Introduction

The variety of activities encompassed by the OneBAT project needs to be ethically managed and scientifically supported to guarantee integrity and excellent scientific and ethical standards.

To ensure the balance between performance, impact on bat populations and experimental animals, and biosafety risks, OneBAT is guided by a Scientific Advisory Board and an Ethics Board responsible for overseeing this process and suggesting corrective measures if necessary.

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The aim of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is to cover expertise in bat ecology, virology, and animal and public health. The SAB supports and advises the Steering Board in formulating intermediate goals towards milestones and deliverable achievements. It provides independent advice on the scientific performance and quality of the results obtained. The SAB meets every six months during the OneBAT periodic General Assemblies and exceptionally during monthly Steering Committee meetings if specific needs arise.

Members Profile

Hugo Rebelo

Assistant Professor

Area of Expertise:
Bats Conservation

Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon. Prof Rebelo is a renowned scientist in bat ecology with expertise in genetic analysis, ecosystem services, and the impact of climate change.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+351 217 500 000

Hugo Rebelo

Assistant Professor

Area of Expertise:
Bats Conservation

Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon
Prof Rebelo is a renowned scientist in bat ecology with expertise in genetic analysis, ecosystem services, and the impact of climate change. 

Contacts:
[email protected]
+351 217 500 000

Wanda Markotter

Director of Centre for Viral Zoonoses

Area of Expertise: Emerging viral pathogens from wildlife, ecopathology

Director of the Centre for Viral Zoonoses at the University of Pretoria, Prof Markotter has been involved in disease ecology research on bat species in South Africa since 2005. Her research focuses on understanding spillover factors and developing mitigation strategies.

Contacts
[email protected] 
+27 (012) 319 2353

Wanda Markotter

Director of Centre for Viral Zoonoses

Area of Expertise: Emerging viral pathogens from wildlife, ecopathology

Director of the Centre for Viral Zoonoses at the University of Pretoria, Prof Markotter has been involved in disease ecology research on bat species in South Africa since 2005. Her research focuses on understanding spillover factors and developing mitigation strategies.

Contacts
[email protected] 
+27 (012) 319 2353

Alessandro Broglia

Scientific Officer

Area of expertise:
Animal health and international policies

Graduated in veterinary medicine at the University of Milan in 2000, Alessandro Broglia has a PhD in parasitology and extensive experience in wildlife health surveillance and risk assessment of infectious animal diseases. He has worked at EFSA since 2009.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 0521 036721

Alessandro Broglia

Scientific Officer

Area of expertise:
Animal health and international policies

Graduated in veterinary medicine at the University of Milan in 2000, Alessandro Broglia has a PhD in parasitology and extensive experience in wildlife health surveillance and risk assessment of infectious animal diseases. He has worked at EFSA since 2009.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 0521 036721

Ethics Board (EB)

The Ethics Board (EB) ensures that the use of animals for scientific purposes and the management of data produced in OneBAT are ethically managed. The EB submits reports to the European Commission on ethical issues and meets according to the project framework to address specific tasks and objectives.

Members Profile

Franco Mutinelli

Director

Area of expertise:
Animal welfare during experiments, biosafety

With over 30 years of experience in animal pathology, Dr Mutinelli supervises diagnostic and research activities related to animal welfare at IZSVe. He is a member of multiple ethics committees.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 049 8084287

Franco Mutinelli

Director

Area of expertise:
Animal welfare during experiments, biosafety

With over 30 years of experience in animal pathology, Dr Mutinelli supervises diagnostic and research activities related to animal welfare at IZSVe. He is a member of multiple ethics committees.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 049 8084287

Tigga Kingston

Professor

Area of expetise:
Bat conservation

Professor of Biology at Texas Tech University, Prof Kingston has worked on bat conservation in Southeast Asia for over 20 years. Her research focuses on conservation ecology and community ecology.

Contacts:
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Tigga Kingston

Professor

Area of expertise:
Bat conservation

Professor of Biology at Texas Tech University, Prof Kingston has worked on bat conservation in Southeast Asia for over 20 years. Her research focuses on conservation ecology and community ecology.

Contacts:
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Júlia Vergara-Alert

Researcher

Area of expertise:
Animal experiments, dual use

Researcher at IRTA-CReSA, Dr Vergara-Alert specializes in zoonotic coronaviruses and animal experiments. She is a member of the WHO Expert Group on COVID-19 Animal Models.

Contacts
[email protected]
+34 93 467 40 40 (ext. 1788)

Júlia Vergara-Alert

Researcher

Area of expertise:
Animal experiments, dual use

Researcher at IRTA-CReSA, Dr Vergara-Alert specializes in zoonotic coronaviruses and animal experiments. She is a member of the WHO Expert Group on COVID-19 Animal Models.

Contacts
[email protected]
+34 93 467 40 40 (ext. 1788)

Renzo Pegoraro

Chancellor

Area of expertise:
Bioethics

Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life and Professor of Bioethics, Father Pegoraro has extensive experience in clinical and animal trial ethics, serving on multiple ethics committees.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 06 69895200
+39 338 4528785

Renzo Pegoraro

Chancellor

Area of expertise:
Bioethics

Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life and Professor of Bioethics, Father Pegoraro has extensive experience in clinical and animal trial ethics, serving on multiple ethics committees.

Contacts:
[email protected]
+39 06 69895200
+39 338 4528785