The Merck Organic Chemistry Symposium (MOCS) is an annual two-day symposium that brings together Belgian organic chemists from both the Flemish and French speaking communities. About 150 to 200 academic participants coming from all the Belgian universities take part in this meeting every year at the beginning of December. Representatives from chemical and pharmaceutical companies are also actively involved in the program. Distinguished foreign speakers are invited as guest lecturers to contribute to the high scientific level of the symposium and to stimulate international collaborations and exchanges.
The event is mostly intended for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows who appreciate this great opportunity to present their research as oral communications or as posters, and to share their experience and know-how with fellow researchers from other Belgian universities. It is also a unique opportunity to foster contacts with academic or industrial colleagues and to discuss varied points of view about organic chemistry in a relaxed atmosphere.
Historically, the idea of bringing together the Belgian organic chemistry community for a yearly meeting originated from a FNRS Contact Group on Organic Synthesis that was set up in the 1980s. Despite its huge success, this group had to cease its activities in the 1990s due to budgetary restrictions. Thanks to a generous sponsorship offered by Sigma-Aldrich, the event could resume in 1997 with the first edition of the Sigma-Aldrich Organic Synthesis Meeting. This new series of meetings has been organized uninterruptedly ever since. Its 20th anniversary was celebrated in 2016. In 2017, it was renamed the Merck Organic Chemistry Symposium to reflect the change of ownership of its main sponsor.
In line with the spirit of the meetings, the scientific committee of the MOCS is made of representatives coming from all the major Belgian universities. Current members include Steven Ballet (VUB), Pierre De Clercq (UGent), Lionel Delaude (ULiege), Gwilherm Evano (ULB), Annemieke Madder (UGent), Bert Maes (UAntwerp), Michael Singleton (UCLouvain), Stéphane Vincent (UNamur), and Erik Van der Eycken (KUL).
Previous meetings:
| 2017 | organized by Erik Van der Eycken (KULeuven) |
| 2016 | organized by Gwilherm Evano (ULB) |
| 2015 | organized by Guido Verniest (VUB) |
| 2014 | organized by Stéphane Vincent (UNamur) |
| 2013 | organized by Annemieke Madder (UGent) |
| 2012 | organized by Bert Maes (UAntwerp) |
| 2011 | organized by Dirk Tourwé (VUB) |
| 2010 | organized by Istvan Markó (UCLouvain) |
| 2009 | organized by Annemieke Madder (UGent) |
| 2008 | organized by Stéphane Vincent (UNamur) |
| 2007 | organized by Dirk Tourwé (VUB) |
| 2006 | organized by Istvan Markó (UCLouvain) |
| 2005 | organized by Annemieke Madder (UGent) |
| 2004 | organized by Alain Krief (UNamur) |
| 2003 | organized by Dirk Tourwé (VUB) |
| 2002 | organized by Istvan Markó (UCLouvain) |
| 2001 | organized by Pierre De Clercq (UGent) |
| 2000 | organized by Alain Krief (UNamur) |
| 1999 | organized by Istvan Markó (UCLouvain) |
| 1998 | organized by Dirk Tourwé (VUB) |
| 1997 | organized by Pierre De Clercq (UGent) |