Philippe Thonart is, in a way, a pre-incarnation of the recent association of the University of Liège (ULg) and the ex-University Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at Gembloux (FUSAGx), now Gembloux Agro-Biotech – University of Liège. In 1989, the ULg offered him the management of the Microbic Technology Service. At the time, this agricultural industry chemical engineer, with a degree from FUSAGx, already had available long experience in microbiology and industrial enzymology. From 1976 to 1989, he had progressively led the FUSAGx Bioindustries to specialise in the development of fermentation tanks (yeast, bacteria, lactic germs, etc.). He had also developed hundreds of micro-organism cultures for the world of industry. But Philippe Thonart could never resolve to leave the city of cutlers. He thus accepted the post of manager of the Walloon Industrial Biology Centre (CWBI), based at Sart Tilman. The latter will soon celebrate its twentieth birthday. Since its creation the CWBI has specialised in industrial microbiology, creating numerous spin-offs producing micro-organisms for industrial use (THT SA, ARTECHNO SA, BIOTREATMENT,). A part of CWBI’s activities is also directed towards developing countries (the Caribbean, West Africa, the Maghreb, etc.), where it aims to encourage the promotion of agricultural products and putting household waste to good use through screening of micro-organisms and the process of fermenting. ‘With around twenty people with doctorates at the Centre, we are today trying to ensure a good balance between basic research, applied research, and providing service to the community.’ Philippe Thonart moreover presides over the Management Committee of the Mont-Saint-Guibert (Walloon Brabant) waste landfill site. A Doctor of Agronomical Sciences, from the FUSAGx, with experiments carried out at the ULB and the Saclay nuclear power station (Franc), he prefers to spare his interlocutor the exact title of his doctorate (‘a very precise biochemical subject…’). He is one of the rare breed to hold the title of Professor at the University of Liège and at the FUSAGx.

Selection of publications

DIOP M.B., DESTAIN J., THONART P., DUBOIS DAUPHIN R. and TINE E. (2009), La conservation du poisson au Sénégal : utilisation d’une souche locale de Lactococcus lactis., Cahiers Agriculture, 18, 4, 337-342.

ALDRIC J.M., GILLET S., DELVIGNE F., BLECKER C., LEBEAU F., WATHELET J.P., MANIGAT G. and THONART P. (2009), Effect of surfactants and biomass on the gas/liquid mass transfer in an aqueous-silicone oil two-phase partitioning bioreactor using Rhodococcus erythropolis T902.1 to remove VOCs from gaseous effluents., J. Chem. Tech. Biotech., 84, 1274-1283.

DIDDEREN I., DESTAIN J. et THONART P. (2008), Le bioéthanol de seconde génération. La production d’éthanol à partir de biomasse lignocellulosique. Presses agronomiques de Gembloux.

JOURDAN E., ONGENA M. and THONART P. (2008), Caractéristiques moléculaires de l’immunité des plantes induite par les rhizobactéries non pathogènes., Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ., 12(4), 437-449.

THONART P. et HILIGSMANN S. (2008), La gestion des déchets ménagers et des sites d’enfouissement technique dans les pays du sud., FABI, le Journal des Ingénieurs, 116, novembre.