Michael Jetten

Michael Jetten is a Full Professor of Ecological Microbiology at Radboud University Nijmegen and Extraordinary Professor in Environmental Microbiology at TU Delft. He serves as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science at Radboud University and previously held roles including Director of Research at IWWR and Assistant Professor at TU Delft. His research focuses on microbial physiology of nitrogen/methane cycle bacteria, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), microbial ecology, and metagenomics of complex communities.

Education:

• PhD in Anaerobic Microbiology (1991), Wageningen University
• Postdoc in Metabolic Engineering at MIT (1991-1994)

Research Interests: Pioneering discoveries include anammox bacteria, symbiotic methane-oxidizing bacteria in peat mosses, thermoacidiphilic archaea, and Methylomirabilis oxyfera. His work bridges fundamental microbiology with applied biotechnology, particularly in wastewater treatment and environmental engineering. Key contributions include elucidating microbial roles in biogeochemical cycles and developing anaerobic treatment systems deployed in 15+ global facilities.

Scientific Impact:

• Recipient of Spinoza Prize (2012), ERC Grants (2008, 2013), and Royal Netherlands Academy membership
• Edited Environmental Microbiology journal and advised national/international scientific bodies

Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams studying microbial communities in marine, freshwater, and engineered systems. Collaborates globally on projects involving extremophiles, anaerobic metabolism, and bioremediation technologies.