Goodbye Marcel Mannens
Founding Father of Amsterdam UMC Genome Diagnostics Steps Down
SECTION: GENOME ANALYSIS
In June 2022, the head of the Section Genome Analysis, Prof. Marcel Mannens, retired from the laboratory.
Prof. Marcel Mannens is the founding father of DNA diagnostics at Amsterdam UMC. Beginning in 1993 with just two technicians in a modest basement lab, the Cytogenetics lab has grown and prospered under Marcel’s direction and determination. Under his leadership, the Cytogenetics Laboratory was expanded to include the DNA Diagnostics Laboratory and, together with the CFG (Core Facility Genomics), the Section Genome Analysis Amsterdam UMC, with nearly 90 employees, forms one of the largest DNA diagnostic laboratories in the Netherlands.
Over the years, the lab’s primary specialties of cardiovascular diagnostics and imprinting disorders was expanded to include a very broad diagnostic range, now covering 442 conditions/phenotypes with 232 tests.
Under the leadership Prof. Marcel Mannens, Amsterdam UMC Genome Diagnostics is now one of the largest DNA diagnostic laboratories in the Netherlands, covering 442 conditions with 232 tests.
In recent years, Prof. Mannens’ main focus was on the merging of the VUmc and AMC Genome Analysis Laboratories. With his retirement in 2022, Prof. Erik Sistermans has assumed leadership of the Genome Analysis section at both locations.
The department is very grateful to Prof. Mannens for his enormous efforts, dedication, and patience over the years. His farewell was celebrated with a symposium and party.
Not so fast... Prof. Marcel Mannens returns?
Prof. Mannens’s retirement proved short-lived when the Amsterdam UMC Board of Directors requested his return to temporarily fill the position of department head of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC at the end of the year. “We are scouting for a new head for the Department,” says Prof. Mannens. “Until then, my retirement will have to wait!”
Prof. Marcel Mannens
In addition to being the Head of the Section Genome Analysis, Prof. Mannens was a principal investigator (PI) with a research focus on the genetic and epigenetic causes of disease. Prof. Mannens started working at AMC-UvA in 1984 in the group ‘Antropogenetica’, where he was the first DNA researcher. He was named PI in 2007, Associate Professor (UHD) in 2008, and appointed full Professor of Genome Diagnostics, Epigenetics of Disease in 2013. In 1992 he became the head of the Section DNA Diagnostics and in 2013 head of the Section Genome Diagnostics. He was interim-chairman of the department in 2011 and 2012. Prof. Mannens has worked for the Accreditation Council (also known as CCKL), the foundation for laboratory research quality assurance, was a member of the board of the Dutch Society of Human Genetics (NVHG), and served on the advisory board for patients with Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome. In addition, he was chairman of the Dutch Council of DNA-diagnostics laboratories (LOD).
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