VUB launches chair with Alex Agnew
Comedian raises €100,000 to support cancer research at Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Tuesday 3 October 2023 – On 9 October, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is launching a new chair in the name of comedian Alex Agnew, whose theatre tour raised €100,000 for the VUB Yamina Krossa Fund for breast cancer research. That funding will enable Prof Damya Laoui and her team to carry out fundamental research into a vaccine against relapse and metastasis over the next two years. The chair is named after Agnew in recognition of his contribution.
Alex Agnew met the fund’s founder, Yamina Krossa, and VUB-VIB professor Damya Laoui while recording his podcast Welcome to the AA. The subject was important to him, because the wife of his colleague Andries Beckers had suffered from breast cancer. Yamina’s enthusiasm inspired him to do more: for every ticket sold to his Wake Me Up When It’s Over tour, he would donate €1 to the VUB Yamina Krossa Fund. Eighteen months later, he’s raised €100,000 for cancer research.
“I’ve been very lucky in my life. So it was time to give something back,” says Agnew. “Damya and Yamina are two great women who I’m happy to support in their dream of eliminating breast cancer.”
Programme of presentation of Alex Agnew chair x Yamina Krossa Fund for breast cancer research, Monday 9 October 2023
- 16.30: Welcome
- 17.00: Start of programme
- 17.05: Video message from the rector
- 17.10: Speech by vice-rector Innovation & Valorisation Hugo Thienpont
- 17.15: Interview with founder Yamina Krossa and patron Alex Agnew
- 17.35: Presentation of cancer research by Prof Damya Laoui and researcher Elly Marcq
- 17.55: Q&A
- 18.05: Ceremonial signing of the chair
- 18.10: Reception
Location
VUB Main Campus Etterbeek
U-Residence
Entrance 9, Generaal Jacqueslaan, 1050 Elsene
Would you like to attend or arrange an interview?
Tours of the lab on the VUB campus, reportage and live interviews with Yamina Krossa and Damya Laoui are possible on 6 October. To organise these, please contact Damya Laoui or Yamina Krossa.
Interviews with Yamina Krossa, Damya Laoui and Alex Agnew are possible on 9 October between 15.00 and 16.30. To organise, please contact spokesperson Nathalie Vlaemynck (nathalie.vlaemynck@vub.be).
About the VUB Foundation
The VUB Foundation manages the Yamina Krossa Fund and raises philanthropic funds from businesses, organisations, institutions and individuals. It does so in the framework of the TechTransfer service of the vice-rectorate for Innovation and Valorisation. The foundation’s policy is based on the belief that every philanthropic gift creates a social return. Everyone’s contribution supports education, research, innovation or the VUB estate, with the resulting knowledge and insights flowing back into society.
More information
- Yamina Krossa Fund
- VUB Foundation
- Yamina Krossa: +32 485 04 29 78
- Damya Laoui: +32 485 61 24 75
- Elisabeth Rabaey, head of VUB Foundation: +32 492 55 21 23
