Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Lautens received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the University of Guelph in 1981 where he worked with Professor Gord Lange.

Following graduation, he was an NSERC PDF[clarification needed] at Harvard University (1985-1987) in the laboratories of Professor David A. Evans.

[5] Lautens has made an effort to improve government support for funding science in Canada, and for young researchers in particular, by contributing op-ed pieces to various newspapers including The Toronto Star,[6] The Globe and Mail[7][8][9][10] and The Hill Times.

[15] During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Lautens published a piece describing how research funding to science and medicine are crucial for a successful response[16] and supports paying students and post-docs a better wage.

[21] In 2014, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions at the forefront of organic chemistry, which have led to the creation of new medicinal compounds with fewer side effects".

Taylor Senior Award in 2024 from the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry as recognition for outstanding contributions to the field.