Guido van den Ackerveken

Guido van den Ackerveken is a Professor and Chair of Translational Plant Biology at Utrecht University's Science Biology department. He leads the Translational Plant Biology (TPB) group, focusing on translating fundamental plant research into applications for crop breeding, particularly in plant architecture and disease resistance/susceptibility under climate change. As Scientific Director of the CropXR institute, he oversees a multidisciplinary consortium integrating plant sciences, data science, AI, and social sciences to develop resilient crops for sustainable agriculture.

His research spans plant immunity, pathogen genomics, and microbiome interactions. Key contributions include identifying susceptibility genes (e.g., DMR6), elucidating Nep1-like protein functions, and advancing optical coherence tomography for pathogen visualization. He advises on grants and collaborates across institutions, including roles at the Stimulation Fund Molecular Genetics and CropXR.

Publications span over three decades, emphasizing host-pathogen interactions, effector biology, and genetic mechanisms. His work bridges basic and applied science to address global food security challenges.