live in. Thanks to the involved research groups for all their passion, time, commitment and especially, never giving up!"

Jean-Baptiste Piron - BELWEST - Chamber of Commerce:

“We had the pleasure to participate to a passionate keynote on the future of research to cure Alzheimer´s Disease. Thank you Professor Bart De Strooper for your insights and sharing of your essential work that contribute to the progress on the wellbeing of patients affected."

Alzheimer´s disease: the time to be ambitious is now

Given the major breakthroughs and success in the Alzheimer´s disease space over the past years, there is a newfound sense of optimism in the field. Funding remains critical to pursue newfound avenues. On Friday, November 17, Mission Lucidity and Amici Lovanienses organized a virtual fireside chat with Prof. Bart De Strooper, with KT Moortgat as moderator. KT Moortgat is US biotech venture investor, executive and founder with track record in investing, supporting, forming life science therapeutic companies.

Prof. De Strooper and KT Moortgat had a virtual fireside chat where they enlightened the audience about the recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer´s research, which other alternative approaches to Alzheimer´s treatment could show greatest progress, and why now is the time to be ambitious.

KT Moortgat led the conversation from addressing the recent FDA drug approvals to the need to collaborate across sectors and inviting various forms of funding to aid the research.

KT Moortgat - US biotech venture investor:

“I was lucky to moderate yesterday’s virtual fireside chat on Alzheimer’s Disease with Bart De Strooper of KU Leuven. Key themes included the significance of the recent therapeutic approvals, what’s to come in the clinic, as well as the advances in clinical and research tools that can further propel understandings of mechanisms in this debilitating disease and drive novel therapeutic approaches."

• Re-watch the webinar here