Prof. dr. Pieter Cullis doctor honoris causa Ghent University 2023 Promotor: prof. dr. Katrien Remaut
Lipid nanoparticle delivery systems: from concept to clinical applications
Thursday 23 March 2023, 16.30 pm Auditorium A Claudius Galenus @ Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Heymans Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Gent
Prof. Pieter Cullis (°1946) is a Canadian physicist and biochemist internationally known and recognised for his major contributions to the field of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). His pioneering work on LNPs to encapsulate drugs and nucleic acids originates from the 1980s, when Prof. Cullis set up his own laboratory at the University of British Columbia. Prof. Cullis worked on the development of Patisiran, the first small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based drug that came on the market in 2018 (under the name Onpattro®). He furthermore co-founded several companies to develop and commercialise the LNP technology, including Acuitas Therapeutics and Precision NanoSystems. Prof. Cullis has an impressive track record with over 350 publications, 30 patents and 20 national and international awards. His revolutionary work has been essential to enable the success of the current Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, exemplified by no less than 10 awards in 2022, received on his contribution to this booming field. His work is performed with great vision, enthusiasm and leadership, and is a source of inspiration for young scientists across the globe.
