CURRICULUM VITAE
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Roland Jan Siezen
August 26, 1945
Dutch
Married, 3 children
Eikelakkers 2, 6711TE Ede, the Netherlands
+31-6-20600955
Research and Professional Experience:
2011-present
Scientific Advisor
Microbial Bioinformatics
www.microbial-bioit.nl
2000-present
Professor Microbial Bioinformatics
Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics (CMBI),
Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Research: genomics and bioinformatics of prokaryotic micro-organisms
(emphasis on lactic acid bacteria): gene finding, functional annotation,
comparative genomics, structural genomics; database and computer
analysis of protein families, protein profiles; food enzymes, e.g. proteolytic
enzymes (subtilases), comparative analysis, molecular modelling
Supervision: Supervision of postdocs (6), PhD students (12) and
undergraduate students (>20).
Teaching: master classes and courses Bacterial genomics, Homology
modelling
Collaboration: Top Institute Food and Nutrition (NL), Kluvver Centre for
Genomics of Industrial Fermentation (NL), NIZO food research (NL), UMC
Nijmegen departments (NL), RIVM (NL), and many others.
2000-2010
Group Leader Bacterial Genomics
Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics (CMBI),
Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
1999-2010
Bioinformatics Coordinator
NIZO food research, Ede, the Netherlands
TI Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Kluyver Center for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation, the Netherlands
1998- 2000
Coordinator Strategic Research Programme NIZO
1997-1999
Coordinator Collective Dairy Research Programme NIZO
Coordination of the entire collective dairy research programme at NIZO
(budget about 15 million Dutch guilders annually); includes preparing
annual research programme and reports for the Programme Commission
of the Dutch dairy industry.
1995-2000
Programme Manager Biotechnology NIZO
Coordination and main responsibility for all modern biotechnology research
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at NIZO; includes contacts with the Programme Commission of the Dutch
dairy industry, NIABA, EU-LABIP (Lactic Acid Bacteria Industrial Platform),
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Senter, etc.
1997-1999
NIZO Management
Member of NIZO Management Team, responsible for overall institute
strategy and operations (about 200 personnel).
1997-1999
Head of Department Product Functionality
NIZO food research, Ede, the Netherlands
Management: Head of Product Functionality Department, including the
sections “Quality and Safety”, “Nutrition and Health”, “Microbial
Ingredients”, and “Flavours and Starters” (about 60 personnel, and about
20 additional students and visiting scientists).
Research (general): Responsible for department research programme and
projects, including multi-disciplinary approach and integration of expertises
from these four sections and other the NIZO departments Process Design
and Product Technology.
Research (specific): as above
1987-1997
Head of Department of Biophysical Chemistry (and Molecular
Genetics)
NIZO (Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research), Ede, the Netherlands
Management: Head of biophysical chemistry department, consisting of
protein/enzymology group and molecular genetics group (about 25
personnel and additional students, visiting scientists); coordination of
department budget, equipment, materials and services, travel funds,
quality assurance, etc.; writing of grant proposals and patent applications.
Research (general): Responsible for department research programme and
projects, from fundamental to applied, and from generic dairy research to
confidential, in the areas of lactic acid bacteria (genetics, metabolism,
enzymes), bacteriocins (mainly nisin, lantibiotics), milk proteins, enzymatic
and fermentative processing, proteolytic enzymes, amino acid
convertases, exopolysaccharides, flavour formation, cheese ripening;
genetic, metabolic and protein engineering; over-expression systems for
metabolites, peptides, enzymes, etc.
Responsible for project planning, supervision, completion, reporting and
publication in high-standard international journals.
Research (specific): Initiated and led specific research projects on
proteolytic enzymes, amino acid convertases, protein engineering of
enzymes and bacteriocins, protein structure-function relationships,
database and computer analysis of protein families, subtilisin-like serine
proteases and molecular modelling of enzymes and milk proteins.
Partner in several EU-programmes (BRIDGE, BIOTECH, AIR, FAIR) in the
areas of lactic acid bacteria and milk protein modification; coordinator of an
EU-FAIR project (1997-2000): “Control, acceleration and diversification of
flavour formation in cheese by enzymatic conversion of amino acids”.
Publications: >60; 2 patents
Special techniques: computer-assisted molecular modelling, bioinformatics, protein engineering, CAVE (computer-assisted virtual reality)
1983-1987
Research Associate
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Department of Physics (with Dr.G.Benedek)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Research: Groupleader of biophysics and biochemistry research of eye
lens proteins in relation to cataract formation. Analysis of differential
biosynthesis, structure, function and stability relationships of lens proteins.
Development of anti-cataract drugs and ocular delivery systems. In vitro
and in vivo covalent modification of specific lens proteins. Studies of phase
separation phenomena in concentrated protein solutions.
Publications: 14; 3 patents
Teaching/supervision: Supervision of biochemistry and biophysics
research group (7 personnel); training of chemistry, biology and physics
majors students; supervision of thesis writing; lectures on protein structure
and interactions, and biochemical laboratory techniques.
Special techniques: quasi-elastic light scattering, fluorescence
spectroscopy, development of cation-exchange HPLC
Management: Head of biochemistry and biophysics research lab; writing of
grant proposals and patent applications; coordination of grant budgets
(NIH, NSF, etc, $500,000 annually), salaries (14 personnel), equipment,
materials and services, travel funds, etc.
1977-1983
Research Fellow
Department of Physical Biochemistry (with Dr.L.W.Nichol and
Dr.D.J.Winzor)
John Curtin School of Medical Research
Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Research: Thermodynamic non-ideality, self-association and mixed protein
association processes at high (physiological) protein concentration, e.g.
glutamate dehydrogenase, hemoglobin, lysozyme, crystallins. Physicochemical characterization of eye lens proteins. Publications: 15
Teaching/supervision: supervised 1 technician, several students
Special techniques: development of frontal chromatography; ultrafiltration,
circular dichroism, structure prediction algorithms.
1975-1977
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Department of Biochemistry (with Dr.H.J.Hoenders and Dr.H.Bloemendal)
University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Research: Biochemistry of eye lens transparency and cataract formation.
Studies on the topography, quaternary structure and post-synthetic
modifications (aging) of -crystallin, a large oligomeric protein from the eye
lens. Publications: 14
Teaching/supervision: Supervision of PhD students and technicians.
Special techniques: electron microscopy, circular dichroism, small-angle Xray scattering, specific protein modification, cross-linking and digestion
methods.
1974-1975
Post-Doctoral NATO Fellow
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (with Dr.O.Holm-Hansen)
University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Research: Marine food chains and biochemical oceanography. Analysis of
amino acid compositions of suspended organic matter in sea water.
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Publications: 2.
Special techniques: development of gas-liquid chromatography of
derivatized amino acids.
1969-1974
Research Assistant/PhD student
Department of Biochemistry
(with Dr.E.F.J. van Bruggen, Dr.M.Gruber, Dr.J.Drenth)
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
Research: PhD studies on the association-dissociation of -hemocyanin, a
multi-subunit oxygen-transport blood protein.
Publications: 8, and PhD thesis.
Teaching/supervision: Biochemistry lab courses for chemistry
undergraduates; supervision of research by undergraduates.
Special techniques: electron microscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation,
small-angle X-ray scattering.
Education:
1951-1957
1958-1963
1963-1969
1969-1973
Primary education: Toronto, Canada
HBS-B degree: High school, Baarns Lyceum, the Netherlands
MSc Degree: Biochemistry
University of Groningen, the Netherlands
PhD Degree: Biochemistry
University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Grant applications (successful; since 1997):
1997-2000
EU-FAIR project (coordinator): “Control, acceleration and diversification of
flavour formation in cheese by enzymatic conversion of amino acids”.
2002-2007
NWO Biomolecular Informatics (BMI) project (coordinator):
“Computational genomics of prokaryotes”
2002-2006
IOP Genomics project: “Comparative and predictive transcriptome
analysis of Gram-positive bacteria for enhanced food functionality, food
quality and food safety”
2003-2012
Kluyver Center for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation: 2 projects
(coordinator)
2005-2009
EZ Casimir project: “Bioinformatics of flavour-forming pathways in Lactic
acid bacteria”
2005-2010
NGI-NBIC (Netherlands Bioinformatics Centre) Biorange: 4 projects (1
project as coordinator)
Conference Management:
1997-1998
International Dairy Symposium NIZO 50
Organizing Committee, responsible for scientific programme
1999-2002
7th International Lactic Acid Bacteria Symposium,
Organizing Committee, Chairman
2003
Wageningen Centre of Food Sciences, Food Summit,
Organizing Committee, Chairman
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2007
Netherlands Bioinformatics Centre (NBIC) annual conference,
Organizing Committee, Chairman
Advisory Committees:
1983-1986
NIH Visual Sciences Study Sections, consultant
1996-2000
CAOS-CAMM Centre Nijmegen, Scientific Advisory Board
2002- 2010
IOP Genomics Programme Committee
2003- 2008
Netherlands Bioinformatics Centre, National Advisory Committee
2010-present
NWO Horizon Programme, Advisory Committee
Memberships:
Present
Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV)
Netherlands Biotechnological Society (NBV)
Netherlands Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NVBMB)
Netherlands Scientific Research Organization, Protein Group (NWO, CW
Werkgemeenschap Eiwitten)
American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB)
Previous
American Chemical Society
Biophysical Society USA
Protein Society USA
International Society for Eye Research
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
International Oceanographic Foundation
Lactic Acid Bacteria Industrial Platform EU (LABIP)
Netherlands Industrial and Biotechnological Association (NIABA)
Reviewer:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sciences USA (PNAS)
J. Bacteriology
J. Molecular Biology
Environmental Microbiology
Appl. Environmental Microbiology
Trends in Microbiology
Microbiology
Bioinformatics
BMC Genomics, BMC Bioinformatics, BMC MIcrobiology
FEMS Microbiology Letters
and others
Hobbies, sports:
Whale and dolphin research (volunteer on scientific expeditions), hockey,
skating, orienteering, bridge, golf, pubquiz
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