Jan van Hest

Jan van Hest is a Full Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, holding the chair of Bio-organic Chemistry since 2016. His research focuses on bio-inspired peptide-based materials, synthetic vaccines, and artificial cells/organelles, with applications in nanomedicine, cancer treatment, and ophthalmology. He has supervised over 30 PhD candidates and authored over 300 publications (H-index 57), co-founding startups like Encapson and FutureChemistry. His work bridges polymer chemistry and biomedicine, creating adaptive materials with life-like features.

Education includes a PhD in macro-organic chemistry from TU/e (1996) and postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts. He previously held roles at DSM and Radboud University Nijmegen. Key research areas include polymersome design, light-responsive nanomotors, and enzyme-functionalized synthetic cells.

Teaching activities include courses on nanomedicine, biochemistry, and protein engineering. Ancillary roles include serving as an expert for Horizon 2020 and board positions at various chemistry-focused foundations. His research emphasizes biomedical applications of smart compartments and synthetic biology platforms.