Areas of expertise
- Agrifood Systems
- Food Quality
- Food Safety
Background
Dr Verheecke-Vaessen obtained her PhD in mycotoxin-related research in 2014 and was awarded the best innovative PhD by the Federal University of Toulouse (France - 2015). Before her PhD, she had industrial experience including developing Decision Support Systems for post-harvest management of stored cereals and liaison coordinator with food chain transformers. She then worked as a temporary research and teaching attaché at the Ecole National Supérieur Agronomique de Toulouse (France) before joining the Applied Mycology group at Cranfield University in 2016.
Since joining Cranfield, Carol has developed her research vision focusing on a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underpinning fungal secondary metabolites (including mycotoxins) production with a specific focus on how environmental factors, including climate change, trigger these mechanisms. Since 2016, she has been involved in several teaching and research projects (for e.g.: Oats for the future, NutriNuts, Gender-equal mycotoxin training) to improve the full supply chain management of mycotoxin. Carol has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journals research papers and 4 book chapters.
In 2021, Carol obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice from Cranfield University and became the Director of Mycotoxin Training Hub developing tailored training and research opportunities to tackle specific mycotoxin challenges faced by the agrifood industry in the UK and worldwide.
Carol is also an active member of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) and is co-leading the creation and implementation of the new Magan Centre of Applied Mycology.
Current activities
Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen focused her research on understanding the impact of the dynamic food chain environment on the molecular mechanisms underpinning mycotoxin production.
Her research covers a wide portfolio of activities from food contamination assessment to deciphering the fundamental mechanisms using state-of-the-art molecular and analytical techniques.
She has more than 15 years of experience in this research topic.
Her current interests are:
Developing holistic solutions from farm to fork to manage mycotoxin risk;
- Understanding dynamic abiotic and biotic factors impacting fungal growth and mycotoxin production within the Agrifood chain - including climate change scenario;
- Creating solutions for the detection and prevention of fungal contaminants;
- Developing Decision Support Systems to improve the storage of commodities susceptible to fungal spoilage;
- Developing bio-control agents in response to Agrifood challenges;
- Creating innovative solutions to transform food waste into profitable by-products.
She is currently involved in the Agrifood MSc suite of courses. She mainly lectures on the MSc in Food Systems & Management, focusing on the Food Safety module she leads.
Her other tasks include supervision of PhD, MSc and visiting student projects.
Clients
- Research England
- Innovate UK
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Teixido-Orries I, Molino F, Castro-Criado B, Jodkowska M, Medina A, .... (2025). Mapping variability of mycotoxins in individual oat kernels from batch samples: implications for sampling and food safety. Toxins, 17(1)
- López-Rodríguez C, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Strub C, Fontana A, Guehi T, .... (2025). Resilience to climate change by biocontrol yeasts against Ochratoxin A production in Robusta coffee. Toxins, 17(3)
- Oluwakayode A, Sulyok M, Berthiller F, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Krska R, .... (2025). Real-time CO2 production monitoring in stored oats as an indicator of type A trichothecenes and ochratoxin A contamination under simulated environmental conditions. Toxins, 17(3)
- Ingram B, Marin S, Kiaitsi E, Magan N, Verheecke-Vaessen C, .... (2025). Fusarium graminearum and zearalenone in wheat: A water activity–temperature model. Fungal Biology, 129(4)
- Llobregat B, Cervini C, González-Candelas L, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Ballester A-R, .... (2025). Will climate change affect growth and ochratoxin A production of putative biocontrol knockout strains of Aspergillus carbonarius?. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 439
- Sharma V, Cervini C, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Bandyopadhyay R, Medina A, .... (2025). Atoxigenic isolates of Aspergillus flavus effectively reduce cyclopiazonic acid in a sorghum-based matrix under simulated abiotic stress conditions. Letters in Applied Microbiology, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- López Rodríguez C, Strub C, Fontana A, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Durand N, .... (2024). Biocontrol activities of yeasts or lactic acid bacteria isolated from Robusta coffee against Aspergillus carbonarius growth and ochratoxin A production in vitro. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 415
- Cervini C, Naz N, Verheecke-Vaessen C & Medina A. (2024). Impact of predicted climate change environmental conditions on the growth of Fusarium asiaticum strains and mycotoxins production on a wheat-based matrix. Journal of Food Microbiology, 416
- Tian Y, Liu Z, Sun M, Duan J, Verheecke-Vaessen C, .... (2024). Establishment, application and comparison of three immunoaffinity pretreatment techniques for mycotoxins systematically. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 18(8)
- López-Rodríguez C, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Strub C, Fontana A, Schorr-Galindo S, .... (2024). Reduction in ochratoxin a occurrence in coffee: from good practices to biocontrol agents. Journal of Fungi, 10(8)
- Hadjebar S, Yekkour A, Djemouai N, Matmoura A, Gutierrez-Pozo M, .... (2024). Mycotoxin accumulation in dry rot potato tubers from Algeria and toxigenic potential of associated isolates of fusarium genus. Current Microbiology, 81(10)
- Gutiérrez-Pozo M, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Kourmpetli S, Terry LA & Medina A. (2024). Effect of temperature, relative humidity, and incubation time on the mycotoxin production by Fusarium spp. responsible for dry rot in potato tubers. Toxins, 16(10)
- Djemouai N, Meklat A, Youcef KOH, Nacer A, Saadi SA, .... (2024). Diversity and bioactivity of endophytic actinobacteria associated with the roots of artemisia herba-alba asso from Algeria. Current Microbiology, 81(12)
- Adepoju M, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Pillai LR, Phillips H & Cervini C. (2024). Unlocking the potential of teff for sustainable, gluten-free diets and unravelling its production challenges to address global food and nutrition security: a review. Foods, 13(21)
- Taleb RO, Sahir-halouane F, Harrat Z, Saker R, Belaouni HA, .... (2023). Isolation and characterization of five Purpureocillium strains from Algerian soils and assessment of their larvicidal activity against Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae). Biologia, 78(2)
- Farwell LH, Deakin G, Harris AL, Fagg G, Passey T, .... (2023). Cladosporium species: the predominant species present on raspberries from the U.K. and Spain and their ability to cause skin and stigmata infections. Horticulturae, 9(2)
- Matmoura A, Yekkour A, Boufadi MY, Bouras N, Zitouni A, .... (2023). Exploration of actinobacteria communities in seawater and sediments of mediterranean basin from Algerian coast displays hight diversity with new taxa and antibacterial potential. Biologia, 78(8)
- Kahla A, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Delpino-Deelias M, Gutierrez-Pozo M, Medina A, .... (2023). Acclimatisation of Fusarium langsethiae, F. poae and F. sporotrichioides to elevated CO2: impact on fungal growth and mycotoxin production on oat-based media. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 394(June)
- López Rodríguez C, Strub C, Chochois V, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Durand N, .... (2023). Effect of post-harvest management practices on the mycobiome and ochratoxin A contamination of differently processed Robusta coffees from Ivory Coast. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 206(December)
- Djemouai N, Meklat A, Yekkour A & Verheecke-Vaessen C. (2023). Actinobacteria: an underestimated source of potential microbial biocontrol agents against fusarium-related diseases in cultivated crops. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 167(4)
- Stewart K, Passey T, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Kevei Z & Xu X. (2023). Is it feasible to use mixed orchards to manage apple scab?. Fruit Research, 3(1)
- Hallsworth JE, Mswaka AY, Patriarca A, Verheecke-Vaessen C & Medina A. (2023). The life and works of Professor Naresh Magan. World Mycotoxin Journal, 16(2)
- Cervini C, Abegaz B, Mohammed A, Elias R, Medina A, .... (2023). Assessment of agricultural practices by Ethiopian women farmers: existence of gender disparities in access to mycotoxins training. World Mycotoxin Journal, 16(3)
- Djemouai N, Meklat A, Gaceb-Terrak R, Oulad Hadj Youcef K, Nacer A, .... (2022). Biological activities of Streptomyces sp. Bts40 isolated from the rhizosphere of Artemisia herba-alba Asso. Universitatea din Oradea. Analele. Fascicula Biologie, 29(1)
- Zuo Y, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Molitor C, Medina A, Magan N, .... (2022). De novo genome assembly and functional annotation for Fusarium langsethiae. BMC Genomics, 23(1)
- García-Cela E, Sulyok M, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Medina A, Krska R, .... (2022). Interacting environmental stress factors affect metabolomics profiles in stored naturally contaminated maize. Microorganisms, 10(5)
- Djemouai N, Meklat A, Gaceb-Terrak R, Youcef KOH, Nacer A, .... (2022). Streptomyces species from the rhizosphere of the medicinal plant Artemisia herba-alba Asso: screening for biological activities. Biologia, 77(8)
- Mohammed A, Seid A, Terefe H, Cervini C & Verheecke-Vaessen C. (2022). Harvest and post-harvest handling practices associated with Fumonisin B1 Contamination in maize (Zea mays L.): dietary exposure and risk characterization in Eastern Ethiopia. Mycotoxin Research, 38(4)
- Gil-Serna J, Patiño B, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Vázquez C & Medina-Vayá Á. (2022). Searching for the Fusarium spp. which are responsible for trichothecene contamination in oats. Using metataxonomy to compare the distribution of toxigenic species in fields from Spain and the UK. Toxins, 14(9)
- García-Cela E, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Ósk-Jónsdóttir I, Lawson R & Magan N. (2022). Growth kinetic parameters and prediction of growth and zearalenone and deoxynivalenol production boundaries by three Fusarium asiaticum strains isolated from wheat. Fermentation, 8(11)
- Verheecke-Vaessen C, Lopez-Pietro A, Garcia-Cela E, Medina A & Magan N. (2022). Intra-species variability inFusarium langsethiae strains in growth and T-2/HT-2 mycotoxin production in response to climate change abiotic factors. World Mycotoxin Journal, 15(1)
- Bouti K, Mimoune NA, Mokrane S, Djemouai N, Verheecke-Vaessen C, .... (2022). Incidence of mycobiota and aflatoxin B1 in Algerian feed. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 8(2/3)
- Riba A, Verheecke Vaessen C, Djemouai N, Ait Mimoune N, Mokrane S, .... (2022). Incidence of mycobiota and aflatoxin B1 in Algerian feed. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 8(2/3)
- Djemouai N, Meklat A, Gaceb-Terrak R, Yocef KOH, Nacer A, .... (2022). BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF Streptomyces sp. BTS40 ISOLATED FROM THE RHIZOSPHERE OF Artemisia herba-alba Asso. Analele Universitatii din Oradea, Fascicula Biologie, 29(1)
- Verheecke-Vaessen C, Garcia Cela E, Lopez-Prieto A, Jonsdottir IO, Medina A, .... (2021). Water and temperature relations of Fusarium langsethiae strains and modelling of growth and T-2 and HT-2 mycotoxin production on oat-based matrices. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 348(June)
- Cervini C, Verheecke-Vaessen C, He T, Mohammed A, Magan N, .... (2021). Improvements within the peanut production chain to minimize aflatoxins contamination: an Ethiopian case study. Food Control, 136(June)
- Verheecke-Vaessen C, Monte J, Garcia Cela E, Magan N & Medina A. (2020). Proof of concept: could snake venoms be a potential source of bioactive compounds for control of mould growth and mycotoxin production. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 71(5)
- McGenity TJ, Gessesse A, Hallsworth JE, Cela EG, Verheecke-Vaessen C, .... (2020). Visualizing the invisible: class excursions to ignite children's enthusiasm for microbes [Editorial]. Microbial Biotechnology, 13(4)
- Portell X, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Torrelles-Ràfales R, Medina A, Otten W, .... (2020). Three-dimensional study of F. graminearum colonisation of stored wheat: post-harvest growth patterns, dry matter losses and mycotoxin contamination. Microorganisms, 8(8)
- García-Cela E, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Gutierrez-Pozo M, Kiaitsi E, Gasperini AM, .... (2020). Unveiling the effect of interacting forecasted abiotic factors on growth and Aflatoxin B1 production kinetics by Aspergillus flavus. Fungal Biology, 125(2)
- Abdelmohsen S, Verheecke-Vaessen C, García-Cela E, Medina A & Magan N. (2020). Dynamics of solute/matric stress interactions with climate change abiotic factors on growth, gene expression and ochratoxin aA production by Penicillium verrucosum on a wheat-based matrix. Fungal Biology, 125(1)
- Isidro-Sánchez J, Cusack KD, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Kahla A, Bekele W, .... (2020). Genome‐wide association mapping of Fusarium langsethiae infection and mycotoxin accumulation in oat (Avena sativa L.). The Plant Genome, 13(2)
- Prabhu VA, Thomas DJ, Ledesma-Amaro R, Leeke GA, Medina A, .... (2020). Biovalorisation of crude glycerol and xylose into xylitol by oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Microbial Cell Factories, 19(1)
- Abdelmohsen S, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Garcia-Cela E, Medina A & Magan N. (2020). Solute and matric potential stress onPenicillium verrucosum: impact on growth, gene expression and ochratoxin A production. World Mycotoxin Journal, 13(3)
- Cervini C, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Ferrara M, García-Cela E, Magistà D, .... (2019). Interacting climate change factors (CO2 and temperature cycles) effects on growth, secondary metabolite gene expression and phenotypic ochratoxin A production by Aspergillus carbonarius strains on a grape-based matrix. Fungal Biology, 125(2)
- Verheecke-Vaessen C, Diez-Gutierrez L, Renaud J, Sumarah M, Medina A, .... (2019). Interacting climate change environmental factors effects on Fusarium langsethiae growth, expression of Tri genes and T-2/HT-2 mycotoxin production on oat-based media and in stored oats. Fungal Biology, 123(8)
- Marcon Gasperini A, Rodriguez-Sixtos A, Verheecke-Vaessen C, García-Cela E, Medina A, .... (2019). Resilience of biocontrol for aflatoxin minimisation strategies: climate change abiotic factors may affect control in non-GM and GM-maize cultivars. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10
- Garcia Cela E, Gari Sanchez FJ, Sulyok M, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Medina A, .... (2019). Carbon dioxide production as an indicator of Aspergillus flavus colonisation and aflatoxins/cyclopiazonic acid contamination in shelled peanuts stored under different interacting abiotic factors. Fungal Biology, 124(1)
- Zebiri S, Mokrane S, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Choque E, Reghioui H, .... (2019). Occurrence of ochratoxin A in Algerian wheat and its milling derivatives. Toxin Reviews, 38(3)
- Bouti K, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Mokrane S, Meklat A, Djemouai N, .... (2019). Polyphasic characterization of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from animal feeds in Algeria. Journal of Food Safety, 40(1)
- García-Cela E, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Magan N & Medina-Vayá Á. (2018). The "-omics" contributions to the understanding of mycotoxin production under diverse environmental conditions. Current Opinion in Food Science, 23
- Aït Mimoune N, Riba A, Verheecke C & Mathieu3 and Nasserdine Sabaou F. (2018). FUNGAL CONTAMINATION AND MYCOTOXIN PRODUCTION BY ASPERGILLUS SPP. IN NUTS AND SESAME SEEDS. Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences, 5(4)
- Lahoum A, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Bouras N, Sabaou N & Mathieu F. (2017). Taxonomy of mycelial actinobacteria isolated from Saharan soils and their efficiency to reduce aflatoxin B1 content in a solid-based medium. Annals of Microbiology, 67(3)
- El Khoury R, Atoui A, Verheecke-Vaessen C, Maroun R, El Khoury A, .... (2016). Essential oils modulate gene expression and ochratoxin a production in Aspergillus carbonarius. Toxins, 8(8)
- Verheecke C, Liboz T & Mathieu F. (2016). Microbial degradation of aflatoxin B1: Current status and future advances. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 237
- Lahoum A, Bouras N, Verheecke C, Mathieu F, Schumann P, .... (2016). Actinomadura adrarensis sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from Saharan soil. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 66(7)
- Lahoum A, Aouiche A, Bouras N, Verheecke C, Klenk H-P, .... (2016). Antifungal activity of a Saharan strain of Actinomadura sp. ACD1 against toxigenic fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms. Journal de Mycologie Médicale / Journal of Medical Mycology, 26(3)
- Azzoune N, Mokrane S, Riba A, Bouras N, Verheecke C, .... (2016). Contamination of common spices by aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin B1in Algeria. Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods, 8(1)
- Mokrane S, Bouras N, Meklat A, Lahoum A, Zitouni A, .... (2016). Thermoactinomyces khenchelensis sp. nov., a filamentous bacterium isolated from soil sediment of a terrestrial hot spring. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 109(2)
- Yekkour A, Toumatia O, Meklat A, Verheecke C, Sabaou N, .... (2015). Deoxynivalenol-producing ability of Fusarium culmorum strains and their impact on infecting barley in Algeria. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 31(6)
- Verheecke C, Diaz R, Mathieu F, Anson P & Liboz T. (2015). Reduction of aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in interaction with Streptomyces. Microbiology, 161(5)
- Verheecke C, Liboz T, Darriet M, Sabaou N & Mathieu F. (2014). In vitrointeraction of actinomycetes isolates withAspergillus flavus: impact on aflatoxins B1 and B2 production. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 58(6)
