Jean-Jacques Cassiman (25 April 1943 – 5 August 2022) was a Belgian
geneticist and professor of
human genetics.
Education and career
He graduated in 1967 from the Department of Medical Sciences of the
Catholic University of Leuven
University of Leuven or University of Louvain (french: Université de Louvain, link=no; nl, Universiteit Leuven, link=no) may refer to:
* Old University of Leuven (1425–1797)
* State University of Leuven (1817–1835)
* Catholic University of ...
and then did five years research on human genetics at
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
in the United States.
From 1976 to 1981 he was associate professor in the Department of Human Genetics in Leuven. In 1981 he became a full professor in the same department and he was head of the laboratory for human mutations and polymorphisms in the Centre for Human Genetics affiliated with the Catholic University of Leuven. In 1998 he became head of the centre.
Jean-Jacques Cassiman has done work in the field of human genetics and
DNA research. In 1998 he received the Francqui chair at the
University of Louvain
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
(UCLouvain) and in 2002 he earned a PhD to Doctor Honoris Causa at the
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu is a Romanian male given name derived from Latin ''Iulius''. The female form is Iulia. In other cases Iuliu is the Romanianized form of the Hungarian name Gyula.
People named Iuliu:
*Iuliu Barasch
*Iuliu Baratky
*Iuliu Bodola
*Iuliu Coroi ...
,
Cluj-Napoca
; hu, kincses város)
, official_name=Cluj-Napoca
, native_name=
, image_skyline=
, subdivision_type1 = Counties of Romania, County
, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
, subdivision_type2 = Subdivisions of Romania, Status
, subdivision_name2 ...
, Romania.
In 1998 Professor Cassiman proved through DNA testing that
Karl Wilhelm Naundorff
Karl Wilhelm Naundorff (27 March 1785 (alleged) – 10 August 1845) was a German clockmaker and watchmaker who until his death claimed to be Prince Louis-Charles, or Louis XVII of France, son of Louis XVI, King of France and Marie Antoinette of ...
was not a descendant of the Bourbons and certainly not
Louis XVII. In 2004 he proved that the heart that had been kept in Paris belonged to Louis XVII.
He was commissioned in 2004 by the French authorities to use DNA testing to detect if the mortal remains of
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
in Paris buried there is indeed that of Napoleon.
Musical avocation
In the first half of the 1960s, he was a singer in the Trio Cassiman that he together with his brother Guido and his sister Emmy formed. The trio played folk music and
negro spirituals, and was regularly seen on the Flemish podiums. When Jean-Jacques came to America after his studies, he ended his singing career, and kept his day job.
Death
He died on 5 August at the age of 79.
References
External links
EuroGentest Homepage
Official website of the Trio Cassiman
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassiman, Jean-Jacques
1943 births
2022 deaths
Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) alumni
Academic staff of KU Leuven
Scientists from Brussels