Programme
Subject to changes​
10:00 | Coffee and registration | |
10:30 | Opening statement | Prof. Kristien Hens |
10:45 | Introduction and results 'Beyond the Genome'-project | Charlotte Adams, Ina Devos, Frédérique Vilenne |
11:30 | Break | |
12:00​ | Keynote - Barriers and enablers to conducting omics research with the Global South | Prof. Bryan Gonzales (Universiteit Gent) |
12:40 | Tackling the many challenges of performing proteomics in Cuba | Prof. Xaveer Van Ostade (Universiteit Antwerpen) |
13:05 | Lunch | |
13:50 | Interactive panels and plenary discussion | |
15:00 | Break | |
15:15 | The impact of Open Science frameworks on aspects of diversity in (prote)omics Keynote - From open mass spectrometry data to molecular discovery Keynote - Title TBD | Prof. Wout Bittremieux (Universiteit Antwerpen) Dr. Louise Bezuidenhout (Universiteit Leiden) |
16:15 | Closing remarks | |
16:30 | Reception |
Keynote speakers
Bryan Gonzales
Prof. Bryan Gonzales is Associate Professor at the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University. His research focuses on the understanding of the pathophysiology of malnutrition across the life stages by combining epidemiological and molecular insights, particularly omics-based technologies (i.e. metabolomics, proteomics, gut microbiome). He leads international consortia and clinical studies aimed at improving health outcomes vulnerable populations, especially children suffering from malnutrition. He leads research activities and a team of several PhD students in low and middle-income countries (especially Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines).
Louise Bezuidenhout
Louise Bezuidenhout is a senior researcher at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at the University of Leiden and a co-chair of the UNESCO Chair on Diversity and Inclusion in Global Science. She is a social science researcher who specializes on issues relating to Open Science, data sharing and access. Her research is broadly oriented around themes such as justice and access, inclusion and marginalization and equity. Much of her work to date has concentrated on understanding diverse voices and values within the Open Science movement, in particular identifying ways to improve the representation and inclusion of low/middle-income country researchers into the Open Science landscape. She is also active in discussions around monitoring Open Science and is leading the project to develop a national monitoring framework for Open Science in the Netherlands.
Dr Bezuidenhout holds PhDs in cardiothoracic surgery (University of Cape Town, RSA) and sociology (University of Exeter, UK). She has had postdoctoral research posts at the Universities of Exeter (UK), Notre Dame (USA), Oxford (UK) and Cape Town (RSA). She has also held lectureships at University College London (UK), University of the Witwatersrand (RSA) and the University of Oxford (UK).
Wout Bittremieux
Wout Bittremieux is an Assistant Professor in the Adrem Data Lab at the University of Antwerp. His research develops advanced computational and machine learning methods to extract biological knowledge from mass spectrometry–based proteomics and metabolomics data. By designing novel algorithms and large-scale data analysis strategies, his work aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie biological systems. He is an active advocate for open science and contributes to the development of community standards and best practices through the Proteomics Standards Initiative, helping to improve the interoperability and reuse of mass spectrometry data. In recognition of his impactful work on large-scale secondary analysis of publicly available data, he received the 2025 Junior Research Parasite Award.