Jan H. Spaas

Key takeaways

Jan H. Spaas belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
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Reproduce the core statement of Jan H. Spaas from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Jan H. Spaas (born January 6, 1986, in Bilzen, Belgium) is a Belgian veterinarian and researcher in veterinary science.

Early life and education Jan H. Spaas was born into a family with a strong background in equestrian activities. Spaas pursued his high school education at Biotechnicum Bocholt and Sint-Augustinus Institute Bree, where he majored in Latin and Mathematics. He studied Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University, earning his master's degree in 2010. He completed his PhD in Veterinary Science at the Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University.

Career In 2012, Jan Spaas co-founded Global Stem Cell Technology (GST) alongside his wife, veterinarian Sarah Broeckx. GST focused on developing regenerative therapies for musculoskeletal injuries in animals. The company quickly gained recognition, ranking among the top 10 global startups in animal health in 2018 and winning the Animal Pharm Award for Best Start-Up of the Year. Spaas also founded Pell Cell Medicals in 2013, which specialized in stem cell treatments for skin wounds in mammals. Both GST and Pell Cell Medicals were acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2020, marking a significant milestone in Spaas' career. He raised millions for stem cell research, and secured EU marketing authorization for two medicinal products developed under his leadership. In 2020, Spaas was recognized as one of the top 30 entrepreneurs under 30 by Trends magazine and was appointed visiting professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University. He has served as a promotor for several PhD students and is the inventor of over 50 patents and authored more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Veterinary Science. In 2018, Spaas co-founded Via Nova Equine Hospital with veterinarian Marc Suls which was acquired by the Altano Group in 2022. In 2022, Spaas was appointed Director of Global Innovation Development at Boehringer Ingelheim in Athens, Georgia, and later as Global Head of Research for Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health in Germany in 2023. In 2024, Spaas returned to Belgium, where he became chairman of the Board of Animab, a veterinary biotech company, and a board member of Intibio.

Personal life Jan Spaas is married to veterinarian Sarah Broeckx, with whom he has two daughters, Julie (born in 2016) and Charlotte (born in 2018).

Publications Spaas JH, Chiers K, Burvenich C, Van de Walle GR (2012). "The influence of lactation on equine mammary stem/progenitor cells." Stem Cells and Development, 21(16):3055-3067. Broeckx S, Deprez P, Govaere J, Spaas JH, Christiaens J, Maes D (2011). Relationship between the housing of and physical health deficiencies in horses: a survey of horse owners and their perception. Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift, 80: 240–247. Spaas, J. H.; Oosterlinck, M.; Broeckx, S.; Dumoulin, M.; Saunders, J.; Van Soom, A.; Pille, F.; Van de Walle, G. R. (2012-02-28). "Een degeneratieve gewrichtsaandoening behandeld met autologe equine mesenchymale stamcellen uit het perifeer bloed". Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift. 81 (1). doi:10.21825/vdt.v81i1.18372. ISSN 0303-9021. Spaas, Jan H.; Guest, Deborah J.; Van de Walle, Gerlinde R. (2012-10-01). "Tendon Regeneration in Human and Equine Athletes: Ubi Sumus-Quo Vadimus (Where are We and Where are We Going to)?". Sports Medicine. 42 (10): 871–890. doi:10.1007/BF03262300. ISSN 0112-1642. Spaas, Jan H.; Schauwer, Catharina De; Cornillie, Pieter; Meyer, Evelyne; Soom, Ann Van; Van de Walle, Gerlinde R. (2013-01-01). "Culture and characterisation of equine peripheral blood mesenchymal stromal cells". The Veterinary Journal. 195 (1): 107–113. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.05.006. PMID 22717781. Spaas, J. H.; Broeckx, S.; Van de Walle, G. R.; Polettini, M. (2013-04-01). "The effects of equine peripheral blood stem cells on cutaneous wound healing: a clinical evaluation in four horses". Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 38 (3): 280–284. doi:10.1111/ced.12068. ISSN 1365-2230. PMC 3627309. PMID 23517358. Broeckx, Sarah Y.; Maes, Sofie; Martinello, Tiziana; Aerts, Désirée; Chiers, Koen; Mariën, Tom; Patruno, Marco; Franco-Obregón, Alfredo; Spaas, Jan H. (2014-05-15). "Equine Epidermis: A Source of Epithelial-Like Stem/Progenitor Cells with In Vitro and In Vivo Regenerative Capacities". Stem Cells and Development. 23 (10): 1134–1148. doi:10.1089/scd.2013.0203. ISSN 1547-3287. PMID 24368059. Broeckx, Sarah; Zimmerman, Marieke; Crocetti, Sara; Suls, Marc; Mariën, Tom; Ferguson, Stephen J.; Chiers, Koen; Duchateau, Luc; Franco-Obregón, Alfredo; Wuertz, Karin; Spaas, Jan H. (2014-01-20). "Regenerative Therapies for Equine Degenerative Joint Disease: A Preliminary Study". PLOS ONE. 9 (1) e85917. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...985917B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0085917. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3896436. PMID 24465787.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Jan H. Spaas

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Jan H. Spaas claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Jan H. Spaas before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Jan H. Spaas ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Jan H. Spaas

In research: Jan H. Spaas appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Jan H. Spaas in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Jan H. Spaas is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1986 births, Belgian veterinarians, Ghent University alumni, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Jan H. Spaas outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Jan H. Spaas in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Jan H. Spaas means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Jan H. Spaas out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jan H. Spaas in simple terms?

Jan H. Spaas (born January 6, 1986, in Bilzen, Belgium) is a Belgian veterinarian and researcher in veterinary science.

Why does Jan H. Spaas matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Jan H. Spaas?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Jan H. Spaas.