Biosketch

Oscar Kuipers was first trained in molecular biology and biochemistry (PhD in 1990) and extended his scope with molecular genetics, microbiology and bioengineering. A central theme in his research is the development of novel antimicrobials both for pharmacy as well as for food and environment, including studies on resistance. A second research line is the study of bacterial phenotypic heterogeneity at the single cell level, to answer questions on the regulatory and metabolic mechanisms leading to differentiation in clonal populations. The third theme is on understanding bacterial gene regulation and physiology, using a wide variety of approaches, among which experimental evolution and synthetic biology. Oscar has a strong track record in protein and peptide engineering, including the development of novel inducible expression and screening systems. He is one of the main experts globally on antimicrobial peptide engineering, biosynthesis and gene regulation. Moreover, he pioneered the field of bacterial cell differentiation. His main research areas include:

• Synthetic biology to develop novel antimicrobial compounds, by a wide variety of in vivo approaches, including cell engineering, combinatorial synthesis, novel screening methods and incorporation of non-canonical amino acids.

• Differentiation in clonal populations cells: elucidation of regulatory mechanisms underlying phenotypic heterogeneity in metabolic processes

• Microbiota and antimicrobials in relation to NAFL disease.

Oscar Kuipers has retired since December 2022, but as emeritus professor still is active in supervising PhD students who will finish their research in the coming two years. He has published >500 peer-reviewed papers that have received >49,500 citations (Google Scholar); he is co-inventor or >15 patents. He was awarded the Simon Stevin Masters Award (2011) for his outstanding technological research. He is elected member of both the KNAW and the European Academy of Microbiology, and he was awared Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion (2019). He acts as Board Member of the Netherlands Antibiotic Development Platform (instigated by VWS), and is Editorial Board member of FEMS Microbiology Reviews and Microbial Biotechnology. He has coordinated Groningen iGEM teams for 10 years, among which the 2012 world champion. Oscar also is co-founder of the start-up Omnicin Therapeutics. Annually, he gives between 6-10 invited lectures at international meetings and conferences.

Three selected key publications 2017-2022:

1. Zhao X, Li Z & Kuipers OP (2020) Mimicry of a non-ribosomally produced antimicrobial, Brevicidine, by ribosomal synthesis and post-translational modification. Cell Chemical Biology 27(10): 1262-1271; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.07.005

The first report ever showing that a non-ribosomal peptide antibiotic with unusual amino acids can be mimicked by ribosomal synthesis and posttranslational modification and having good antimicrobial activity. This opens up many possibilities to make large libraries of antibiotic mimics that are genetically encoded and screen them for antibiotic activity against major pathogens.

2. Montalbán-López M, Scott TA, Ramesh S, Rahman IR, van Heel AJ,…….., Kuipers OP & van der Donk WA (2021) New developments in RiPP discovery, enzymology and engineering. Natural Product Reports 38(1): 130-239; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d0np00027b

A joint effort with a team that I met at the Granada conference that I organized in 2019, showing the great increase in knowledge and importance of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and their engineering possibilities.

3. Morawska L & Kuipers OP (2023) Cell-to-cell non-conjugative plasmid transfer between Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria. Microbial Biotechnology 16(4): 784-798; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14195

First report for the transfer of plasmids and proteins via nano-tubes from and towards either Bacillus subtilis, Lactococcus lactis or Streptococcus thermophilus. Inspired by the great work of Ben-Yehuda. This work will enable non-GMO modifications of microbes used in the field of food and nutrition.