Leendert Looijenga - Biography#

Leendert Looijenga is Medical Cell Biologist by training (Cum Laude, 1989) and Professor of Translational Patho-Oncology (since 2005, endowed since 2017 till 2023 Erasmus MC Rotterdam). In 2023 he is appointed as Professor Translational Germ Cell Oncology and Fertility at the UMC Utrecht. He received his PhD in Medical Biology from Erasmus University (Rotterdam) in 1994. Since 1990 he is leading a research group studying translational aspects of Germ Cell Tumors (GCTs), focusing on understanding the pathogenesis and clinical behavior, with the aim to develop informative diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. In 2018 he started his activities at the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology focusing on pediatric and adolescent and young adult GCT patients, with the mission to improve diagnosis and treatment response, resulting in optimal long-term quality of life. Experimental studies on potential fertility preservation of prepubertal cancer patients treated with high risk gonadotoxic treatment is part of his portfolio. Looijenga has been involved in the testicular GCT patient support group (Stichting Zaadbalkanker) since its origin in 1996. He received project grants from KWF, NWO/ZonMW (including VIDI), KiKa, and Industry. Leendert Looijenga published multiple papers and book chapters. These include papers in (Cancer) Cell, Nature Reviews, Cell Reports, Genome Biology, European Urology and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The work performed resulted in adaptation of the WHO classification of Germ Cell Tumors (various anatomical lcalizations), including implementation of clinically relevant diagnostic biomarkers. The identification of miR371-3 as expressed specifically in normal and malignant germ celll tumors (in 2006) is close to clinical implementation. His H-index (Google Scholar December 2023) is 112, with 61,244 citations (36,297 since 2018). Looijenga his field-weighted citation impact in the last 5 years is 7.18. Over 52% of his outputs over that period are in the 10% citation percentile and over 60% of his publication outputs are in the top 10% Journal percentiles (77% top 25%). Over 68% of his primary papers include international collaborations. Looijenga gave 75 invited seminars in the last 5 years. Looijenga his first publication related to platin-resistance of GCTs was in 1999, followed by 15 since then. The major most recent related breakthrough is the 2022 Journal of Clinical Oncology paper. His work is part of the M4C disease group Germ Cell Tumors and Gonadal Tumors (Neuro- and Solid-Oncology), and the Center of Expertise for Testicular and Mediastinal germ cell tumors in collaboration with the UMC Utrecht.