Henrik Toft SimonsenDirector and professor

Professor Henrik Toft Simonsen is a distinguished researcher and academic, currently serving as Professor and Director of the LBVpam at the University of Jean Monnet in Saint-Etienne, France.

He’s research is primarily focused on the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoids, especially in bryophytes. His work aims to unlock the potential of these organisms as green chemical factories. His innovative approach has led to the establishment of several biotech ventures, including Mosspiration Biotech (now closed) and Tailwind Biotech, a DNA design company he co-founded. Currently, he is involved in multiple collaborative projects working alongside both academic and industrial partners.

In addition to his research, Professor Simonsen is actively engaged in teaching, offering courses on metabolism, biochemistry, biosynthesis of natural products, and drugs from nature. His extensive professional journey includes roles as a professor, lecturer, and researcher at institutions such as the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Copenhagen, the University of Cambridge, and the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

He received the Young Elite Researcher Award in 2008, which included a prize of 240,000 DKK from the Danish Councils for Independent Research. He is also a member of the prestigious Institut Universitaire de France (IUF).

Publications: https://scholar.google.dk/citations?user=Jk3IrQgAAAAJ&hl=da

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3070-807X

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henriktoftsimonsen/

UJM personel account: https://perso.univ-st-etienne.fr/sh103745/