Titles and Education

1. I teach the Applied Epidemiology Elective during Fall of each year. The course is a 2-week rotation for fourth year veterinary students and MPH students.

Research

My research interests are focused on veterinary epidemiology, Food Safety and Global Health. Applied mathematical modeling for the emergence and persistence of verotoxinogenic Escherichia coli (VTEC, syn. STEC) in the bovine reservoir is my particular area of research.

Interdisciplinary communication to optimize the communication and interaction between multidisciplinary researchers and their policy makers and stake holders represents a second area of research that I am working in.

Finally, bovine lameness and the epidemiology of digital dermatitis (heel warts) in cattle has lead to research about the best-practice for hoofbathing to prevent and control digital dermatitis in cattle at the lowest cost and best efficiency.

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Clinical Interests

The best practice and management of hoofbaths to control and prevent digital dermatitis in cattle is linked to the modern paradox of animal husbandry in relation to lameness (Dopfer and Bonino 2008). It is therefore my aim to link applied mathematical modeling to the spread of infectious diseases such as claw diaseases and especially digital dermatitis in order to promote this interdisciplinary approach during the training of animal health managers such as veterinary students, veterinarians, hoof trimmers, farmers and other stakeholders. In addition, defining data-based standards for elite dairy herds applying innovative statistics and modeling approaches to end-uder oriented communication of results are at the focus of my interests.

Graduate Training

 

Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany, Veterinary medicine, Veterinary surgeon, 1992

University of Hannover, Germany, Veterinary medicine, DVM, 1994  

Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Veterinary epidemiology, MSc, 1994  

Utrecht University, Academic teaching  degree, 1999  

Utrecht University, Veterinary microbiology, PhD, 2000

Recent Publications