About phages
Bacteriophages, or phages, are the most numerous organism on the planet. They are everywhere in our environment and our microbiome. Phages protect animals and humans from bacteria and control the number of bacteria in the environment.
We are thrilled to announce that PhageEU established by Proteon Pharmaceuticals, JAFRAL, and PTC Phage Technology Center, is now officially registered as ASBL with its seat in Brussels, as of 11 July 2024.
PhageEU is dedicated to representing the interests of the phage community and facilitating access to phage technology in the EU. With its headquarters and secretariat in Brussels, PhageEU is poised to shape the political and regulatory agenda in Europe, ensuring the full potential of phages is realized for the benefit of EU citizens, patients, and farmers.
We are now open to welcoming new members from Europe and around the world. Membership is available to a wide range of representatives within the phage community, including companies, associations, think tanks, academic institutions, researchers, and individuals active in phage technology.
If you are interested in joining PhageEU or learning more about our organization, please contact us for further information.
Join us in our mission to advance phage technology and improve health outcomes across Europe!
Bacteriophages, or phages, are the most numerous organism on the planet. They are everywhere in our environment and our microbiome. Phages protect animals and humans from bacteria and control the number of bacteria in the environment.
We are a coalition of likeminded stakeholders who represent phages in industry, the scientific community and civil society. We want to realize the full potential of phages in Europe.
Michael Fink, the Vice-President of PhageEU, is also the CEO of two companies, Phage Technology Center GmbH and FinkTec GmbH.
He is a Chemist and a Chemical Engineer by education with more than 20 years of experience in the area of farm to fork food safety with focus on product development and regulatory strategy in the food, milk, beer and beverage industry as well as in the dairy and life stock farming sector.
With this background and a passion for applied science, in 2013 he started to explore the use of bacteriophages as new approach to overcome existing problems in the above-mentioned fields.
His diverse expertise and commitment to lead his interdisciplinary teams to develop novel products and solutions, while always keeping a way for market authorisation in mind.
In his leadership within the cooperate boundaries, he is convinced that there is the demand for collaboration of the entire industry, the legislators and all other stake holders to bring bacteriophage technology, in all its different application facets, into a broad use. In some areas the legal basis for the specific use of bacteriophages is being developed and therefore it is important to support this process as the biotech / bacteriophage industry with all its very specific Know How.
He envisages a big contribution of bacteriophage technology to improve food safety, to make feed safer, in the reduction of food waste and to have an alternative strategy to reduce antibiotic use in different life stock applications.
Prof. Jarosław Dastych, the President of the PhageEU coalition, is also the Founder, CEO, and Board President of Proteon Pharmaceuticals S.A. His passion for bacteriophage research and his understanding of bacteriophage technology as a promising alternative for addressing rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have driven his work to realise the full potential of phages. His research spans immunology, toxicology, molecular biology, and the development of bacteriophage-based treatments.
Over 18 years ago, he founded Proteon Pharmaceuticals, leading to the development of a unique bacteriophage platform technology. This innovation provides sustainable solutions for bacterial disease management in animal farming, aquaculture, and poultry production, earning international recognition and numerous innovation awards. Prof. Dastych has managed twelve European R&D projects, published over 70 scientific papers, and co-authored 13 biotechnology patents, highlighting his extensive expertise and dedication to scientific progress.