SCIENCE FICTION

Scabies is on the rise in Belgium. The mite burrows around under the skin, where it lays its eggs, causing intense itching. Infection occurs through skin-to-skin contact or by sharing clothing, towels, bedding or other personal items with someone who is infected.

We continue to fight this resurgence through targeted outbreak research, tracking how scabies spreads and working to bring the number of cases down. 

For more than 40 years, we’ve been providing comprehensive, accessible and holistic care and a strong safety net for people living with HIV. At our HIV clinic, a multidisciplinary team monitors thousands of patients, helping them manage their condition. But our care goes beyond the medical. We also offer psychosocial support, therapy and sexological counselling.

Our researchers played a key role in bringing attention to HIV as a disease that also affects heterosexual people. Through these efforts, and many others, we continue to challenge misconceptions and break the stigma surrounding the disease.

In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave ITM the responsibility of watching over the largest collection of tuberculosis bacteria in the world. Although the strains were already physically located at ITM at the time, stored in freezers of our high-security labs, the appointment meant they officially came under Belgian stewardship.

Our collection represents the global diversity of tuberculosis strains and shows various resistance patterns. We use it to better understand the disease and develop new treatments and diagnostic tests.

Sleeping sickness is caused by a parasite transmitted by the tse tse fly. Without treatment, the parasite penetrates the brain, ultimately even causing death.

We tackle sleeping sickness at the source, through both biomedical and public health efforts. We research the flies that spread this dangerous disease, breeding them in our state-of-the-art insectary. And because early detection is key, the CATT continues to play an important role. We developed this test at the end of the 1970s. Finally, we do extensive population screening for sleeping sickness, to find the last pockets of the disease.

We face tuberculosis, mpox, malaria, sleeping sickness and other deadly threats head-on. In our high-security labs and state-of-the-art insectary, we study these devastating diseases and develop the tools to curb them. And we keep a close eye on how climate change and other global trends are changing the game. 

In 1993, the ITM buildings were officially listed as protected monuments. Our main building dates back to 1933 and is a beautifully preserved example of Art Deco architecture.

And it’s not just scientists who’ve fallen for it; artists have, too. For instance, our buildings have served as a film set for dEUS frontman Tom Barman, and as the runway for one of Walter Van Beirendonck’s most iconic fashion collections. 

We have grown from a small training centre to an internationally recognised academic and scientific institute. Over the years, tens of thousands of ITM alumni have left their mark on science, health and beyond.

And it’s our diversity that makes the difference. Students and teachers from all kinds of cultural and professional backgrounds come together at ITM, encouraging fresh perspectives and rich exchanges. 

Detecting global health threats before they become full-blown crises? We’ve been on it for decades. In today’s interconnected world, emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks can spread fast, so the stakes are high.

That’s why we remain on high alert. Our researchers work closely with partners across three continents, both in the field and in the lab, to understand the threats we face and to help the world prepare for the next pandemic.