Jan Dijkstra is an Associate Professor at Wageningen University specializing in Animal Nutrition . His research focuses on dairy cattle nutrition, methane emissions, and nutrient efficiency. Academic Rank: Associate Professor Department: Animal Nutrition His work emphasizes: Mathematical modelling of methane production Phosphorus and nitrogen balance optimization Feed supplementation strategies for reduced emissions Genotype-environment interactions in dairy systems Recent publications highlight advancements in methane mitigation , nutrient cycling , and rumen microbiome dynamics . He serves as a promotor for multiple PhD projects and contributes to datasets on equine microbiomes and rumen metabolites. Scientific Awards American Feed Industry Association Award (2015) Publicatieprijs ASG (2013) Supervision PhD candidates: Kozorezov, Henry, Koning, Vivares Martinez EngD candidate: Holshof
Herman Bruyninckx is a Part-Time Full Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Mechanical Engineering department, specifically within the Control Systems Technology group and EAISI High Tech Systems initiative. He also serves as a professor (Hoogleraar) at KU Leuven in Belgium. Academic focus on robotics, control systems, and multi-agent coordination Active research in model predictive control , semantic mapping , and dynamic constraint algorithms Recent publications address industrial automation , agro-food robotics , and haptic technology Research Highlights : Developed hybrid decision-making frameworks for multi-agent navigation Innovated swing-free control methods for robotic pick-and-place operations Formulated constrained dynamics algorithms with LQR-Gauss principle integration Created ExoTen-Glove for haptic feedback in virtual environments Collaborative Projects : Coordinated with researchers like René van de Molengraft , Elena Torta , and Koen de Vos Contributed to NWO/TTW FlexCRAFT project for cognitive robotics in agro-food technology
Marko Lovric is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research's Department of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy. He holds a PhD in forest policy from the University of Freiburg, Germany. His expertise spans forest policy, environmental governance, data analysis, and AI applications in forestry. He has 17 years of research experience, focusing on European ecosystem services, bioeconomy transitions, forest certification, and international forest policy formulation. Education: PhD in Forest Policy (University of Freiburg), prior roles include senior researcher at the European Forest Institute and assistant at the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Forestry. Research Interests: Marko’s work addresses forest policy implementation, ecosystem service valuation, bioeconomy modeling, and international trade dynamics. He employs quantitative methods, big data, and network analysis to explore governance innovations and sustainable forest management strategies. Projects: He coordinated the H2020 SINCERE project on forest ecosystem services and the Horizon Europe project on forest research ecosystems. Current projects include INTERCEDE, focusing on future forest incomes and ecosystem services. Teaching: Involves MSc courses in forest policy, including internships and thesis supervision in forest conservation policy. Labs/Teams: Active in Wageningen’s Forest and Nature Conservation Policy group, contributing to interdisciplinary projects on governance and bioeconomy transitions.
Prof. Robbert Jan Kok is a Professor of Drug Delivery Technology at Utrecht University's Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) and Programme Director for the Bachelor of Pharmacy. He obtained his Pharmacy degree (1993) and PhD in renal drug targeting (1998) from the University of Groningen, followed by postdoctoral research on endothelial-targeted drug delivery. His work spans curriculum development for pharmacy programs and interdisciplinary research in drug innovation. Research Focus: Kok specializes in advanced drug delivery systems, including nanomedicines for kinase inhibitors, 3D-printed formulations, and stimuli-responsive carriers. Key areas include: Targeted delivery to tumors, kidneys, and inflamed tissues Polymeric micelles, liposomes, and microspheres for sustained release Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetic optimization Publication Trends: His recent work emphasizes nanotechnology-enabled therapies (e.g., curcumin nanodelivery, photodynamic micelles) and device-integrated drug release (3D-printed implants, macroencapsulation). Studies frequently combine material science with preclinical validation in cancer, renal diseases, and inflammatory disorders. Academic Leadership: Kok oversees student advising, laboratory operations, and international collaborations at UIPS. His team explores translational applications of drug delivery platforms, including partnerships for vascularized tissue engineering and combination therapies.
Boy van Basten is a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Product Care and Quality at the Faculty of Science and Engineering , University of Groningen. His work focuses on extemporaneous compounding, dosage form design, and medication stability protocols. Specializes in pharmacy preparations and product care Active in community and hospital pharmacy practices Part of the Pharmacy – Lecturers Team 2 Research interests center on pharmaceutical formulation, with emphasis on compounding standards and dosage form optimization. His recent publications analyze trends in Dutch pharmacy practices and solid dosage design. Key research themes include Extemporaneous Compounding , Dosage Form Development , and miRNA interactions in respiratory medicine . Publications span from 2014 to 2025, reflecting long-term engagement in pharmaceutical sciences. Contact: b.van.basten@rug.nl | ORCID: 0000-0002-9500-4615
Sandra Simaria de Oliveira Lucas is an Associate Professor in the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Her research focuses on autonomous manufacturing of construction materials, leveraging machine learning and data science to develop sustainable and functional materials. She leads two NWO-funded projects on smart, sustainable 3D-printed concrete and previously held a senior lecturer position at the University of Greenwich. Education: BEng in Ceramic and Glass Engineering from University of Aveiro MSc in Environmental Management and Materials PhD in Civil Engineering (2011, University of Aveiro) Marie Curie Postdoctoral Researcher at Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT (Germany) Visiting Researcher at EPSI ParisTech (France) and TU/e Research Interests: Sandra explores machine learning applications in material discovery, sustainable construction materials, and additive manufacturing. Her work emphasizes materials with adaptive properties and environmental impact mitigation. Recent projects include 3D-printed concrete waste valorization and bio-based materials education frameworks. Key Achievements: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship Principal Investigator (PI) for multiple Innovate UK and NWO projects Grants & Advising: Currently leads two NWO projects. Prior roles include PI for industry-academia collaborations via Innovate UK. Advises on structural design and materials education through TU/e assignments like the 'Bouwkundewinkel' practicals. Labs & Teams: Core member of the Concrete Structures research group at TU/e, focusing on 3D printing and material functionality.
Dr. Gabrie Meesters is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Faculty of Applied Sciences. He is affiliated with the Product and Process Engineering (PPE) section, where his research centers on product-driven process design and particle technology, often in collaboration with industrial partners. His academic background includes an MSc and PhD in Chemical Engineering from TU Delft, completed in 1992. He previously balanced his academic role with R&D positions at DSM in Delft, working one day per week at the university until 2019, when he transitioned to full-time academia. His research interests include: Product Driven Process Design Particle Technology Product Formulation Fluidization of Cohesive Powders Hydrodynamics in Multiphase Systems Nanoparticle Clustering and Dispersion Recent publications highlight a strong focus on experimental and imaging techniques such as X-ray imaging and radioactive particle tracking to study fluidization behavior, vibrational effects, and nanoparticle interactions. These works fall within the broader domains of chemical engineering, materials science, and process systems engineering. He supervises PhD candidates, including Rens Kamphorst, and contributes to educational programs by teaching courses such as Product and Process Design (PPD), Conceptual Design Project (CDP), and Particle Technology for Health and Energy. He also serves as a contact person for internship inquiries. His research group maintains active collaborations with industry and academic partners, supported by access to advanced instrumentation and facilities at TU Delft.
Marta Rodriguez Illera is a Researcher at Wageningen University & Research, specializing in Food Technology . Her work focuses on Food Loss and Waste , Food Science , and Food Systems , with an emphasis on sustainability and circular economy applications. Active in food waste valorization and sustainable processing Contributed to multi-criteria assessment frameworks for plant-based meat replacers Supervised PhD research on feed processing and functional molecule separation Research Trends : Her recent publications (2025-2024) address sustainability in food systems, including studies on French fries preservation, protein choice impacts, and decision-making in waste valorization. Earlier work (2023-2015) spans food waste mapping, consumer behavior analysis, and process engineering for nutrient recovery. Labs & Projects : Collaborated on the "Uitgekookt" project for feed processing optimization and developed micro-structured carrier systems for separating functional oligosaccharides/peptides during her PhD (2009-2014).
Lisanne Koning is a researcher and PhD candidate in Animal Nutrition at Wageningen University & Research , focusing on methane emissions from dairy cattle. Her work explores the interplay between dietary factors, rumen microbiomes, and environmental impacts. Current research includes farm-level microbial community analysis and methane intensity in dairy systems Active projects investigate fresh grass diets, grazing management, and rumen microbiome engineering Her studies, such as "Farm conditions shape microbial communities..." (2025) and "Minimum number of spot measurements..." (2024), reveal trends in methane quantification, rumen microbiome manipulation, and sustainable feeding strategies. She collaborates with institutions like Wageningen Livestock Research on LVVN-funded projects, including KE2023 B3 Grassland Management and NAPRO initiatives. Research Networks : European Grassland Federation, NCBI BioProject collaborations Methodologies : GreenFeed technology, sniffer systems for methane measurement Lisanne leads datasets and projects on dairy cattle nutrition, with a focus on practical applications for reducing environmental impacts through improved grazing systems and feed formulations.
Jack Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science at Wageningen University & Research, specializing in the Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods. His research focuses on interfacial phenomena in food systems, particularly plant protein functionalization, oleosome membrane mechanics, and foam/emulsion stabilization. He leads multiple interdisciplinary projects combining physics, data science, and food technology. Key research interests include: Interfacial rheology of plant proteins and phospholipids Stabilization mechanisms in food foams and emulsions Utilization of plant-based ingredients (rapeseed, mung bean, asparagus) Development of sustainable food processing methods Recent work emphasizes protein-phenolic interactions, AI-driven food system modeling, and valorization of agricultural by-products. He collaborates extensively with industry partners on plant protein innovation and has pioneered methods for high-yield oleosin extraction. Current projects include large language model applications in food product development and physics-encoded neural networks for prediction of complex food systems. As a co-promotor for seven PhD candidates, Yang supervises research on topics like functional protein-extract interactions, microstructure imaging of protein interfaces, and combining physics with data science for functionality prediction. His work bridges fundamental colloid science with practical food formulation challenges.
Dr. Guido Bosch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands. His research focuses on feed evaluation in pets, zoo, and production animals, particularly investigating how food properties influence appetite and intake behavior. Key areas include fermentable fibers, Maillard reaction products in pet foods, and the nutritional potential of insects as protein sources. He holds a PhD in canine nutrition and has strong interests in evolutionary feeding ecology and animal physiology. Education: PhD in Animal Nutrition (focus on canine behavior and nutrition). Affiliations: Animal Nutrition Group at Wageningen University, collaborating with institutions like Protix and Petgood AB on insect-based feed studies. Expertise spans animal health, food technology, and in vitro digestibility analysis. Research highlights include studies on black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal in cat diets, pellet manufacturing optimization, and bioconversion of organic waste via insect larvae. His work bridges nutritional science with sustainable agriculture, emphasizing circular economy solutions.
Eshwari Dathathri serves as a Researcher at the Biomedical and Environmental Sensorsystems group within the MESA+ Institute at the University of Twente, focusing on translational cancer diagnostics with emphasis on prostate malignancies and liquid biopsy technologies. Her core research domains include: Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) isolation and characterization (76% fingerprint relevance) Neoplasm biomarker discovery for metastatic prostate cancer Drug delivery systems utilizing chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol matrices Swelling dynamics in pharmaceutical formulations Cancer-associated fibroblast profiling in castration-naïve disease Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals consistent innovation in CTC enrichment techniques, secretome profiling, and extracellular vesicle analysis. Her work bridges biomedical engineering and clinical oncology, developing immunomagnetic separation methods from leukapheresis products while identifying novel biomarkers like cell cycle-dependent PSA secretion. Key trends show progression from basic drug delivery mechanisms toward clinical validation of diagnostic tools for treatment monitoring. Dathathri operates within the MESA+ Institute's interdisciplinary ecosystem, collaborating with clinical partners including Institut Curie (Paris) and Netherlands Cancer Institute. Her research leverages advanced sensor technologies for environmental and biomedical applications, with recent work focusing on functional characterization of circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts as potential therapeutic targets.
Sander de Leeuw is a Full Professor in Operations Research and Logistics . His work focuses on supply chain dynamics, decision-making processes, and sustainability initiatives.
Dr. Pedro Santoro Zambon serves as a Researcher at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science within the Department of Software Technology for Learning and Teaching, where he leads the Collaborative Technologies Lab's GameDevUp project under a prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. Concurrently, he holds the position of Vice Chairman for the Game Incubation Special Interest Group at the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), bridging academic research with industry practice. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Communication from São Paulo State University (UNESP) and specialized training in Evidence-Based Public Policy at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government. This foundation supports his dual expertise in game development methodologies and policy analysis. Zambon's research centers on human-centered artificial intelligence applications for game developers, with particular emphasis on cultural policy frameworks and innovation ecosystems. His work examines how algorithmic matchmaking systems can optimize team collaboration while analyzing policy implementation challenges in creative industries, especially within Brazil's rapidly evolving digital games sector. Methodologically, he combines qualitative field research with quantitative industry census data to evaluate policy effectiveness. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on Brazilian game industry policy evolution, independent developer challenges, and pandemic impacts. His work demonstrates methodological rigor in policy evaluation while highlighting sector-specific innovation patterns, particularly regarding university-industry knowledge transfer and creative cluster development. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (GameDevUp project) Civil Society Representative, Brazilian National Council for Cultural Policies (2019-2022) Chair, Industry Track of Brazilian Games Symposium (2016-2020) Zambon maintains active advisory roles including Game Jam Plus coordination since 2021 and previously served as Market Intelligence Consultant for Brazil's Game Developers Association (Abragames, 2019-2020). His grant portfolio features commissioned research for WIPO, Procolombia, Sebrae, and the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, with current funding from the European Commission's Marie Curie program supporting his algorithmic collaboration research. He actively contributes to the Collaborative Technologies Lab at Utrecht University while expanding international networks through IGDA's Game Incubation SIG, fostering cross-border knowledge exchange between European and Latin American game development communities.
Dr. ir. Dirk T.S. Rijkers is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University in the Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science. He has been working at Utrecht University since 1997, progressing from post-doctoral researcher to his current position as Associate Professor since 2022. His educational background includes: 1985–1990: Chemical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, with a major in bioorganic chemistry 1990–1994: PhD in bioorganic chemistry at Catholic University of Nijmegen Rijkers' research focuses on peptide chemistry, with his central theme summarized as 'Peptides: synthetic challenges, tools, materials and therapeutics.' His work is highly synthesis-driven with strong emphasis on biologically relevant applications. He has documented his research in 117 original papers and 118 proceedings/abstracts, with an h-index of 43 and over 6,000 citations. His work has led to 3 patents and he has presented his research in 19 invited lectures. Analysis of his recent publications shows a consistent focus on peptide synthesis methodologies, particularly ring-closing metathesis and click chemistry approaches. His work spans antimicrobial peptides (especially nisin analogs), vancomycin mimetics, amyloid research, and peptide-based materials. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between organic chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical sciences, with applications in antibiotic development and biomaterials. His scientific awards and grants include: NWO-CW TOP Grant 700.51.302 (2002) Netherlands Proteomics Center grant (2004) Journal of Peptide Science Travel Award Gdansk 2006 ETH Research Council scholarship (2008) NWO-CW ECHO Grant 700.57.014 (2008) NWO-CW Investment Grant 700.59.105 (2010) Rijkers has supervised 12 PhD students and 5 post-doctoral researchers throughout his career. He has served on numerous grant review panels including NWO-CW TOP-ECHO committees and STW-VENI committees. His extensive peer review activities include journals such as Advanced Materials, Angewandte Chemie, Bioconjugate Chemistry, and Journal of the American Chemical Society. He maintains strong collaborative networks across Utrecht University departments and with international institutions including ETH Zürich, University of Melbourne, and University of Oxford. His laboratory focuses on developing novel peptide synthesis methodologies and applying them to biologically relevant problems, particularly in antimicrobial development and protein-protein interaction modulation.
