Thomas Bouckenooghe

Head of Operations @ Lesaffre

Greater Lille Metropolitan Area

About

As a cell biologist and process development expert, I specialize in the development and optimization of processes for cell therapy and vaccines/viral vector production. My expertise spans upstream, downstream, and analytical techniques. Over the years, I have honed my business development skills through customer interactions and prospect engagements. My focus on technical and scientific innovations is geared towards gaining commercial advantages. I have successfully led R&D teams, managed tech transfers, and ensured the satisfaction of customers in each project.

Experience

  • Head of Operations - Fermentation at Lesaffre
    Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 4 mos

  • USP Development Manager (Head of Upstream and Downstream) Cell & Gene Therapy at EXOTHERA
    May 2020 - Apr 2025 · 5 yrs

    Process development and optimization to production technologies available on the market (i.e bioreactors). Production of different types of products (AAV, Adenovirus, lentivirus, vaccines (Covid-19, yellow fever, rabies, measles, rubella, polio, etc..), proteins, exosomes) at small scale (iCellis, scale-X hydro and Carbo, DasGip, BioFlo) and large scale bioreactors (Stirred tank bioreactors of 200 and 1000L, Nevoline 200m² and 600m²). Internal and external tech transfer to GMP teams Coordination of a R&D team (19 FTE) including hiring, coaching and developing skills

  • UNIVERCELLS (1 yr 9 mos)
    • Application Development Manager (Cell and Gene Therapy)
      Jun 2019 - May 2020 · 1 yr

      Working on the validation at biological level of newly developed technology (bioreactors). Contract development activities for third parties

    • Vaccine process development manager (Vaccines development)
      Mar 2019 - Feb 2020 · 1 yr

      Development of various vaccines production processes (from proof of concept to large scale manufacturing) using bioreactor technology available on the market (in adherence or in suspension)

    • Bioprocess Engineer (Vaccines development)
      Sep 2018 - Mar 2019 · 7 mos

      “At Univercells, we are on a mission to make health equally accessible to all. We are committed to reinvent biomanufacturing processes, and develop or integrate the next innovative technologies. Through the combination of process development and engineering expertise, we create synergies to deliver game-changing production capacities to achieve our mission: Biologics available and affordable to all!”

  • Head of development "2D/3D culture systems & Exosomes" (Cell Therapy/Medical Devices) at Macopharma
    2013 - Sep 2018 · 5 yrs 9 mos

    Development of bioreactor, specialist in upstream processes Development of 3D culture systems for expansion of different cell types (degradable microcarriers) Exosomes/Extracellular vesicles (collection and content identification by high throughput technics) Development of culture supplements for cell culture in xeno-free conditions (platelet Lysate) Cell based assays, cell differentiation, molecular biology, mass spec, immunology, phenotyping Project management, process development, reporting (internally and externally), patenting, industrialization, marketing, relation with customers Knowledge of ICH and GxP guidelines ISO 13485 Technical skills: - microcarriers formulation - cultivation of primary cells (adipose, umbilical cord and bone marrow) in 2D and 3D conditions (hydrogel, microcarriers) - development of bioreactors - cell cultivation in bioreactor (CHO, Vero, MRC5; MSC, etc..) - cell harvesting - immunophenotyping - cell differentiation - protein analysis (mass spec)

  • Principal Sientist - Placental biomarkers for diabetes programming (mRNA and RNA seq, Nutrition) at Université de Lille 2
    Mar 2011 - Jun 2013 · 2 yrs 4 mos

    Role of placenta in fetal programming of diabetes, Implication of macrophages, adipose tissue, prolactin, obesity and Haufbauer cells, Technical skills: - mRNA - immunohistochemistry - qPCR - RNAseq - Flow cytometry and cell sorting