Thierry BOON-FALLEUR (°1944)
Profession: Immunologist
Nationality: Belgian
Why an honorary doctorate?
Wednesday, 17 November 2021. Thierry Boon-Falleur receives an honorary doctorate from VUB and the University Hospital UZ Brussels, the university hospital of VUB in recognition of his influential role as a specialist in tumour immunology and international authority on cancer research.
"It is important to think about the transformative effect of science in society."
About his career
In the company of Nobel Prize winners
Thierry Boon-Falleur obtained his degree in medicine in 1965 from the Université Catholique de Louvain (UC) and then went to the Rockefeller University in New York, where he obtained a PhD and stayed on as a postdoctoral researcher. In 1971, he became head of the research department of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique. In 1975, he became a lecturer at the Université Catholique de Louvain, where he was awarded a full professorship in 1981.
Boon is one of the most distinguished European cancer researchers and is considered a leader in the field of cancer immunology. In 2007, he was admitted to the National Academy of Sciences, an American association of top scientists and engineers with no fewer than 200 Nobel Prize winners among their ranks.
Against all odds
In the beginning, Thierry Boon-Falleur stood alone with his belief that the immune system could destroy cancer cells. But giving up was not in his vocabulary.
Concerned about happiness
Thierry Boon-Falleur also has strong convictions in the social field. For example, he considers metropolises to be detrimental to human health and the environment.
What is an honorary doctorate?
VUB has awarded honorary doctorates every year since 1978 to personalities from the most diverse backgrounds who have made a remarkable contribution to their field and to society. From this solemn moment of recognition, they bear the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of VUB.