infinite Beauty - Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen
infinite Beauty - Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen
infinite Beauty - Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen
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Professor Danhof obtained his PhD from Leid<strong>en</strong><br />
University un<strong>der</strong> the direction of professor D.D.<br />
Breimer. After coming back from a trip to USA,<br />
professor D.D. Breimer arranged a post-doc position<br />
for him. This was done in the old fashion way; by writing<br />
a letter and checking it several times before posting<br />
it. This is how he started his postdoctoral research with<br />
professor G. Levy, in the departm<strong>en</strong>t of Pharmaceutics,<br />
State University of New York in Buffalo. Many years later,<br />
he is not only professor but also the director of the<br />
LACDR. Therefore we asked him about the expansion<br />
of the LACDR.<br />
“The LACDR has grown very fast, thanks to the growing<br />
number of stud<strong>en</strong>ts. Our goal is to get the whole<br />
faculty in the new tower. The ‘UFO part’ will stay, since<br />
it’s very nice to see and I think it’s a monum<strong>en</strong>t for<br />
Leid<strong>en</strong>.”<br />
As we were waiting for the main course, our person of<br />
interest received a work-related phone call. He excused<br />
himself for a minute. The professor explained that he<br />
is on call for a certain project, so for him the workday<br />
does not <strong>en</strong>d wh<strong>en</strong> he goes home. He <strong>en</strong>joys his work so<br />
much, that he does not mind this at all.<br />
The professor is very <strong>en</strong>thusiastic about planning a strategy<br />
and vision for the LACDR, especially since it has<br />
grown so much in a short time. He’s be<strong>en</strong> the director<br />
of the LACDR for six years<br />
now and there have be<strong>en</strong> so<br />
many interesting and exciting<br />
things crossing his<br />
path, that he doesn’t ev<strong>en</strong><br />
miss working in the lab. Of<br />
course he is still involved in<br />
research, as head of the departm<strong>en</strong>t<br />
of Pharmacology. “Over the years you grow<br />
into this work. My att<strong>en</strong>tion has shifted from research<br />
to more managerial tasks. I <strong>en</strong>joy it all.” This becomes<br />
evid<strong>en</strong>t looking at his working hours: “I start the day<br />
at 7.30h, or at least try to, and go home about 18.30h.”<br />
However, the LACDR is not the only occupation for the<br />
professor; he has also founded LAP&P Consultants.<br />
Origin is interested as to why he created this company.<br />
“Now that’s a very interesting story. LAP&P Consultants<br />
is a company with 15-20 employees and is one of the<br />
biggest companies in this specific field. In my research<br />
‘our goal is to get the whole<br />
faculty in the new tower, the ufo<br />
part will stay’<br />
Koetjes <strong>en</strong> Kalfjes, photo by Shardul Paricharak<br />
time at the Leid<strong>en</strong> University, we were approached by a<br />
lot of companies for certain projects. This did not really<br />
fit with the University’s activities and so I founded<br />
a company that approaches these projects: “LAP&P<br />
Consultants”. Thanks to the diversity of the cli<strong>en</strong>ts,<br />
there’s diversity in projects as well. This makes the<br />
company a good learning<br />
institute. Some people start<br />
here as a junior, after two<br />
years of work experi<strong>en</strong>ce,<br />
they have the opportunity<br />
to do a promotion here.”<br />
The professor is also involved<br />
with the TIPharma. We won<strong>der</strong>ed what the differ<strong>en</strong>ce<br />
is betwe<strong>en</strong> LAP&P Consultants and TIPharma,<br />
both situated in the Bio Sci<strong>en</strong>ce Park.<br />
“These are both very differ<strong>en</strong>t institutions. TIPharma<br />
is a public private partnership, which promotes and<br />
sponsors collaboration betwe<strong>en</strong> Universities and pharmaceutical<br />
companies. The governm<strong>en</strong>t actually, for a<br />
great part, sponsors TIPharma. There are more than 50<br />
running research programs, on which industrial and<br />
academic partners work together. I have a seat in the<br />
executive board of TIPharma, but I also have a large<br />
Culinaire Chemie<br />
origin - universiteit leid<strong>en</strong> 9