Luc Van Hijfte

Dr Van Hijfte holds a PhD degree in Chemistry from Gent University (1984, Belgium) and finalized his academic training by post-doctoral stay at UCSB. He started his industrial career at Merrell Dow in 1986 in Strasbourg, France, where he progressed to head of the medicinal chemistry whilst the site had become part of Sanofi in 1998. In 2002 he moved to Janssen, J&J, first as Research Director of the R&D site in Val de Reuil, France, before taking on the role of Senior Director, Head of Medicinal Chemistry EU, at Janssen Research & Development. He was privileged to contribute to several successful projects, with numerous programs entering into clinical development in the areas of neurosciences, oncology, and infectious diseases. In 2012 Dr Van Hijfte became CSO of NovAliX, Illkirch, France, before moving in 2017 to Symeres, where he oversaw all activities related to integrated drug discovery. Recently, he turned to a consultancy activites though his company LUVAH Conculting, where he is currently engaged in activities for NovAliX as Senior Advisor for drug discovery, and for Phytodia, a Strasbourg based company valorizing scientifically plant extracts for cosmetics and nutraceutics. as the president.

Dr Van Hijfte has been the president of the TechnoPole Chimie-Biologie-Sante in 2004-2012, Vice-President of the French Medicinal Chemistry Society (SCT) in 2015-16, President of the SCT 2017-18, and is currently president of the EFMC. He has been elected and named member of the “Académie Nationale de Pharmacie” in France, for his multiple contributions to pharmaceutical developments.