30 years of VEE – Call for abstracts

“A Glimpse into the Future: Animals, Health, and the Environment”

Thursday 26 October 2023, Galileegebouw FOD, Brussels

Abstracts before August 31 by mail: stefaan.ribbens@dgz.be

Welcome

Dear VEE friend,

We are delighted to invite you to the 30th Annual Conference of the Flemish Society for Epidemiology and Economics. This year, we are proud to celebrate our organisation’s three-decade anniversary, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing knowledge and collaboration in the fields of epidemiology and economics in Flanders.

Throughout the years, innumerable people from academia, government institutions and industry have contributed to our society. Some engaged to the board, others organised workshops in their home institution and yet others frequently attended our activities. Over the years, new activities were organised such as the best poster award, the tri-annual VEE award and the New Year’s drink. VEE also contributed to international conferences (ISVEE, SVEPM) in the Low Countries. We thank all people that have contributed over the years making VEE come to plenty adulthood. We hope you will join us celebrating this common achievement.

Coming of age, we would like to use this moment to bring up some old joint memories. Please share memories and pictures for a presentation and a slide show during the reception! Where were the times that epidemiology was a new and emerging science, fighting for recognition among more traditional sciences? But especially, we would like to look forward. “Sustainability” is everywhere, but what does it mean and how can veterinary epidemiology contribrute? As the title suggests, in this foresight looking, we want to focus on animals, health and the environment. As per definition of One Health, healthy animals and a healthy environment are prerequisites for healthy humans. For each of these themes, we have selected distinguished speakers and during the conference we will especially be looking for the interconnectedness of these 3 topics. Additionally, we have the traditional oral and poster sessions on selected research topics, providing an excellent platform for networking and knowledge sharing among participants.

Thus, we look forward to welcoming you to the 30th Annual Conference of the Flemish Society for Epidemiology and Economics. Let us seize this opportunity to shape the future of veterinary epidemiology research in Flanders and our Society.

Stefaan Ribbens President VEE

Johannes Charlier Secretary VEE

Provisional programme

Morning programme: Keynote presentations by

Dr. Herman Claeys (Head of Service Animal and Plant Health Policy, Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment) – Welcome and setting the scene

Prof. Jaap Wagenaar (Utrecht University) – One Health – a global view
Dr. Geertrui Rasschaert (ILVO) – Residues of antibiotics in the environment and antibiotic resistance
Prof. Tim Nawrot (UHasselt) – Fine particulate matter interacts with human, animal & environmental health

Afternoon programme:

Selected oral presentations on recent research topics regarding veterinary epidemiology & economics
Posters
Reception and networking

Abstracts for poster/oral presentations

Young and senior researchers are invited to submit abstracts before 31^st of August to stefaan.ribbens@dgz.be using this abstract template. Abstracts on any topic regarding epidemiology, economics and social sciences in animal health are invited. Presentation will be done in English.

This year, 2 Awards!

This year there will be a new laureate of the tri-annual VEE-price for an outstanding, young researcher in Flanders in the field of veterinary epidemiology and economics. Candidates can apply until 1^st of July. In addition the best oral presentation or poster will be awarded the Avia-GIS prize (500 euro), as support to attend an international conference.

Registration

Online registration until Thursday 12 October via this form.

Rates:

Non-member: € 100
VEE-member (inclusive renewal of annual membership of € 35): € 85
Effective VEE-member: € 50
Master-students: free

Not yet member of the VEE? Pay your membership fee now and enjoy immediately of the reduced rate!

Inscription is only confirmed after transferring correct amount to IBAN: BE84 0012 7946 5059 (vzw VEE, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke). Invoice available upon request from tom.meyns@zoetis.com.