Lonneke graduated from Wageningen University and after obtaining a PhD, she continued her research on immune responses to avian pathogens at the Institute for Animal Health in Compton U.K. In 1998 she started at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the Netherlands where she investigated ruminant immune responses to intestinal parasites. In 2002 she started her own research group on Avian Immunology and her main scientific interests are ever since focused on how the innate immune responses to pathogens and vaccines in chicken drive adaptive responses and can be exploited for optimal protection. In 2013 she joined the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, where she became Professor in Veterinary Immunology. She expanded her research to the field of in vitro mucosal organ cultures and organoids. In 2024 she started at Royal GD (Animal Health Service the Netherlands) as senior scientist continuing her work on organoids and novel immunological tools.

Teun van de Braak (born 1987) joined Hendrix Genetics Layers in 2010 after completing his studies at Wageningen University. With a Master’s degree in Poultry Breeding and Genetics and a minor in Business Management and Marketing, he began his career as a geneticist. His early fascination with the veterinary and animal husbandry world was sparked by the stories of James Herriot, whose warm and practical view of animal care inspired him to pursue a career dedicated to improving poultry health and welfare.

Today, as Director of Global Technical Services and Customer Support, Teun leads the Global Technical Service, Product Management, Data Strategy, and Communication teams. His focus is on supporting customers both technically and promotionally, ensuring that field insights flow back into the breeding program and that product development remains aligned with the evolving needs of the global egg market.

Teun’s professional interests include poultry husbandry, genetic improvement, poultry welfare, and sustainability. He is actively involved in scientific research initiatives and represents the poultry genetics sector in collaborations with research institutes and industry partners, working to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the global egg industry.