H. Almeida Santos

Biography

Dr. Hélder A. Santos (https://research.rug.nl/en/persons/helder-almeida-santos) is a physical chemist specialized in electrochemistry, biological mimetic models and soft interfaces. In 2003, he obtained his MSc in Chemistry from the Department of Chemistry, University of Porto (Portugal). In 2007, he obtained his DSc in Chem. Eng. from the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Helsinki University of Technology (Finland, now named Aalto University). In 2007, Dr. Santos joined the University of Helsinki, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, as a Postdoctoral Fellow. In 2009, he was appointed Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Research Fellow.

Currently, he is a Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Head of Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University Medical Center Groningen/University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Former Full Prof. in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Also, currently he is a Group Leader/Research Director and the Head of the Nanomedicines and Biomedical Engineering Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki. He was also the Head of the Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, the Head of the Research Unit of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Chemical Microsystems (NAMI), and former Head of the Preclinical Drug Formulation and Analysis Group. He is also the Director of the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research (2018-2021) and the Director of the FinPharmaNet (2020-2021). In 2013, Dr. Santos received the ERC starting grant for 2013-2017 worth of 1.5 M€ and an ERC PoC in 2019-2020.

Dr. Santos is also the co-founder of Capsamedix Oy start-up company.

Dr. Santos' research is focused on nanobiomaterials, including nanoporous silica/silicon materials, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery, diagnostics and therapy (https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en-EN&user=K3Pj_gwAAAAJ). He is the author/co-author of > 450 pulications (> 19700 citations, h-index = 84) and > 275 conference proceedings/abstracts in a total of >600 publications. He has supervised several undergraduate students and >43 MSc students. He supervised/co-supervised >28-PhD students, mentor of >16 post-docs and is currently the supervisor 12 PhD students, mentor of 5 post-doctoral researchers, and 2 undergraduates. He has also given >100 invited/selected talks in national/international meetings/conferences/lectures. In 2010, he received the "Talent Prize in Science" awarded by the Portuguese Government (TV-broadcasted for more than 15 million people), in 2013 and 2014 he received the Young Researcher Award 2013 and was distinguished by the exceptional scientific productivity, respectively, by the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Helsinki, and in 2016 he was awarded the Academy of Finland Award for Social Impact. He has several national and international research collaborations in the areas of biomedical nano/micro-technology, controlled drug delivery, nanomedicine and cancer therapy, and innovative therapeutic modalities. He has acted as invited Guest Editor for Current Drug Discovery Technologies, Current Drug Metabolism, and Biomatter journals. He is also an active referee for about 50 international journals and evaluator for 5 international research foundations (e.g., Wellcome Trust, UK; European Science FOundation; The Leverhulme Trust, UK; Medical Research Council, UK; Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium; The Swiss National Science Foundation, Switzerland; The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, The Netherlands; The Austrian Science Fund, Austria; and European Research Council (ERC)). Dr. Santos is also an Editorial Board Member for the journals of Drug Delivery Letters, Biomatter, International Journal of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience, World Journal of Pharmacology, Journal of Biopharmaceutics and Biotechnology, BioMed Research International, and he is an Associate Editor for Versita in the Chemistry field. He is also the Editor of a recently launched Mesoporous Biomaterials journal and an Editor of a book entitled "Porous Silicon for Biomedical Applications", Woodhead Publishing.

Dr. Santos’ research career and development portfolio since 2009 totals over 10 M€ (European Research Council H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD, Academy of Finland, Tekes/Business Finland, CIMO, Biocentrum Helsinki, Finish Cultural Foundation, University of Helsinki Research Funds, etc.).

Dr. Santos’ has also been the chair and coordinator of the courses Nanomedicines for Biomedical Applications, Microfluidics in Pharmaceutical Applications and Analysis, and Laboratory Experience within a Research Group.

Description of research and teaching

My current research interest is the developement and applications of biomaterials for controlled drug delivery, diagnostics and cancer therapy, including inorganic mesoporous silica/silicon particulate systems, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles.

Chair and coordinator (2009-2012) of the courses Solid State Analysis of Pharmaceutics, Advance Seminars in Pharmaceutical Technology and Laboratory Experience within a Research Group.

Research team: http://www.helsinki.fi/~hsantos/research.htm

Curriculum Vitae (for details see here)

Full Professor. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (1.7.2020->). 

Associate Professor. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (1.6.2017-31.5.2020).

Head of the Preclinical Drug Formulation and Analysis Group. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (1.1.2016 ->).

Head of the Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Chemical Microsystems (NAMI) Unit. Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (1.1.2014 ->).

ERC starting grant for 2013-2017 worth of 1.5 M€.

Adjunct Professor (Docent) in Pharmaceutial Nanotechnology. Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (13.9.2011 ->).

Academy of Finland Research Fellow / Associate Researcher. Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (1.9.2011 ->).

Principal Investigator. Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (21.3.2011 ->).

Journal Editor: Mesoporous Biomaterials (Versita Publishing) 2. Journal Editor: BioMed Research International 3. Associate Editor / Chemistry: Versita Publishing 4. Drug Delivery Letters 5. Biomatter 6. American Journal of Digestive Disease 7. Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology 8. World Journal of Pharmacology 9. Journal of Biopharmaceutics and Biotechnology 10. International Journal of Innovations in Biological and Chemical Sciences 11. AIMS Materials Science 12. Member of the Expert Panel on Vaccines: The European Society for Translational Medicine (EUSTM) 13. Member of The National Doctoral Programme in Nanoscience / The National Graduate School in Nanoscience

Doctor of Science in Technology. Department of Chemical Technology, Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Helsinki University of Technology, October 2007, Finland.
Thesis title: Improving the biomimetic properties of liquid/liquid interfaces:
electrochemical and physicochemical characterisation (in English). Final classification: Cum Laude (accepted with honors).
Major Subject: Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry.

Licentiated in Science in Technology. Department of Chemical Technology, Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Helsinki University of Technology, November 2005, Finland.
Thesis title: Electrochemical and physicochemical characterisation of dextran
sulfate–modified phospholipid monolayers at soft interfaces (in English). Final classification: Cum Laude.
Major Subject: Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry.

Licentiated in Chemistry. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, July 2003, Portugal.
Thesis title: Adsorption studies of phosphatidylcholines at air–water and
polarised liquid–liquid interfaces (in Portuguese). Final classification: Excellent (18/20).
Major Subject: Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry.

Awards

2016 ACADEMY OF FINLAND AWARD FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Reward by the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki (Finland), for the exceptionally productive research work of Dr. Santos’ group in 2014 (> 29 papers in 2014).

Young Researcher's Award 2013 by the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, for the outstanding research achievements between 2008-2012.

Nominated and Winner of the Talent Prize in Science (23.7.2010) attributed by the Portuguese Government.

Currently, a Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Head of Department of Biomedical Engineering at the The University Medical Center Groningen/University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Former Full Prof. in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Also, currently a Group Leader/Research Director and the Head of the Nanomedicines and Biomedical Engineering Group.