dr.ir. OLM (Olga) Haenen

Dr. O.L.M. (Olga) Haenen, Head of  National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Fish Diseases

Olga Haenen graduated in 1985 as biologist, with specialization Aquaculture from Wageningen University. Since 1985 she built up the National Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, part of Wageningen UR at Lelystad, to which the tasks of NRL for Shellfish and Crustacean Diseases were added in 2000 and 2010, respectively.  In 1995 Olga Haenen defended her PhD at Wageningen University on Anguillicola crassus, an emerging nematode infection of European eel. In 2018-2021 Olga Haenen was also Professor INVIS: Insects and Fish, Healthy, sustainable and safe at HAS Green Academy at Den Bosch.

Since 1985 she is head of the NRL. From 2006-2009 Olga Haenen was appointed member of the WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission at Paris. Since decades she is also member of various international advisory boards, like for the EC, EFSA, FAO, and of international review commissions, like for the Norwegain Research Council, FORMAS, and for DEFRA and EVIRA. Olga published over 85 peer reviewed papers, and over 130 papers in branch bulletins.

Olga Haenen is all-round expert in diagnosis of fish diseases, and was and is involved in research projects on eel and carp diseases, contact zoonotic infections, including vibriosis, and MALDI-TOF subtyping of fish pathogenic bacteria. Additionally, she is organizer of international workshops, network leader, and gives (inter)national courses on fish diseases for students, veterinarians, and aquaculture professionals. Since January 2018 Olga also works on diseases of edible insects in cooperation with colleagues from various WUR institutes, WU, and HAS Green Aacademy, with the branches insect culture, fish culture and feed mills, in an international network.

The areas of expertise and interest of Olga Haenen are:

1. Fish diseases and in particular eel and cyprinid diseases
2. Notifiable shellfish and crustacean diseases
3. Contact zoonotic bacteria from fish
4. Diseases of edible insects
5. Vibriosis of fish
6. (Inter)national networking
7. Giving courses and education on fish diseases, diseases of laboratory fish, diseases of ornamental fish, diseases and pests of edible insects
8. Scientific Review expert of (inter)national research proposals on her expertise.

Olga Haenen strongly believes in the added value of multidisciplinary and network approaches to answer to emerging fish and insect diseases. Valorisation of knowledge and connecting experts in projects is an important part of her work, to improve science on aquaculture and insect diseases, of value to professionals and scientists related to aquaculture, ornamental fishes, wild fish stocks, and insect culture.

http://?https://nl.linkedin.com/in/ohaenen?