Jos Raaijmakers

Jos Raaijmakers is head of the department of Microbial Ecology at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) of the Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW) and Professor of Microbial Ecology at Leiden University.

His research program focuses on the diversity, dynamics and natural functions of microorganisms associated with plants. His group pioneered plant-microbiome research by elucidating microbial consortia and molecular mechanisms involved in disease-suppressive soils. To validate the role and functions of specific plant-associated microbial genera, they contributed to the development of novel bioinformatic tools and discovered several new biosynthetic gene clusters and metabolites involved in microbe-plant, microbe-microbe and microbe-protozoa interactions. In their Back-To-Roots research program, they collaborate with various national and international universities and research institutes in South America, Africa and Asia to elucidate how plant domestication has impacted on microbiome assembly and activity.

Current projects focus on the molecular mechanisms of plant microbiome assembly and how plants benefit from the large genomic, genetic and metabolic potential of the microbiome. The functions of the plant microbiome that are studied in detail are microbial protection of plants against biotic and abiotic stress, in particular fungal diseases, root parasitic weeds and drought. Understanding the influence of plant genotype and environmental conditions on the dynamics, assembly and activities of microbiomes will help to design new strategies to minimize fertilizer and pesticide input in crop production and to maximize the beneficial effects of microbiomes on plant productivity and food quality.