Véronique de Gucht conducts research in clinical health psychology, specifically on chronic conditions and sensitivity to stimuli.

Barbara Gravendeel is interested in the genomic and developmental basis of evolutionary changes (evo-devo) in plants.

Soils house an overwhelming abundance and diversity of living (micro)organisms. In our research we examine how plants influence the soil they grow in, and how these changes influence other plants that grow later in the soil, and the insects on those plants. We study the mechanisms of these aboveground-belowground…

Together with psychologists and immunologists from Utrecht, he proved as one of the first that stress affects the immune system. After obtaining his PhD he worked at the University of Amsterdam.

I am a PhD student at the Carrion lab, working on the MicroGRICE project, whose primary goal is to reduce methane emissions from rice paddies through bacteria. In addition, I study the role of microbiomes and bacteria in alleviating salt stress on rice plants. My overarching research goal is the development…

During my PhD at KU Leuven (Belgium, 2000–2005), I explored evolutionary and ecological patterns in the wood anatomy of flowering plants. As a postdoctoral researcher (2005–2010), I expanded my focus to functional anatomy, allowing me to link wood anatomical traits to drought tolerance. This integrative…

I am a PhD student in Carrion Lab and Microbial Ecology Department at NIOO-KNAW. In my project I aim to decipher endophytic microbial functions activated upon pathogen infection. I am also involved in developing bioinformatic tools and its use for the prediction of endophytic lifestyle and confirmation…

Lecturer in sustainability with an expertise in how climate change affects ecosystems.

Plants are extraordinary biochemists and produce a plethora of valuable specialized metabolites (i.e. natural products), including some of our most important medicines. In my lab we want to understand specialized metabolite biosynthesis on a molecular level to improve cultivated plant systems and advance…

Why do some groups of organisms evolve into many species, while evolution is much slower in other groups, places, or time periods? Why do some species go extinct, and why are some more resilient to major impacts or ecosystem changes? I study the ecology and evolution of flowering plants to answer these…

Friedo W. Dekker is a professor of Clinical Epidemiology. His main teaching is related to scientific training and engagement in research, and he is program leader and co-chair of a research group on medical education. His clinical research is mainly related to patients with chronic kidney disease, in…

Through various initiatives, Leiden University is trying to make people aware of the importance of biodiversity: the cultivation of a wide variety of micro-organisms, animals and plant species. This is important because in the Netherlands biodiversity has declined from about 40 percent in 1900 to about…

National Meat Free Week (Nationale Week Zonder Vlees, 7–13 March) is an initiative to reduce meat consumption. Assistant professor Paul Behrens is studying what impact a change in our food consumption would have on the world. What, according to him, are the main reasons to switch to a (mainly) plant-based…

Facility, Organisation

As an ethnobotanist, I study traditional plant use. Together with several PhD students, postdoc fellows and MSc students, I am involved in a number of research projects.

I am a PhD candidate at the IBL in the group of Prof. Ákos T. Kovács, where I study how circadian clocks shape interactions between the beneficial soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, using molecular biology and microscopy approaches.

Do you also love a city where nature can bloom, crawl and flutter freely and exuberantly? And do you fancy a challenge out in the fresh air? If so, grab your mobile and take part in the BioBlitz 'Higher Education is Flourishing' from 22 May.

My group focuses on understanding the regulatory mechanisms by which plants integrate abiotic stress-derived signals into growth and developmental programs, and the molecular machinery that underlies stress memory in plants.

I’m a molecular geneticist with a foundation in biology, having obtained my BSc in Biology here in Leiden, where I was first introduced to the fascinating world of life sciences. My undergraduate studies sparked a deep interest in cell biology, cancer research, cell signalling, molecular genetics, and…

My main research subjects are urban flora and citizen science. I am working on a citizen science project where we map out where and what different pavement plants grow in cities and towns, together with citizens. Additionally, we want to see if participants will develop more attention for urban flor…

Arthur started as a PhD candidate at the department of Industrial Ecology in February 2026 and works on the REAP2SOW project, focusing on the sustainability of novel food crops.