Harry Lecomte was born in 1999 in Ukkel, in the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in 2022. For his Bachelor’s thesis, he worked under Professor Steven Ballet on the diversification of amino acids through transition metal-based reactions.
Harry then continued his studies at VUB, pursuing a Master’s in Theoretical Chemistry, Biomolecular Design, and Synthesis, which he completed in 2024 with great distinction. His Master’s dissertation was also supervised by Professor Steven Ballet and centered on utilizing electrochemistry as an innovative tool for amino acid diversification. As part of his Master’s program, he completed a five-month internship at the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada, where he conducted research under Professor Pierre-Luc Boudreault. There, he investigated rolling loop scans and explored the use of click chemistry for enhancing cell-penetrating peptides. In October 2024, Harry relocated to Bern, Switzerland, to join Professor Dmitry Katayev’s research group. Here, he is engaged in the investigation of novel nitrating reagents.
In his free time, Harry is passionate about sports, particularly field hockey. He has played in Belgium’s Second National Division (D2) and has extended his involvement in the sport through umpiring and coaching.
Paris, France. August 2024