Jan C.M. van Hest

Jan C.M. van Hest is a Full Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), holding positions in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS). He leads research at the intersection of polymer chemistry and biomedicine, focusing on bio-inspired materials, nanomedicine, and artificial cells. His work includes developing synthetic vaccines, drug delivery systems, and adaptive nano/microcompartments mimicking cellular functions.

Academic Background: Ph.D. in macro-organic chemistry from TU/e (1996), postdoc at the University of Massachusetts (protein engineering), and industry roles at DSM (1997–2000). Since 2016, he has held the Bio-organic Chemistry chair at TU/e, supervising over 30 PhD students and co-founding startups like Encapson and Noviosense.

Research Highlights: His research spans nanomedicine (e.g., polymersomes for cancer treatment) and artificial cells (e.g., synthetic organelles). Recent work includes therapeutic nanovaccines and self-propelled platinum-loaded stomatocytes. His publications span Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Chemistry, and Angewandte Chemie.

Awards & Collaborations: Recipient of the ERC Advanced Grant (2015) and NWO Gravitation Grant (2013). Partnerships with GSK, Zoetis, and industry initiatives like the TKI-LSH EUREKA project. Engages in education through courses like Biochemistry and Introduction to Chemistry & Chemical Technology.

Labs & Teams: Core member of ICMS, leading interdisciplinary projects in functional molecular systems. Active in training the next generation of researchers through postgraduate programs like ICMS PTN.