Orffa appoints KU Leuven professor to Scientific Advisory Board to strengthen gut health expertise

Animal nutrition company Orffa has appointed Professor Nadia Everaert of KU Leuven to its Scientific Advisory Board, the company announced on 24 September 2026, with the stated aim of reinforcing its scientific capabilities in gut health and immunity.

Professor Everaert holds a position at KU Leuven's Faculty of Bioscience Engineering and leads the Nutrition and Animal-Microbiota EcoSystems (NAMES) Lab. According to the company, her research focuses on intestinal health, microbiota-host interactions, immune development and resilience in poultry and pigs.

Orffa's Director of Marketing and Innovation, Arno van der Aa, said the appointment was motivated by the need for independent scientific perspective. "Professor Everaert's expertise will add valuable scientific perspective to our work in Gut Health & Immunity. Her contribution will help us challenge assumptions, identify emerging research priorities and translate fundamental research into applied science for the animal nutrition industry," van der Aa said.

Professor Everaert indicated her own rationale for joining the board. "Understanding the relationship between nutrition, the microbiota and the host is fundamental to advancing animal health and resilience. I look forward to contributing to Orffa's Scientific Advisory Board and exchanging knowledge that can support science-based progress in animal nutrition," she said.

In her new role, Professor Everaert will provide independent guidance on emerging research and help shape scientific discussions within the areas of gut health and immunity, according to Orffa. The company described gut health as "one of animal nutrition's most complex challenges," citing evolving interactions between nutrition, microbiota, immunity and animal performance as drivers of the need for independent scientific insight.