Prof. Els Van Damme

Nominated by

• The Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
• AcademiaNet member since 05.02.2014
• AcademiaNet- Selection Criteria

Employed by

• UGent

Academic Discipline/Fields

• Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
• Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics

Field

Agriculture, Biological and related sciences

Area of specialisation

Protein chemistry and enzymology; Crop protection; Molecular biology of plants; Plant physiology; Plant biotechnology

Research interests

• The "Laboratory of Biochemistry and Glycobiology" at the University of Ghent, headed by Prof. Els Van Damme, is embedded in the Department of Biotechnology (Gent University) has ample expertise in the field of plant biotechnology, protein purification and characterization, cell assays and microscopy, as well as physiological and molecular analyses with plants.

• For over 20 years, the research within this group has focused on a multidisciplinary study of biologically active plant proteins, in particular plant lectins. Over the years the focus of the research has shifted from a biochemical towards a molecular biological study aiming at deciphering the role of these proteins in the plant. Since the discovery of several inducible lectins the research has largely focused on the importance of protein-carbohydrate interactions in plants. Nowadays the major research projects running in the lab focus on getting a better understanding of the physiological role of defense-related proteins in plant cell signaling and defense.

Distinctions and Awards

• Commandeur in de Orde van Leopold II / Commander in de Order of Léopold II, since 2012

• Member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium, Natural Sciences, since 2009

• Price of most cited Flemish scientific author, June 21, 2000 (ISI Citation Classic Award)

• Laureate of the Royal Academy of Belgium, Sciences, 1993

Languages

Dutch, English, French, German

Doctorate

• 1991: Analysis of lectin cDNA clones from Amaryllidaceae and Alliaceae species