Jury report for Prof. W.M. (Willem) de Vos

Professor of Microbiology at Wageningen University

Professor De Vos receives the NWO/Spinoza Prize 2008 for his groundbreaking research into the contribution of microorganisms such as bacteria to human food and health.

Willem M. de Vos (30 October 1954, Apeldoorn) obtained a master’s degree in biology/biochemistry with distinction from the University of Groningen in 1978, where he subsequently gained his doctorate with distinction in 1983 for research that was partly carried out at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. After a postdoctoral position in England, he started a research group at the Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research (now NIZO Food Research), where he became research manager in 1987. In that same year, Wageningen University appointed him as part-time professor of Bacterial Genetics and in 1994 he became full-time professor and chair of Microbiology. He has combined this chair with various directorships at the University and at scientific institutes, such as the Top Institute Food & Nutrition. Since 2007 he also holds a part-time position as Finland Distinguished Professor at the University of Helsinki.

De Vos is a leading expert in the molecular genetics of microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea and fungi. For example, he has discovered that lactic acid bacteria communicate with each other by means of special peptides and that by producing these peptides they can even interfere with the growth of other microorganisms. He has also developed methods to specifically influence the metabolism of lactic acid bacteria so that the production of flavours, vitamins and sweeteners can be improved. His fundamental discoveries are applied on a large scale. His research has led to the development of lactic acid bacteria that can improve the taste and shelf life of cheese.

He was the first to use a multidisciplinary approach to explore the large variation in bacteria found in the human gastrointestinal tract. Using DNA analyses he irrefutably established that each individual person has a unique combination of intestinal bacterial species, which in part is determined genetically. This laid the basis for a new research field that aims to understand the relationship between the intestinal bacteria and the host's health. He expects that the diagnostics of intestinal bacteria will contribute to clear descriptions of specific diseases so that these can be treated better.

His most recent breakthrough is the revolutionary discovery of the ‘improved petri dish’. He developed microchips that consist of millions of small chambers in which tiny quantities of bacteria, archaea, fungi or human cells can be cultured and characterised at the same time. With this he demonstrated that it is possible to isolate new species, as well as species not previously cultured.

Willem de Vos is a highly productive scientist. He is the author or co-author of more than 350 publications, about 50 chapters in books, the holder of 25 patents or patent applications and to date has supervised almost 75 Ph.D. students. And when developments within his discipline are not moving as fast as he would like then he pushes the field forward, for example, by organising international symposia, setting up new partnerships or stimulating start-up companies.

Willem de Vos is an energetic, highly driven and inspiring researcher, who, on top of that is also an outstanding science manager. Besides his many additional responsibilities on boards and advisory bodies, he always remains closely involved in the actual research activities. His zest for work, productivity and commitment are extremely impressive and the Spinoza Committee expects that he will be responsible for many new breakthroughs in the coming years.

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This jury report served as the basis for the speech given by Prof. Gerard Meijer at the announcement ceremony for the NWO/Spinoza Prizes 2008 on 2 June 2008.