Speakers

Meet the experts speaking for 2026.

Hosts

The IPA World Congress + Probiota 2026 will be chaired by the award-winning editorial team from NutraIngredients:

Britt Blokker, PhD

Senior Innovation Manager
Dr. J.F. (Jake) Burlet

Chief Executive Officer
Prof. Gerard Clarke

Professor of Neurobehavioural Science
Prof. Paul Cotter

Head of Food Biosciences and Head of Microbiology
Sara Dick

Innovation Manager
Erik Eckhardt, PhD

Principal Scientist
Muriel F. Gonzalez

President
Prof. Simone Guglielmetti

Full Professor of Food Microbiology
Dr. Peng Guo

Chief Technology Officer
Dr. John Hale

Chief Technology Officer
Prof. Colin Hill

Professor of Microbiology
Ayako Horigome

Manager of Biotics Research Institute
Prof. Remco Kort

Professor of Microbiology
Dr. Johanna Maukonen

Global Director of Clinical Innovation and Translation, Tech Fellow
Linda Neckmar

Senior Vice President, Human Health
Dr. Sarah O’Flaherty

Senior Research Scholar
Marco Pane

Chief Scientific Officer
Nick Stene

Senior Global Insight Manager for Consumer Health
Dr. Wilbert Sybesma

Founder
Prof. Nektarios Tavernarakis

Professor of Molecular Systems Biology
Meghan Taylor

Research Scientist
Dr. Koen Venema

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Toni Wendt, PhD

Co-Founder and Head of Technology Development