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Press release 10 September 2003

Professor Jan van der Leun receives European honour

Yesterday evening the European Society of Photobiology (ESP) has awarded professor Jan van der Leun at the bi-annual congress in Vienna. The ESP committee praises Van der Leun because of his long, dedicated and outstanding scientific contribution within the field of photobiology, a scientific discipline which researches the effect of (sun)light on living beings.

Van der Leun started his research on the effect of sunlight on the human skin in 1956. Decades of research work resulted among other things in therapies for extreme photosensitivity and an understanding of mechanisms causing skin cancers.

In 1971 Van der Leun got involved in the issue of ozone depletion in the United States. At that time the attention was focused on the potential damage supersonic passenger planes could cause. Later it turned out that propellants and leaking coolants cause severe damage to the ozone layer.

Van der Leun has been the chair of the United Nations panel, which is responsible for reporting on the effects of ozone depletion on the environment, since its establishment in 1987. The scientific findings of the panel play a major role in the Montreal Protocol, which aims at reducing the worldwide emissions of substances that harm the ozone layer.

Even after he was accorded emeritus status in 1993 Van der Leun continued to play a major role in research and policy development in this field of expertise. Currently he works at Ecofys, a consultancy firm specialised in energy and environmental issues, and at the University of Leiden.


Note for the editorial staff

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