Health Sciences Crossing Borders

When: Thursday 15 October 2026 (13:30 - 16:15)
Where: Campus UZ Gent, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent

For the tenth year in a row, we are organizing Health Sciences Crossing Borders. We are happy to organize this event in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The aim of this event is to showcase the many facets of internationalisation and to prepare you for an important challenge of our time: our global and hyper-diverse society. 

Programme

In each time slot, you can choose between 5 different sessions. 

1. Ndako Sport: empowering young refugees through sustainable sport (Gijs Vercoutere)

Sport can have an important impact on the lives and mental well-being of young refugees. At Ndako Sport, we go one step further: we create a sports community with and for young refugees, giving them not only access to sport, but also a space to build confidence, connections and a new sense of identity and belonging in Belgium.

In this talk, Gijs Vercoutere will explain why initiatives such as Ndako Sport are so important and what it means to create a sustainable sports organisation together with young refugees. He will share the journey from the original Minor-Ndako Sport programme to the creation of Ndako Sport. And show how, after ten years, the youngsters themselves have become active co-creators of the organisation.

Gijs Vercoutere is currently Deputy Director at OC Dilbeek, a second-phase reception centre for unaccompanied minors. In 2015, as Sports Coordinator at Minor-Ndako, he founded Minor-Ndako Sport, a sports programme developed with and for young refugees. After ten years, financial constraints brought the programme to an end. To ensure that access to sports for this vulnerable group would not be lost, Gijs, together with several coaches and youngsters, founded the new independent non-profit organisation Ndako Sport.

2. From Dentistry to Humanitarian Health: A Global Journey (Ahmed Abdelmouty) 

Ahmed Abdelmoety is a public health specialist with a background in dentistry and epidemiology. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Dentistry from Ain Shams University and a Master's degree in Global Public Health from Umeå University. He has worked extensively in humanitarian and global health settings, including with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), where he has held health promotion and research-related positions. His work focuses on community engagement, health promotion and public health interventions in challenging contexts

3. Childhood malnutrition through the lens of modern-day science (Bryan Gonzales) 

Malnutrition remains one of the biggest causes of death among children under 5 years old worldwide, mostly affecting populations in low-resource countries. However, despite its global health impact, efforts to study malnutrition have remained miniscule compared to other nutrition-related condition such as obesity. The most common misconception to malnutrition is that this problem is purely the lack of food; while this is true, there is a lot more layers to this problem, especially to children who are already suffering from malnutrition and malnutrition-related co-morbidities (i.e. HIV, gut infections, etc). In this talk, I will discuss childhood malnutrition through the lens of modern-day science. Using state-of-the-art biotechnological tools, we will explore the molecular underpinnings of malnutrition and understand how a human body goes through a phase of severe nutritional restriction and how this influences recovery. I will also discuss the challenges and opportunities of performing these high-end technologies in very low-resource settings.

4. Connecting planetary health to animal and human health through comparative nutrition (Geert Janssens) 

Geert Janssens is head of Studies in Nutrition across the Animal Kingdom (SNAK), a research group working on comparative nutrition. Studying how specific animals are selecting, digesting and metabolising their diet shows how changes in their ecosystem but also human-made interventions are affecting their health. Research project occur at several continents, so, logically, his team comprises people from around the globe. Geert is member of the Research Committee of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and is former president of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition.

In his presentation, he will explain how investigating the digestive physiology of particularly selected species delivers solutions for maintaining and restoring the health of other species. Through nutritional biochemistry and physiology, he will show why bananas are bad food for monkeys, why parrots should not eat sunflower seeds, but also what comparison with other species can learn on the health role of fibre in the human diet, and why certain species are on the decline due to changes in their food web.

5. From Ghent to Mombasa: Reflections on Medical Training in a Global Context (Kishor Mandaliya) 

Prof. dr. Kishor Mandaliya has a Master in Pathology from Royal College of Pathology, United Kingdom and Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery from University of Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Mandaliya is a professional member of the Kenya Medical Association, International AIDS Society, Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, Lab and Blood Safety Committee of the National AIDS Control Program of Kenya and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).

Pubmed reveals 67 articles authored or co-authored by Dr. Mandaliya since 2003, and this in peer-reviewed outlets. He offers research support in Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Prof. Mandaliya is affiliate professor at the department of Global Health of the University of Washington, involved in different research activities with UOW from his base in Mombasa, Kenya.

He also tutors medical students from Ghent university in Belgium who come for a clinical traineeship of 8 weeks at Coast Provincial General Hospital in Mombasa. He teaches them about tropical diseases and other topics of interest and importance in clinical medicine as seen in Mombasa and Kenya in general.

6. A one health approach to combating animal and human fungal toxins disease (Siska Croubels)

Siska Croubels is director of the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University. Prof. Croubels is lecturer for the courses General Pharmacology and Toxicology. Her research focuses on the fate and effects of mycotoxins and drugs in animals, including wildlife and environmental exposure. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain fungi that are present on crops such as maize, wheat, etc. They end up in food and feed and can disrupt the endocrine system, affect the central nervous system and gut health, and act as carcinogens. Their presence is highly related to climate conditions, with a large impact of global climate changes.

Her research group develops animal-specific biomarkers for mycotoxin exposure, suitable models for efficacy testing of mycotoxin mitigation strategies in humans and animals, and generates insights on the impact of mycotoxins on animal health, and on their interactions with drugs and major pathogens. Her group is member of the MYTOX and MYTOX-SOUTH expertise centers (www.mytox.be; www.mytoxsouth.org), dealing with the effects of mycotoxins on human and animal health in the global North and South.

The One health approach is a promising way to tackle certain global health issues, such as issues related to mycotoxin exposure, and acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal (incl. wildlife), plant, and environmental health. This talk will highlight how fungal diseases in agricultural crops are directly related to animal and human health, and how collaborative efforts across various disciplines are essential for mitigation of the mycotoxin problem. Concerning her research in the Global South, the results of the LEAP-Agri MYCOSAFE-SOUTH project (2018-2022) will be shown (Long term EU-Africa research and innovation Partnership on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture), as well as results from the ongoing UP-RISE project (EU-AU Partnership for Resilient, Inclusive and Safe food systems for Everyone, 2024-2028), and the goals of the recent IMPACT-F2F project in DR Congo (2026-2031).

This session aims to analyze various pitfalls around class, race, culture, privilege, and motivation when undertaking an internship in the Global South and frames to combat these.  

 7. Two countries, one region, different stories (Cinthya Madrigal  Rodríguez  en Kimberly Nain). ​ Students Global Health

"Latin America & the Caribbean" is one phrase, but it hides two very different regions, histories, and realities. In this session, Cinthya Madrigal (Costa Rica) and Kimberly Nain (Jamaica) share personal perspectives on public health from their corners of the Americas. Cinthya brings insight shaped by her time at PAHO, with a closer look at Costa Rica. Kimberly brings insight shaped by her experience inside the Ministry of Health and Wellness, with a closer look at the health system in Jamaica. Because global health is not a textbook. It's history, politics, culture and circumstance. It's messy, unequal and deeply human. Come hear what that actually looks like, from two people who've lived it."

Kimberly Nain is a Jamaican health policy and legal professional with extensive experience working at the intersection of law, policy and public health. She has served as Senior Policy Analyst at Jamaica's Ministry of Health & Wellness and as Director on the Board of Management of the Southern Regional Health Authority, which delivers care to over 589,000 Jamaicans. Kimberly has represented the Government of Jamaica at international fora including the WHO's Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on the Pandemic Treaty, the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations, and CARICOM regional dialogues, and has facilitated bilateral health cooperation agreements between Jamaica and Cuba. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws in International Law, and is currently pursuing an Interuniversity Advanced Master's in Global Health in Belgium. 

Cinthya Madrigal Rodríguez holds a Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Costa Rica and is currently pursuing an advanced MSc in Global Health in Belgium. She has extensive experience in public health policy, having worked as a National Consultant for PAHO/WHO, where she led projects on mental health, vaccine confidence, and community participation. She has co-developed national health strategies for the Costa Rican Ministry of Health and co-founded an advisory consultancy specializing in health policy reform. Her core expertise spans project management, participatory methodologies, and cross-cultural collaboration.  

 Health doesn’t stop at national borders, but healthcare often does. Depending on where you are, who you are, and what system you’re in, your access to care can look very different. This session examines how health systems worldwide influence who receives care, how quickly, and at what cost.
Through real-world examples, we’ll explore issues like getting medicines in a new country, type of medical facilities accessed, dealing with insurance and paperwork, and the important role health care professionals lay as cultural and language bridges. You’ll be encouraged to think about what “universal healthcare” really means and whether it exists in practice. By comparing experiences from Europe, particularly Belgium, to countries like India and Saudi Arabia, we’ll see how each system functions. The session will leave you reflecting on how borders, policies, and health systems affect everyday health, and what we can learn from each other to make care fairer and more equitable for all.

8. Collaboration and health practices across borders, systems, and cultures.  (Jeanne Boden)

This lecture will highlight complexities of collaboration between people with a different cultural logic (and different medical systems), why we should not take for granted our own (Eurocentric) way of doing things, and how to create a shared approach for collaboration and informed strategies.

Jeanne Boden, PhD in Eastern Languages and Cultures, developed the Cultural Quantum® Five Step Method published in Cultural Quantum®. A Practical Method for Efficient Cross-Cultural Cooperation (2020), and coined the term ‘Cultural Waste’ published in Cultural Waste (2026).

She founded Cultural Quantum®, an organization specializing in consultancy for cross-border, cross-system, and cross-cultural collaboration. Cultural Quantum® has trained thousand of people from around the world in using the method, enabling them to develop fair and efficient cross-cultural collaboration.

 More information: https://www.culturalquantum.com

9. Thuis en in het buitenland: werken in diversiteit - ervaringen van een huisarts (David Vanneste)

Dr. David Vanneste is huisarts met een passie voor de diversiteit op onze aardbol. Hij heeft 4 jaar gewerkt in Wuustwezel, 9 jaar in WGC Daenshuis in Aalst, 2 jaar in WGC Medikuregem en 3 jaar in WGC Rabot, telkens met een superdiverse populaties. Daarnaast heeft hij 5 jaar lesgegeven aan de KU Leuven over diversiteit in de zorg en geeft hij nu de lessen rond diversiteit aan de UGent.

10. How to bypass denied access to medical and physical rehabilitation care for injured in humanitarian conflict: Humanity & Inclusion perspective (Eric Weerts)

Mister Eric Weerts is a trained physical therapist with long experience in humanitarian settings. The core focus of his professional career has been on supporting development of Physical Rehabilitation services for injured in more than 25 countries worldwide with Médecin Sans Frontières and Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International).

Since 2012, he has been active in developing services in conflict areas mainly in the Middle East, Central Africa and Caribbean. His work focuses on strengthening national rehabilitation workforces to respond effectively to surges in demand, including mass casualty management and support for people living with disabilities. In addition, he collaborates with international networks (WHO, Campaign against landmines, Spinal Cord Injury Society) on strategies to better prepare national professionals for the consequences of conflict and to contribute to violence reduction efforts.

In this lecture, Eric will discuss the different aspects of Armed Violence Reduction promoted by Humanity and Inclusion. He will highlight practical approaches to training rehabilitation professionals in conflict zones, with a focus on strengthening health system resilience. The lecture will also address strategies for ensuring preparedness and response during outbreaks of violence, even in situations where access to services is restricted or professionals face risks in delivering essential care.

Plan Bobath Senegal: een evaluatie na 20 jaar werking op het terrein (Annemie Mortier)

Annemie Mortier werkte het grootste deel van haar professionele loopbaan als logopediste met kinderen met een hersenletsel in België en in Afrika (Rwanda en Senegal). Ze trachtte dit steeds te doen vanuit een holistisch kader en in samenwerking met een multidisciplinair team.
Ze volgde het postgraduaat ‘pediatrische revalidatie’ en werd zo een Bobath therapeut.
Ze woonde tussen 2004 en 2011 in Senegal met haar gezin en in 2005 werd het project in een buitenwijk van Dakar opgericht met een éénmalige financiering van de Belgische Ambassade in Dakar en in samenwerking met een Senegalees NGO.

Haar presentatie zoomt in op haar 20-jarige loopbaan (positieve en minder positieve punten) en welke conclusies kunnen genomen worden naar de toekomstige werking.

Ze gaat dieper in op het aspect ‘Community Based Reeducation’; de huis aan huis bezoeken door de lokale medewerksters, de rol van de ouders in de revalidatie van een kind met CP (cerebrale parese) versus de oprichting van crèches voor kinderen met CP.

Ze praat ook over het belang van aangepaste apparatuur voor kinderen met CP en welke keuze hierin gemaakt kunnen worden (importeren versus lokaal fabriceren).

11. The compounding effect of sexual violence in migration (Ines Keygnaert) 

Ines Keygnaert is Associate Professor in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Co-Director of the International Centre for Reproductive Health at the Department of Public Health and Primary Care of the Ghent University in Belgium. She is also the Team Leader of the "Gender & Violence" Team, coordinating the research line on violence prevention & response, sexual and reproductive health rights' violations, and gender and sexual health promotion in hard-to-reach, marginalized and minority groups. Ines is also the founder of VIORESC, the Centre of expertise in Violence Research, Capacity building and Care at Ghent University Hospital and Ghent University.  

Prof. Keygnaert coordinated the first representative gender- and age-sensitive prevalence study on sexual violence in Belgium (UN-MENAMAIS), as well as a myriad of (inter)national studies on holistic care for victims of violence and on sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response, amongst others against LGBTQIA+ persons, people with a disability, in transit/migration and in conflict settings. On behalf of the Belgian government, Ines developed, piloted and evaluated the first three Belgian Sexual Assault Care Centers and coordinated "Operation Alert", a comprehensive capacity building program on sexual violence, domestic violence and female genital mutilation for all healthcare staff in all Belgian hospitals. 

12. One health in Belgium, interactive debate on actual one health questions (Jeroen Dewulf) 

Jeroen Dewulf is a veterinarian and researcher specializing in veterinary epidemiology. He graduated as a veterinarian from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University, Belgium, in 1998. In 2002, he completed his Ph.D. on the epidemiology and control of classical swine fever and also earned a Master of Science degree in Veterinary Epidemiology from the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, graduating Cum Laude. He became a diplomat in the European College of Veterinary Public Health in 2005 where he later on served as a board member and president (2015-2017). Currently, Jeroen Dewulf serves as a full professor in Veterinary Epidemiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University. His primary research interests include prevention of epidemic and endemic diseases with an emphasis on biosecurity and the link with antimicrobial use and resistance in animals. He is passionate about turning data into veterinary expertise and policy for the benefit of animal and human health.  Jeroen Dewulf leads the Veterinary Epidemiology Unit and supervises over 10 Ph.D. students conducting research in veterinary epidemiology. He is a prolific author with (co-)authorship of over 450 A1 publications in the field and an H-index of > 77. Recently, he co-founded the spin-off company Biocheck.Gent and coordinates the EU research consortia BIOSECURE and B-SAFE, which focuses on cutting-edge research in biosecurity in terrestrial and aquatic animal production. In addition to his academic and research roles, Jeroen Dewulf has been an active member of several committees and boards. Since 2009, he has been a member of the scientific committee of the Belgian Federal Food Agency. He founded the Center of Expertise on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Animals (AMCRA) in Belgium and chaired it until 2023. He has also been a member of the board of the Veterinary Medicines Institute (SDa) in the Netherlands since 2020. He is one of the Co-founders of WABA (World Animal Biosecurity Association) and currently the vice president of the association. Jeroen Dewulf is the author of the books “Biosecurity in Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine” and “8 Myths on Antimicrobial Resistance Disproved: Practical Guide for Reducing Antibiotic Use in Animal Husbandry”. He is also a frequently sought-after speaker worldwide, delivering talks on biosecurity and animal health.

13. Global Meet and Connect 

Meet national and international organisations that are committed to improving health care in Belgium and abroad. Explore the wide range of initiatives, visit the various booths and find out more about who they are and what they do.

Register here

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