Abstract

The field of bioheterocyclic chemistry is an essential tool for studying biologically active heterocyclic compounds within the life sciences. For students wishing to explore such bioactive compounds from a chemical perspective, with a view to their applications in sectors such as the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural industries, this discipline provides essential insights into the structure, reactivity, and synthesis of these molecules.

The two-day intensive course, “Introduction to Bioheterocyclic Chemistry,” intended for Master's students with a solid background in organic chemistry, covers the fundamental concepts of the field and serves as a stepping stone towards further, more advanced study in this area. There is a clear need for and interest in this discipline, given its growing importance in key industrial sectors.

Biography

Matthias D’hooghe was born in Kortrijk, Belgium, in 1978. He received his Master’s diploma in 2001 (Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Chemistry) and his PhD degree in 2006 (Doctor in Applied Biological Sciences: Chemistry), both from Ghent University, Belgium, with Prof. N. De Kimpe as promoter. In 2007, he became post-doctoral assistant at the Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, and in 2009 he performed a short postdoctoral stay with Prof. D. Vogt at Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) in the field of homogeneous catalysis. In October 2010, he was promoted to Professor (Research Professor) at the Department of Green Chemistry and Technology (Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University), and he was granted tenure in 2015. His main research interests include the chemistry of small-ring azaheterocycles, with a special focus on aziridines, azetidines and b-lactams, and the synthesis of different classes of bioactive heterocyclic compounds at the SynBioC Research Group. Prof. D’hooghe is the author of more than 200 publications in international journals and was elected as a laureate of the DSM Science & Technology Awards 2007, finalist of the European Young Chemist Award 2012 and recipient of the Thieme Chemistry Journal Award 2013. He organized and chaired the international Bioheterocycles 2019 conference and became a Bioheterocycles International Scientific Committee member in June 2019.