Niels Erik Skakkebaek - Biography#

Niels Skakkebaek graduated in medicine at University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 1965. After two years of clinical training in medicine and surgery, he took a research position in the Chromosome Laboratory (head John Philip) to work on spermatogenic disorders among infertile men. He supplemented his local laboratory training in spermatogenesis with skills obtained from studies abroad at laboratories at McGill in Montreal (Professor Yves Clermont), Seattle (Dr. Carl Heller) and MRC Edinburgh (Dr. Roger Short). After returning from McGill Skakkebaek detected abnormal germ cells in two infertile men and suggested that they represented a precursor stage for testicular cancer (Lancet 1972). In the following years several more cases with this cell pattern were observed. He demonstrated that this cell pattern had potential to develop into both seminoma and nonseminoma. The finding was controversial among pathologists for many years. However, several decades later Skakkebaek's findings resulted in international recognition and a paradigm shift in our understanding of pathogenesis and classification of germ cell cancer: WHO 'Blue Book' on urological cancers: https://publications.iarc.fr/Book-And-Report-Series/Who-Classification-Of-Tumours/WHO-Classification-Of-Tumours-Of-The-Urinary-System-And-Male-Genital-Organs-2016.

For a period Niels Skakkebaek combined substantial clinical work as paediatrician (from 1982 as chairman at the university department of paediatrics, Hvidove Hospital) with running his laboratory for reproductive biology. However, in 1990 he received a major grant from the Danish Cancer Society, which enabled him to establish a new university unit, Department for Growth and Reproduction at Rigshosptalet. This department which was designed to carry out developmental translational research has since played a central role in management and research of paediatric and andrological endocrine disorders, including early detection of testicular cancer in at-risk groups. After stepping down as chief in 2006, Skakkebaek has been employed in the department as consultant and adjunct professor.

Niels Skakkebaek's research has been reported in numerous international media all over the world, including El Pais, New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian. The relevance of his research for the public is illustrated by the fact that some cultural news media have brought articles about his results, e.g.

The New Yorker (Silent sperm), https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1996/01/15/silent-sperm.

The Times, a poem by poet laureate on election day https://johnelkington.com/archive/profile-ted-hughes.htm.

Le Monde, a recent editorial: https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2022/01/09/don-t-look-up-donne-a-voir-notre-incapacite-a-prendre-au-serieux-les-catastrophes-lentes-et-invisibles_6108732_3232.html.