Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has appointed Dr Roel Veerkamp as Professor by special appointment in Numerical Genetics and Genomics as from 1 October. This new chair is part of the department of Animal Sciences and will be financed by Wageningen UR Livestock Research in Lelystad.
Dr Veerkamp is a nationally and internationally respected scientist in the field of applied numerical methods in livestock farming. In addition to his current position as head of the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre at Wageningen UR Livestock Research, he coordinates international projects.
The field of Numerical Genetics and Genomics develops methods and models which link the variation measured at the DNA level to the variation in external characteristics of animals in livestock farming systems. These methods and models enable researchers to better understand variation among animals and to use this knowledge in precision breeding to benefit livestock farming systems in the 21st century.
Professor Veerkamp’s chair is important for the further development of the strong international position of the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, in which Wageningen University and Wageningen UR Livestock Research work together in the fields of breeding and genomics.
Professor Veerkamp’s teaching and research remit will specifically involve developing numerical methods which will make it possible to use DNA information in animal breeding in order to produce more food worldwide in the future while at the same time improving animal health, reducing the environmental burden, and using less animal feed.
Roel Franciscus Veerkamp (born in Geldrop in 1965) studied animal sciences in Wageningen and received his doctorate in Edinburgh in 1995. He already has a great many publications to his name. Since 2002 he has been the head of the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre at Wageningen UR Livestock Research in Lelystad. One day per week he coordinates the Genetic Evaluation Sires foundation, the core purpose of which is to assess reliable breeding values for bulls in the Netherlands and Flanders.