De Clercq Erik

Prof., Dr.
Born March 28, 1941

• Member of Learned Society since 2021

Educational and professional preparation:

• 1966: graduated as Medical Doctor (MD), KU Leuven (Belgium)
• 1966-1970: specialization in Clinical Biology, KU Leuven
• 1972: graduated as Philosophical Doctor (PhD), KU Leuven

Employment and academic positions:

• 1966 – 1968: Research Assistant at Rega Institute for Medical Research (KU Leuven)
• 1968 – 1970: Senior Research Assistant at Stanford University Medical School
• 1977 – 2006: Full Professor at Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven
• 2006 – present: Professor Emeritus with duty
• 2007 – present: teaches the course on “Biochemistry at the Service of Medicine” to Bachelor/Master students from the Universities of Česke Budějovice (Budweis) and Linz

Membership in selected domestic scientific bodies:

• Belgian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (since 1972)
• Belgian Society for Microbiology (since 1998)
• Belgian Immunological Society (since 1977)
• Infectious Diseases Society of the Netherlands and Flanders (since 1976)

Membership and positions in international organizations and societies:

• Academia Europaea (since 1989)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 1969)
• American Association for Cancer Research (since 1974)
• American Association of Immunologists (since 1974)
• American Chemical Society, Division of Biological Chemistry (since 1985)
• American Chemical Society, Division of Medicinal Chemistry (since 1985)
• American Federation for Medical Research (formerly: American Federation for Clinical Research) (since 1970)
• American Society for Microbiology (since 1969)
• American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (Regular Member) (since 1982)
• American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (since 1999)
• Biochemical Society (UK) (since 1981)
• European Academy of Sciences (since 2003)
• European AIDS Clinical Society (since 1999)
• European Association for Vision and Eye Research (since 1998)
• European Society for Biochemical Pharmacology (since 1977)
• European Society of Chemotherapy (Infectious Diseases) (since 1992)
• European Society of Clinical Microbiology (since 1988)
• European Society for Antiviral Research (ESAR) (since 2011)
• European Society for Clinical Virology (since 1997; corresponding member since 2001)
• European Society for Engineering and Medicine (since 1994)
• Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) (since 1982)
• HIV Medicine Association (since 2001)
• Infectious Diseases Society of America (since 1998)
• Inter-American Society for Chemotherapy (since 1985)
• International AIDS Society (since 1995)
• International Cytokine Society (since 1998)
• International Immunocompromised Host Society (since 1988)
• International Pharmaceutical Federation (since 1993)
• International Society for Antiviral Research (Founder Member of the Board of Directors of the Society in 1987; re-elected to the Board of Directors 1995, 1998)
• International Society for Immunopharmacology (since 1991)
• International Society for Infectious Diseases (since 1991)
• International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (since 1992)
• International Society for Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids (sinds 2001)
• International Society of Chemotherapy (since 1980)
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Microbiologie (since 1972)
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Farmaceutische Wetenschappen (since 1988)
• New York Academy of Sciences (since 1980)
• Paul-Ehrlich-Society for Chemotherapy (since 1986)
• Society for Leukocyte Biology (formerly: Reticuloendothelial Society) (USA) (since 1970)
• Société Française de Thérapeutique et de Pharmacologie Clinique (since 1990)
• Society for Medicines Research (UK) (since 1990)
• Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (USA) (since 1970)
• Society for General Microbiology (UK) (since 1971)

Notable awards:

• Honorary doctor at the Universities of Ghent, Athens, Ferrara, Shandong, Prague, Česke Budějovice, Tours and Hull
• Honorary citizen of the town of Hamme (Belgium)
• Named inventor of the year (EU) in 2008
• Laureate of the Dr. Paul Janssen Prize in 2010
• International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) Fellow (FISAC) in 2019

Selected publications:

• De Clercq, E. & De Somer, P.
  Antiviral activity of polyribocytidylic acid in cells primed with polyriboinosinic acid. Science, 173: 260-262 (1971)
• De Clercq, E., Descamps, J., De Somer, P., Barr, P.J., Jones, A.S. & Walker, R.T.
  E-5-(2-Bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine : a potent and selective an¬tiherpes agent.
  Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 76: 2947-2951 (1979)
• Derynck, R., Content, J., De Clercq, E., Volckaert, G., Tavernier, J., Devos, R. & Fiers, W.
  Isolation and structure of a human fibroblast interferon gene.
  Nature, 285: 542-547 (1980).
• Derynck, R., Remaut, E., Saman, E., Stanssens, P., De Clercq, E., Content, J. & Fiers, W.
  Expression of the human fibroblast interferon gene in Escherichia coli.
  Nature, 287: 193-197 (1980)
• Content, J., De Wit, L., Pierard, D., Derynck, R., De Clercq, E. & Fiers, W.
  Secretory proteins induced in human fibroblasts under conditions used for the production of interferon beta.
  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79: 2768-2772 (1982)
• De Clercq, E., Holý, A., Rosenberg, I., Sakuma, T., Balzarini, J. & Maudgal, P.C.
  A novel selective broad-spectrum anti-DNA virus agent.
  Nature, 323: 464-467 (1986)
• Pauwels, R., Andries, K., Desmyter, J., Schols, D., Kukla, M.J., Breslin, H.J., Raey-maeckers, A., Van Gelder, J., Woestenborghs, R., Heykants, J., Schellekens, K., Janssen, M.A.C., De Clercq E. & Janssen, P.A.J.
  Potent and selective inhibition of HIV-1 replication in vitro by a novel series of TIBO derivatives.
  Nature, 343: 470-474 (1990)
• De Clercq, E., Yamamoto, N., Pauwels, R., Baba, M., Schols, D., Nakashima, H., Balzarini, J., Debyser, Z., Murrer, B.A., Schwartz, D., Thornton, D., Bridger, G., Fricker, S., Henson, G., Abrams, M. & Picker, D.
  Potent and selective inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 replication by a class of bicyclams interacting with a viral uncoating event.
  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89: 5286-5290 (1992)
• Donzella, G.A., Schols, D., Lin, S.W., Esté, J.A., Nagashima, K.A., Maddon, P.J., Allaway, G.P., Sakmar, T.P., Henson, G., De Clercq, E. & Moore, J.P.
  AMD3100, a small-molecule inhibitor of HIV-1 entry via the CXCR4 co-receptor
  Nat. Med., 4: 72-77 (1998)
• De Clercq, E.
  Strategies in the design of antiviral drugs.
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 1: 13-25 (2002)
• De Clercq, E.
  The bicyclam AMD3100 story.
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 2: 581-587 (2003)
• De Clercq, E.
  Antivirals and antiviral strategies.
  Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 2: 704-720 (2004)
• De Clercq, E. & Holý, A.
  Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates: a key class of antiviral drugs.
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 4: 928-940 (2005)
• De Clercq, E.
  Antiviral agents active against influenza A viruses.
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 5: 1015-1025 (2006)
• De Clercq, E.
  The design of drugs for HIV and HCV.
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 6: 1001-1018 (2007)
• Li, G.; De Clercq, E.
  Therapeutic options for the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
  Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 19, 149-150, doi:10.1038/d41573-020-00016-0 (2020)

Visit the following website:   https://www.erikdeclercq.org/