Speakers & Experts
Pat Harris
Waltham Petcare Science Institute
Pat Harris : MA, VetMB, PhD, DipECVCN MRCVS
EBVS European specialist in veterinary and comparative nutrition
RCVS specialist in Veterinary Clinical Nutrition (equine)
After qualifying from Cambridge University, she completed her Ph.D. at the Animal Health Trust into the Equine Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome. She joined the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (now Waltham Petcare Science Institute) in 1995. As Director of Science for Mars Horsecare and Head of the WALTHAM™ Equine Studies Group until Spring 2025, she was responsible for their equine research conducted in collaboration with experts at institutes and universities globally. This provides the science behind the SPILLERS™ and BUCKEYE™ Nutrition brands. She is now the Nutrition and Science advisor to Mars Horsecare and the Equine Studies Group. She is also the scientific advisor to MARS Equestrian™ sponsorship. Pat is a European Specialist in Veterinary Clinical and Comparative Nutrition, an RCVS recognized specialist in veterinary clinical nutrition (equine), and a British Equine Veterinary Association Past-President. She is, or has been, a member of several international society and charity boards and holds, or has held, several academic posts within various institutions around the world. Pat lectures internationally on nutrition as it affects the health, welfare, behavior, and performance of the horse. She is the author or co-author of over 500 scientific papers, abstracts, and book chapters with recent emphasis on obesity, laminitis, gastric ulcers and senior horse nutrition.
Gunther van Loon
Ghent University
Gunther van Loon graduated from Ghent University, Belgium, in 1992 and has worked at Ghent University, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, ever since. In 2001 he finished his PhD on “Atrial pacing and experimental atrial fibrillation in equines”. In 2004 he became ECEIM Diplomate and in 2011 Associate Member of ECVDI. In 2015 he received the ‘WEVA Research Award’ for outstanding research regarding ‘Advances in Equine Cardiology’. He is now Professor in Large Animal Internal Medicine at Ghent University and his major interests are Equine Internal Medicine, cardiology (arrhythmias, electrophysiology, cardiac pacing, echocardiography, TDI, 2D ST, biomarkers), and thoracic and abdominal ultrasound.
Carolien Munsters
Equine Integration
Dr. Carolien Munsters is a specialist in equine sports physiology and earned her Ph.D. in this field in 2013 from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, focusing on the welfare and training of sport horses. Through her company, Equine Integration, she aims to enhance equestrian sports and horse welfare her mission is to promote equestrian sports and the welfare of horses. This by translating scientific knowledge and measurements into practice in order to support riders, trainers and coaches to improve the performance and welfare of their horses. For many years Carolien supports and advises various (inter)national equestrian athletes, Olympic teams, passionate amateurs, coaches and trainers in the field of exercise physiology of horses. She has contributed to team guidance of the Olympic Games in London, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Paris. She also coaches international sport horse-rider combinations in various disciplines to European and World championships. In addition to the coaching of (elite) sport horses, she is active as a researcher in relation with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and author of several peer-reviewed scientific articles with focus on welfare, load and load capacity, performance and injuries in sport horses. Furthermore, she lectures at (inter)national scientific conferences and is active as secretary general of the Sport Horse Welfare Foundation and as embedded scientist in equestrian sports for the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC* NSF).
Robin van den Boom
Utrecht University
Robin van den Boom graduated with honours From Utrecht University in 1996 and started his training in Equine Surgery. In 2002 he was registered as specialist in Equine Surgery by the KNMvD (Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association, RNVA) and in 2004 he successfully completed his PhD on synovial fluid of the horse.
After completing his PhD Dr. van den Boom trained as a resident in Equine Internal Medicine and in 2009 passed the specialist exams of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine.
From September 2014 until February 2017 Robin was Head of the Department of Equine Health at the University of Adelaide (Australia) but since March 2017 he is, once more, a member of the Equine Medicine team at Utrecht and currently chair of the equine division at the Department of Clinical Sciences. Recently his research has focussed on gastroenterology (colic, EGUS, IBD) and dermatology.
Lieuwke Kranenburg
Utrecht University
Lieuwke Kranenburg graduated in 2003 from Utrecht University. She worked in a mixed small animal/equine practice in Weesp for three years. After which she returned for an equine internship at the Department of Equine Sciences from Utrecht University followed by an equine medicine residency. After completing the residency and passing the boards exam of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine in 2011 she worked as a equine medicine specialist for three years at Dierenkliniek Emmeloord.
In 2014 she returned to Utrecht University at which she has worked since.
She is responsible for the equine digestive programs in the bachelor and master. And she also is the equine represent for the subject of clinical reasoning.
She is involved in research projects which mainly include equine digestive issues such as sand colic, inflammatory bowel disease and gastric ulcers.
Lieuwke is a past member of the NEVA board and past FEEVA representative for the Netherlands.
Irene Tosi
Liège University
Dr. Irene Tosi, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVSMR
Irene obtained her PhD on muscle metabolism in horses and dogs in 2021, she is Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (Equine Track) since 2025. She is in charge of consultations for poor performance and exercise-related diseases in horses and she participates to exercise physiology courses at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Liège, Belgium. Her topics of interest and research are exercise-induced muscular pathologies, chronic airway inflammatory diseases and respiratory immunity.
Tresemiek Picavet
DBP Veterinary Services
1984 Graduated in Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium.
1984-1985: Surgery Department Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ghent: equine orthopedic examinations, research and medical imaging horse under supervision of Professor Verschooten.
1986-1992: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, supervised by Professor Oyaert, Professor Muylle, and Dr. Nuytten.
Special interest in equine respiratory horses, exercise physiology and gastro-intestinal .
1992 - 2014 specialist in equine internal medicine and responsible for equine anaesthesia in De Bosdreef.
2004 Diplomate Equine Internal Medicin ECEIM.
From 2014 till now private equine referral practice DBP Veterinary Services, Spelonckvaart 44, 9180 Moerbeke-Waas, Belgium.
Chair of the Flemish Scientific Horse Health Association, member of the Education and Credentials Committee of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine
Married to Paul De Baerdemaeker, 2 children. Hobby’s: friends, reading, horse riding.
Caroline Loos
Cavalor
After receiving her PhD in 2018, Dr. Caroline Loos remained at the University of Kentucky where she worked as a Postdoctoral Scientist till December 2022. From 2023 onwards she started working as equine nutritionist and researcher for Cavalor (USA).
Her PhD and Postdoctoral research program focused on equine nutrition, physiology, and endocrinology. More specifically, the research objectives of her PhD, and much of her postdoctoral work, were to investigate the effect of diet and disease on muscle protein metabolism. Caroline has conducted several studies looking at the impact of dietary protein quantity and quality on the activation of skeletal muscle anabolic signaling pathways. She also has a strong interest in the field of endocrinology, in particular with regards to equine insulin dysregulation and metabolic syndrome. Caroline has completed several research trials investigating the effect of dietary protein levels on hyperinsulinemia and conversely, how insulin resistance may affect whole body and muscle protein metabolism. She also looked at the therapeutic potential of specific plant-derived extracts and other dietary additives in the treatment and management of horses with insulin dysregulation. Currently, Caroline is involved in several projects looking at the effect of diet and insulin resistance on gut health and gut permeability.
Caroline Loos was born and raised in Belgium but has been living in Lexington, KY, USA, for the last 12 years. She has been working in different sectors of the equine industry for over 15 years and works as a nutritional consultant for the equine feed industry.
Caroline is also an avid endurance rider and through her life’s passion and career hopes to make a difference in horse welfare and performance.
Ellen Roelfsema
Utrecht University
Ellen Roelfsema DVM, PHD, DIP ECEIM graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University in 1999 where she then went on to complete a residency in Equine Internal Medicine and a PhD in Equine Exercise Physiology. In 2006 she was registered as specialist in Equine Internal Medicine by the KNMvD (Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association, RNVA) and in 2012 she became specialist of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM). In 2007 she successfully completed her PhD entitled: “ Endocrinological and behavioral adaptations to experimentally induced physical stress in horses”. Currently, Dr. de Graaf-Roelfsema is assistant professor at the Department of Equine Internal Medicine, Utrecht University where she works as a specialist in the University Clinic for Horses and has teaching as well as research responsibilities. Her clinical interest is on equine internal medicine, donkey medicine, metabolic and endocrinological diseases and poor performance. Her research focuses mainly on endocrinological and metabolic disorders (EMS, PPID) and laminitis.
Louis C. Penning
Utrecht University
Louis C. Penning (The Hague, international city of peace and justice, 1963), PhD, is an associate professor in veterinary regenerative medicine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University (UU) the Netherlands. He is an expert member of the Dutch Society for Cell Biology, a member of the Dutch Society for Hepatology and a member and financial controller of the European Society for Comparative Hepatology. For his work as a PhD and post-doc in molecular oncology, molecular endocrinology and molecular cardiology, click here.
His broad experience and creative mind benefit the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine where he is responsible for molecular and cell biology research in internal medicine and (neuro)surgery with a focus on stem cell biology in horses and companion animals. He is an expert on organoid technology, which he exploits for nutritional and pharmacological studies and disease modelling. Involved in a multi-centred Centaur-project aiming at the development of equine liver organoids. Hobbies include outdoors (sailing) and classical martial arts. Critical, creative, and collaborative.
Wilbert Pellikaan
Animal Nutrition Group of Wageningen University & Research
Wilbert Pellikaan is assistant professor at the Animal Nutrition Group of Wageningen University & Research. In 2007 he obtained his current position within the Animal Nutrition Group with half of his time dedicated to lecturing subjects in general animal nutrition and animal nutrition physiology, and supervising undergraduate and graduate students. His main area of research is ruminant nutrition with a special interest in using novel tanniniferous fodder legumes in dairy cow nutrition to reduce enteric methane emissions. Since 2011 he conducts equine nutritional related studies within the Centre for Animal Nutrition, in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Utrecht University.
In 2007 he participated as a workpackage leader in an EU funded research training network ‘HealthyHay’, focussing on the effect of sainfoin tannins on methane production. This project was successfully continued in a subsequent EU funded initial training network ‘LegumePlus’ (www.legumeplus.eu) in which he also participated as a workpackage leader of the animal nutrition section. Currently, he is involved in an FACCE ERA-GAS network ‘Methlab’, where lactic acid bacteria are being used as silage inoculants or direct fed microbials to reduce enteric methane emissions from dairy cows, and is a partner within the EU-funded project ‘Equianfun’. The latter program studies the functioning of anaerobic fungi in the equine hindgut, which are of key-importance to dietary fibre degradation.
Current research interests and projects include the use of alkanes combined with stable isotope technique to assess botanical composition in diets of free ranging ruminants and equids, the use of tanniniferous feeds in dairy cow and equid nutrition, and further developments of in vitro techniques to study fermentation processes and microbial responses in the gastro intestinal tract of ruminants and equids.
Lenny van Erp-van der Kooij
HAS Green Academy
Elaine (Lenny) van Erp-van der Kooij has an MSc in Animal Science from Wageningen University and a PhD in Veterinary Science from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Her PhD research was on coping behaviour and health in farm animals. She is a professor in Animal Welfare and Technology at HAS green academy in the Netherlands and Visiting Professor of Practice at Harper Adams University in the UK. Her focus is on improving the health and welfare of animals using sensor technology and data science. Her current projects and studies include AI and sensor applications in farm animals, horses and companion animals.
Richard Ducatelle
Ghent University
Em. Professor Richard Ducatelle graduated as veterinarian from University of Ghent in Belgium in 1978. He then completed a PhD in
veterinary pathology in 1983. He was a scientific advisor for the Belgian government from 1984 to 1989 and
has been Professor in Veterinary Pathology at the University of Ghent from 1989 till 2020. He has been a member of the board of directors / executive board of Ghent university from 2008 till 2020. He is diplomate of the ECVP and of the ECPVS. He was President of WVPA Belgian branch from 1991 till 2024. He is a Past-President of the ESVP. He is author or co-author of 66 scientific publications listed in the Web of Science on equine pathology. He has been an invited speaker at many national and international congresses. His research focus is on intestinal health. Specifically in horses major contributions have been on aortic rupture in Friesian, the etiology of equine sarcoids and chronic progressive lymphedema in draught horses.
Nanna Luthersson
Hestedoktoren / Altano
Nanna Luthersson graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Copenhagen in 1992. She has worked in equine practice in Denmark and Iceland and is a founding partner of Hestedoktoren, where she currently works as a senior veterinarian with responsibility for internal medicine. Earlier in her career, she founded and worked at the Lampang Pony Clinic in Thailand, an equine welfare project combining veterinary care and education.
Nanna has a longstanding interest in equine nutrition and has worked as a nutrition consultant for veterinarians and horse owners. Since 2018, she has lectured in clinical equine nutrition to final-year veterinary students at the University of Copenhagen. Her independent research, which she has conducted since 2005, focuses primarily on equine gastric ulcer disease and laminitis. She has contributed to international research on these and related topics, including studies of equine gastric disease, feeding, and digestive health.
Véronique Julliand
Kimi Biodesign
Véronique Julliand is a veterinarian and Professor Emeritus at Institut Agro Dijon, specialising in equine nutrition and digestive microbial ecosystems. Over her academic career, she led the French research team "Nutrition of the Athletic Horse", established the "European Workshop on Equine Nutrition" (EWEN) and created the "Master of Equine Science and Business" (MESB). Her work on equine nutrition and digestive physiology is internationally recognised.
In 2024, building on more than 30 years of research in strict anaerobic microbiology, she co-founded the deep-tech start-up Kimi Biodesign, where she is CEO. The company analyses the specific functions performed by microbial ecosystems and develops probiotics, synbiotics and live biotherapeutic products with novel capabilities, notably fibrolytic functions. Kimi Biodesign's scientific and technological expertise serves the animal and human nutrition and health industries.
Emmanuelle van Erck
Equine Sports Medicine Practice
Dr Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren, DVM, PhD, is a double board-certified European specialist in equine internal medicine (Dipl. ECEIM) and veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation (Dipl. ECVSMR). She is the founder and lead specialist of Equine Sports Medicine Practice (ESMP) in Belgium, a specialist ambulatory clinic. Drawing on 25 years of work with racehorses, sporthorses and endurance horses across elite international circuits, she focuses on respiratory, cardiac and digestive medicine and on optimising the health and performance of equine athletes. She combines clinical practice with research, publishes in peer-reviewed journals, and is an international speaker and educator.
Mary Maxfield
Wageningen University
Mary Denilah Maxfield is an equine scientist and PhD candidate at Wageningen University, where she works on the Bacin2DLiver project, developing an innovative in vitro platform to investigate equine hindgut fermentation, liver metabolism, and the interactions between gut-derived metabolites and immune responses.
Mary specialises in organoid culture, in vitro modelling, equine nutrition, and cellular physiology. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Equine Science from the University of Limerick, Ireland, where she received the McGorty and Coolmore Bronze Awards in recognition of her academic performance and thesis, respectively. She subsequently gained experience as a junior laboratory technician in microbiology at the Irish Equine Centre before completing an MSc in Animal Sciences, specialising in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Her research interests centre on understanding how nutrition influences equine metabolism and health, with a particular interest in the metabolic changes preceding lamellar disruption in laminitis. Through her PhD research, Mary aims to advance the understanding of equine physiology and contribute to the development of innovative in vitro approaches for equine nutrition and health research.
The Bacin2DLiver project is funded through the NWO Open Technology Programme, co-funded by Mad Barn, Cavalor, and Pavo, and the Sectorraad Paarden (Dutch Equine Sector Council).
Erica Macon
Texas A&M University, Department of Animal Science
Dr. Erica L. Macon is an Assistant Professor of Equine Science in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on equine nutritional endocrinology, with particular emphasis on the pathophysiology underlying the development of insulin dysregulation, improving diagnostic approaches, and developing nutritional strategies to manage metabolic disease and reduce laminitis risk. Since joining Texas A&M in 2023, she has built a research program supported by a metabolically characterized equine herd, integrating controlled feeding studies with investigations of insulin secretion, tissue insulin sensitivity, and hormonal regulation. Her program combines student research and interdisciplinary collaboration to translate scientific findings into practical recommendations for horse owners, veterinarians, and the equine industry.
Samy Julliand
Lab To Field
Samy Julliand holds an MSc./Engineering degree in biology and a PhD on the pathogenesis of gastric diseases. After some international experiences, Samy Julliand created Lab To Field in 2012. Located in Dijon (France), Lab To Field is a research institute specializing in the relationships between diet, digestion, and health / performance in animals (https://lab-to-field.com/en/). Consequently, the interactions between digestive microbiota and the host are at the heart of Lab To Field's expertise.
In connection with this topic, Samy has been involved in the management of research programs on microbiota and immunity, evolution of microbiota and fibrolytic function with ageing, interactions between diet-microbiota-parasitism, effect of microbiota on athletic performance, intestinal microbiota and dyslipidemia, etc. Historically, he focused primarily on equine species, but now also works with ruminants and other monogastrics, including humans.
In order to share the knowledge that comes from research, Samy participated in the scientific committee of the EWEN from 2018 to 2024, joined the EAAP Horse Commission in 2024, and initiated the applied congress "Equine Nutrition & Science" in 2018 (https://www.congres-ltf.fr/en/).
Femke Schaafstra
HAS green academy
Femke Schaafstra holds an MSc in Animal Science from Wageningen University and a PhD in Veterinary Science from Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Her PhD research focused on the use of titanium dioxide as a digestibility marker in horses. She is a lecturer and researcher at HAS green academy, specializing in equine nutrition. Her work combines applied research and higher education, bridging scientific knowledge and professional practice. Femke is a member of the EWEN scientific committee and a board member of EWENA, contributing to scientific exchange and collaboration in equine nutrition.
Femke Schaafstra is involved in the organization of the 13th EEHNC on behalf of HAS green academy.
Roberto La Ragione
University of Surrey
Professor Roberto La Ragione is a veterinary microbiologist with a particular interest in zoonotic bacterial pathogens of livestock, poultry and companion animals. His current research focuses on understanding the pathobiology of zoonotic pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and the development of novel intervention strategies, including diagnostics, vaccines, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Roberto has published over 250 peer reviewed publications in the area of veterinary microbiology and is a member of a number of scientific advisory committees. Roberto is currently a Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, and the Academic Lead for Strategic Partnerships for the University.
Ingrid Vervuert
Leipzig University
Professor Vervuert is a faculty member at the University of Leipzig, Germany. She received her veterinary degree from the Free University of Berlin. Then, went on to complete her doctoral thesis in equine energy metabolism in exercising horses from the University of Hannover and postdoctoral program in starch digestion in horses at the University of Leipzig. She is a German diplomate in Animal Nutrition and Dietetics. Dr. Vervuert’s current research covers forage quality, new protein sources, equine gastric ulcers and dietetic management of horses with internal diseases. Dr. Vervuert has 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals, review articles and book chapters; and she has spoken at numerous conferences on equine nutrition. Dr. Vervuert has greatly contributed to our knowledge of equine nutrition today.
Chris Proudman
University of Surrey
Chris Proudman has worked in equine veterinary science for 38 years. Formerly Head of the new Vet School at the University of Surrey, he currently leads the Horse Microbiome Research Group which is delivering a portfolio of racehorse and equine health research projects. His current research focus is understanding the role of the microbiome in racehorse health and disease. Chris has worked extensively with the UK racing industry and is a former member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s Veterinary Advisory Committee. He is currently a member of the Aintree Racecourse Committee and Jockey Club Racecourses’ Horse Welfare Group.