Philippe Jorens obtained his MD degree at the University of Antwerp (UA) in 1987. He performed his PhD-research at UA and at the Cardiovascular Research, UCSF, San Francisco, USA on the alveolar macrophage as pivotal regulator of the immunological homeostasis. He obtained his PhD degree in 1993 (Title: Nitric oxide and interleukin-8: two mediators released by pulmonary macrophages). After obtaining his recognition as specialist in internal and critical care medicine, he oriented his research interests towards the inflammatory reaction in acute lung injury, clinical pharmacology and toxicology in the critically ill and neurological disorders. Currently he is chairman of the department of critical medicine of the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) and full professor (ZAP in critical care medicine and pharmacology) at the UA.