Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2014-09-15, 12:31:02 | version 1.32.01
Rein Willemze In 2000 Rein Willemze (1951) became head of the department. He had studied medicine and received his dermatological training from Polano and Suurmond in Leiden, where he defended his PhD thesis “Diagnostic and basic aspects of cutaneous lymphomas”. In 1985 he moved to the department of dermatology of the VU University Amsterdam and was appointed professor in 1988 together with Theo Starink. With his return to Leiden new staff members were appointed bringing in expertise in molecular biology (Kees Tensen), melanoma genetics (Nelleke Gruis), photo-carcinogenesis (Frank de Gruijl) and cutaneous lymphoma (Maarten Vermeer), further strengthening the skin cancer research programme of the department. This programme is focused on cutaneous lymphomas, familial melanoma and skin carcinoma in organ transplant recipients, all three patient groups for which the department serves as a tertiary referral center. In addition, cultured human skin equivalents are continued to be used as useful models for a wide variety of skin diseases. In 2004 the whole research group of over 30 researchers, technicians and fellows moved to a brand-new research building. In the last ten years educational efforts of the department increased significantly. In that period the number of medical students increased from 12 to 24 every four weeks, while the number of residents in dermatology increased from 6 in 2000 to 16 in 2013. The number of professors also increased. In 2008 Wilma Bergman (1953) was appointed professor of dermatology, focusing on education and public information regarding melanoma, while in 2012 Maarten Herman Vermeer (1967) was appointed professor in clinical dermatology. In 2014 the LUMC department of dermatology will celebrate its 85th anniversary. Much has changed, but what continues is the integration of clinical care with basic research, as illustrated by the following paragraphs. In the past the subjects of these studies have changed from genoder- matoses to metabolic disorders and then to dermato-oncology. Similarly, research techniques have evolved from clinical observations to (electron) microscopy and recently to whole genomic approaches, but a constant factor has been the strong embedding of our research into the clinic. These studies not only increased our understanding of dermatological diseases, but also improved the diagnostic and therapeutic management of our patients. We look forward to continuing this tradition of fruitful interplay between research and patient care at our department. 83 Wilma Bergman Maarten Herman Vermeer BWEADVSMGFINCORR:Opmaak 1 21-07-2014 17:40 Pagina 83