Merel Langelaar | Director
Biomedical primate research centre

Director, Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), the Netherlands Merel Langelaar is a veterinarian, immunologist, and senior public health expert with a career spanning over 25 years across science, policy, and governance. Since 2024, she has served as Director of the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), one of Europe’s most prominent institutes for translational research using non-human primate (NHP) models. Before coming tot he BPRC she held a professorship in One Health Governance at Utrecht University’s Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), where she integrated scientific, societal, and regulatory perspectives on infectious disease and ecosystem health. Dr. Langelaar earned her veterinary degree and PhD in immunology at Utrecht University, followed by roles at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM), the Health Council of the Netherlands, and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ), where she led national strategies on antimicrobial resistance and preventive healthcare. She also served as a full professor and Vice Dean of Education at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UU), leading curricular innovation and crisis response during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the BPRC, Dr. Langelaar brings together her expertise in biomedical science and public governance to strengthen the strategic value of primate-based research while accelerating the transition toward non-animal models (NAMs). Her leadership focuses on scientific excellence, ethical integrity, and transparency — values embedded in BPRC’s dual role: as a critical partner in pandemic preparedness and as an innovator in data-driven, in-vitro and - omics platforms. Dr. Langelaar is a trusted advisor to government bodies, including the Dutch Ministry of Health and the Council on Animal Affairs. She has served on numerous boards and committees for ZonMw, the European Joint Action on AMR, and the Royal Dutch Veterinary Association, of which she was national chair. Her academic record includes peer-reviewed publications, keynote lectures, and mentoring of MSc and PhD students across veterinary and public health domains. She is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, compassionate science, and preparing the biomedical research field for the challenges of both emerging infectious diseases and the long-term effects they cause — such as post-COVID syndromes and neurodegenerative conditions.