معرفی
Professor Wim J. Quax is a distinguished academic at the University of Groningen, serving as Professor of Pharmaceutical Biology within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He heads the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology department and has maintained this prestigious position since 1998. His extensive career spans both academia and industry, with significant contributions to biotechnology, pharmaceutical biology, and molecular biology.
Professor Quax's research focuses on several critical areas in modern biomedicine. His primary interests include quorum sensing and quorum quenching in bacterial pathogens, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with applications for novel antimicrobial strategies. He has made significant contributions to targeted cancer therapies, especially through engineering TRAIL variants for selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. His work also encompasses metabolic engineering for natural product biosynthesis, including podophyllotoxin and terpenoids, with applications in cancer drug development.
Throughout his illustrious career, Professor Quax has received numerous prestigious honors and awards:
- Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion (2020)
- Recipient of the Academy Plaque of University of Groningen (2022)
- Elected Member of The Royal Holland Society of Sciences (2009-present)
- Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarship and MSCA Individual Fellowship (2020)
- PhD "cum laude" from the University of Nijmegen (1985)
Professor Quax has supervised numerous students and researchers throughout his career, with 69 supervised works documented. He has held multiple leadership positions including Head of the Chemical & Pharmaceutical Biology Department (2016-2022), Director of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (2009-2016), and Vice-Director of the Research Institute GUIDE (2009-2016). He has secured significant research funding through various grants and has served on numerous prestigious committees including the NWO/TTW VICI committee and the ZonMW Veni committee.
His research is conducted within the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) and the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology department, where he leads a multidisciplinary team focused on bridging fundamental molecular research with pharmaceutical applications. The group maintains strong collaborations with both academic institutions and industry partners across Europe, contributing significantly to the development of novel antimicrobial strategies and targeted cancer therapies.
