Maaike van der Lugt

Maaike van der Lugt is a historian of medieval medicine and natural philosophy affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) in Berlin. She serves as a member of the Research Group "Experience in the Premodern Sciences of Soul and Body, ca. 800–1650" and holds a chair in medieval history at Université de Versailles – Paris-Saclay (since 2017). Her academic journey includes PhDs from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and the University of Utrecht, followed by a habilitation from Université d’Orléans.

• Education:
  • PhD, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
  • PhD, University of Utrecht
  • Habilitation, Université d’Orléans

Her research focuses on medieval theories of generation, heredity, and kinship; the intersection of science, religion, and magic; and the material and social dimensions of medieval medical knowledge. She also explores the vernacularization of science and the role of women's experiences in premodern medicine.

Recent publications and presentations highlight her work on medieval fetal discourses, bloodletting practices, and the moral authority of science. Articles like "Nature as Norm in Medieval Medical Discussions of Maternal Breastfeeding" (2019) and "Formed Fetuses and Healthy Children" (2018) reflect her interdisciplinary approach combining textual and visual analysis.

Scientific Awards & Recognition

• Institut universitaire de France fellowship
• Wellcome Institute fellowship
• Princeton University fellowship
• Elected to Comité National Français d’Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et Techniques (2022)

At MPIWG, she continues her book project on medieval fetal discourses and studies the concept of "complexion" in scholastic medicine. She is also developing a long-term history of bloodletting practices.