Ruud Wilbers

Ruud Wilbers is an Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University & Research. His research focuses on glycobiology, molecular biology, and parasitology, with applications in plant biotechnology and biopharmaceutical production. He specializes in engineering plant systems to produce recombinant glycoproteins with native helminth N-glycans, and investigates immune mechanisms modulated by parasitic molecules.

Key projects include developing DNA-free gene editing techniques in Nicotiana benthamiana, optimizing glycoform engineering for biologics production, and studying the immunomodulatory effects of schistosome-derived glycans. He co-supervises PhD candidates in genome editing, plant genome repair mechanisms, and CRISPR-based technologies.

Wilbers has contributed to patents on recombinant proteins and collaborates internationally on parasitic nematode biology. His work bridges plant science, immunology, and biotechnology, with applications in vaccine development and sustainable protein production.