Biosketch

Prof. Lubbert Dijkhuizen was trained in microbiology (PhD in 1979) and moved to molecular biology/biotechnology. His research at GBB focused on: i) transglycosylation enzymes involved in microbial carbohydrate synthesis and modification, ii) protein structural features determining enzyme reaction/product specificity (glycosidic linkage type, product chain length), and iii) structural analysis of the carbohydrate products. Lubbert has a track record in novel enzyme characterization (from genome analysis, activity screening), including enzyme engineering and protein 3D structural analysis. He has strongly advanced the field of starch, sucrose and lactose-acting enzymes by combining enzyme functional and structural studies (2016 recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award). His latest research topics at GBB comprised:

• Starch and sucrose acting enzymes: Identification and characterization of evolutionary enzyme intermediates cleaving starch (α1-4)-linkages and introducing (α1-6) or (α1-3)-linkages (synthesizing α-glucan food fibers that act as prebiotics; with AVEBE, Nestle);

• Lactose acting enzymes: Enzyme characterization and engineering, followed by detailed structural characterization of the galacto-oligosaccharides produced (HPLC, MS, NMR);

• Enzymatic synthesis and functional characterization of Human Milk Oligosaccharide mimics (e.g., Sia-GOS, with FrieslandCampina, Nutricia Danone).

Lubbert Dijkhuizen officially retired in 2016, but remained appointed for another 2 years for directing the FSE Agri/Food program and CCC. He has published >410 peer-reviewed papers with >28,490 citations (Google Scholar); he also is co-inventor of 20 patents. His recent work on carbohydrate-acting enzymes receives a lot interest worldwide. His research was funded by obtaining (PPP) grants from NWO, the EU, regional innovation programs (e.g., EDR), Mibiton (research infrastructure) and many companies in and outside the Netherlands. At GBB he successfully supervised 68 PhD students. He has acted as NWO Life Sciences vice-chairman, as Director of Groningen Genomics Center (with UMCG), as Director of GBB, and as scientific director of the Carbohydrate Competence Center CCC; the latter under Lubbert’s directorship acquired a budget of >30M€ for fundamental and innovative research, involving 25 companies and 10 universities (funded for 50% by NWO/Topsector AgriFood and 50% by member companies). He is co-founder of CarbExplore BV, a start-up company that exploits expertise on carbohydrates and carbohydrate-acting enzymes for service research and product synthesis.