EMBO Member
University, Wageningen | Netherlands
EMBO 2023
My group uses various genomics and cultivation-based approaches to explore the microbial world to obtain a better understanding of major transitions during the evolution of life. Of particular interest is the origin of the eukaryotic cell, which evolved via a merger of an Asgard archaeal host cell and a mitochondrial symbiont. By studying present-day relatives of these cells, we hope to gain insight into the emergence of complex cellular life.
Keywords: Microbial evolution / archaea / eukaryogenesis / symbiosis / microbiome / phylogenomics / tree of life / microbial diversity
Subject area(s): Genomic & Computational Biology | Microbiology, Virology & Pathogens | Evolution & Ecology