Els Broens

Dr. Els Broens is an Associate Professor in Infectious Diseases & Immunology at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where she also serves as Director of the Veterinary Microbiological Diagnostic Centre (VMDC). She holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine (1998) and PhD (2011) from Utrecht and Wageningen Universities, with certifications as a European Veterinary Specialist in Microbiology (EBVS Diplomate, 2019). Her dual role combines diagnostic leadership (processing 20,000+ annual samples) with research and teaching responsibilities.

Research Focus: Dr. Broens leads investigations in antimicrobial resistance dynamics, zoonotic pathogen transmission, and One Health integration. Her work spans:

• Molecular epidemiology of MRSA and ESBL-producing pathogens
• Antimicrobial stewardship programs in veterinary practice
• SARS-CoV-2 transmission between humans and companion animals
• Diagnostic innovation for emerging infectious diseases

Awards & Leadership:

• Task leader in EU JAMRAI 2 project on antimicrobial resistance
• Treasurer of ESCMID Study Group for Veterinary Microbiology (ESGVM)
• Member of Dutch Expert Group on Animal Diseases and Zoonoses Outbreak Team

Educational Activities: She teaches clinical microbiology, diagnostics, and One Health principles across veterinary/human medicine curricula, supervises PhD candidates and European College of Veterinary Microbiology residents, and developed digital courses on antimicrobial stewardship.

Grants & Collaborations: Coordinates international consortia including the European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (ENOVAT) and EARS-Vet surveillance network. Research funded through EU projects focuses on diagnostic standardization and antimicrobial resistance mitigation.