International Advisory Council

Prof. dr. Joy Bergelson

New York University, Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology

We study the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of bacteria interacting with A. thaliana. Some current themes include the role of generalist pathogens on community genomics, the role of pathogen by pathogen interactions on infection dynamics, dynamics between pathogens and the rest of the microbiome and functional analysis of the evolution of the immune system in plants.

Further information

• Website
• Google Scholar

Dr. Irene de Bruijn

Team lead Microbial Profiling at Koppert B.V.

Koppert is an international market leader in biological crop protection and natural pollination. We offer an integrated system of specialized cultivation knowledge and natural, safe solutions that enhance the health, resilience, and productivity of crops. Over the years, Koppert's extensive expertise in insects, mites and microorganisms has inspired numerous solutions for agriculture and horticulture to control pests and diseases.

Further information

• Koppert
• LinkedIn
• ORCID

Marcel van Verk

Vice-President Crop Data Science, Keygene N.V.

Marcel van Verk heads the Crop Data Science department, the company’s central hub for advanced data analytics. His team specializes in designing and applying innovative methods using systems biology and artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle data challenges in genomics, trait research, digital phenotyping, and breeding. By leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration, Marcel and his teams are pushing the boundaries of agricultural science and technology, advancing crop science through cutting-edge data analytics.

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• Scholar
• LinkedIn

Prof. dr. Maarten Koornneef

Emeritus professor of plant genetics at Wageningen University

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Prof. dr. Paul Schulze-Lefert

Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany

Paul Schulze-Lefert is director of the Department of Plant-Microbe Interactions at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany. Previously, he held senior positions at the University of Aachen, Germany, and at the Sainsbury Laboratory of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK. His research focuses on the plant innate immune system and the plant microbiota. In recent years, his laboratory has contributed to the development of plant microbiota science as a new field of research. His main goal is to define the molecular principles underlying the establishment of plant-associated microbial communities and their beneficial services to the host using reductionist approaches.

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Dr. Hari Sudini

Netherlands Institute for Ecology, Microbial Ecology Department

Dr. Sudini, an Indian national, earned his B. Sc. (Agricultural Sciences) and M.Sc. (Agriculture) from Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (presently Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University), Andhra Pradesh, India followed by a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Auburn University, Alabama, USA. Dr. Hari Kishan Sudini joined in International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in December 2009 and since then he has been working for ICRISAT in various capacities. Currently, I am working as a Principal Scientist- Groundnut Pathology in the Accelerated Crop Improvement Research Program and the Head of Science Quality & Strategy at ICRISAT, India. My research areas/interests include identifying and deploying cost-effective and sustainable management options for groundnut diseases (leaf spots, rust, stem and collar rot, bud necrosis disease etc.) to improve the crop’s productivity and profitability. Most importantly, my lab works on addressing aflatoxin contamination in groundnut along the value chain including aflatoxin diagnostics. Of late my team focusing on soil amendments such as biochar and its influence on soilborne diseases suppression.

Further information

• E-mail
• Google Scholar