prof.dr. M (Marcel) Dicke

Research

Marcel Dicke investigates the ecology of insect-plant interactions. During his PhD project (1980s) he made the breakthrough discovery that plants respond to herbivory  with the production of a complex odour blend that attracts the enemies of the herbivores that inflicted the damage (coined ‘plants cry for help’). This has resulted in a paradigm shift in the research field of plant-animal interactions (covering animals ranging from tiny mites to birds) and has resulted in a new research field on multitrophic interactions and community ecology. In the past 10 years his research has been instrumental in the integration of community ecology (Science 2008, Plos Biology 2012) with analytical chemistry and molecular biology (Science 2005, PNAS 2008, 2009, 2011, Nature Chemical Biology 2009, Plos Biology 2012). This integration is at the basis of an extensive form of systems biology, i.e. from genes to communities (Science 2004, Trends in Plant Science 2011, Annual Review of Plant Biology 2014).

Dicke has received various awards for his research such as:

• the NWO Spinoza award (aka the ‘Dutch Nobel Prize’), awarded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (2007)
• Eureka prize for science communication, awarded by NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) and KNAW (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen)
• Academic Year Prize (Battle of the Universities) for translating excellent scientific research to the general public (NRC, NWO & KNAW) (2006)
• Rank Prize for Nutrition (Trustees of Rank Prize Foundation, United Kingdom) (2006)
• VICI grant awarded by NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research)
• Belgacom Prize awarded by the Royal Belgian Academy of Sciences (1996)
• Dutch Zoology Prize awarded by the Netherlands Society for Zoology (1992)

Dicke is elected member of:

• the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, abbreviated: KNAW)
• The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (Koninklijke Hollandse Maatschappij der Wetenschappen)

Marcel Dicke’s research focuses on four major themes

• KNAW (13-5-2011/31-12-2099)
  
• Béta-Ambassadeursnetwerk (1-1-2009/31-12-2099)
  
• Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (1-1-2008/31-12-2099)
  
• Ecological Entomology (1-1-2001/31-12-2099)
  
• Journal of Chemical Ecology (1-1-1999/31-12-2099)
  
• Journal of Chemical Ecology (1-1-1999/31-12-2099)
  
• Current Opinion in Insect Science (1-8-2019/31-12-2099)
  
• Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (1-1-2018/31-12-2099)
  
• University of Sheffield (1-9-2021/31-12-2099)
  
• Council of International Congresses of Entomology (1-11-2022/31-12-2099)
  The Council for International Congresses of Entomology is made up of up to 23 eminent scientists drawn from national entomological societies and covering all geographic regions, but first and foremost, they represent the disciplines that make up Entomology: the study of insects and allied forms. Councils’ prime function is to ensure the continuity of the International Congresses of Entomology or ICE as they have come to be known. These large gatherings are open to entomologists from all countries and have come to be held every four years. They celebrate the achievements and on-going challenges of this vital basic and applied science.