Newsletter February 2017 en
Newsletter February 2017 en
Newsletter February 2017 en
FEBRUARY 2017
IN THIS NEWSLETTER
INTRODUCTION NEWSLETTER
INTRODUCTION & AGENDA 1
LUUK VAN DER WIELEN AP- Dear colleagues,
1,
POINTED AS DIRECTOR OF
THE IRISH BERNAL INSTITUTE 2 This is the 13th edition of BT News.
ADRIE STRAATHOF APPOIN- 2
TED AS SECTION LEADER AI This newsletter is a periodical by the Department of Biotechnology. The newsletter will
keep you informed of all the news, interesting projects, anniversaries, awards, and pub-
EMPLOYEE MONITOR 2 lications.
EXHIBITION DELFT HOME OF 2 If you have any questions, suggestions or news, please contact me:
MICROBIOLOGY
J.W.M.Achterhof@tudelft.nl
OPENING BEIJERINCK 3
MUSEUM & BIODAY
IN MEMORIAM: 5
GERDA LOURENSSCHOUTENS
Luuk van der Wielen will combine his directorship at the Bernal Institute with a part-time
Page 2
BT NEWS
LUUK VAN DER WIELEN APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR OF THE IRISH BERNAL INSTITUTE
(CONTINUATION)
professor position in the Bioprocess Engineering section. He will remain involved in BE-Basic as
chairman of the Executive Board. We wish Luuk every success in his new role at the Bernal Institute.
Please click here for the press release of University of Limerick.
Bernal Institute
Adrie Straathof is to take over the section leadership for the Bioprocess Engineering section on
an interim basis. Because of his new position as director of the Bernal Institute, Luuk van der
Wielen has decided to give up his the section leader role.
In 2015 an employee monitor was conducted at AS, which gave us more insight
into work experience, role clarity and involvement of employees within the faculty.
This year, the employee monitor will be conducted once again, not only for the
faculty of Applied Sciences but for TU Delft as a whole.
On January 26, you have received an email with a direct link to the online ques-
tionnaire by IVA. Applied Sciences takes your opinion very seriously and considers
it important that you participate. By giving your opinion, we can improve the work
environment together.
For questions, please contact your department secretary or your HR advisor.
The celebrations of the 175th lustrum of TU Delft, themed around Technology for Life,
include an inspiring exhibition that describes and visualises the history of microbiology
and the biosciences in Delft, from the 17th to the 21st century. A visit is a must for all
biotechnologists working in Delft!
The exhibition is centered around Antoni van Leeuwenhoeks grave in the Oude Kerk
and runs until 26 February 2017.
Link
Page 3
BT NEWS
At the TU Delft Science Centre, the historic laboratory of microbiologist Martinus Willem
Beijerinck is being restored to its former glory. The restoration means that specimens,
glass plate negatives and rare books by Beijerinck and Albert Kluyver are being made
accessible to the public. The celebratory opening is planned for 16 March 2017, to coin-
cide with the 166th anniversary of Beijerincks birth. And the modern-day Delft bio-
community is also joining the celebrations: TU Delft BioDay 2017 is being held on the
same day.
For news and updates on the opening of the museum keep an eye on the website of the
Science Centre.
BioDay
A networking event for the TU Delft bio-community, BioDay focuses on virology, the field
in which Beijerinck played a pioneering role. Professor Fouchier from the Erasmus MC will
hold a lecture addressing Virus discovery and characterisation, a century after Beijerinck .
The event will also feature poster presentations and informal discussions to allow guests
to share biological (and biology-related) research. For information and the latest pro-
gramme updates, please visit: tudelft.nl/bioday.
THE 1ST YEARS LST STUDENTS HAVE ARRIVED ON THE DELFT CAMPUS
On Febr 7, the 1st year LST students have arrived on the Delft campus.
They started this week with their first year course on Biotechnology, and with their Biotechnology practicals in
our wonderful new education lab facilities. See the pictures for an impression.
We would like to welcome them, and look forward to their progress the coming years.
Page 4
BT NEWS
While TU Delft as a whole is celebrating, this year marks anoth- Outgrowing the pot
er important anniversary. In 2017, the Botanical Garden is cele- Van Iterson's broad approach and the fact that his new sub-
brating a special birthday. The renowned botanist Gerrit van ject of Microscopic Anatomy was very popular with students,
Iterson officially commenced use of the garden 100 years ago eventually necessitated finding more spacious accommoda-
this October. tion. He also needed a garden where so-called 'technical
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Botanical Garden is or- crops' for use in scientific research could be cultivated.
ganising a range of extra activities throughout the coming year. To his frustration, this garden failed to materialise. That is,
A selection of these activities is listed below: until he was offered another job. In 1911, Van Iterson was
21 May: Using plant-based dyes invited to take up the position of director of the testing sta-
4 June: Opening of sculpture exhibition tion for the Java sugar industry.
16 June: Book launch 100 jaar geschiedenis van de Botani-
sche Tuin [100-year history of the Botanical Garden] He was interested in the job, but the university was dead set
June/July/August: Various concerts against losing him and students took action to retain their
14 September: Symposium on Tuin als lab [The garden as beloved professor. Van Iterson therefore decided to refuse
a lab] the offer, on one condition: the government must consent to
17 September: Music festival build a new laboratory and to finally lay out a garden for
14 October: Party in honour of the 100th anniversary of the technical crops. The government conceded. However, due to
Botanical Garden bureaucracy and the outbreak of the First World War, it took
until 1917 for the garden and the laboratory to be ready for
The start of the Botanical Garden use.
Van Iterson was a student of the celebrated professor Martinus
Willem Beijerink, the first Professor of Microbiology in Delft and From research to teaching
the man also known as 'the father of virology'. It was in fact Over the years, the Botanical Garden has made it possible to
Beijerink who took the first steps toward setting up a botanical conduct a considerable amount of scientific research, and it
garden in Delft, by requesting in 1895 that a new laboratory, continues to play a part to this day. For example, using a
garden and greenhouse be made available for his research. new method, Dr Jan Marijnissen recently succeeded in ex-
These facilities were set up on the Nieuwe Laan, not far from tracting Baccatin-III, a substance that plays an essential part
where the Botanical Garden now lies. in the treatment of cancer, from the needles of the English
yew (Taxus baccata). Extra trees of this species were planted
In 1907, a special chair in Microscopic Anatomy was established in the Botanical Garden for the purposes of his study. In
for Beijerink's student Van Iterson. He probably had his mentor recent years, the role of the Botanical Garden has increasing-
to thank for that. He was allocated a building alongside the ly shifted away from research towards teaching. For exam-
Oude Delft canal. There, he conducted research into vegetal ple, botany lessons are given there to pupils in their last year
raw materials that are useful to humans, such as fibres, rub- of primary school.
bers, fats and oils. More information on the Botanical Garden is available here.
BT NEWS Page 5
After a period of severe illness, Gerda Lourens-Schoutens passed away on 30 January at the age
of 58. Gerda did her PhD in our department and remained involved as project manager in many
projects. Her contribution to the realisation of the Life Sciences and Technology programme is
immense. She also co-initiated the B-Basic and BE-Basic programmes. More recently, she was
involved in the realization of HollandPTC. We will remember her positive energy. She had a real
heart for biotech and was an inspiration to many people around her.
Professor Mark van Loosdrecht has been named as one of the top 25 Water Leaders of Water &
Wastewater International Magazine, making it to the third spot in the list. Another Dutchman,
Ren Noppeney of Royal HaskoningDHV, was chosen as this years winner.
Van Loosdrecht and Noppeney have both been instrumental in making the Nereda wastewater
treatment technology a success.
The Yeast3M project that was granted to Aljoscha Wahl aims to unrav-
el control and regulation strategies in central metabolic pathways. The
knowledge and developed methodology will be directly relevant to in-
dustrial biotechnology but also to human health and disease. VU Am-
sterdam, TU Eindhoven, DSM and TU Delft join forces in this project to
measure, model and manipulate S. cerevisiae .
Just arrived at the Department of Biotechnology? Please take some time to introduce yourself.
Send your picture with a short introduction to Jennifer Achterhof (J.W.M.Achterhof@tudelft.nl )
Since October 2016 I joined the group of Prof. Hanefeld for a postdoc research pro-
ject on biocatalysis applying a promising Michael hydratase.