The Lodewijk A. Sandkuijl lecture has been initiated to commemorate Lodewijk A. Sandkuijl ( 1953–2002) and the important work he performed in the fields of statistical genetics, genetic epidemiology and the genetic investigation of complex diseases. The board of the NVHG biannually  selects an outstanding researcher with a proven and substantial track record in the same field of genetics as Lodewijk Sandkuijl to award this prestigious personal prize. 

The award lecture is given by the recipient as part of the Lodewijk A. Sandkuijl award ceremony at the NVHG conference. 

___________________

On Lodewijk A . Sandkuijl (1953-2002) 

(Subtracted from: Freimer et al. AJHG 2003) 

Lodewijk (born in 1953) was trained as a physician at Leiden University, The Netherlands, where he formed a clinical intuition that profoundly influenced his approach to research. He became a clinical geneticist, whose interest in statistical genetics grew out of his efforts to solve the problem of calculating genetic risks for mapped Mendelian disorders, using the sparse genetic marker data then available. His collaborative nature, combined with integrity and systematic way of working resulted in an extraordinarily large collection of (inter)national collaborators that he maintained for most his career.

His teaching in the field of human genetics did not focus on complicated formulae, but rather, he dissected the problems to be analyzed to clarify what exactly was being tested, step by step showing why particular choices were made. The most important thing that he tried to convey was to plan the experiment with future analysis in mind and to design “what if” scenarios in case the outcomes were not what was initially expected. He was acutely aware of the strengths and limitations of the experimental design used for each project. When results needed to be analyzed, he was there as well, studying results with meticulous care and showing attention to all details.

He contributed to the successful mapping of at least 30 Mendelian disorders and had a long-standing interest in identifying modifier genes for a wide range of disorders. He was also an early leader in efforts to map complex disorders, and his work on haplotype-based mapping can be counted as one of Lodewijk’s biggest achievements, as these laid the fundaments to map complex traits that are still used to date.