The Graduate School Experimental Plant Sciences (EPS)
Emmy Noether-fellowship for Kasper van Gelderen
Dr. Kasper van Gelderen (@Gelderenkasper) has been awarded with an Emmy Noether programme funding by the DFG (German Scientific Society) to start his own research group at the Centre of Organismal Studies (COS) of Heidelberg [...]
Retirement of Prof. Sjef Smeekens
On the 19th of April 2022 the farewell symposium of Sjef Smeekens in honor of his retirement took place in Utrecht . Sjef Smeekens is a valued, supported and highly appreciated member of the graduate [...]
Dutch government invests 42 million Euros in CROP-XR institute
Over the next ten years, the Dutch government will invest 42 million euros in CROP-XR, a new, virtual institute aimed at developing agricultural crops that are more resistant to climate change and less dependent on [...]
The Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) is funding a major study for transition to sustainable arable farming
A large consortium consisting out of multiple universities, companies and farmers will invest the funding to achieve a breakthrough in the transition to sustainable arable farming. Coordinator of the CropMix (Crop mixtures as stepping stone [...]
NWO Vici for Erik Poelman, Wageningen University and Research
Erik Poelman receives one of the prestigious Vici grants of the NWO talent programme. His research focuses on plants and the uncertainty they experience in not knowing when and by what insects they may be [...]
NWO Vici for Merijn Kant, University of Amsterdam
Merijn Kant works as associated Professor at the Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology. He received the Vici to investigate "Anticipating pest formation using smart resistance genes". Pest formation is elusive. With this VICI project [...]
Inauguration “To germinate or not to germinate?”
Prof.dr Leónie Bentsink Personal Professor of Plant Physiology, Seed Science, will give her inaugural address, entitled "To germinate or not to germinate?" Date: Thursday 7 April 2022 Time: 16:00 Location: Wageningen University & Research Auditorium, [...]
Harrold van den Burg new coordinator for EPS Research Theme 2
We are very happy to announce that Harrold van den Burg, associated Professor at the University of Amsterdam, is the new coordinator for the EPS research Theme 2 "Interactions between Plants and Biotic Agents" . [...]
Tijs Ketelaar and Otto van den Linden are part of a consortia that has been awarded funding within the KIC call Aquatic food production
SeaSEEDS - Seaweed Attachment onto Substrates and Economic Embedding into Dutch Society Seaweeds are a promising though barely exploited source of biomass and proteins. Small scale cultivation trials show that large and variable detachment of seaweeds [...]
Researcher of Biosystematics (WUR) publish in Nature Genetics
Researcher of Keygene and the Biosystematics group at the Wageningen University & Research (WUR) together with the Japanese breeding company Takii and New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research and Lincoln University discovered a gene that [...]
EPS Scientist Pingtao Ding receives the ERC Starting Grant
Assistant Professor of the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) Pingtao Ding has received the European Research Council Starting Grant. The grant of 2,4 million € will be used to understand the regulatory mechanism of key [...]
Sjon Hartman starts as a Junior Professor in Plant Environmental Signalling & Development at the University of Freiburg
Sjon Hartman will start as a Junior Professor (tenure track) at the biology department of the University of Freiburg. Last year he was postdoctoral Rubicon fellow at the Daniel Gibbs lab of the University of [...]
Prof. Ton Bisseling appointed as foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE)
On Nov. 18, 2021 Prof. Ton Bisseling from Cluster of Plant Development Biology was appointed as a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). It is one of the greatest honors in China [...]
Rob Schuurink appointed professor of Plant specialized metabolism and defence at the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA)
Rob Schuurink ( photo credits: UvA / Raimond Snellings) has been appointed professor of Plant specialized metabolism and defence within the research area of Plant Physiology at the University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Faculty of Science [...]
3 EPS researcher receive NWO Veni grant
Three of the 89 Veni grants worth up to 280.000 € are awarded to young EPS researchers. For a period of three years they can investigate their own ideas. More information about the Veni grants you [...]
Open Call “For Women in Science Rising Talent Prizes 2022”
The aim of the Netherlands L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Rising Talent Prizes is to advance the academic careers of young women researchers in the Netherlands holding a position as PhD candidate or postdoctoral fellow [...]
Two innovative research projects within the EPS community were approved for the Open Competition Domain Science-M programme
Dr. Charlotte Gommers (WUR) "A cry for green light sensing in plants" Plants use photoreceptors to see the spectral distribution of their light surroundings. This information is essential to optimize light capture and fuel photosynthesis. Although [...]
Five EPS proposals granted in TKI Graduate School Green Top sectors/Wageningen Graduate School call
The TKI graduate programme Green Top Sectors offers MSc students in the Plant Sciences the opportunity to write and submit their own PhD proposals with a research group of their own choice. A selection committee [...]
Scott Hayes (WUR) has been awarded with the NWO Open Competition Domain Science – XS
Congratulation to Scott Hayes. His project " Tracking Transcription Factor Function" was chosen to be awarded with the XS category pf the Open Competition Domain Science. This category emphatically strives to encourage curiosity-driven and bold [...]
EPS members Marc Galland and Like Fokkens awarded with Open Science Fund 2021 from NWO
The Amsterdam Science Park Study Group is a local community of life scientists that share their expertise, organize training and promote good practices in data-related topics such as data analysis, programming and data management. Engaging [...]
NWO grant “Open Technology Programme (OTP)” for EPS researcher at the Institute of Biology Leiden
In October, the board of NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences awarded funding to 6 projects within the Open Technology Programme and 3 projects within Smart Industry 2020. Salma Balazadeh, Víctor Carrión, and Jos Raaijmakers, [...]
New Chair and Secretary for the EPS postdoc council
André Bertran and Krešimir Šola will be the new Chair and secretary of the EPS postdoc council. We wish you a lot of fun while organizing new events. If you would like to become a [...]
Plant-XR – A new generation of intelligent breeding tools for extra resilient crops
NWO Long-Term Programme for Utrecht University, Wageningen University and Research, University of Amsterdam and Delft University of Technology The Plant-XR consortium wants to collaborate on research into extra resilient crops with 16 partners so far, including 4 [...]
EPS PhD council announce new chair and secretary
Alejandro Thérèse Navarro (left) from Plant Breeding, Wageningen University & Research will be the new chair and Martha van Os (right) from Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam the new secretary of [...]
GeneSprout talks to the EU head of Biotechnology
On the 22nd of September, board member representatives of the GeneSprout Initiative Nikita Sajeev, Juriaan Rienstra, Gwen Swinnen, and Maarten Houben, met with Irene Sacristan Sanchez, head of the Unit for Biotechnology in the Directorate [...]
In memoriam – Jacques Vervoort
Sadly, on Monday 19 July 2021 prof. dr. J.J.M. (Jacques) Vervoort passed away at the age of 66. It is hard to comprehend that Jacques is no longer with us. After a long career at [...]
EMBO postdoctoral fellowship for Sjors van der Horst
A prestigious two-year EMBO postdoctoral fellowship was awarded to Sjors van der Horst of the Molecular Plant Physiology group at Utrecht University. Sjors will join the lab of Prof. Julia Bailey-Serres at the University of [...]
2 Plant Science NWO ENW-M projects awarded
Functional dissection of transcription factor phase separation in plant hormone response Dr. Jan Willem Borst (WUR) Auxin transcription factors are involved in the regulation of plant growth and these proteins contain intrinsically disordered domains. These [...]
3 Projects awarded in EPS-WU Young Tenure Track call
Awarded projects: Back to the wild: Exploiting immune receptor diversity in wild relatives to improve Brassica crop resistance - Dr. Klaas Bouwmeester (WU - Biosystematics) Xanthomonas black rot is one of the most destructive diseases [...]
Fascination of Plants Day 18 May 2021, the birthday of the plant
Each year on the 18th of May plant scientists around the globe organize events with goal to get as many people fascinated by plants as possible. Each country celebrates the birthday in a different way. [...]
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) selects Prof. Dolf Weijers as one of the new members
Each year the KNAW selects 23 new members (including three foreigners). This year Professor of Biochemistry Dolf Weijers was selected based on his scientific as well as on his scholar achievements. Both, the Wageningen Science [...]
Hugo de Vries Award 2020- Kay Moisan and Sjon Hartmann
The Hugo de Vries price for the best botanical PhD thesis of 2020 was awarded to two former EPS PhD students: Kay Moisan "Odours from friends and foes – ecological consequences of volatiles from soil-borne [...]
Dolf Weijers and Joris Sprakel receive NWO ENW-KLEIN subsidy
Plants cells are continuously exposed to mechanical stress during growth and development. The mechanical forces are converted via a complex feedback loop into chemical signals, ultimately leading to changes in gene activity. In this project, [...]
New member at EPS office
Anja Mosselman started to work for EPS in February. Together with Ria Fonteijn she will take care of administrational and organizational tasks in the EPS office. We are looking forward to working with you Anja.
The network of NWO has been hacked – be careful with NWO mails and documents
The network including the running applications are not accessible anymore. The software to process grant application ISAAC is not affected, but has been closed for security reasons. Please check the NWO's FAQ page for details.
Cabbage whites triggered egg-killing leaf necrosis in crucifers
Until now, little was known about how plants protect themselves from plant-eating insects and how the arms race between insects and plants unfolded. Fatouros and other researchers from Wageningen University & Research have gained more [...]
Nature Communication paper about “How plants and trees stabilize their water pipes to grow taller”
Plants, especially trees, are by far the tallest organisms on Earth. Height growth is made possible by a specialized vascular system. This system conducts water from the roots to the leaves with high efficiency, while [...]
Four EPS proposals granted in TKI Graduate School Green Top sectors/Wageningen Graduate School call
Congratulations to Babette Vlieger (University of Amsterdam) and Jordi Floriach-Clark (Wageningen University), which PhD proposals were granted by TKI Graduate School Green Top Sectors call and to Annika Liefferink and Sjoerd Woudenberg (both Wageningen University), [...]
NWO-VENI’S for Silva Artur and Alanjary
Congratulations to Mariana Silva Artur from Utrecht University and Mohammad Alanjary from Wageningen University for receiving the VENI .
Five NWO VIDI’s for EPS Researcher
A great outcome for the Dutch plant scientists. Five EPS researcher received the prestigious Vidi grant: Congratulations to Kaisa Kajala from Utrecht University and Wilma van Esse, Wouter Kohlen, Jose Lozano and Elwira Smakowaska Luzan [...]
3 cheers for 3 plant science NWO Klein projects
Prof. Tinde van Andel & Prof. Eric Schranz (Naturalis/WUR) , Dr Steven Arisz & Dr Teun Munnik (UvA) and Prof. Christa Testerink & Dr. Yanxia Zhang (WUR) were awarded with the Open Competition ENW-KLEIN.
Rubicon for Sjon Hartman
Sjon Hartman from the University Utrecht is on of the 16 starting science talents that received the Rubicon. For two years he will join the Gibbs Lab of the University of Birmingham, UK. Research by [...]
ERC Starting Grants for Marnix Medema and Daan Swarts
Marnix Medema (left) and Daan Swarts were awarded the ERC Starting Grant and will receive 1,5 million euros from the European Research Council. In his project “DECIPHER” Medema will unravel the chemical language that bacteria [...]
Juliane Teapal started as Education Coordinator for EPS
Juliane Teapal joined the EPS-team on the 1st of August. From now on she will take care of the organization of courses, summer schools and meetings. Further she will be responsible for the newsletter [...]
Saskia van Wees appointed as professor of Hormonal regulation of plant defense at Utrecht University
Saskia van Wees was appointed as professor of Hormonal regulation of plant defense at Utrecht University on 1 March of this year. Her research focuses on plants’ defense signaling in their interaction with various types [...]
EMBO welcomes newly elected member Dolf Weijers
EMBO, the international European Molecular Biology Organization in Heidelberg, Germany, has elected Prof. Dolf Weijers (Wageningen UR) as one of its new members. The life-long membership is bestowed upon scientists in recognition of their remarkable [...]
Unexpected peer interactions during this Covid-19 crisis
As PhD students, and also like many other researchers, we always have this time pressure hanging ominously above our heads. It forces us to be efficient, make quick and smart decisions and prioritize. Obviously, these [...]
Guide for dealing with research delays of PhD candidates, postdocs and tenure trackers as a result of COVID-19
This guide, drawn up by several organizations (VSNU, PNN, PostdocNL, trade unions and De Jonge Akademie), can serve as a starting point to facilitate discussions between researchers and research institutions.
PhD Corona Impact Survey – results
The spread of Covid-19 has rapidly and strongly impacted societies all over the world. The EPS PhD Council decided to release a survey in order to evaluate the impact of the resulting crisis on the [...]
Hugo de Vries Award 2019 for Quint Rusman
Quint Rusman, former PhD candidate at Wageningen University, has received the annual Hugo de Vries Award for the best PhD thesis in botany-related sciences in the Netherlands. Quint performed his PhD research at the Laboratory [...]
Need some support or advice as EPS PhD candidate or EPS postdoc?
Are you looking for some help or advice because you are having problems with your PhD or postdoc project? Then check out our support page.
Today is Fascination of Plants Day!
Show your love of plants! Post something to your social media channels to show others how fascinating and important plants are and use #FoPD and #PlantsDay. Listen here to Radio Gelderland where Dolf Weijers, professor [...]
KNAW Early Career Award
The KNAW Early Career Award is intended to support and encourage talented PhD graduates. The Award is aimed at researchers at the start of their career who are capable of developing innovative and original research [...]
Plantae presents – Virtual Plant Science Seminars
The American Society of Plant Biologists launched a new virtual seminar series via the online community, Plantae. Each seminar features two speakers and you can either watch the livestream or the recorded session.
Geert Smant appointed as professor of Nematology at WUR
On March 1st, Geert Smant was appointed as professor and chair at the Laboratory of Nematology at Wageningen University & Research. He is the successor of Prof. Jaap Bakker, who has held this position since [...]
Mark Roosjen – 7500th PhD defense at Wageningen University & Research
On Monday 30th of March EPS PhD candidate Mark Roosjen from the Laboratory of Biochemistry successfully defended his PhD thesis, which will go into the records as the 7500th PhD defense that took place at [...]
EPS @Work
Check out how your colleagues are adjusting to their new work environment or find tips on how to work well at home on the EPS @ work page, which is now online!
First digital PhD defenses at Wageningen University & Research
EPS PhD candidates Jarst van Belle and Pauline van Haperen had their successful PhD defenses on the 24th of March, but they were different than previously anticipated due to the corona virus outbreak. You can [...]
Jorge Navarro-Muñoz wins UFW Research Award 2020
Jorge Navarro-Muñoz, former postdoc in the WUR Bioinformatics Group, has won the University Fund Wageningen Research Award 2020 for his paper “A computational framework to explore large-scale biosynthetic diversity”.
VICI grant for Christa Testerink
Christa Testerink, Professor of Plant Physiology at Wageningen UR, was awarded an NWO Vici Grant of 1,5 MEuro for her project 'In shape under stress': Drought and salinity of the soil present threats to plants, [...]
Leónie Bentsink appointed personal professor
Leónie Bentsink has been appointed as personal professor at the Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen UR. Leónie Bentsink is interested in the regulation of seed germination, specifically how seeds are able to germinate after many [...]
EPS PhD candidate Katharina Hanika dances her PhD and wins!
Katharina Hanika, a PhD candidate at Plant Breeding & Phytopathology at Wageningen University & Research, won the “Dance your PhD” contest in the category Biology, organized by Science and AAAS.
ISE launches a petition for more investment in Horizon Europe
The Initiative for Science in Europe invites researchers, students, research organisations, and the civil society to sign the petition for a more ambitious budget allocation to the next Research Framework Programme, Horizon Europe.
Call for abstracts NWO Life2020
Call for abstracts NWO Life2020 Life is the annual NWO congress for the life sciences in the full scope. The registration for Life2020 is open and the call for abstracts has been published! Scientists in [...]
Hugo de Vriesprijs 2019
Elk jaar wordt de Hugo de Vries prijs toegekend voor het beste botanische proefschrift dat verdedigd is aan een Nederlandse universiteit. Deze verkiezing wordt georganiseerd door de Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging (KNBV) en de Stichting [...]
Seven EPS proposals granted in Graduate School Green Topsectors/Wageningen Graduate School call
The NWO graduate programme Green Top Sectors offers MSc students in the Plant Sciences the opportunity to write and submit their own PhD proposals with a research group of their own choice. An NWO committee [...]
EPS PhD candidates visit BASF Nunhems
On Friday October 25 a group of PhD candidates visited the company BASF Nunhems, located in the Dutch province of Limburg. While enjoying drinks and snacks, students could listen to talks about the structure and [...]
20 million euros for Microbial Imprinting for Crop Resilience: MiCRop
A consortium, headed by Harro Bouwmeester (UvA), has been awarded 20 million euros for the research programme Microbial Imprinting for Crop Resilience (MiCRop). The programme is a collaboration between the University of Amsterdam (Harro Bouwmeester, [...]
European Citizens’ Initiative Grow Scientific Progress – Crops Matter
A group of MSc students has taken the initiative to contribute to responsible agricultural innovation in the EU by urging the European commission to improve the outdated legislation on plant breeding. The current regulatory system [...]
UFW Research Award for EPS PhD candidate Sumanth Mutte and former EPS postdoc Dr. Hirotaka Kato
Sumanth Mutte and Dr. Hirotaka Kato won the University Fund Wageningen (UFW) Research Award 2019, for their work published in eLife: “Origin and Evolution of the Nuclear Auxin Response System”. In this study, Sumanth and [...]
Registration Workshop Advances in Plant and Food Metabolomics open!
A workshop for young scientists who have limited or no background in Metabolomics. Deadline for registration is 1st of October 2019.
Veni Grant for Charles Underwood
Charles Underwood (Wageningen U&R, Plant Breeding) received a 250,000 Euro Veni-grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for his proposal titled “Understanding the barriers of genetic exchange in hybrid plants”. Charles will investigate [...]
Veni Grant for Mark Sterken
Mark Sterken received a Veni-grant to investigate the interaction between plant-parastic nematodes and their host-plants. His proposal, “The host-parasite supergenome: an untapped source for disease resistances” was awarded 250,000 euro for the coming four years. [...]
Arrival of the EPS Postdoc Council!
It has taken some time, but we are happy to announce that EPS now has its very own Postdoc Council. As EPS Postdoc Council we aim to bring the EPS postdoc community together for exchanging [...]
Electron Microscopy course – extended deadline
Are you interested in learning more about electron microscopy (EM) and how you could use it in your PhD or postdoc project? Then make sure to apply for this course before 30th of August!
Jian Xu appointed professor of Plant Systems Physiology
As of June 1st, Jian Xu has started as professor of Plant Systems Physiology at Radboud University. He is the successor of Prof. Titti Mariani. Prof. Xu obtained his PhD in Molecular Genetics at Utrecht [...]
Inaugural Lecture Prof.dr. Luisa M. Trindade
Prof. dr. Luisa M. Trindade has been appointed Personal Professor from 1st March 2019. She will give her Inaugural Lecture as Personal Professor Bioresources Breeding and Genetics. Prof. Trindade has entitled her lecture “Bioresources for [...]
EPS PhD candidates visit Averis
On Friday June 7 thirty PhD candidates headed to Valthermond, a small village in the north of the Netherlands. There they visited the potato-breeding company Averis, which is a daughter of the company AVEBE. After [...]
VIDI grant for Photosynthesis research Emilie Wientjes
Emilie Wientjes (WUR, Biophysics) was awarded a VIDI grant for her research 'How flexible is photosynthesis?'. Plants use light to make sugars. However, the quantity and quality of light vary during the day. The researchers [...]
Fascination of Plants Day 2019: EPS PhD candidates participate in Science Battle, winner is Tom Theeuwen (WUR)
Tom Theeuwen wins the science battle between PhD candidates Ties Ausma (RUG), Eva van Zelm (WUR), Tom Theeuwen (WUR) and Sietske van Bentum (UU) who participated in a Science Battle organised by Plantum. The Science [...]
Luisa Trindade appointed professor at Plant Breeding, WUR
Luisa Trindade, Associate Professor (UHD) at Plant Breeding has been appointed Professor holding a personal chair. Prof. Luisa Trindade (Lisbon, 1971) studied Plant Breeding at the Technical University of Lisbon and graduated in 1995. In [...]
Inaugural lecture – Prof. Yuling Bai
Date: Thursday 23 May 2019 at 16.00 Venue: Wageningen University & Research Auditorium, Generaal Foulkesweg 1a, Wageningen Prof. Yuling Bai, Personal Professor of Plant Breeding, WUR will give her inauguration speech entitled “Plant Breeding: Art [...]
ERC Grant for Dolf Weijers
Dolf Weijers (Biochemistry, WUR) has won an ERC Advanced Grant of 2.5 million euros for his research programme ‘DIRNDL - Directions in Development’: Multicellular organisms have a front, a back, a top and a bottom, [...]
Vici grant for Leónie Bentsink
Leónie Bentsink (Plant Physiology, WUR) was awarded an NWO Vici Grant of 1,5 MEuro for her project 'Seeds4Ever: Protection of stored mRNAs to Ensure seed survival. How do seed stored mRNA's survive?' With this funding [...]
Inaugural lecture – Prof. dr. Martijn Rep
Date: 11 April 2019 at 16:00 Venue: University Aula, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Singel 411, 1012 XM, Amsterdam Dr. Martijn Rep has been appointed professor of Phytopathology at the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA) Faculty of [...]
Conference Innovation and collaboration in plant breeding for sustainable agriculture – special fee for PhD candidates and Postdocs
On April 14-16, 2019 the bi-annual CROP Innovation & Business conference will take place in Amsterdam. During CROP Innovation & Business 2019 the most influential trends that will affect crop innovation and value chain strategies [...]
Registration for Annual Meeting Experimental Plant Sciences Lunteren now open!
Please notice that registration for Lunteren has now opened. On Monday April 8 and Tuesday April 9 the yearly two-day EPS meeting will be held in Lunteren at the conference centre ‘De Werelt’. The programme [...]
Hugo de Vriesprijs 2019
Elk jaar wordt de Hugo de Vries prijs toegekend voor het beste botanische proefschrift dat verdedigd is aan een Nederlandse universiteit. Deze verkiezing wordt georganiseerd door de Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging (KNBV) en de Stichting [...]
Seven EPS proposals granted in Graduate School Green Top Sectors/Wageningen Graduate School call
The NWO graduate programme Green Top Sectors offers MSc students in the Plant Sciences the opportunity to write and submit their own PhD proposals with a research group of their own choice. An NWO committee [...]
Nils Foss Excellence Prize for Robert David Hall for plant biochemical fingerprint research
Today, the Wageningen University & Research Professor Robert David Hall received the Nils Foss Excellence Prize for his pioneering research in plant metabolomics – defining the chemical fingerprint of plant materials. The award consists of [...]
NWO awards 5.7 million to the “LettuceKnow” program aimed to future-proof lettuce varieties
A new 5.7 million euro research project will ensure that lettuce will be more resistant to pathogens and climate effects and will grow better in new cultivation systems. EPS research groups from Utrecht, Wageningen and Leiden [...]
3rd Call for Transnational Access to the European Plant Phenotyping Network 2020
Application deadline: 28th of January 2019 The European Plant Phenotyping Network 2020 (EPPN2020) is an EU-funded Research Infrastructure project with the overall goal to create structural and functional synergies between the plant phenotyping institutions in [...]
EPS-member Yuling Bai appointed as personal professor
Prof.dr. Bai has been appointed as personal professor at the Laboratory for Plant Breeding of Wageningen University & Research, led by Prof. Richard Visser. There she was employed as an associate professor and research group [...]
Five million euros for European research to increase agricultural and horticultural yields
Molecular approach to protect plants against cold stress and to stimulate growth. The 'Boostcrop' consortium with researchers from the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences [...]