Freek Bakker

Dr. Freek T. Bakker is an Assistant Professor of Molecular Systematics at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands. His research focuses on molecular evolution, particularly in the South African genus Pelargonium, and includes studies on organelle genome evolution, phylogenetics, and herbarium genomics. He has expertise in DNA barcoding, phylogenetic analysis, and next-generation sequencing applied to archival plant specimens.

Dr. Bakker's work integrates theoretical and applied aspects of systematics, including evolutionary trends in floral morphology, cytonuclear incompatibilities, and the use of herbarium specimens for genomic studies. Notable projects include the EU-funded Herbarium Genomics initiative and collaborations on plant domestication patterns in Brassica crops. He has contributed to advancing methodologies for extracting genomic data from century-old herbarium samples, enabling novel insights into plant evolutionary history.

His academic career includes postdoctoral positions at the University of Reading (UK) and Wageningen University, following his PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Groningen (1995). He teaches courses in Biosystematics, Comparative Biology, and Bioinformatics, mentoring students in plant genetics and evolutionary studies.