dr. IE (Emilie) Wientjes

I am fascinated by how plants, algae and cyanobacteria capture sun light and convert it into chemical energy to power virtually all life on Earth. In 2015 I started my research group at the Laboratory of Biophysics, were we investigate how the photosynthetic light-harvesting machinery of plants and cyanobacteria cope with various light conditions.

Using a combination of advanced fluorescence (expansion) microscopy, (time-resolved) fluorescence spectroscopy, biochemistry and modelling my group investigates how the structure and organization of the thylakoid membrane is remodeled, maintained and repaired to sustain light-harvesting under challenging conditions.  

Current position

• 2023 - present        Associate Professor Biophysics and Photosynthesis - Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Previous positions

• 2015 – 2023        Assistant Professor Biophysics and Photosynthesis - Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
• 2014 - 2015        FOM Postdoctoral Fellow Biophysics and Plasmonics - hosted by the Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Herbert van Amerongen
• 2012 - 2014        Postdoctoral Fellow Biophysics and Plasmonics, Molecular Nanophotonics, Institute of Photonic Sciences, ICFO, Barcelona, Spain. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Niek van Hulst
• 2011 - 2012        Postdoctoral Fellow Biophysics and Photosynthesis - Biophysics group, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Roberta Croce

Education

• 2007 - 2011 PhD (Cum Laude, top 5%) - Molecular Photobiology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Title: Revealing the light-harvesting properties of Photosystem I - From single antenna to supercomplex. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roberta Croce
• 2002 - 2007 MSc Molecular Sciences (Cum Laude, top 5%), Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Fellowships, grants and awards

• 2024 WUR Starters grant with Steven Driever funds 1 PhD
• 2023 NWO-M funds 1 PhD
• 2022 EPS PhD fellowship for Jarne Berentsen
• 2020 NWO Groot as co-applicant
• 2019 Vidi fellowship awarded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), 5 years research fellowship, 800 kE
• 2015 Veni fellowship awarded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), three year research fellowship, 250 kE
• 2015 Marie Sklodowska Currie Individual Fellowship awarded by the European Commission, two years research fellowship
• 2014 FOM/v Fellowship, upto three years research fellowship
• 2012 Marie Curie International Fellowship COFUND and ICFOnest program, two years research fellowship

Publications

• 56 publications in refereed journals
• > 2900 citations (Scopus), > 4200 (Google Scholar)
• h-index: 28 (Scopus), 32 (Google Scholar)

• Basisschool H.J. Piekschool (23-3-2023/13-4-2029)
  Took part as member of NWO jury
• Photosynthesis Research (1-11-2022/8-3-2030)
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