French honour for nutrition scientist Johan Garssen
Researcher Johan Garssen has been appointed Officier in the Ordre du Mérite agricole by the French government. He receives this prestigious honor for his exceptional contributions to agriculture, nutrition, health and international collaboration. The decoration was presented today by the French Ambassador to the Netherlands.
The French government is awarding Johan Garssen this distinction for his long-standing efforts to bring together public and private partners in research and innovation. It also recognizes his work to strengthen scientific ties between the Netherlands and France.
In a statement, the French ambassador praised Garssen as “a true bridge-builder between academia and industry”. Garssen’s work “exemplifies cooperation, curiosity and a shared commitment to progress in the life sciences, along with a remarkable capacity to connect the academic and industrial worlds”.
Sustainable and healthy food
At Utrecht University, Garssen is Professor of Immunopharmacology. With his team, he studies how the immune system works, and translates fundamental scientific insights into practical applications for health, nutrition and society. He is also the chair of the network Future Food Utrecht. In this network, researchers from all seven faculties of Utrecht University work together on knowledge about sustainable and healthy food. The network is part of the the university’s Strategic Theme Pathways to Sustainability.
Garssen’s research focuses not only on scientific innovation but also on societal challenges such as food security and sustainable protein sources. For example, his group studies the safety and effectiveness of new protein alternatives, such as algae that could replace animal proteins.
Building and enabling collaboration
Over the years, Garssen has worked with a wide range of companies and research institutes, including Danone, DSM, FrieslandCampina, Sanofi and Unilever.
He has also taken part in international trade missions. Garssen traveled with delegations of the Dutch government and the business community to countries including France and regions in Asia to strengthen cooperation in the fields of health, nutrition and innovation.
Team effort
Garssen emphasizes that the French honor is not only about his own work. He sees the award as recognition of his research group, the many young scientists he supervised and the broad circle of partners from academia, industry and government
“This award is a tremendous honor, but the recognition belongs to more than just me. We do this work as a team. For me, the recognition is above all a sign of appreciation for everything we have built together.”
Award ceremony
The decoration was presented at the annual Erasmus–Descartes Conference, organized by the French and Dutch embassies. This year’s edition of the conference focused on Europe’s food supply. Participants, including policymakers, scientists, companies and students exchanged ideas on how to make our food systems more reliable, sustainable and less dependent on other countries.
During the event, scientist and former university president Louise Fresco was also honored by the French ambassador. She received the title of Commandeur in the Ordre du Mérite Agricole.
Both Fresco and Garssen are known for looking beyond the boundaries of their own fields. Garssen does this by studying how nutrition and the immune system influence each other and by working closely with partners from science and industry. Fresco has long been committed to issues related to global food supply and advocates for innovation and careful decision-making in the agriculture and food sectors.