Prof. Dr. Alexander Starke, Dip. ECBHM
Prof. Dr. Alexander Starke is the Director of the Clinic for Cloven-hoofed Animals at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University. A graduate of the same faculty, he earned his doctoral degree in 1997 with a dissertation on postpartum uterine involution in cattle. He completed his habilitation in 2011 at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, focusing on hepatosteatosis in dairy cows. Prof. Dr. Starke is a Diplomate of the European College of Bovine Health Management and holds specialist qualifications in cattle diseases and veterinary herd management.
With a distinguished career in academia and clinical practice, Prof. Dr. Starke has served in key roles at the Universities of Hannover, Cornell, and Kansas State. He is actively involved in veterinary education, examination boards, and faculty development. His leadership extends to scientific councils and regional cooperation initiatives aimed at advancing veterinary medicine in agricultural practice. His teaching and research continue to contribute significantly to bovine health management in Germany and beyond.
Angel Abuelo DVM, MRes, MS (VetEd), PhD, Dip. ABVP, Dip. ECBHM, FHEA, MRCVS
Dr. Angel Abuelo is a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor at the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine. He obtained his DVM, MRes, and Ph.D. degrees with honors from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and an MS in Veterinary Education from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Dairy Practice), the European College of Bovine Health Management, and an Associate Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine - Large Animal. At MSU, he researches strategies to increase host defenses in cows and calves, provides clinical training to final-year veterinary students, and provides continuing education to veterinarians nationally and internationally. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and received national and international awards for his work on bovine immunology. He also serves as the president-elect of the American Association of Veterinary Immunologists, as a section editor for the Journal of Dairy Science and PLOS ONE, and as the program chair of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD).
Assoc.Prof.Dr.
Bart Pardon
Dr. Pardon is a veterinarian (2007), currently associated professor in large animal internal medicine with focus on ruminants at Ghent University (Belgium). His Ph.D (2012) dealt with morbidity, mortality, drug use and the role of respiratory disease in veal calves. He is a specialist of the European college of Bovine Health Management (2016). Next to his teaching assignment, he is responsible for the clinic for ruminants and offers problem herd solving services, mainly in the area of calf health and infectious diseases. His research group focuses on calf health in general, and respiratory health and sepsis in specific, with the eventual aim to rationalize antimicrobial use and make cattle farming more sustainable and animal friendly. Current projects include Mycoplasma bovis, the development of rapid diagnostic tools, decision support tools, precision medicine applications (data and sensor driven) and evaluation of interventions like antimicrobial therapy and vaccination for bovine respiratory disease. He has a track record of over 160 scientific publications and is a frequently asked speaker. In 2023, he co-founded qTUS, a UGhent spin-off company, bringing a point of care lung ultrasonography method (qTUS) to practice. Bart attempts to keep close contact with practice, and puts effort in translating researchers to veterinarians and farmers.
Prof.Dr.
Barry Bradford
Bradford completed dual bachelor’s degrees at Iowa State University and a doctorate in animal nutrition at Michigan State University. He served on the faculty at Kansas State University from 2006 to 2019, and in 2020 he returned to Michigan State as the Clint Meadows Chair in Dairy Management. Bradford’s research focuses on dairy cattle nutrition and metabolism, including dietary utilization of byproducts in lactation diets, the physiological impacts of inflammation after calving, and the roles of nutrients as signals. In his current role, Bradford carries out research and works directly with dairy producers to find solutions to dairy management challenges.
Prof.Dr.
Walter Grünberg
Walter Grünberg is a full professor and the current chair of the Clinic for Ruminants and Herd Health Management at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany. Walter is a Diplomate of the European College of Bovine Health Management (ECBHM), of the European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR) and associate Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). He holds a Dr. degree from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover, Germany, a Master in Veterinary Science from UIUC and a PhD from Purdue University. Dr. Grünberg’s research focus is on metabolic diseases in dairy cattle and calf health.
Prof.Dr.
Bo Han
Bo Han obtained his BS degree from Ningxia University, Yinchuan, in 1989, MS degree from China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, in 1992, and PhD degree from Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, in 1998. He then did his postdoctor in Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, in 2000. In September 2000, he joined the College of Veterinary Medicine, CAU as an Associate Professor of Veterinary clinical microbiology and is a full professor with teaching, research, and service since 2005. He established the mastitis reference laboratory at CAU in Beijing, China. Han's main research focus is bovine mastitis and product health, welfare, safety. Currently, the bacteria under investigation in his laboratory is Mycoplasma bovis, which is causing a variety of diseases. His laboratory is mainly working on mechanisms whereby the bacterium cause disease and antibiotic resistance, as well as host pathogen interaction and vaccine development. He has published 124 peer-reviewed papers with more than 3250 citations and h-index 31. He is the current Executive Committee Member of World Association for Buiatrics.
Research Interests: bovine pathogens, bacterial virulence factors, innate immunity, antibiotic resistance, pathogenesis, oxidative stress; redox biology
Dr. Borbala Foris
Dr. Borbala Foris is an Assistant Professor of Farm Animal Welfare at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, focusing on emerging technologies in animal welfare assessment.
Dr. Foris graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest (Hungary) and obtained a PhD in Agriculture from the University of Rostock (Germany), where she explored personality traits and social dynamics in dairy cattle while developing tools for automated behavioral monitoring. Her postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia's Animal Welfare Program (Canada) further advanced her expertise, focusing on high-resolution automated data collection to examine how social environments shape individual resource use in cattle.
Her current work bridges welfare science, animal behavior, and precision livestock farming to contribute to valid and data-driven welfare monitoring while ensuring ethical and sustainable farming systems. She integrates sensor-based technologies and AI tools to better capture and interpret subtle behavioral patterns on-farm. Her studies in dairy cattle revolve around brush use and drinking behavior, key indicators of welfare that often remain overlooked in conventional assessment methods. By harnessing automated monitoring systems, she also investigates how social relationships shape behavioral outcomes at the individual and group level.
Prof Bryan Charleston MRCVS FRS
Prof Bryan Charleston obtained a BVetMed from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK in 1982. After a period of time in Large Animal Practice, he studied for a Masters degree in Molecular Biology at University College London in 1988, then a PhD degree, as a Wellcome Trust Scholar, from the University of London, UK, in 1991. He then carried out postdoctoral research, as a Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral fellow, at the Royal Veterinary College and the Babraham Institute, Cambridge for three years.
He joined The Pirbright Institute in 1994 and focused on studies of the immune response to viral infections in cattle. In addition, he provided advice and expertise on the design of infectious disease challenge models for a wide range of pathogens in important agricultural species. His research is focused on understanding the immune response to foot-and–mouth disease virus (FMDV) in cattle to develop novel vaccines.
Prof.Dr.
Geert Opsomer
Geert R.G. Opsomer graduated as a DVM at the Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium) in 1989. After graduation, he started to work at the Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health at the same university. His main interest was fertility and herd health control in high yielding dairy herds.
In 1995 he obtained a masters degree (Ms) in Animal Production with a thesis entitled: 'Energy metabolism in the high yielding dairy cow'. In 1999 he successfully defended his PhD entitled: 'Postpartum anoestrus in high yielding dairy cows: a field study'. In 2002 he became diplomate of the European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR), and in 2003 diplomate of the European College of Bovine Health Medicine (ECBHM).
At the moment he is full professor of bovine reproduction and herd health management at the Veterinary Faculty of the Ghent University and is heading the Ambulatory Clinic at the Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine. Besides educating undergraduate and graduate students, he is currently supervising multiple PhD students researching a variety of aspects of bovine herd health and reproduction.
Prof. Dr. Geof Smith
Geof Smith received a BS in animal and dairy science from Clemson University in 1994. From there he received a MS in toxicology from University of Illinois in 1996 and a DVM in 1998. Following graduation, Geof remained at the University of Illinois for another 4 years while he completed an internship and residency in ruminant internal medicine along with a PhD in physiology. Dr Smith was a Professor and chair of Ruminant Medicine at North Carolina State University for 20 years before joining Zoetis as a Dairy Technical Services Veterinarian. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and his primary clinical and research interests revolve calf health. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has edited 2 books on calf health and fluid therapy.
Prof. Dr. George C. Fthenakis
Dr George C. Fthenakis, Dip.ECAR, Dip.ECSRHM, is included among the top 2% of the more influential scientists internationally in the fields of ‘Veterinary Sciences’ and ‘Animal and Dairy Science’. He is also the author with the most published scientific papers on sheep and goats in Europe. He has received three Awards of Academic Scientific Excellence in ‘Veterinary Medicine and Science’ by the Greek Ministry of Education (2012, 2013, 2014) and the Award of the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation for Outstanding Contributions to veterinary specialisation in Europe (2024).
Ηe is Professor (1998-today) and Former Dean (2016-20) of the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Thessaly. He was the Foundation President of the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management (2008-11). Currently, he serves as the Head of School of Health Sciences of the University of Thessaly (2024-today) and as the Chairperson of the Greek National Veterinary Medicines Licencing Board (2020-today).
He was invited and lectured in the veterinary faculties of the Universities of Edinburgh, Guelph, Hannover, Liverpool, Thessaloniki and Zaragoza. He has supervised successfully 14 PhD theses and one European Veterinary College specialisation programme. He has managed 34 research grants, funded by the public or the private sector, among them the ‘Goshomics’ project (budget: 1.8 M €, 10 partners) and the action ‘Academic experience for young scientists at the University of Thessaly’ (cumulative budget: 11.6 M €).
His interests are focused on health management, diseases and welfare of small ruminants.
Dr. Giovanni Gnemmi, DVM, Ph.D., DECBHM
Giovanni Gnemmi is a distinguished veterinarian serving as a key asset at BOVINEVET
INTERNACIONAL SL Bovine Ultrasound Services & Herd Management. Additionally, he
holds the esteemed position of Professor and Director of the Master's Program in Bovine
Reproduction at Veterinary Faculty UCV Valencia, is also an adjunct professor at the Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine of the Lusophone University of Lisbon.
Giovanni's commitment extends beyond clinical practice as he actively engages in
advancing preventive herd medicine and fostering continuous education for veterinary
professionals and technicians within the dairy industry. With a wealth of international
experience, Giovanni has served as a trusted consultant for large-scale farms across
Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
Recognized for his contributions, Giovanni has been invited to speak at over 350 national
and international conferences and seminars, where he shares insights and advancements in
bovine reproductive health. His dedication and expertise were honored with the
prestigious Taurus Award in 2023, a testament to his profound impact on the field.
Prof.Dr.
Gregory Penner
Dr. Greg Penner is a Professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan. He was hired in 2009 after obtaining his bachelor’s degree (2004) and M.Sc. degree (2006) at the University of Saskatchewan, and his PhD from the University of Alberta (2009). Dr. Penner has published over 185 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a highly sought out speaker providing over 180 invited presentations since appointment. Greg also serves as co-Editor in Chief for the Canadian Journal of Animal Science.
Dr. Penner’s research focuses on forage utilization, beef and dairy cattle nutrition, and regulation of gastrointestinal function in ruminants. Individual projects range from a focus on fundamental aspects of physiology to those with applied outcomes that can help promote efficient and sustainable beef and dairy production. Through his research program, Dr. Penner has trained 26 undergraduate students, 23 M.Sc. students, 8 Ph.D. students, 4 post-doctoral fellows, and has 1 technician. In addition, Dr. Penner has hosted 5 students from other universities while they conduct a portion of their research under his supervision.
In recognition of his research program, Dr. Penner has been awarded with the Canadian Society of Animal Science Young Scientist Award (2013), the Early Career Research Award from the American Society of Animal Science (2017), the College of Agriculture and Bioresources Dean's New Researcher Award of Excellence (2017), The University of Saskatchewan New Research Award (2019), the Lallemand Research Excellence Award in Dairy Science (2019), and the award for Technical Innovation in Enhancing Safe, Affordable Food from the Canadian Society of Animal Science (2022).
Greg is actively involved in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels within the Animal Science program in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. As part of his outreach, Dr. Penner participates as an organizing committee member for the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Western Canadian Dairy Seminar, and the Saskatchewan Pasture Tour. He sits as a board member for Saskatchewan Verified Beef Plus.
Ingrid Lorenz, Dr. Med. Vet., Dr. Med. Vet. Habil., Dip. ECBHM
Dr. Lorenz is currently Head of the Cattle Health Service at the Bavarian Animal Health Service in Poing, Germany as well as Adjunct Associate Professor at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland. Previously she has been teaching Bovine Medicine at UCD from 2007 to January 2016. Dr. Lorenz graduated from the Veterinary School of the University of Munich in 1992 after which she prepared her doctoral thesis in the area of calf diseases at the Clinic for Ruminants at the same university. She subsequently took up a lecturer position at the Clinic for Ruminants and was awarded her Habilitation in 2007. Her research interests concentrate on the metabolic alterations associated with calf diarrhoea as well as calf diseases on a herd level.
Prof.Dr.
Jesse P. Goff
Dr. Jesse Goff is emeritus Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Jesse received his PhD degree from Iowa State University Cornell University. He worked in Iowa State University and USDA-ARS, National Animal Disease Center; 1985-2020. conducted research on metabolic diseases of animals and the effect these diseases had on infectious disease resistance, with emphasis on dairy cows. Also did basic and applied research on milk fever and other mineral disorders of dairy, swine and poultry. This work included demonstration that diet potassium, not calcium causes milk fever and the effect of potassium can be overcome with adding anions to the diet. Working on Solanum glaucophyllum boluses to help reduce hypocalcemia in dairy cows. Examining potential of plant derived vitamin D analogs to prevent/treat cancer and immune mediated disease. Also pursuing research to develop methods to improve immune function in the dairy cow around the time of calving to prevent diseases such as mastitis, metritis and retained placenta. Continue to do work on the effects of subclinical hypocalcemia and other mineral disorders in the periparturient cow. He served on National Research Council (NRC) committees to revise the 7th edition of the Nutrient Requirement of Dairy Cows, 2nd edition of Mineral Tolerance of Domestic Animals, Section Editor and author of “Duke’s Physiology of Domestic Animals” and Board Certified – American College of Veterinary Nutrition.
Prof.Dr.
John Mee
Dr. Mee is the Principal Veterinary Research Scientist at the Irish National Dairy Research Centre. He is also dual Professor Adjunct in University College Dublin (in the School of Veterinary Medicine and in the School of Agriculture and Food Science) and in University College Cork. John has diploma, bachelor, masters, doctorate and fellowship qualifications. Dr. Mee has been awarded board-accredited, multi-specialist buiatrician status at European (European College of Bovine Health Management Diplomate), UK (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Specialist) and National (Veterinary Council of Ireland - Dual Specialist) levels in addition to Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He has worked in practice, government, research and teaching in Ireland, Australia and in New Zealand. John’s research currently includes bovine abortion and perinatal mortality, calving management, congenital defects, umbilical infection, FTPI, coccidiosis, abomasal disorders, respiratory disease, biosecurity, Johne’s disease, tuberculosis, fertility trends, mineral/trace element status and lamb mortality and ovine tick-borne diseases. Dr. Mee lectures in multiple universities nationally and internationally and has been invited to present conference plenary lectures in over 35 countries across Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.
Juergen A. RICHT, DVM, PhD, FAAAS
Dr. Richt came to Kansas State University in 2008. In 2010, he became Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD; www.ceezad.org) and in 2020 Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Munich and a PhD in Virology and Immunology from the University of Giessen, both in Germany. He completed postdoctoral/residency studies at The Johns Hopkins University and served for eight years as a Veterinary Medical Officer at the National Animal Disease Center (USDA-ARS) in Ames, Iowa. He has edited several books, obtained several patents, published more than 360 peer-reviewed manuscripts and raised more than $70 million in grants for veterinary research. His basic and applied research includes studies on animal influenza viruses (swine, cattle, bat and avian), animal prion diseases including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV), African Swine fever virus (ASFV), Mpox virus (MPXV), SARS-CoV-2 and Borna Disease virus (BDV).
Theo J.G.M. Lam DVM, PhD
Theo Lam is manager Research and Development at Royal GD, Deventer. Additionally, he serves as a part-time Professor of Applied Ruminant Health Research in the Sustainable Ruminant Health group at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University.
Theo graduated as a veterinarian in 1990 and earned his PhD in 1996 with on a thesis on the dynamics of bovine mastitis in low somatic cell count dairy herds. Following his graduation he entered private practice, focusing primarily on herd health advisory and ambulatory work.
In 2006 Theo left practice to join GD. In 2011 he was appointed as a part-time (0,2 fte) professor at Utrecht University in addition to his role at GD. A consistent theme throughout his career has been udder health, a subject he has approached from various perspectives. Theo was also a member of the steering committee responsible for reducing antimicrobial use in cattle in the Netherlands.
Prof. Dr. Milo C. Wiltbank
Dr. Milo Wiltbank joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991 in the Department of Dairy Science and is currently Professor of Animal and Dairy Sciences and Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology. He has done research in reproductive physiology throughout his career. He currently has >250 scientific, peer-reviewed manuscripts in a number of research areas including interactions of nutrition and reproduction, the physiological basis for anovular cows, and hormonal regulation of the ovary. From a practical standpoint, he is probably best known for the development, validation, and modification of timed AI protocols such as Ovsynch and Double-Ovsynch. From a basic perspective, he has provided substantial new insights into the mechanisms involved in the regression of the corpus luteum (CL) and mechanisms involved in the selection of a single dominant follicle in cattle. His current research is focused on three main areas:
1) Understanding and reducing pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cows and recipients of in vitro produced (IVF) and cloned embryos.
2) MeFIRST – Mechanisms of Follicle Initiation, Recruitment, and SelecTion.
3) RePROGRAM – Rethinking Programs in Reproduction to Optimize Gains in Reproduction and Management
Nigel B. Cook BSc BVSc Cert. CHP DBR
Nigel Cook is a Professor in the Food Animal Production Medicine section of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine. He qualified as a veterinarian in 1992 and worked in a large food animal clinic in Southern England for four years before moving to the Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, where he spent three years as lecturer and head of the Large Animal Ambulatory Clinic. Since 1999 he has been in Wisconsin, teaching veterinary students, performing research and developing outreach to improve dairy cattle well-being. His particular interests include lameness prevention, cow comfort and improving facility design. He developed The Dairyland Initiative – a resource to drive the creation of welfare friendly cattle housing in 2010, and launched the Dairyland Initiative Podcast in 2024. He is currently Chair of the Department of Medical Sciences, Past President of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and was awarded the WVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 2019 and the AABP Award of Excellence in 2021.
Prof. Dr. Peter D CONSTABLE
Since 2014, Dr. Constable has served as Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia, in 1982. He has worked as an agricultural animal veterinarian in Australia and mixed animal practitioner in England. Dr. Constable completed an ambulatory internship and food animal medicine and surgery residency at The Ohio State University and obtained MS and PhD degrees from there in 1989 and 1992, respectively. He is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and received an Honorary Doctorate (Docteur Honoris Causa) from the Universite de Liege in Belgium in 2011.
Dr. Constable has coauthored more than 210 peer-reviewed publications and over 30 book chapters. He is also the editor, coeditor, or coauthor of four boks. Dr. Constable’s main clinical and research interests include acid-base physiology, fluid and electrolyte therapy, shock, calf diarrhea, internal medicine, bovine mastitis, surgical conditions of the bovine abdomen, biostatistics, pharmacokinetics, and the cardiovascular response to endurance training.
Prof.Dr.
Raphael Guatteo
Raphaël Guatteo is Full Professor in Ruminants Health Management in Oniris (Veterinary Faculty in Nantes, France)
He's head of the department of Farm Animal Health and Public Health and Head of the research team dedicated to epidemiology in the research unit BIOEPAR
Teaching activites deal with: individual and population medicine, epidemiology, welfare and pain management in ruminants
Research activities deal with epidemiology of infectious disease (Q fever, Johne's disease, Digital dermatitis) and production diseases (hypocalcemia, lameness, heat stress, genetic disorders) in cattle with a special interest for Precision Livestock Farming
He's a former president if the European College of Bovine Health Management and is also diplomate from the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioral Medicine
He's the current Vice-President of the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and member of the board of governors of the World Association of Buiatrics
Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Sabina Mann
Sabine Mann is an Associate Professor of Ambulatory and Production Medicine at Cornell University. She received her DVM degree from Hannover, Germany, her veterinary doctorate from LMU Munich, Germany, and her PhD from Cornell University, USA in transition cow nutrition, physiology, and epidemiology. She is board certified specialist in Bovine Health Management (Dip.ECBHM) and Veterinary Preventive Medicine (Dip.ACVPM). Her group´s current research focuses on the intersection of metabolism, nutrition, and immunology during transition phases. She is particularly interested in nutritional strategies and interventions to improve host resilience in newborn calves and postpartum cows to support future productivity and sustainability.
Prof.Dr.
Sebastien Buczinski
Dr Buczinski graduated in 2002 from the National Veterinary School of Alfort (France). After completing a residency in large animal internal medicine in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV)of St-Hyacinthe, University of Montréal, Canada, a diploma from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and a Master's degree in veterinary science, he officially joined the FMV, in 2006 as a professor at the Bovine Ambulatory Clinic. About 35% of his time is spent in the clinic providing individual care in dairy farms. The rest of his time is spent in teaching, doing research, and administrative tasks. His research interests are in the field of young ruminant health, including bronchopneumonia, especially in veal calves and replacement dairy heifers. He has a strong interest in the use of diagnostic tests in respiratory medicine including lung ultrasonography. He also has a strong interest to assess new tests in the absence of gold standard test, evidence based veterinary medicine and applied statistical analyses.
Dr.
Susana Astiz
Susana Astiz is senior Researcher at the Animal Reproduction Department from the INIA-CSIC (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria-Centro Nacional) since 2010 and ECBHM (European College of Health Management) diplomat from 2007. With previous experience as practitioner and livestock consultant (Germany and Spain) for >10 years and as technical manager for pharmaceutical companies during 3 years, her research activities now focus on Animal Production, mainly in ruminants. Intense work at the Spanish National Buiatric Association (ANEMBE) until 2016. INIA-National representative at European Animal Production Working Groups (SCAR, ATF), ECBHM President (2017-2021). Research lines: Animal Production, Reproductive Physiology, Farm Simulation, Prenatal Programming. Leading research nationally funded since 2010, with international collaborations. Published books, monographs, 111 SCI- articles, >100 popular articles; >200 participations at Scientific Conferences; 9 directed PhD works and 6 in development; teaching collaboration at Universities, and other Institutions/Companies.
Prof.Dr.
Thomas Wittek
Dr. Wittek works currently as professor at the Clinical Center for Ruminant and Camelid Medicine at the Vetmeduni Vienna, Austria. He graduated in 1994 from Leipzig University, Germany where he also defended his doctoral thesis in 1996 and his habilitation thesis in 2006. Dr Wittek has worked at Leipzig University as clinician and junior and senior researcher. During his career he also worked as postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign (USA) from 2002 to 2003 and as senior lecturer at Glasgow University (Scotland) from 2008 to 2011. In 2011 he moved to Vienna taking on the positions as full professor and head of the clinic for ruminants and camelids. His research interests covering mainly metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases in cattle, but he is also interested in small ruminants and camels. Dr. Wittek is member of the executive committee of the World Association for Buiatrics; currently he serves as treasurer of the organization.
Prof.Dr.
Trevor DeVries
Dr. Trevor DeVries is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Trevor received his B.Sc. in Agriculture from The University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2001. Immediately following he began graduate studies at UBC, where he received his Ph.D. in 2006 Following that, he spent one year as a post-doctoral fellow with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In 2007 he was appointed as faculty with the University of Guelph in the Department of Animal Biosciences. In that position Trevor leads a highly productive research program and has published over 225 peer-reviewed papers focused on dairy cattle nutrition, management, behavior, and welfare. He is also committed to extending that work to the field, as evidenced by over 375 invited research presentations. Trevor also contributes to teaching at the university, including instructing undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of dairy cattle management, behavior, and welfare, as well as mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students. Trevor also works diligently in public service, serving on several university committees, as well as various local, national and international professional committees.
Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Luis Pablo Herve Claude
Dr. Luis Pablo Hervé Claude is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine. He earned his veterinary degree from Universidad de Chile in Santiago and began his career at the Chilean National Fisheries Services.
Dr. Hervé Claude then moved to Davis, California, to pursue a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM), focusing on herd health. He continued his academic journey in Hannover, Germany, earning a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo-Hannover). His doctoral research focused on livestock populations in smallholder communities of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, in collaboration with the local Ministry of Agriculture. After returning to Chile, he spent four years as a consultant before rejoining Universidad de Chile—his alma mater—as an Assistant Professor in Herd Health. His research covered a wide range of topics, including antimicrobial resistance in calves, parasitic infections in livestock, and the impacts of climate change on animal health.
After eight years in Chile, Dr. Hervé Claude joined Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) in Saint Kitts, where he taught Veterinary Public Health for six years. During his tenure, he spearheaded several regional initiatives, including African Swine Fever preparedness and public health workshops. He also coordinated the Veterinary Public Health and online Master’s in One Health programs across multiple semesters. Now at Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine, in Long island University, New York, he will be focusing on training veterinarias on herd health, buiatrics and one health.
Dr. Hervé Claude's scholarly work spans diverse subjects—from dolphin physiology and antimicrobial resistance to veterinary education—with a strong emphasis on One Health principles and interdisciplinary collaboration in veterinary science.
Volker Krömker, Prof. Dr. med. vet. habil., Dip. ECBHM
Prof. Dr. Volker Krömker was born in 1965. Professor Krömker studied of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover between 1985-1990. He worked as Practice assistant in the veterinary clinic Quernheim (cattle herd health/horses) between years 1990-1995. After Doctorate as Dr. med. vet. at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, he worked as Research Assistant/Post doc/Assistant Professor at the Institute for Dairy Hygiene of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover between years 1995-2001. In year 2000 he was recognized as national veterinary specialist for milk hygiene. Between 2001 and 2004 he worked in Udder Health Service of the Hanover Chamber of Agriculture. In the year 2002 he was recognized as a national veterinary specialist for epidemiology. In 2004 he was appointed as Full Professor for Microbiology and Dairy Hygiene at the University of Applied Sciences Hannover. He earned a diploma in continuing education in university teaching in 2009 and diploma of the European College of Bovine Health Management in 2007. In 2014 he achieved habilitation in udder health and milk hygiene at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. From 2022 he is Full Professor in Cattle Herd Health – Evidence based Antibiotic Treatment and Mastitis Control in University of Copenhagen, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. His research priorities are Mastitis epidemiology, clinical field trials, virulence mechanisms of mastitis pathogens - especially of Sc. uberis, mastitis risk factors and risk analysis, udder health management, mastitis control and mastitis therapy and lactic acid bacteria. Prof. Krömker gave 974 scientific and application-oriented lectures in 31 countries. He is author of 172 peer-reviewed publications and he supervised 39 doctoral theses.
Assoc. Prof. Melissa Cantor
Prof. Dr. Volker Krömker was born in 1965. Professor Krömker studied of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover between 1985-1990. He worked as Practice assistant in the veterinary clinic Quernheim (cattle herd health/horses) between years 1990-1995. After Doctorate as Dr. med. vet. at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, he worked as Research Assistant/Post doc/Assistant Professor at the Institute for Dairy Hygiene of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover between years 1995-2001. In year 2000 he was recognized as national veterinary specialist for milk hygiene. Between 2001 and 2004 he worked in Udder Health Service of the Hanover Chamber of Agriculture. In the year 2002 he was recognized as a national veterinary specialist for epidemiology. In 2004 he was appointed as Full Professor for Microbiology and Dairy Hygiene at the University of Applied Sciences Hannover. He earned a diploma in continuing education in university teaching in 2009 and diploma of the European College of Bovine Health Management in 2007. In 2014 he achieved habilitation in udder health and milk hygiene at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. From 2022 he is Full Professor in Cattle Herd Health – Evidence based Antibiotic Treatment and Mastitis Control in University of Copenhagen, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. His research priorities are Mastitis epidemiology, clinical field trials, virulence mechanisms of mastitis pathogens - especially of Sc. uberis, mastitis risk factors and risk analysis, udder health management, mastitis control and mastitis therapy and lactic acid bacteria. Prof. Krömker gave 974 scientific and application-oriented lectures in 31 countries. He is author of 172 peer-reviewed publications and he supervised 39 doctoral theses.
Prof.Dr. Cezmi Akdis
Prof. Cezmi Akdis is the director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) in Davos and Professor in Zurich University Medical Faculty.
He has honorary professorships from Beijign Cantional University Tongren Hospital (China), Wuhan University (China), Zhejiang University (Hangzhou, China) Bursa Uludag University (Turkey), Pekin University (China) and Harvard University (USA). He is a Senate Member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences.
Cezmi Akdis has published more than 750 peer-reviewed articles. His h-index is 169
Cezmi Akdis acted as the President of the European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (18’000 members) between 2011-2013. He was the editor of Global Atlases of Allergy, Asthma I-II, Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Allergic Rhinitis Planetary Health.
He was the founder and organizer of the World Immune Regulation Meetings, Davos I-XIX. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Allergy journal.
Prof.Dr. Gema Alvarez
I studied Veterinary Medicine at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and obtained a PhD ”cum laude” in Veterinary Sciences. Currently, I am a Full Professor of the Department of Animal Health (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), a member of the research group SALUVET since its foundation and co-director of the group since 2023. Since my PhD on the diagnosis of bovine neosporosis I have been involved in different projects related with reproductive failure in ruminants caused by Neospora, Besnoitia and Toxoplasma. These projects have allowed the development of diagnostic tests and control tools. My scientific production can be summarized in more than 125 publications (indexed in the JCR), 135 conference communications (23 as invited speaker); 42 competitive projects (7 as PI) funded, nine book chapters and 15 PhD thesis. I am diplomate of European College of Veterinary Parasitology (EVPC) and founder of SALUVET-INNOVA SL spin off company.




