Dr. Ir. Geertrui Vlaemynck holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from Ghent University. She is a food microbiologist with high interest and experience in the microbial aspects of food in relation to health. After having received a MSc degree in Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University she started her research career at the Dairy Research Institute on the microbiology of cheese and fermented dairy products. She studied the characteristics and the implementation of starter cultures, probiotic bacteria and other microorganisms in the production process of cheeses in cooperation with various cheese and dairy companies. Over the years, her research topics continued to broaden and deal among others with the many microbiological aspects of safety and quality of food in general and becoming also more nutrition-related. Her greatest interest relates to the impact and the importance of food and (microbiological) food composition on the gut microbiome, human health and wellbeing.