Biography

Peter Heidt studied biology and medicine at the University of Leiden. After completing his studies, he worked as a microbiologist in the Radiobiological Institute of TNO in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. There he investigated the role of the gastrointestinal ‘microbiome’ in the initiation/severity of Graft-versus-Host Disease, a serious immunological complication of bone marrow transplantation. At the same time he was consultant at the Department of Pediatrics of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) where bone marrow transplantations are being performed as a treatment for leukaemia and other diseases of the blood forming system.

In 1989 Peter defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Leiden, entitled ‘Gnotobiotics and Bone Marrow Transplantation: Experimental and Clinical Studies‘. His thesis got the highest possible evaluation: ‘cum laude’. In the same year he was appointed to be head of the Division Bone Marrow Transplantation of the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk. From 1998 till his retirement in 2009 Peter was the Chairman of the Animal Science Department of the BPRC.

In addition to his activities in the BPRC and the LUMC Peter was from 1993 onwards Professor of Gnotobiology at the Department of Medical Microbiology of the Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen.

Peter Heidt held various board positions in national and international organizations and has authored more than 160 publications in national and international scientific journals and books. He is an Honorary Member of the Japanese Association of Germfree Life and Gnotobiology.

After his retirement he remains active as an consultant for the Department of Pediatrics of the LUMC and is involved in several research projects.

Peter J. Heidt

Professor, Dr.

Department of Pediatrics Leiden University
Medical Center P.O. Box 9600,
2300 RC LEIDEN, THE NETHERLANDS