We are happy to be able to start our interdisciplinary project on eco-evolutionary interactions in recurrent urinary tract infections. We will soon share application information for 4 PhD positions, and 3 postdoc positions. All fully funded.

Partners involved:

Main applicant:

Dr. M.G.J. (Marjon) de Vos (GELIFES, FSE, RUG)

Co-applicants:

Prof. J.H.H.M. (Janneke) van de Wijgert

University Medical Center Utrecht / Utrecht University, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care

Dr. J.J.J. (Justin)van der Hooft

Wageningen University, Bioinformatics Group, Department of Plant Science

Dr. M.H. (Marnix)Medema

Wageningen University, Bioinformatics Group, Department of Plant Science

Prof. C.R. (Celia) Berkers

Utrecht University, Dept. Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. M.F. (Michael) Seidl

Utrecht University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science

Dr. J.M. (Jerry) Wells

Wageningen University, Host-Microbe Interactomics group, Department of Animal Sciences

Prof. R.S. (Rampal) Etienne

University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences

Other consortium members:

Prof. S.E. (Suzanne) Geerlings

Amsterdam University Medical Center, Dept. Internal Medicine, Div. Infectious diseases

Prof. C. (Constance) Schultsz

Amsterdam University Medical Center, Dept. Global Health

Prof. A.J. (Alan) Wolfe

Loyola University, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL,

USA

Prof. B.E. (Bas) Dutilh

Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse”,

Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany

More information: https://www.nwo.nl/en/news/twenty-one-innovative-research-projects-launched-through-open-competition-domain-science-xl

Iron regulates contrasting toxicity of uropathogenic Eschericia coli in macrophages and epithelial cells. Led by Deepti Dabral, van den Bogaart lab. Happy to have played a small role in it.

Together with Chrats Melkonian, Michael Seidl and Justin van der Hooft, we wrote a Trends in Microbiology Spotlight on the manuscript by Yu, Correio-Melo, et al. on the role of metabolic interactions in microbial communities.

Last week Marjon has received the L’Oréal Unesco For Women in Science Fellowship.

The Women in Science Fellowships and rising talents awards are organized by the NIAS-KNAW, KHMW and LNVH, and sponsored by Unesco and L’Oréal.

I feel honored and grateful for this opportunity, and to be in the great company of the other awardees.

A clip on my research, and a short movie of the festive celebration.

On 28 June we organize the NLSEB meeting to host all Evolutionary Biology research in the Netherlands.

Abstract deadline 2 May 2022. See link for more information & registration.

Organizing committee: Sijmen Schoustra, Koen Verhoeven, Jeroen Meijer, Marjon de Vos

Infections are usually treated using a straightforward paradigm: an infectious agent causes the patient’s illness, so the cure is a drug that kills the agent. This paradigm works but reality is often much more complex, explains Marjon de Vos, assistant professor of Microbiology at the University of Groningen. ‘Treatment with antimicrobials produces a selection pressure towards resistance. And this happens within a microbial community with more than one species.’

Read more here: https://www.rug.nl/sciencelinx/nieuws/2021/11/a-new-way-to-fight-antimicrobial-resistance?lang=en

Two independent 4-day meetings. In both of these, we will embrace thought-provoking discussions, community engagement on cutting edge topics in microbial evolution, and informal discussions over shared meals and beautiful scenery. Applicants may apply to either or both meetings. Both meetings will feature invited speakers (please find a list in the attached poster), and we welcome applications for short talks and poster presentations. We aim to have all participants present their work.

Applications will be reviewed based on overall quality and fit for the meeting. Abstracts must be unique and specific to the theme of the meeting. As a fully trainee-organized meeting, we especially welcome applications from graduate students and postdocs. But all levels are welcome! Both meetings will be small (~60 people) and will feature meals and social activities at the venue to drive discussion and engagement. Registration and two meals per day will be provided at no cost. Participants should cover travel and accommodation, but we expect to provide need-based financial assistance for both to anyone who needs it. Please reach out to us directly for financial assistance. Applications are now open, and close on November 30th 2021 at 11:59pm. All applications will be reviewed after this deadline. We expect to send acceptance emails by mid December.

Meeting I is focused on Microbial Communities and Coevolution (May 16 – 20, 2022).


Meeting II is focused on Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics (May 30 – June 3, 2022).

Visit the following website for details of each workshop and for the abstract submission process.

https://workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/43/

Note: We aim to provide safe conditions for this in-person meeting. Based on future regulations and recommendations, we may require proof of vaccination status and/or proof of testing prior to entry.

Organizers: Alita Burmeister (Yale University), Andrew Farr (MPI for Evolutionary Biology), Fatima Aysha Hussain (MIT), Tanush Jagdish (Harvard), Clara Moreno-Fenoll (ESPCI-PSL), Loukas Theodosiou (MPI for Evolutionary Biology)

• 

Marjon and Arjan de Visser (WUR) will give an Origins Center workshop

on Fitness Landscapes on Tuesday 9 November, 16:00h-17:00h.

Arjan and I will discuss the opportunities & pitfalls for predicting evolution and the sense & nonsense for applications such as evolutionary medicine.

You can register here for the Zoom-link.

Organizers: Liedewij Laan (TU Delft), Bregje Wertheim (RUG)

Marjon was part of the reading group of the report on Zoonotic diseases commissioned by the Dutch government. The report was published on 6 July.