Willy Verstraete

W. Verstraete is a re-nowned bio-engineer and microbiologist. After obtaining his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1971, he worked at Ghent University, where he became a professor and led the Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET). His research focuses on Microbial Resource Management, covering drinking water production, wastewater treatment, anaerobic digestion, and resource recovery, including single-cell protein production. Verstraete has held key roles in various European and international scientific organizations, chaired multiple international symposia, and served on numerous research councils and review panels. He contributed significantly to environmental biotechnology and was pivotal in creating successful spin-offs in microbial ecology. Since 2011, he has served as a scientific adviser to Dutch water institutes and remains active in the scientific community.