On this year’s International Women’s Day, we are pleased to announce that the 2026 Eijkman Medal has been awarded to Professor Annemieke Geluk, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to global health.

This year’s edition of the medal celebrates female researchers and academics. The jury was pleased to receive a large number of high-quality nominations, reflecting the breadth of impactful research led by women in global health.

Jury Report

Professor Geluk stood out for her exceptional scientific achievements, particularly her work on the development of a leprosy diagnostic test designed for use as a point-of-care test that can be deployed in resource-poor settings without reliance on high-end laboratory facilities. The jury was particularly impressed by the remarkable progress made towards manufacturing the test and bringing it to actual production.

Furthermore, Prof. Geluk’s extensive global network and her continuous efforts to build research capacity in low- and middle-income countries were singled out as exemplary.

About the winner

Prof. Geluk is a professor of immunodiagnostics of mycobacterial infectious diseases at the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC). Her research focuses on improving diagnostics for leprosy and tuberculosis, two poverty-related diseases that continue to affect millions of people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Although we were not able to have a formal ceremony to present the medal in person, we were delighted to share the announcement with Professor Geluk this weekend and recognise her achievements.

We warmly congratulate Annemieke Geluk on her well-deserved award!