Els manages contract research projects for global food companies leading multidisciplinary teams. Over the last decade, the central theme in her work is engineering perception by means of aroma, taste and texture modalities in the framework of the protein transition, healthy diets and sustainability. She studied chemistry at the Utrecht University and obtained a PhD in Colloid and Physical Chemistry in 2001 at the Van ’t Hoff laboratory of the Utrecht University. After completing her PhD, she started working at NIZO food research holding various functions.