Can we stop our blood vessels from developing? Peter Carmeliet has been working on this problem for many years. By decoding the mechanisms that control the development of our vascular system, he is paving the way for innovative treatments to fight tumours.

Tumours, parasites of the vascular system

The blood vessel network is crucial for maintaining bodily homeostasis, delivering molecules and blood cells, and removing waste products. Dysregulation of new blood-vessel formation is related to the onset and progression of many diseases including cancer. Indeed, tumours use the vascular system of their hosts to meet their own nutritional needs. For this reason, the aim of many therapeutic treatments is to inhibit the formation of new vessels, thus starving the tumour. Managing to control blood vessel development could be the key to treating tumours in the future.

Controlling blood vessel formation

Peter Carmeliet has spent many years developing an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis, the formation of new vessels from an existing network. However, his work did not stop at gaining a pure understanding of these mechanisms.

A pioneer in his field, he applied this invaluable knowledge to therapeutic concepts that could be used to cure patients. In particular, the researcher was the first to demonstrate the crucial role of the VEGF protein in the formation of new blood vessels. This ground-breaking discovery led to the development of a large number of anti-tumour therapies.

The Foundation’s support

With the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller’s support, Peter Carmeliet plans to continue the work he has already started. At the Vesalius Research Center in Leuven, he is leading his team to develop an in-depth understanding of the metabolic activity of endothelial cells, which line the interior of blood vessels and whose proliferation is essential for new vessel formation. These cells play an essential role in local blood flow, by secreting vasoconstrictor or vasodilator agents.

Notably, the metabolism of endothelial cells adapts to different conditions, enabling cell proliferation in conditions where small oxygen is available such as tumours. Gaining control of these metabolic mechanisms could lead to the development of new therapeutic treatments which inhibit angiogenesis or, in contrast, which stimulate this process.

Peter Carmeliet in a few words

After completing his research training with two post-doctoral fellowships, Peter Carmeliet returned to Leuven to set up his own research group. The group’s objective is to understand blood vessel growth. The physician-researcher demonstrated the crucial role of the VEGF hormone in angiogenesis. A few years later, he discovered the anti-cancer therapeutic potential of the PlGF (Placental Growth Factor) molecule.

In 2001, he identified a new role for VEGF protein: a neuroprotective action that when missing can lead to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an incurable and fatal disease affecting motor neurons. In addition, he made a major contribution to cardiovascular disease research by creating the first mouse model of spontaneous ischemia.

  • 1984 Doctor of Medicine, University of Louvain (Belgium)

  • 1989 PhD in Neuroendocrinology, University of Louvain (Belgium)

  • 1989 Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Boston (USA)

  • 1990 Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

  • 1990 Researcher for the Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique

  • 1996 Group leader at the Vesalius Research Center, Leuven (Belgium)

  • 2002 Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Life Sciences

Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Life Sciences

The Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Life Sciences rewards each year a researcher under the age of 45 for the excellence of their work and their remarkable contribution to their field of scientific research. This prize is awarded, depending on the year, to a researcher based in France or working in another European country. Thirty winners have been awarded since 1997. From 2023, prize rewards the laureate up to 100,000 euros.

All the award-winners