dr.ir. SM (Matthijn) de Boer

The WOT-BD program within WBVR

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) in Lelystad is an independent research institute and national reference laboratory for animal diseases. On behalf of the Dutch government, the statutory tasks in the field of animal health and animal disease control are carried out within the WOT-BD program (WOT-BD: Statutory Tasks Unit for Transmissible Animal Diseases). The fundament of these statutory tasks are the European and Dutch legislation and international treaties.

Statutory Tasks Unit for Transmissible Animal Diseases

As head of the statutory tasks unit for transmissible animal diseases (WOT-BD unit), I work at WBVR in Lelystad within Wageningen Research. At this location, we have our High Containment Unit, a facility where we can work safely with all animal diseases. Given the statutory task, I have intensive contact with the Dutch government. In the event of suspected notifiable animal diseases, samples are tested at the NRL in Lelystad. In the event of a positive test, and therefore an animal disease outbreak, I'm the crisis manager. The WOT unit also supervises private laboratories that perform animal disease diagnostics for export.

Background

After my studies in Wageningen, I worked at the Central Veterinary Institute, in Lelystad in 2006-2008 (predecessor of WBVR). I worked on vaccine development for the poultry sector, after which I started my PhD research on the zoonotic Rift Valley fever virus in 2008. After completing my PhD, I studied virus-host interactions as a postdoc at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht. In order to deploy and translate my scientific knowledge into products and applications, I made the transition to Intravacc in 2014, where I worked on the development of human vaccines. Since June 1st, 2020 I have returned to WBVR in the position of head of WOT-BD to take care of the implementation of the WOT-BD program.

Ambition

As head of the WOT unit, I will carry out the statutory tasks in the field of animal health and animal disease control with integrity and passion. Collaborations and clear communication with stakeholders are essential in this respect. In order to be prepared, I focus on the latest technologies to monitor, prevent and predict introduction of (new) animal diseases.