Invited speakers
Meet the scientists and experts whose research and experience will enrich our scientific discussions.
Jeanne-Marie Membré, PhD
Jeanne-Marie Membré is a senior researcher at INRAE and an expert in food microbiology, predictive microbiology, and quantitative microbial risk assessment. She is affiliated with the SECALIM research unit, which specializes in food safety and microbial risk modelling.
Her research focuses on food safety management, shelf-life modelling of food products, risk–benefit analysis, and the development of tools supporting the assessment of microbiological hazards in food systems. She has played a key role in the development of internationally recognized predictive microbiology tools, including the Sym’Previus project — a mathematical modelling-based decision support system for the food industry.
Between 2003 and 2009, she worked at Unilever, where she developed exposure assessment and food safety models for industrial applications.
Her scientific work also includes the development of food safety standards, the analysis of the impact of food processing technologies on microbiological risk, and the integration of mathematical modelling approaches into public health protection. In recognition of her achievements, she received the INRAE Innovation Award for her contribution to advancing modern methods of food safety and risk assessment.
Prof. Byron D. Chaves, PhD
Byron Chaves is a specialist in food safety, food microbiology, and risk assessment at the Department of Food Science, Rutgers University. His work focuses on the application of data-driven approaches to improve food production systems, microbial safety, and public health protection. He collaborates with industry, regulatory agencies, and academic institutions on issues related to pathogen control, food quality, hygiene, and sustainable food systems.
Prof. Chaves is actively involved in extension and outreach activities supporting the food sector, particularly in dairy, meat, and processed food production. His research and professional activities integrate scientific knowledge with practical implementation aimed at improving food safety practices and supply chain management. He has participated in numerous national and international research initiatives and is the author of scientific publications in the fields of food microbiology, food safety, and sustainable agri-food systems.
Prof. Casey M. Owens, PhD
Casey M. Owens is a professor in the Department of Poultry Science at University of Arkansas, where she has been employed since 2000. She also holds the position of Novus International Professor of Poultry Science.
Her expertise lies in poultry meat science, with research focused on the impact of production and processing factors on poultry meat quality. In particular, her work addresses broiler muscle myopathies such as white striping and woody breast, as well as technologies for detecting meat quality defects and texture-related issues. In recognition of her contributions, she received the National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award.
Dr. Owens teaches courses in egg and meat technology and value-added muscle foods for undergraduate and graduate students in Poultry Science, Food Science, and Animal Science. She has supervised numerous M.S. and Ph.D. students and actively collaborates with the poultry industry through workshops, training programs, and outreach activities related to meat quality and processing.
Dr hab. Maciej Oziembłowski, prof. uczelni
An expert in regional and traditional foods as well as modern food preservation technologies. His scientific activity focuses on interdisciplinary research related to physical methods of food preservation, food quality assessment, the diet of contemporary and historical populations, human health prevention, nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, and sensory analysis.
He is a member of the jury of the Polish traditional food certification program “Jakość Tradycja” in Warsaw and the culinary trail “Smaki Dolnego Śląska” in Wrocław. He is also the author of specifications submitted to the European Commission for the protection of “Kołacz Śląski” and “Krupnioki Śląskie” within the European protected food system under the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) scheme.
He has participated in numerous international scientific and teaching exchanges, including a six-month research fellowship at University of British Columbia.
Dr hab. Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak, prof. uczelni
Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak, professor at the university and habilitated doctor, works at the Department of Biochemistry and Food Analysis at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznań University of Life Sciences. She is the author of the only novel food application in Poland submitted by a higher education institution, prepared on behalf of the university.
Her scientific interests focus on plant ferritin and its overexpression in legumes in biofortification processes, the modification of proteins in animal-derived products through changes in animal nutrition, and the influence of food processing and modification on the digestibility and bioavailability of proteins and carbohydrates. Legumes constitute the central theme of her research and are widely investigated in the context of both food and feed production.
dr hab. inż. Justyna Żulewska, prof. uczelni
A research and teaching staff member at University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, whose scientific activity focuses on food technology and the quality assessment of animal-derived products, particularly milk and dairy products.
Her research addresses the quality of raw milk, the physicochemical and functional properties of dairy products, and the influence of technological and environmental factors on their nutritional value and sensory characteristics.
Her scientific interests also include innovative food processing technologies, food safety, and methods for assessing the quality of food products.
Prof. Vera Neuzil-Bunesova, Ph.D.
Věra Neužil Bunešová is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. She specializes in food microbiology and gut microbiology, and her scientific experience has been shaped through research stays at BOKU University and ETH Zurich.
She is the author of 69 scientific publications, with an H-index of 18 and more than 1,200 citations (ORCID: 0000-0002-7596-4360, ResearcherID: R-4013-2018, Scopus Author ID: 26195322500).
Her research focuses on the relationship between nutrition and the microbiome, particularly the isolation and characterization of bifidobacteria, the description of novel bacterial species, microbial cross-feeding, and studies on probiotics and prebiotics.
In addition to her research activities, she serves as an academic guarantor for study programs, teaches microbiology courses, and is a committee member of the Czech Society for Probiotics and Prebiotics.
Dr. Antonio J. Signes Pastor
Antonio J. Signes Pastor is a professor at Miguel Hernández University of Elche recognized for his interdisciplinary scientific activity and extensive international experience in both research and teaching. In 2021, he returned to the Spanish academic system through a research excellence program after several years of research work at Dartmouth College and Queen's University Belfast.
His scientific work covers agronomy, analytical chemistry, food technology, environmental epidemiology, and chemical exposure risk assessment. He specializes particularly in inorganic arsenic — classified as a Group 1 carcinogen — and in advanced analysis of metal mixtures. His research has contributed significantly to a better understanding of dietary inorganic arsenic exposure and to the establishment of maximum permitted arsenic levels in food products.
Prof. Signes Pastor has secured numerous national and international research grants, including funding from the Gen-T Program, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology.
He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at UMH, contributing to programs in Medicine, Public Health, and Food Technology and Quality. His teaching activities include courses in advanced epidemiological methods, applied statistics in health sciences, and biotic and abiotic food contamination.
Dr. Jędrzej Kowalewski, CEO ScanWay
Jędrzej Karol Kowalewski is a Polish engineer, entrepreneur, and representative of the New Space sector. He is the founder and CEO of Scanway S.A., one of Poland’s leading companies developing satellite imaging technologies and advanced vision systems. Under his leadership, Scanway evolved from an academic spin-off into an international company delivering projects for the European Space Agency, NASA, Intuitive Machines, and partners across Europe and Asia.
In 2023, he led the company to its debut on the NewConnect stock market and currently oversees its international expansion and preparations for entering the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. He graduated from Wrocław University of Science and Technology with a degree in Automation and Robotics. His professional experience includes work at the Optomechatronics Laboratory of Wrocław University of Science and Technology and at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS.
He has managed research and development projects such as ScanSAT, EagleEye, PIAST, and STAR VIBE — the first private Polish Earth observation satellite launched into orbit in 2023. He also supervised the development of vision systems for the Ariane 6 rocket and instruments for a lunar orbiter mission developed in cooperation with Intuitive Machines.
Beyond his business activities, he is actively engaged in mentoring and educational initiatives supporting young engineers. He represents a new generation of space industry leaders, combining scientific expertise, technological innovation, and business strategy to advance Polish optical and space technologies.
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