Leo Visser

Professor Leo Visser is the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) in the Netherlands, where he specializes in travel medicine and vaccine-preventable diseases. He graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium in 1985 and completed his training in internal medicine by 1990. After becoming a registered infectious diseases specialist at LUMC in 1992, he earned his PhD in 1997. Professor Visser is actively involved in clinical care, research, and education, focusing on tropical diseases, global health, and vaccination responses, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. He leads the travel clinic at LUMC, which serves as a reference center for travel medicine and vaccination in the Netherlands. Additionally, he holds a professorship at the University of Leiden and lectures at the Dutch National School of Public and Occupational Health. As deputy director of postgraduate training in internal medicine and director of training for infectious diseases at LUMC, he also contributes to organizations like TropNet and serves as president-elect of the International Society of Travel Medicine. His current research includes studies on immunogenicity and safety of vaccines, particularly for yellow fever and malaria.