Management
JAMES H.M. SIMON D.Phil., M.B.A.
James Simon joined ViroClinics in 2005 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2006. James also works for ViroNovative BV and ViroScope, the other partners in ViroVentures. Previously, he worked for the Boston Consulting Group in its London office, concentrating on health care assignments for a variety of pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients.
James received an MBA from the Wharton Business School, where he majored in Health Care Management. He originally trained as a molecular biologist and virologist, obtaining BA and DPhil degrees from the University of Oxford, and then undertaking post-doctoral research with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. He worked on the molecular biology of HIV and has published numerous research papers and is an inventor on several patent applications
Eric Claassen Ph.D.
Eric Claassen is President of ViroClinics BV. He started his commercial career at ID-Lelystad, where he managed major industrial clients, commercial agreements and strategic alliances. He holds several executive and Board positions in early stage life science companies, and consults for several biotech companies and venture funds. He is a co-founder of ViroNovative BV and ViroScope, the other partners in ViroVentures.
Eric gained a PhD in Medical Biology and a doctorate in Medicine from the Free University of Amsterdam. He then became a visiting investigator at St. Jude Children Hospital, USA. Upon returning to The Netherlands, he worked for TNO Medical Biology Lab in a number of roles culminating in Deputy Chief of the Division of Immunological and Infectious Diseases. His research focused on oral vaccines for infectious and auto-immune diseases, as well as dermatitis, for human and animal health. He has over 180 publications and holds several patents.
HANS BUNSCHOTEN PH.D.
Hans Bunschoten was appointed as Chief Operating Officer of ViroClinics in 2008. Before joining, he worked at various positions within the pharmaceutical industry where he managed drug discovery and the transition of leads into drug candidates for human testing. As a consultant he advises several large pharmaceutical companies in distinct areas of drug development.
Hans was trained in immunology and virology at the National Institute of Public Health and University of Pennsylvania and obtained a PhD from the University of Utrecht. His pharmaceutical career started at a Dutch pharmaceutical company where he headed multidisciplinary teams in vaccine and drug discovery research. Subsequently, he worked as a Director of Preclinical Development at a pharmaceutical start-up company and set up his management consultancy business in (pre)clinical drug development. Hans has authored many publications and is inventor of numerous patents.
Albert D.M.E. Osterhaus D.V.M., Ph.D.
Albert Osterhaus founded ViroClinics BV and is its Chief Scientific Officer. He is professor of virology at the Department of Virology of EramsusMC, Rotterdam, where he leads a cross-disciplinary team of over 100 scientists, MD's, DVM's, technicians and students. He is a co-founder of ViroNovative BV and ViroScope, the other members in ViroVentures.
His interest in virology started while studying for his veterinary degree at the University of Utrecht and he went on to obtain a PhD. He worked at the National Institute of Public Health, becoming Head of Laboratory, prior to moving to Rotterdam. His research activities have grown to span many types of viruses, focussing largely in the respiratory area. He is leading contributor to our understanding of major human pathogens such as hMPV, RSV, influenza and SARS, publishing over 550 papers and an inventor of numerous patents. He has become an internationally respected scientist, serving on editorial boards of several scientific journals and on scientific advisory boards for various international and governmental health organizations, including WHO committees, the National Health Council and he is Chairman of the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza
