Cancer Researcher Wins Francqui Prize, the ‘Belgian Nobel’
Cancer and intestine researchers Diether Lambrechts and Patrice Cani have been awarded the prestigious Francqui-Collen Prize 2026, Belgium’s highest scientific honor often called the “Belgian Nobel Prize.” The award, presented by King Philippe at the Palace of Academies in Brussels on June 2, recognizes two decades of groundbreaking medical research that is already changing patient outcomes.
The Prize and Its Prestige
Established in 1932 by Belgian diplomat Émile Francqui, the Francqui Prize has been awarded annually since 1933 to a Belgian scientist under 50, rotating between exact sciences, humanities, and biological or medical sciences. When awarded in the biomedical category, it is known as the Francqui-Collen Prize, named after biomedical pioneer Dr. Désiré Collen. The prize carries a monetary award of €250,000, of which €200,000 must be reinvested in research.
Notable past laureates include Georges Lemaître (1934), father of the Big Bang theory; Ilya Prigogine (1955), who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Christian de Duve (1960), later a Nobel laureate in Medicine; and François Englert (1982), who won the Nobel Prize in Physics. An international jury of 8 to 14 members — none affiliated with Belgian institutions — selects the winner, ensuring impartiality.
Twenty Years of Cancer Breakthroughs
Prof. Diether Lambrechts (KU Leuven, VIB Center for Cancer Biology) was recognized for his pioneering work in cancer genetics. According to VRT NWS, the 49-year-old geneticist developed single-cell technology to map tumors at the cellular level, discovering how cancer cells hide from the immune system.
His most impactful contribution has been the development of biomarkers for colorectal and ovarian cancer — genetic tests that predict which patients will benefit from specific treatments like immunotherapy. “There are millions of biomarkers described in science, but very few researchers succeed in actually making a difference for someone who receives a cancer diagnosis today or tomorrow,” Lambrechts said in a KU Leuven press release. “That’s what we do it for.”
These biomarkers have a tangible impact: patients in Belgium can now be tested locally rather than relying on American laboratories, making treatment more affordable and accessible. Lambrechts plans to use the prize money to develop a cancer vaccine.
“This is a recognition for the past 20 years, not just for the research I’m doing today or last week,” Lambrechts told VRT NWS. “Research is a process that goes slowly.”
Gut Microbiome Research Recognized
Prof. Patrice Cani (UC Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute) received the prize in the biological sciences category for his research on gut microbiota. Cani discovered the role of the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila in obesity and proved the link between the gut and the brain, including connections to appetite and stress. He also discovered a completely new gut bacterium, Dysosmobacter welbionis, in 2025. This marks the 22nd Francqui Prize for UCLouvain and the first in medicine since 1990.
A Milestone for Belgian Science
KU Leuven rector Sévérine Vermeire called the award “recognition of internationally leading research,” adding that Lambrechts “embodies the power of research-driven innovation.” Christine Durinx, Managing Director of VIB, described the honor as “an exceptional and deserved recognition” that demonstrates “how science can truly make a difference for patients.”
The fact that both a Flemish (KU Leuven) and a French-speaking (UCLouvain) researcher won simultaneously highlights Belgian scientific collaboration across linguistic communities. Lambrechts, who earned his PhD under 2002 Francqui laureate Peter Carmeliet, now joins an elite lineage of Belgian scientists whose work has shaped global understanding of medicine and the natural world.
What’s Next
With the €250,000 prize funding his next chapter of research, Lambrechts aims to develop a cancer vaccine — a frontier that could transform how the disease is prevented and treated. His biomarkers are already in use in Belgian hospitals, and scaling them for broader European and global application remains a key objective. For Cani, the next steps involve further exploring the newly discovered Dysosmobacter welbionis and its potential implications for metabolic health.
The Francqui Prize, as Lambrechts noted, is not merely a capstone but a launchpad: “In Belgium we are still often too modest. In America, researchers would jump on tables with joy at such breakthroughs. I always tell my students: be ambitious and dare to believe in your data.”