Short bio Corné Pieterse
Plant-Microbe Interactions group, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
E-mail: C.M.J.Pieterse@uu.nl Web: http://www.uu.nl/en/research/plant-microbe-interactions
Google Scholar: LINK; Personal page: http://www.uu.nl/staff/CMJPieterse
Corné Pieterse is a Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science at Utrecht University, where he serves as Chair of the Plant-Microbe Interactions group. He studied Plant Breeding and Plant Molecular Biology at Wageningen University, graduating in 1988. He subsequently conducted his PhD research at Wageningen on the molecular basis of pathogenicity of the potato late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans, under the supervision of Francine Govers. After obtaining his PhD in 1993, he moved to Utrecht University to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying induced systemic resistance (ISR). In 2004, he was appointed full professor. His research group investigates how the plant immune system protects plants against microbial pathogens, as well as how beneficial microbes in the root microbiome stimulate plant growth and immunity. Current research focuses on the concept of the “extended plant immune system,” aiming to uncover plant-beneficial functions encoded by the root microbiome and to elucidate the roles of plant genes and metabolites in maximizing growth and health benefits derived from microbial interactions. Through his research, Corné Pieterse seeks to contribute to major societal challenges, including food security and sustainable agriculture. Since 2014, he has been recognized as an Highly Cited Researcher (top 1% worldwide in his field). In 2022, Corné Pieterse and his team received the Spinoza Prize, the highest award in Dutch academia. In recognition of his scientific contributions, he was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and EMBO.
Questions for Prof. dr. ir. C.M.J. (Corné) Pieterse:
1. What research project are you most excited about right now? OR What research discovery was the highlight of your career?
At the moment, I am most excited about our projects investigating the role of root-secreted coumarins in regulating microbiome assembly and the onset of induced systemic resistance (ISR). This work brings together several key aspects of my scientific career. During my postdoctoral phase, we focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying ISR triggered by model plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in monoassociation with Arabidopsis. Now, in the microbiome era of our field, this background allows us to place those discoveries within a broader rhizosphere community context, reinforcing the idea that plants do not fight pathogens alone. Instead, both in nature and in agriculture, the plant’s “extended immune system”, shaped through interactions with its microbiome, plays a crucial role. Being able to contribute to this continuing story, and to keep adding new pieces to the larger puzzle of molecular plant-microbe interactions, is what excites me most.
2. What drew you to your current job?
It was largely a matter of serendipity. I studied plant breeding and plant molecular biology, an emerging field at the time, and knew I wanted to pursue a PhD. However, I first had to deal with compulsory military service, which I could only postpone by securing a PhD position before my 25th birthday. Six weeks before that deadline, I started a PhD project on Phytophthora infestans at Wageningen University. At the time it was not my first choice, but I am very glad I took the opportunity. I spent four years isolating and sequencing putative pathogenicity genes – by hand, using actual gels. I loved the cloning and sequencing work and became deeply engaged with molecular plant–microbe interactions under the (super fun) supervision of Francine Govers, who had just started as an independent PI. After my PhD, serendipity intervened again when Kees van Loon at Utrecht University offered me a postdoctoral position to establish a molecular biology lab and study the molecular mechanisms of rhizobacteria-mediated induced systemic resistance (ISR), a newly discovered phenomenon at the time. This opportunity allowed me to return to the plant side of plant–microbe interactions and laid the foundation for my later work on the plant microbiome and the concept of the plant’s extended immune system. Our research developed very well, and one thing led to another. I never set out to become a professor; I simply enjoyed the science and working with great people. That this path ultimately led to a professorship reflects both that enjoyment and a good deal of good fortune.
3. How did you choose your graduate program? (or what made you want to be a molecular plant pathologist?)
I think this question is already covered by the previous one (😊)
4. What advice would you give to starting graduate students and early career scientists?
If possible, follow your heart and pursue what truly excites you. You have a long working life ahead of you, and it is far more rewarding to spend it doing something that fuels your passion rather than something that merely appears to be the “right” choice on paper or what others think is best for you. Equally important is the environment you choose: try to work with kind, caring, and motivating people who believe in you, regardless of your background. At the same time, remain open-minded to unexpected opportunities – they may change your path for the better. In the end, it is all about how you make the most of the options available to you. And as you progress in your career, strive to create the kind of environment in which you yourself would have loved to grow and develop.
5. What advice would you give to people starting out on the job market?
I think this question is already covered by the previous one (😊).
6. Who has inspired you scientifically? Why?
When I was an undergraduate student, I did an internship in the lab of Maarten Koornneef, one of the godfathers of Arabidopsis research. He was infectiously passionate about the power of genetics in plant science and inspired me to become a plant scientist. He also encouraged me to go abroad for an internship, which led me to the lab of Natasha Raikhel at Michigan State University, another major inspiration in my career. At the time, I was a relatively shy student, yet she believed in me and motivated me to take control of what I wanted to achieve. One memorable example involved a sophisticated plasmid I was working with that did not behave entirely as expected. She urged me to call the scientist who had designed the plasmid (this was before the internet), but knowing I would probably not do so on my own, she simply dialed the number and handed me the phone, forcing me to overcome my shyness and ask for what I needed. To my surprise, the scientist on the other end was extremely friendly and helpful. This experience taught me that perceived hierarchy is often a mental barrier rather than a real one. Ever since, I have tried to be open and helpful to people at all career stages, realizing that it can be intimidating to approach someone you look up to. Throughout my career, I have been inspired by several others as well, including Francine Govers, my PhD supervisor, who showed me that a deep passion for science can go hand in hand with laughing out loud about almost everything on a daily basis. And, of course, there is the grand lady of phytopathology in the Netherlands: Johanna Westerdijk. In 1917, at the age of 34, she was appointed Professor of Phytopathology at Utrecht University, becoming the first female professor in the Netherlands. My research group at Utrecht University is built on her legacy, and we still live by her motto: “Working and partying shapes beautiful minds.”
7. Are you involved in other scientific/professional development activities? And how do these contribute to your training?
During my career, I have enjoyed being actively involved in local and national graduate schools, helping to shape mentoring and training systems for MSc and PhD students. I have mentored more than 100 PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from many different countries and backgrounds, most of whom have gone on to secure nice positions in academia or industry. These young scientists typically spend three to four years in our lab. What we strive for is that this period becomes one of the most rewarding and memorable times of their lives, and that they build lifelong relationships.
8. What is the greatest challenge you have encountered in your career? What did you do to overcome this challenge?
For somebody who has difficulty with saying “no”, the greatest challenge has been staying sane as responsibilities continue to pile up over the course of a progressing career. Fortunately, I was able to regularly secure funding for fundamental research questions that personally interested me most. This allowed me, throughout my career, to explore new frontiers and remain genuinely excited about research. In this journey, the support and dedication of everyone around me have been invaluable, particularly the often less visible, yet extremely important technicians with whom I have worked for decades.
9. How can people find you on social media?
X is out for me, and LinkedIn, with a bit of Bluesky (@cornepieterse.bsky.social), has become my preferred set of channels, though I am much more of a follower than an “influencer.”
10. Optional: What’s your favorite story from an IS-MPMI Society or other plant pathology meeting?
I have attended many MPMI Congresses, always featuring great science and great people. Yet it is often the associated fun activities that linger most in memory. I have particularly fond memories of the MPMI meeting in Knoxville, where we went white-water rafting. The water, however, was not especially wild, so our boat, filled with some rather wild Dutch and Australian scientists, decided to get a bit wetter than planned. This enthusiasm was not entirely appreciated by the neighboring boats, whose occupants had opted for rather fancy suits… though we managed to get wet as well.
11. Have you ever conducted research in a country other than your own? What were the challenges and good parts?
As a master’s student, I worked in the lab of Natasha Raikhel at Michigan State University. I truly enjoyed the completely different yet exciting environment, where I learned a great deal about myself. An experience that proved to be a treasure throughout the rest of my life. Later in my career, I undertook a sabbatical in two different labs in Brisbane, Australia. This gave me the opportunity to rethink my science away from the busy daily schedule of meetings, while also enjoying life in this fantastic country for a few months with my family. Stepping out of one’s routine can be very refreshing and can provide renewed energy that lasts for many years.
12. Is there anything else you would like to share in your Spotlight? If so, what is it?
I would like to share that throughout my career I have experienced the IS-MPMI community as a very collegial and inspiring one. Especially in these times, when science is often questioned and opinions can seem more important than facts, it is crucial that we remain strong advocates of fundamental science and continue to support one another.
13. Bonus question: What’s your favorite pathogen or disease?
Potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, facilitated my first steps in the MPMI field, and I sequenced the first 12 of its genes with my own bare hands (😊).
14. Bonus question: What’s your favorite molecular plant pathology-related article?
I was invited to write an H.H. Flor Distinguished Review for MPMI. I chose to focus on the emergence of the scientific field centered around the concept of the “extended plant immune system”, which coincided with my own scientific career (https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-10-25-0144-HH). During the writing process, I came across so many excellent papers that I simply could not single out a favorite.