Dr. M. Quirynen graduated in 1980 as dentist at the Catholic University of Leuven. He finished in 1984 his training in periodontology and in 1986 his Ph. D. at the department of Periodontology of the same university. In 1990 he was appointed professor at the Faculty of medicine of the Catholic University of Leuven to teach periodontology and anatomy. His research deals mainly with oral microbiology with special attention to the influence of surface characteristics on bacterial adhesion and the effect of antiseptics. He published over 150 full papers in international peer-reviewed journals. He is member of the editorial board of following journals: Journal of Dental Research, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Clinical Oral implants Research, Clinical Oral Investigations, International Journal of Dental Hygiene and Parodontologie. He is past president of the Belgian Society of Periodontology and past president elect of the European Association for Osseointegration.