Biography
Prof. Dr. Pierre Van Damme obtained his MD from the University of Antwerp in 1984 and was for more than 35 years active in vaccine research. He has been full professor in Vaccinology at the University of Antwerp Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences since 2000. Pierre Van Damme is Director of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination (CEV, University of Antwerp), which he founded in 1994. The CEV is a WHO Collaborating Centre for the WHO European Region for the control and prevention of infectious diseases. Since 1985 the Centre has conducted more than 500 vaccine trials within the trial unit of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination. Recently his team has conducted a unique project for the Gates Foundation; a novel vaccine trial in quarantine conditions (“Poliopolis”). In 2022 a new facility was launched, Vaccinopolis, for the conduct of phase 1-3 vaccine trials, with a permanent contained facility for human challenge trials.
Pierre Van Damme has authored more than 550 peer-reviewed papers and obtained several awards. These include the Research Award of the University of Antwerp, the Belgian Social Medicine Award ‘Jean Van Beneden’ for his work on the introduction of universal hepatitis B immunisation programs; the Bill Marshall award of the ESPID society; the ACRP (Association of Clinical Research Professionals) with the European Outstanding Leadership Award; the Paul Harris Fellowship by the Rotary Foundation; the Balmis distinction Award, the AHA Antwerp Innovation award, and the scientific communication award UAntwerpen.
