About us

Isabel Lemahieu
Isabel Lemahieu
Founder and Laboratory Director
MScBiotechnology and Animal Husbandry
Certified Medical Laboratory Technician

Isabel Lemahieu

Founder and Laboratory Director - MSc, CMLT

Isabel Lemahieu grew up on a farm in West Flanders, where she developed a lifelong passion for horses and an early interest in reproductive biology. She pursued studies in Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, which laid the foundation for a career that bridges both human and veterinary reproductive sciences.

She began her professional journey as a biotechnologist in the IVF laboratory of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the University Hospital Brussels in Jette, where she worked in human assisted reproduction. In 2006, Isabel transitioned to the field of veterinary reproduction, joining the Reproductive Biology Unit at the Department of Veterinary Reproduction at Ghent University (UGent). There, she played a key role in establishing and advancing the university’s in vitro embryo production (IVP) program in domestic species, including horses.

Over the course of more than a decade at UGent, Isabel gained extensive expertise in the production, culture, and cryopreservation of embryos from a wide range of species, including horses, cattle, pigs, cats, and dogs. Her work was particularly impactful in the field of equine reproduction, where she made significant contributions to the optimization of embryo freezing techniques and IVP/ICSI protocols.

In 2018, Isabel expanded her qualifications by earning certification as a Human Medical Laboratory Technician from HOGent, enabling her to return to the field of human reproductive health. She currently works at the Human Reproductive Unit of AZ Jan Palfijn Hospital in Ghent, where she provides services in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo culture within the hospital’s IVF program.

Throughout her career, Isabel has maintained an active engagement with the equine sector, contributing to numerous research projects, training initiatives, and international courses in equine reproduction. Her unique cross-disciplinary experience in both human and animal reproductive technologies makes her a valuable contributor to advancements in assisted reproductive science.

In her free time, Isabel is a passionate birdwatcher who is particularly dedicated to the protection of owls, raptors, and farmland birds in her region.

Peter Daels
Peter Daels
DVM, PhD, DACT, DECAR
Veterinarian

Peter Daels

Clinical Veterinarian - DVM, PhD, DACT, DECAR

Dr. Peter Daels has earned international recognition as an expert in equine reproduction. He actively contributes to the field through his work in academia, research, and clinical practice, and experts widely respect him for his advancements in reproductive technologies for horses.

Dr. Daels earned his veterinary degree from Ghent University and specialized in equine reproduction at the University of California. He is board-certified in equine reproduction by both the American College of Theriogenologists and the European College of Animal Reproduction. Dr. Daels spent ten years as a professor in equine reproduction at Cornell University. He was the Director of Equine Research at the INRA Institute in Tours, France. He later served for 12 years as Professor of Equine Reproduction at Ghent University, where he headed the Daels Equine Reproduction Research Laboratory. His research focuses on embryo transfer, embryo cryopreservation, reproductive endocrinology, and placentitis. He has authored over 130 scientific publications, making significant contributions to the field of equine reproduction.

Dr. Daels has been instrumental in developing and managing several equine embryo transfer centers. He was the co-founder of EmbryoTechnic in Normandy, where he led embryo transfer operations at Keros ET Center in Belgium for over 10 years. Currently, he provides technical and advisory support to the Embryo Transfer Center Hans Smet in Heusden. His international impact includes establishing embryo transfer programs in France, Belgium, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran, Japan, and China.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Daels has organized and taught more than 20 international courses on equine embryo transfer and is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Since 2018, he has been the director and organizer of the European Symposium on Equine Reproduction, an International congress that brings together equine reproduction clinicians and researchers from all over the world.