History

The Centre for Protein Engineering (CIP) was established in 1990 through the merger of three research units at the University of Liège:

• The Service of Applied Microbiology in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Prof. Jean-Marie Ghuysen, Faculty of Medicine)
• The Laboratory of Enzymology (Prof. Jean-Marie Frère, Faculty of Science)
• The Laboratory of Protein Crystallography (Prof. Otto Dideberg, Faculty of Science). 

These groups had been collaborating for several years on bacterial cell wall metabolism and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, particularly against beta-lactam antibiotics. Their integration into a single center enabled the development of a strong expertise in protein structure and function, and notably led to Belgium’s first determination of a protein 3D structure in 1982.

Over time, the Centre’s research expanded beyond antibiotic resistance to cover a broad range of biological processes involving proteins, including gene regulation, signal transduction, protein folding and stability, and enzymatic catalysis. Special attention is given to extremophile proteins, allergens, and proteins involved in amyloid-related diseases. These various research areas were initiated and led notably by Prof. Moreno Galleni, Prof. André Matagne, Prof. Paulette Charlier, and Dr. Georges Feller, as well as by several current members of the CIP.

The current research activities at the CIP have evolved to focus on three main and complementary axes, each contributing to a deeper understanding of life sciences and their applications:

• Biophysics and Structural Biology  - Exploring the physical principles that govern biological systems and unraveling the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules to better understand their function and dynamics.
• Microbiology  - Investigating the diversity, physiology, genetics and interactions of microorganisms, from fundamental studies of microbial life to their roles in health, industry, and the environment.
• Biochemistry & Biotechnology  - Deciphering the chemical processes underlying biological functions and applying this knowledge in the developement of innovative biotechnological tools, processes, and applications.

Together, these three research axes create a multidisciplinary environment where expertise and technologies intersect, enabling impactful sciences.