Dirk-Jan Scheffers

Prof. Dirk-Jan Scheffers holds the position of Professor of Bacterial Cell Biology at the University of Groningen, within the Faculty of Science and Engineering's Molecular Microbiology department. He is renowned for his contributions to interdisciplinary education, notably as Programme Director of the Life Science and Technology bachelor's program, which integrates biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmacy. This program, launched in 2020, has been praised for its innovative, inter-disciplinary curriculum.

His research focuses on bacterial membrane dynamics, cell division mechanisms, and antimicrobial resistance. Key projects include investigations into lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in E. coli, membrane repair pathways, and the development of novel antimicrobial compounds targeting pathogens like Xanthomonas citri. Scheffers has also contributed to understanding the role of flotillin proteins in membrane fluidity and peptidoglycan synthesis.

In 2022, he received the Zilveren Zandloper Education Award for his leadership in establishing the LST programme. His work extends to editorial roles for journals like Molecular Microbiology and PLoS ONE, and he collaborates globally, including projects with Brazilian institutions on sustainable citrus cultivation.

• Grants: Received funding for sustainable citrus research (2022).
• Lab/Team: Leads a research group focused on bacterial cell biology, with recent projects involving synthetic lipoglycopeptides and membrane-targeted antimicrobials.