Filip Meysman

Filip Meysman is a research professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp (Belgium), where he heads the newly founded GeoBiology research group. His research team (24 members) investigates the microbial ecology of natural seafloor environments, embracing interdisciplinary approaches (biology-chemistry-physics). In recent projects, he’s investigating how marine sediments can be used to sequester CO2 from the atmosphere (negative CO2 emissions) and he’s looking at the intriguing and exciting phenomenon of microbial electricity in the ocean floor (www.microbial-electricity.eu). A particular goal is to develop highly conductive protein materials from electrogenic microbes to obtain new bioelectronic technologies.

Filip Meysman also coordinates the newly founded Centre of Excellence on Microbial Systems Technology, which consolidates the expertise in microbial ecology and technology across various departments at UAntwerpen, and is one of the 15 flagship research initiatives within the university. Over his career, he has authored >150 research articles and received several awards that recognize scientific excellence (FWO Odysseus, ERC consolidator, NWO Vici, AIAS fellowship). Additionally, Filip Meysman is highly active in science communication and scientific outreach to the broader public, as a promotor and coordinator of large-scale citizen science projects (www.curieuzeneuzen.be). This citizen science work has been recognized with the Annual Prize for Science Communication 2017 and 2022 (Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts) as well as the Golden Medal of Honor from the Flemish Government.