Rudi Pauwels

Rudi Pauwels
Dr. Rudi Pauwels
Born1960 (age 65–66)
EducationPh.D. in pharmaceutical sciences
Alma materKU Leuven
Occupations
  • Pharmaceutical scientist
  • biotech entrepreneur
Organization(s)Praesens Foundation, Praesens Care, miDiagnostics
AwardsPrix Galien MedStartUpAward (2019), Global Technology Pioneer Award (2012), INSEAD Innovator Prize (2002)

Rudi Pauwels (born 1960) is a Belgian pharmacologist and biotech entrepreneur.

He was one of the first researchers in the field of HIV, and he played a key role in the fight against the AIDS pandemic by discovering several widely used anti-HIV drugs during his doctorate studies at the Rega Institute (Leuven, Belgium) and while leading biotech companies Tibotec and Virco.

Since 1994 he has either founded or co-founded several biotech companies, specialising in personalized and high precision medicine. His current roles include founder and president of the Praesens Foundation, chairman of Praesens Care, executive chairman of IMEC/Johns Hopkins spin-off company miDiagnostics and board positions in various companies and research institutes. He is an author of more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and recipient of numerous awards and distinctions.

In 2020 he was appointed as co-chair of the Diagnostics R&D Working Group of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.