Frans J.M. Smulders

Frans J.M. Smulders

Short Bio:

Frans J.M. Smulders studied veterinary medicine at Utrecht University (DVM 1978).

Following a short period in companion animal practice he joined the research staff of the Department of the Science of Foods of Animal Origin of Utrecht University. After having been awarded a PhD degree in Meat Science from Utrecht University in 1984, he joined the Muscle Biology Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin at Madison as a Postdoctorate Fellow in 1986, studying the biophysics of post-mortem muscle contraction.

Upon returning to The Netherlands in 1987 he became Senior Researcher and Leader of Utrecht University’s Muscle Biology and Meat Quality research programme.

He was initiator and General Manager (1990-1996) of the European Consortium for Continuing Education in Advanced Meat Science and Technology (ECCEAMST).

In 1996 Dr. Smulders was appointed Professor of Meat Hygiene, Meat Technology and Food Science at the University of Veterinary Medicine at Vienna. He served as a member of the European Commission’s ‘Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health’ (SCVMPH; 2000-2003), was a founding father of the European College of Veterinary Public Health (ECVPH, of which he is a registered Diplomate) and served as its President (2000-2003) and Senior Vice-President (2004-2005).

From 2005 to date Prof. Smulders has been active as a risk assessor in working groups instituted by the Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) and Biohazards (BIOHAZ) Panels of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) at Parma, Italy.

In May 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree (Dr. h.c.) from the University of Helsinki.

As of July 2009 Frans Smulders serves as a member of EFSA’s Scientific Committee.