Professor Marianne de Visser

Prof. Marianne de Visser

Neurologist, Emeritus Professor of Neuromuscular Diseases
University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Marianne de Visser is a leading expert in the field of neuromuscular diseases with a career spanning over four decades. For more than 20 years, she led the Neuromuscular Group at the Academic Medical Centre (AMC) in Amsterdam, where she built an internationally recognized centre for research and clinical care in muscular dystrophies, myositis, motor neuron diseases, and hereditary neuropathies.

A passionate educator, Prof. de Visser played a key role in shaping neuromuscular education in the Netherlands. She co-initiated and helped implement the national core curriculum on neuromuscular disorders for neurology trainees, ensuring a solid foundation for future generations of neurologists.

She obtained her medical degree from the University of Amsterdam in 1975, followed by neurology training at the Academic Hospital of the same university (1976–1980). Her PhD, completed in 1981, focused on Becker muscular dystrophy, exploring its neurological, cardiological and imaging features. In the late 1980s, she deepened her expertise through a research fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Andrew Engel at the Mayo Clinic (USA), focusing on ultrastructural studies in dermatomyositis.

Marianne de Visser has remained at the forefront of neuromuscular research throughout her career. She has published over 400 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to more than 35 medical books, including two that she (co-)edited. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of various neuromuscular conditions, including post-polio syndrome, an area where she is considered a global authority.

She has also held prominent leadership roles at the European level. From 2014 to 2020, she served on the Governing Board of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN)—first as Treasurer (2014–2018) and then as Secretary-General (2018–2020). Her involvement helped shape strategic directions in neurological research and collaboration across Europe.

Prof. de Visser is an active contributor to the scientific community as a member of editorial boards for leading journals such as Neuromuscular Disorders, Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. She also serves as Associate Editor for Neurological Sciences and regularly reviews scientific manuscripts and grant proposals for international funding bodies.

Now Professor Emeritus, she remains actively engaged in research, mentorship, and scientific advisory roles, continuing to influence the field of neuromuscular medicine both in the Netherlands and internationally.