With profound respect and deep sadness, we say goodbye to Emeritus Professor Jean-Jacques Martin, an important figure in Belgian and international neurology, a pioneering neuropathologist, and a mentor who shaped generations of physicians and scientists. He passed away as he lived: on his own terms and surrounded by the science and love that defined his life.
Professor Martin’s career was closely tied to the rise of neurological sciences in Antwerp. He began his work in 1959 at the Born-Bunge Clinic under Dr. Ludo van Bogaert, and in 1979, he led the transfer of the neurology department to the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA).
As head of department, he transformed the clinical service into a leading center for neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders, and dementia. At the same time, he nurtured the growth of research at the Institute Born-Bunge. For many, he was not just a leader but the epitome of the clinician-scientist: sparking a passion for neuroscience, championing young talent, and tirelessly supporting research in neurogenetics and neuropathology.
Professor Martin embodied an unmatched sense of duty. He arrived at the department at dawn and often worked late into the night on scientific papers—driven not by recognition, but by his commitment to securing resources for his team and safeguarding the lab’s future.
Jean-Jacques in 1995
Even after retiring over two decades ago, he never stopped contributing. He continued diagnosing patients and training young neurologists as an unpaid consultant. Until the age of 84, he was still found in the lab three days a week. For him, lifelong learning was not a motto, but a way of life.
In his later years, he was often accompanied in the lab by his wife, Liliane Sneessens, who had stood by his side since 1959. Their partnership was quiet, enduring, and deeply moving—especially in his final years.
Prof. Martin teaching in 2017
When faced with a progressive and untreatable form of Parkinson’s disease, Professor Martin made a decision that reflected both his courage and his intellectual honesty. He chose to remain in control of his final chapter, sparing his wife the painful memory of his cognitive decline. It was a choice consistent with the life he had led, rooted in dignity, reason, and love.
On November 12th, 2025, he passed away peacefully in the arms of his beloved wife. In his final moments, he expressed gratitude for the friendship and support of his colleagues, a testament to his enduring faith in the future of the department he built.
We have lost a brilliant scientist and an extraordinary human being. His microscope may be still, but his legacy, wisdom, and inspiration live on in all of us who had the honor to work alongside him.
Prof. Martin did his last brain dissection in 2020
