Pedro Fardim

Professor & President

KU Leuven and EPNOE Association

Pedro is a professor of Chemical Engineering for Health & Care at KU Leuven, Belgium, where he also directs the International Master Program in Chemical Engineering. He serves as President of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) and sits on editorial boards of key journals. With a diverse international career - including 10 years in Brazil’s private sector and 14 years as a professor in Finland - he joined KU Leuven in 2019 to deepen interdisciplinary research. At KU Leuven’s Metaforum think tank, he leads work on sustainable materials. His research focuses on functional materials for circularity, human and planetary health, and sustainable fashion.

What does innovation mean to you?

Innovation means dancing to the sound of my heart beat.

What do you believe is the most important capability for companies to thrive in the economy of tomorrow?

A synergistic combination of vision, resilience, flexibility and risk-taking.

How can we leverage our collective strength to create a more prosperous future?

Connecting to our inner truth is the way toward the creation of a unified life, pleasure and abundance to all.

Describe your project and work and what makes it so innovative?

My innovative work centers on the use of sustainable biopolymers to create advanced, high-performance dynamic materials by mimicking nature's own bio-assembly processes. My research not only leads to sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products but also enables diverse applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, smart sensors, and eco-friendly consumer products by using materials like polysaccharides and by valorizing waste products with green chemistry techniques.

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