Belux AstraZeneca Foundation

AstraZeneca Foundation history

The AstraZeneca Foundation was established in January 1994 by AstraZeneca BeLux under an independent structure.

Based on the ambition to contribute to the improvement of public health, AstraZeneca BeLux decided to partner with Belgian academics. They created a framework to tackle some of the most important health care issues affecting the Belgian population in an endeavor to identify the best ways to promote research towards advances in public health.

The AstraZeneca Foundation is committed to bringing science and society closer together.

Since 1994, through its Prizes to researchers, the AstraZeneca Foundation has already allocated more than €5 million to support research in Belgium.

4 Pillars

In order to achieve its mission to bring science and society closer together, the AstraZeneca Foundation relies on four pillars.

Independence

Promoting scientific excellence

Translational
research

Social
commitment

Independence

To ensure maximum independence, the AstraZeneca Foundation relies on independent and renowned Belgian scientific institutions for:

  • the call for candidates and
  • the selection of national and international academic juries responsible for nominating three laureates.

Since 2012, the Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.–FNRS) and the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) are in charge of the annual AstraZeneca Scientific Prizes designated for investigators in the intermediate stage of their career in recognition of innovative scientific research.Topics are submitted to the vote of the members of the board and renewed for each edition. The subjects are based on the most recent scientific advancements or health care needs.

Since 2016, the AstraZeneca Foundation awards every two years a prize for biomedical scientific research designated to a recognized investigator whose research has contributed, or could contribute, to improving human health. Since 2021, the Foundation has extended this biomedical prize to two established investigators (one based in Flanders – one based in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation).

The Belgian Royal Academies of Medicine (ARMB and KAGB) are entrusted to designate a jury made of members of both Academies as well as international experts to review the applications of the laureates and nominate the two laureates.

 

Promoting Scientific Excellence

“Promoting scientific excellence is the best way to foster the advancement of science and the knowledge about medical diseases. And, the ultimate aim of promoting excellent science is to understand the pathophysiology to better treat patients”, states Prof. Jean-Luc Balligand, Chairman of the Governing Board of the AstraZeneca Foundation.

“The Foundation must have the greatest possible impact; choosing top-notch science is crucial if we want to translate this science and make it available for the population.”, elaborates Dr. Anke Van den broeck, Medical Director at AstraZeneca.

The Foundation relies on independent panels of experts selected by either FWO-FNRS or the Academies of Medicine. The quality of science of each application file is assessed by these juries based on the value of the project they read, their own expertise, and some commonly used metrics (published papers, reputation, and quality of the lab).

Translational Research

The AstraZeneca Foundation supports and stimulates translational research in the quest to find practical applications. Our aim is to advance the transfer and fast translation of knowledge and innovative technologies into diagnoses and treatments that benefit the patient: “Selection of the topics is made in consideration of the most relevant advances and the newest translation of what is at the cutting edge of science and can be supported to have an impact on the patients and the population”, explains Dr. Anke Van den broeck, Medical Director at AstraZeneca.

By translating scientific progress into specific advantages for society, the AstraZeneca Foundation wants to emphasize the essential role that research plays for the patient: “The main incentive for scientists to do research in their labs is the therapeutic and social relevance of the science they do, the actual improvement of the wellbeing of the population”, says Prof. Jean-Luc Balligand, Chairman of the Governing Board of the AstraZeneca Foundation.

Social Commitment

The commitment of The AstraZeneca Foundation is bringing science and society closer together. The AstraZeneca Foundation stimulates the social debate on the importance of clinical research. By doing so, the AstraZeneca Foundation aims to create a framework in which scientific progress can benefit society.

Research of each laureate benefits from a communication to the lay press, radio and television networks, and medical publications for general practitioners and specialists. The AstraZeneca Foundation is committed to raise awareness on the laureates and enable them to share their work with the population as well as the scientific and medical community.