Who We Are
Lex Van der Ploeg
Author
LexVan der Ploeg’s philosophical interests addressing life in our universe and collaboration with co-author Raymond Van Aalst, inspired the publications of "I Am Machine" and "God's Retirement". Having worked as a tenured faculty member at Columbia University and subsequently in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, Lex’s expertise includes an active interest in teaching and training colleagues, development of diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disorders, and infectious diseases. Lex received numerous grants and awards for his research and has broadly published on his research in peer reviewed journals.
In 2019 Lex founded RIFFIT focused on AI enabled, instant text to song generation, for general communication and therapeutic applications, by providing anyone instant access to the “Language of Song”. Prior to RIFFIT Lex was CSO at Rhythm pharmaceuticals (2011-2019) focused on development of therapeutics for diabetic gastroparesis with the compound relamorelin and the treatment of severe obesity with the FDA approved drug IMCIVREE (2020). Rhythm became a Nasdaq listed public company in 2017. During this time Lex joined DeuteRx, which over the years has partnered or sold several programs to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Lex was the Sr. Vice President of Integrative Medicine and Translational Science at Abraxis (2009-2011) which was acquired by Celgene in 2010. Previously, Dr. Van der Ploeg held the position of, Vice president, Basic Research, and site head at Merck Research Laboratories Boston (2003-2008) focused on oncology and neurodegenerative disease. Prior to starting Merck Research Laboratories Boston in December 2003, Dr. Van der Ploeg held diverse functions at Merck Research Laboratories including site head MRL San Diego (2002-2003) and Head Obesity research for Merck Rahway and Banyu, Japan (1996-2003). At Merck (1991-2008), Lex held leadership roles in obesity and metabolism, oncology, neurodegenerative disease research and diagnostics.
Raymond van Aalst
Artist
Raymond van Aalst has been a gifted dreamer. Raymond enjoys philosophy and is a gifted artist. He is able to quickly conjure up and process complex images. His curiosity and broad interests have made him a visual intellectual with philosophical depth, where thinking through illustrations enabled by words helps clarify insights for himself and for others. Raymond enjoys the solitude of the night, the starry sky, the silence and on clear nights peering through his telescope to explore the universe.
Raymond graduated cum laude from several art academies: St. Joost Academy and the international Jan van Eyck Academy and completed a teacher training course at College of Higher Education Fontys. Raymond started an illustration company in 1980 and creates, sells and publishes oil paintings, lithographs, etchings, and cartoons and drawing world-wide. Raymond published the illustrated comic entitled “God’s Retirement, Lesson One” (Amazon) with Lex Van der Ploeg.
His vision of his work is best captured by the phrase “An image is only good if it talks back”. Here, “night” is the best time to come to detailed art designs and philosophical formulations. The day is focused on collecting impressions and facts, while handling all kinds of trivial matters, including maintaining contacts and work.