Work packages leading:
WP5: Subclinical infection with lumpy skin disease virus

Work packages involved in:
WP2: Phylogenetic analysis of African swine fever virus (ASFV) and Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV)
WP4: Transmission of lumpy skin disease virus
WP8: Diagnostic tools for LSD

Professor Nick De Regge

Sciensano, Belgium
Head of service of Exotic and Particular diseases

Tel: 02 379 06 27
Email:
Web: https://www.sciensano.be/nl/people/nick-de-regge

DEFEND role: Work Package Leader for WP5

Nick De Regge obtained his PhD in 2007 at Ghent University, Belgium, for his work on pseudorabies virus at the Laboratory of Virology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. After a post-doc of 2 years, he started as a scientist at CODA-CERVA in 2010. In 2018, CODA-CERVA merged with the Scientific Institute of Public Health and is currently known as Sciensano.

He started in 2010 at the Unit of Enzootic and Vector Borne Diseases of the Scientific Direction of Infectious Diseases in Animals. Besides his work in diagnostics and his responsibilities as head of several national reference laboratories, his initial research focused on pseudorabies virus and small ruminant lentiviruses. Upon the emergence of Schmallenberg virus in 2012, he gained a specific interest in the field of vector-borne diseases. His principal studies focus on the dissection of the viral (neuro) pathogenesis and associated immune response in natural hosts. He also started work on the vector competence of indigenous vectors for several flaviviruses.

In September 2021, he became head of the Service of Exotic and vector-borne diseases and took responsibility for the EURL on capripox viruses and acts as deputy-coordinator of the EURL for foot-and-mouth disease.

He is involved in several international and national research projects, is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Belgian Food Safety Agency and a visiting professor at Ghent University.