Nr. 354/600
PROF. DR. MARIAN HORZINEK

Professor Marian C. Horzinek studied veterinary medicine in Germany and began his scientific career in virology at the Public Health Laboratory in Hannover, where he worked as a research fellow of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. In 1971, he moved to the Netherlands to become Head of Department and Professor of Virology and Virus Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University.

After his retirement in 2001, professor Horzinek established and chaired a number of international scientific committees and advisory boards. During his career, he received prizes and awards from research organizations in Germany, Belgium, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands, as well as several honorary doctorates. His publications include over 300 scientific papers and more than 30 books and monographs. Dr. Horzinek was also editor and editorial board member for scientific journals published in seven countries. Sadly, Prof. Marian Horzinek passed away in the summer of 2016. We will miss him dearly, as an important ambassador but most of all as a good friend.

“We live on a shrinking planet – as a child, at primary school in Poland, I marveled at the maps showing white patches in Africa, Asia and South America – and I wanted to become a discoverer. Today, there are hardly any uncharted patches left, and human footprints are found everywhere on the globe. Discovery appears less of a challenge than the protection of uninhabited areas, of biotopes and virgin territories – it is responsible stewardship for nature and its inhabitants that is asked for.”