Peter Pauwels studied Biology at the State University of Ghent (Belgium) with a focus on the field of Microbiology and Microbial Genetics.He performed his Ph.D. thesis between 1979 and 1984 at the International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology (Brussels), governed by the Nobel Price Prof. C de Duve, in the field of Cellular Biology.Thereupon, he joined Janssen Pharmaceutica in Beerse (Belgium), headed by the founder Dr. P. Janssen, and was active in the department of Biochemical Pharmacology and studied various signal transduction pathways and mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative disorders.In 1992, he moved to Centre de Recherche Pierre Fabre in Castres to set up his own department of Cellular and Molecular Biology related to drug efficacy.Within the period of 1992-2002, he mainly contributed to a dozen of compounds that entered clinical development in the fields of Cancer, Cardiovascular and Central Nervous System disorders.In 1998, he was nominated as Deputy Director of this research centre and in 2002, he was promoted to manage the Centre d’Immunologie de Pierre Fabre in Saint-Julien-en Genevois.He focused this research centre towards cancer and antibodies.Its first antibody against the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor is in clinical development.In January 2005, he joined Laboratorios Dr. Esteve in Barcelona to manage biological discovery research to document whole-animal proof of concept for new drug candidates in the field of obesity.

Pauwels has made significant contributions in the molecular mechanisms related to drug efficacy and has mainly worked in the field of Cancer and Central Nervous System disorders.He is a co-author of more than 150 scientific publications with a point H of 30.

Pauwels joined CLARA in September 2006 being in charge of Industrial Development and Programs and is since the first of September 2007 Executive Director.