The focus of my current research is to understand the fundamental mechanisms of microbial chemical interactions and communication. Secondary metabolites (both volatile and water-soluble) play an important role in microbial interactions, e.g. as signalling compounds for communication or as suppressive agents in interference competition.
Using omics-based tools, advanced analytical chemistry and novel imaging techniques, my research aims to decipher, explore and exploit the so far unknown belowground microbe-microbe and plant-microbe chemical interactions and communication. Understanding the belowground inter-kingdom (bacteria, protists, fungi, plants) interactions is crucial for assessing the functioning of soil ecosystems, which underpins soil and plant health.
January 2013- January 2015: Tenure track position within the Department of Microbial Ecology, NIOO-KNAW
VIDI personal grant (NWO); Project title: The secrets of success: the best bacterial competitive strategies in the rhizosphere.
April 2010 – April 2014: Postdoctoral researcher within the Department of Microbial Ecology, NIOO- KNAW
MEERVOUD personal grant (NWO); Project title: Bacterial interactions in soil: the role of volatiles as infochemical and competitive tools.
July 2006 – April 2010: Postdoctoral position within the group of Terrestrial Microbial Ecology, NIOO-KNAW
VENI personal grant (NWO); Project title: Suppression of plant-pathogenic fungi as a result of inter-specific bacterial interactions.
August 2005- June 2006: Postdoctoral position in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK
Project title: Contribution of nitrifier denitrification to N2O and N2 emissions from soils.
August 2004- August 2005: Postdoctoral position Department Microbial Ecology, Groningen University
EU project METACONTROL: Soil metagenomics to identify novel mechanisms of antagonism and antifungal activity for the improved control of phytopathogens.
PhD degree: obtained 21/06/2005, Leiden University, the Netherlands
PhD project “The significance of microbial diversity in agricultural soil for disease suppressiveness”
PhD students:
Post-docs:
PhD students:
Post-doc:
2013- March 2018 (VIDI-NWO) “The secrets of success: the best bacterial competitive strategies in the rhizosphere”
2016- September 2021 (NWO- Groen) “Harnessing the soil microbiome for improved stress tolerance in crop plants”
2017- July 2018 (NIOO Strategic funds) “Developing bioinformatics tools for future metabolomics data analysis”
2017- January 2020 (NWO- Open) “Unravelling the ecological role of bacterial terpenes”
2017- January 2020 (China Scholarship Council) “Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystem: effect on plant growth and rhizosphere community”
2018-2021 (ITN-H2020) "Impact of microbial inoculums on microbiome composition and resistance-induction of host plants against insect pest"