Rudi Cormane

Rudi Harold Cormane (7 April 1925 – 18 February 1987) was a Dutch dermatologist who pioneered research in immunofluorescence studies of the skin.

During the Second World War he was interned in a Japanese camp where he received an education from other prisoners. After the war he gained entry to the University of Leiden in the Netherlands to study medicine, but it was interrupted in 1947 when an epidemic of polio caused paralysis of his legs.

He trained in dermatology at Leiden, eventually becoming the head of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utrecht. Throughout his career, he did pioneering work in the then new developments in immunofluorescence studies of the skin, and much research in the Autoimmune skin disease origin of many skin diseases including lupus erythematosus, dermatitis herpetiformis and many autoimmune bullous diseases.

Early life and education Cormane was born on 7 April 1925 in Bandung, Indonesia, to a manager of a plantation and his wife. At the time, the region was known as the Dutch East Indies.

By 1942, the Second World War had extended to the area, and Cormane was imprisoned in a Japanese camp. Here, older prisoners provided him with sufficient education to enable him to enter the University of Leiden in 1946. He graduated in 1953.

Often invited to speak internationally, one memorable visit was in 1982 when, as a former prisoner of war, he was invited to Japan.

Personal Cormane enjoyed music and played the flute. He also kept a collection of cloisonné pottery. He never married.

Death and legacy Cormane co-founded the European Society of Dermatological Research, the annual meetings initially always took place in Amsterdam to avoid "scientific tourism." The Rudi Cormane Lecture is given in his honour.

Cormane's plan was to retire to Thailand; however, he died from a cardiac arrest on 18 February 1987.

Selected publications Books Immunology and Skin Diseases, Volume 15 of Current topics in immunology. Edward Arnold, 1981. (With Syed Shafi, Asghar). .

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