In 1953 Leiden University started a section Theoretical Biology within the department of Zoology under the direction of the mathematical biologist H.R.

He had been trained as an animal physiologist, and had defended his thesis under supervision of C. J. van der Klaauw at Leiden University.

In the same year, 1966, Jeuken became Professor by special appointment to teach Philosophy at the Landbouwhogeschool in Wageningen, a position he held until 1971.

One of his specific interests was how biology could benefit from the philosophy developed by the mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead at Harvard University.

[2] His institute has always had strong historical ties with the Prof. Dr. Jan van der Hoeven Foundation, which is still the publisher of Acta Biotheoretica, the oldest journal of theoretical biology in the world.