Jeroen Kortekaas | Director, Viral Disease Research
Boehringer Ingelheim

Jeroen Kortekaas obtained his PhD from Utrecht University, focusing on vaccine development against Neisseria meningitidis. He subsequently joined the Central Veterinary Institute (now Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, WBVR) in Lelystad, The Netherlands, where he led vaccine research on arthropod‑borne viral diseases, with a strong focus on Rift Valley fever virus. During this period, he secured and led multiple international public–private partnerships and founded BunyaVax B.V., a startup company developing innovative veterinary and human vaccines. He served as Extraordinary Professor of Veterinary Arbovirology at Wageningen University and contributed to several national and international advisory bodies, including the Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) and he was member of the Royal Dutch Society for Microbiology. He has authored over 90 peer‑reviewed publications, is inventor of multiple patents, and has acted as an infectious disease expert for organizations including WOAH, FAO, AnimalhealthEurope, and CEPI. In 2021, he joined Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, where he has held senior scientific leadership roles spanning transboundary and emerging diseases and viral disease research across companion animals and livestock. He currently serves as Scientific Expert Infectious Diseases leading multidisciplinary teams across Europe and the United States and is Head of the R&D site in Lelystad, The Netherlands. He plays a central role in shaping the Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health global research strategy supported by external innovation through strategic collaborations with academic and industry partners.