Rate My Professor Ruth Appeltant

Ruth Appeltant serves as a Tenure Track Research Professor in the Department of Veterinary Sciences within the Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Antwerp. Trained as a veterinarian, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Sciences from the University of Antwerp. Her PhD studies focused on in vitro embryo production. She then held postdoctoral positions, including one in Japan on animal reproduction and cryopreservation, another in a genomics laboratory, and a role at the University of Oxford on conservation of the northern white rhinoceros. Since 2022, she has been at the University of Antwerp leading research in the Gamete Research Centre's Fertility Preservation research line within the Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry group.

Appeltant's research group employs stem cells to preserve or restore fertility in humans and endangered species, using the pig as an animal model. Efforts include generating eggs via in vitro gametogenesis from induced pluripotent stem cells, ovarian stem cells, or primordial germ cell-like cells, alongside artificial ovary development and cryobanking innovations like ambient temperature storage. Active projects are Stem4Biodiversity (2025-2028) for banking primordial germ cell-like cells from iPSCs to aid biodiversity conservation; SAVAGE (2024-2028) for genetic rescue through in vitro gametogenesis from somatic cells; Early life stages and postnatal (dys)function in vertebrates (2022-2027); and Generation of oocytes from isolated stem cells in pigs (2022-2026). Notable publications include "Investigating autoimmunity in the etiology of premature ovarian insufficiency in a mouse model" (2026, Journal of Reproductive Immunology), "Follicle-like and other novel structures found in ovaries of aged white rhinoceroses and their potential impact on oocyte recovery rate" (2024, Theriogenology Wild), "Advancing stem cell technologies for conservation of wildlife biodiversity" (2024, Development), and "Cloning for the Twenty-First Century and Its Place in Endangered Species Conservation" (2024, Annual Review of Animal Biosciences). She teaches Veterinary Physiology A and B in the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine program and holds positions on the Faculty Council FBD, Department Council Veterinary Sciences, and other university committees.