Gijsbert van Willigen is the biosrisk management professional of the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. After his study Biology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (1987), he did his PhD at the Academic Hospital Utrecht in the field of thrombosis and hemostasis (1992). After several post-doc positions at the University Medical Center Utrecht and a sabbatical at the University of Helsinki (2000) he started as a biosafety Officer at the UMC Utrecht. In 2002 he switched to the Leiden University Medical Center and since then has a position as biosrisk management professional.

As a biosafety officer he has been admitted by the Dutch authorities for several containment levels up to (A)BSL3. His field of expertise include biosafety and biosecurity in laboratories and animal experiments in high containment facilities ((A)BLS3) and the use of genetically modified organism in a clinical setting (gene therapy). He has been involved the construction of several BSL3 facilities in the Netherlands and is now involved in the construction of a new GAPII/BSL3 facility at the National Institute of Public Health.

Between 2014-2018 he was member of the council of the European Biosafety Association; President of EBSA in 2016-2017. His present position within EBSA is chair of the Conference Program Working Group.