The Alexandre and Gaston Tytgat Foundation is proud to recognize Professor Olivier Feron for his groundbreaking research on the complex interplay between tumors and their surrounding microenvironment. His work sheds light on how factors such as acidity, oxygen levels, and nutrient availability influence cancer cell metabolism — and, in turn, how these metabolic adaptations reshape the tumor niche itself.

By studying this bidirectional relationship, Feron and his team have revealed mechanisms by which tumor cells survive in hostile conditions, evade therapies, and gain metastatic potential. Their research demonstrates that cancer cells can shift their energy production pathways toward alternative fuels, such as glutamine or fatty acids, depending on the microenvironmental context. Conversely, these metabolic changes can alter the surrounding tissue, influencing oxygen distribution, pH, and immune cell behavior.

Using a combination of cellular, molecular, and in vivo approaches, Professor Feron’s work identifies key signals and pathways that drive this dynamic crosstalk, offering promising targets for novel therapeutic strategies. His findings not only advance fundamental understanding of tumor biology but also highlight potential interventions to disrupt tumor progression and improve patient outcomes.

Through this award, the Tytgat Foundation honors a study that exemplifies scientific rigor, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge with a direct impact on the fight against cancer.

Key Insights from Olivier Feron’s Research

• Olivier Feron is Full Professor at UCLouvain, heading the Cancer Translational Research Lab at IREC. 
• His research group studies how tumor microenvironment (TME) features like hypoxia (low oxygen) and acidosis (low pH) influence cancer cell metabolism. 
• Under acidic conditions, cancer cells adapt by shifting their metabolism away from glucose toward glutamine and fatty acids. 
• The lab has shown that this metabolic reprogramming helps cells survive in hostile microenvironments and may contribute to metastasis.
• They identified TGF-β2 as a key trigger that drives both lipid storage (in the form of lipid droplets) and invasive behavior in tumor cells under acidic stress. 
• Feron’s group also works on developing new therapeutic strategies: they screen for chemical compounds that can target tumor metabolism and potentially stimulate antitumor immunity.
• Another exciting area: they explore how the immuno-metabolic environment of tumors contributes to ferroptosis resistance — cancer cells reprogram their metabolism and immune interactions to avoid this type of cell death.
• In a recent discovery, his team found that in very acidic tumor regions, very aggressive cancer cells rely heavily on omega-3 fatty acids. This could open the door to repurposing drugs (initially developed for metabolic diseases like obesity) for cancer therapy.