Who we are
Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden is an initiative of Leiden University Medical Center to create International blended learning program for tomorrow’s leaders in Biomedical science. We offer professional learning programs with a unique blend of online education and on-campus training to improve the processes for discovery and development of new medical interventions.
Our approach to professional learning
Treating diseases has become increasingly complex. A multidisciplinary approach – from science to business – is becoming increasingly important to address these challenges . We offer inspiring blended courses to help guide the next generation of leaders in life sciences through the layered skill set that they will need to make their own. Our mantra is learning by doing and our courses stimulate active participation with a wide variety of teaching methods, such as animations, expert interviews, self-assessment tools, polls and , teaching cases. and (online) discussions.
We aim to provide 3 key professional learning experiences:
- Interdisciplinary team work with real-world case studies
- Inspiring ‘What Really Happened’ sessions with experts from the field
- Sharing expertise with colleagues and key players from industry, academia, and authority
What’s in a name
Dr. Paul Janssen (1926 - 2003), founder of Janssen Pharmaceutical, was a pioneer in the field of biomedical research, as well as a highly successful entrepreneur. With a drive and curiosity that led him to pursue biomedical research, medicine, chemistry, pharmacology, and entrepreneurship, he discovered, developed, and brought to market many new medicinal products which significantly impacted the lives of many patients. At Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden, Dr. Janssen’s multidisciplinary approach serves as a role model to inspire future generations of entrepreneurial researchers.
On January 30, 2016, Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden signed an agreement with Baroness Dora Janssen-Arts to use the name for this initiative. We are, and will remain, an independent non-profit organization and have no financial ties with companies. We do collaborate closely with pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, with authorities and other academic institutions, for instance, for the development of teaching cases that are used in the courses and scholarships that are awarded to promising candidates who would otherwise not be able to join the courses.
Our alumni
Our alumni are more than 150 professionals from over 10 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and USA who are working on the development of new medical interventions from industry, in academia, industry, at authorities etc have already participated in our courses. The on-campus has created a lasting experience and a solid network among our alumni and contributors. Will you be part of the Future?
Our contributors
We are fortunate to have many excellent contributors who help to make the on-campus course a success. Below are a few contributors who have shared their expertise with our participants in guest lectures and discussions during the 2017 course. Visit the contributor's page to see all contributors.
A selection of our contributors

Juliane Bernholz
Chief Operating Officer
AM Pharma

Onno van de Stolpe
CEO
Galapagos B.V.

Marc Martens
Head of Bird & Bird's Regulatory, Public & Administrative Law group in Brussels
Bird & Bird

Aliki Nichogiannopoulou
Director
European Patent Office

Ton van der Hoven
CEO
SurgVision BV

Bruno Vandermeulen
IP Lawyer - Member of the Brussels Bar
Independent IP practitioner
On-campus

Nacer Lounis
Senior Principal Scientist
Janssen Pharmaceutica
On-campus

Tine de Marez
Senior Director, Compound Development Team Leader TB
Johnson & Johnson

Bert Leufkens
Professor of Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulatory Science and Former Chair of Medicines Evaluation Board
Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS)

Henk Schuring
VP-Head Rare Nephrology
Sanofi Genzyme

Sjaak Bot
VP, Head of EMEA Regulatory Affairs
Janssen

Bernd van der Meulen
Professor of Comparative Food Law
European Institute for Food Law / Renmin University of China Law School

Frank Landolt
Chief Counsel Legal & Intellectual Property
Confo Therapeutics
On-campus

Erik Niks
Neurologist - Pediatric neurologist
Leiden University Medical Center
On-campus

Piet Hinoul
Global Head, Pre-Clinical, Clinical and Medical Affairs
J&J Ethicon
On-campus

Ad Sitsen
Owner
ClinPharMed Consultancy for Drug Development

Eline Bunnik
Assistant professor Medical Ethics and Philosophy of Medicine
Erasmus MC

Maurits Westerik
IE/IT lawyer
Coupry

Bart Swinkels
Partner
NLO

Karin Verzijden
Food and Pharma Lawyer
Axon Lawyers
On-campus

Ineke Jonker-Hoogerkamp
Consultant Regulatory Affairs and Drug Development
Paul Janssen Futurelab & Eagle Pharma Consult

Kees Recourt
Investment Manager
Mibiton Foundation

Paul Stoffels
Chief scientific officer
Johnson & Johnson

Tom Huizinga
Head of the Department of Rheumatology
Leiden University Medical Centre
On-campus

Marcel Kenter
Director
Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden
On-campus

Koen Andries
VP Scientific Fellow Infectious Diseases Discovery
Janssen Pharmaceutica NV
On-campus

Andreas Wallnöfer
General Partner
BioMed Partners Venture Capital (former Head of Clinical Research & Exploratory Development at F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.)
On-campus

Justin Hay
Pharmacokinetics Assessor
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
On-campus

André Elferink
Clinical epidemiologist
Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board
On-campus

Rob Zuiker
Senior Clinical Scientist
CHDR

Hans-Georg Eichler
Senior Medical Officer
European Medicines Agency
On-campus

Robert Klautz
Thoracic Surgeon
Leiden University Medical Centre
On-campus

Matthijs Moerland
Research Director Translational Biomarkers
CHDR

Joris Rotmans, MD, PhD
internist-nephrologist
LUMC
On-campus

Janneke Meulenberg
CEO
Arthrogen

Inge de Lepeleire
Director Translational Pharmacology
MSD Europe
On-campus

Koos Burggraaf
Research Director CVS & Metabolism
CHDR

Johan Garssen
Director Immunology Platform
Danone/Nutricia Research
On-campus

Ingrid de Visser
Senior Clinical Scientist
CHDR

Rick Kuntz
Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific, Clinical and Regulatory Officer
Medtronic
On-campus

Geert Jan Groeneveld
Research Director CNS
CHDR

Oliver Bisazza
Director Regulatory Policy
Medtronic

Saco de Visser
Teacher and Clinical Pharmacologist
Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden
On-campus

Adam Cohen
CEO and clinical pharmacologist
Centre for Human Drug Research

Richard Shull
Head of Deal Structuring and Trading Fundamentals
Shell

Pierre Peeters
Former site head early stage development
Organon
Our team

Marcel Kenter
Director

Ineke Jonker
Teacher

Saco de Visser
Teacher Clinical Development

Bruno vanderMeulen
Teacher Intellectual Property

Kees Recourt
Developer Intellectual Property course
Building towards an advanced master
Behind the scenes we are developing new courses and are building towards an advanced master program. The advanced master revolves around the main theme: Improving the discovery and development of new medical interventions and will incorporate topics in biomedical science, clinical development, leadership and entrepreneurship. A blended course can be done as a stand-alone course or blended courses from several topics can be combined to will earn a recognized master degree. Each blended course is a part-time module consisting of a multi-week online course (with an average work load of 5 hours per week) and an 1 or 2 on-campus courses. The blended courses are designed for graduated biomedical post-academic professionals with working experience in academia, industry or at authorities. Combine professional learning with your career and personal life thanks to the part-time character of the blended courses and take the next step in your career.
Articles from our blog
This may be interesting for you
Dora Janssen launches Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden
Baroness Dora Janssen-Arts — widow of Dr. Paul Janssen — officially announced the launch of Paul Janssen Futurelab Leiden, an international training program providing blended learning (online and on-campus) to biomedical professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit. This new training program is an initiative of the Leiden University Medical Center in collaboration with the Center for Human Drug Research and Leiden University, sponsored by grants from ZonMw and Health~Holland. Listen to Baroness Dora Janssen's message for the next generation of scientists.