On the 5^th of January 2015, Dr. DVM Karen van der Meulen will join Perseus BVBA, a service company dedicated to biosafety and biotechnology regulations.

Working for over 15 years in veterinary research, Dr. van der Meulen has gained a broad experience in the biomedical field, both as a scientist at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, and as the animal facility manager/ project manager for the development of human therapeutics at Devgen, Ghent. Throughout her career, she has been closely involved in biosafety management of research laboratories and, in particular, of animal facilities up to containment level 3. As such, she gained a strong expertise in animal facility design, animal biosafety and regulation related to animal health and welfare, genetically modified animals, animal-associated pathogens, endangered species, development of human and veterinary medicines, and treatment of animal by-products and manure.

Dr. Patrick Rüdelsheim, General Partner at Perseus, underlines the value of Dr. van der Meulen joining the Perseus team: “Working with animals entails complex biosafety issues. The legal framework has grown rapidly and researchers face severe administrative and operational challenges. Furthermore, increasing societal demand for animal welfare and for the reduction of research use of animals requires careful integration of ethical considerations. We are excited that Dr. van der Meulen will strengthen our efforts in this difficult area.”

Dr. van der Meulen indicates: “Perseus has an excellent track record in biosafety and biotechnology services. I look forward to collaborate with the team and share my expertise in biosafety and regulation, particularly in the area of animal research and welfare. I am confident that joining Perseus offers an excellent opportunity to share my experience with our customers and to achieve the best result for their biosafety and regulatory challenges.”