Board and Management

Désiré Collen

Founder/Chairman

Désiré Collen founded DCS/DCF on February 20, 2015 and was appointed Chairman of the Board at the constitution of the Foundation.

Désiré Collen holds a MD degree (1968) and PhD degree in Chemistry (1974) from KU Leuven. His team initially developed t-PA, still the most effective drug for thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. He has received several scientific awards including the Francqui Prize (1984), the Prix Louis-Jeantet de Médecine (1986) and the Health Prize of the Interbrew-Baillet Latour Fund (2006, jointly with Peter Carmeliet). He also was the Founder and until December 2018 Chairman of the Board of Fund+.

Christine Collen

Director

Christine Collen is a member of the Board (Director) of DCS/DCF since February 4, 2024.

Christine Collen holds a MD degree (2002) from Free University of Brussels. After completing her training in Radiation Oncology (2007) at the University Hospital Brussels specializing in stereotactic radiosurgery, she became senior Radiation Oncologist in 2015 with special interest in neuro-oncology. Currently she is Head of the Clinical Neuro-Radiotherapy section at Institute Jules Bordet, Brussels.

Christine Collen is also a Trustee of FEFP (Foundation for Education to improve Family Planning), a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Stefan Janssens

Director

Stefan Janssens is a member of the Board (Director) of DCS/DCF since March 26, 2026.

He obtained his MD summa cum laude from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in 1984 and completed a clinical cardiology fellowship there in 1989. From 1989 to 1992 he trained in cardiovascular medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA. He received his PhD from the University of Leuven (1993), was appointed Professor of Medicine in 2002 and Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases (2010-2024).

He served as deputy editor of the European Heart Journal (2003–2008) and Cardiovascular Research (2013–2017). He is a fellow of the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology, holding leadership roles within its Heart Failure Association and the Working Group on Cardiac Regenerative and Reparative Medicine.

Stefan Janssens sits on scientific advisory and evaluation committees for the British Heart Foundation, Dutch university medical centers, the French Inserm institute (Paris), UK Research Council, and the German Centers for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK). He represents the University of Leuven on the executive board of the Princess Lilian Foundation. His translational research in heart failure and cardiac repair is funded by competitive European grants, including Horizon 2020.

Chris Buyse

CEO

Chris Buyse was appointed CEO (Gedelegeerd Bestuurder) at the constitution of the Foundation and a Member of the Board (Director) of DCS/DCF till March 26, 2026.

Since October 2022, Chris Buyse is holding the position of Managing Director of the Foundation for Education to improve Family Planning (FEFP).
Until mid 2023, Chris Buyse was Managing Partner at Fund+. Fund+ invests in innovative life sciences companies and wants to create sustainable shareholders value and generate a tangible beneficial societal impact. He is currently serving Fund+ as a board member representing FEFP as major shareholder of Fund+.
From september 2006 till mid 2014, Chris Buyse was CFO at ThromboGenics NV (now Oxurion). He has over 30 years of experience in international company finance and in running and establishing best financial practices. He was previously CFO of the Belgian biotechnology company CropDesign, where he coordinated its acquisition by BASF in early 2007. Before this, he held several financial positions in companies such as Suez and Unilever.
In addition, he is currently also serving as a board member of some non-profit organisations such as LSRP vzw, the Francqui Foundation and the Louis-Jeantet Foundation.

Louisa Reniers

Secretary

Louisa Reniers was appointed Secretary of the Board at the constitution of the Foundation and was Member of the Board (Director) of DCS/DCF till March 2026.