Kasper Van Gelderen
Kasper is the PI of the lab. He likes coffee, results, live music and social events, although sadly, except the coffee, there’s never enough of those. He did his BSc and MSc degrees in biology with a specialization in cell biology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. For his PhD he joined the Molecular and Developmental Genetics group at Leiden University, under the guidance of Prof. Remko Offringa. There, he delved into the cell biology of plant transmembrane auxin transporters, particularly PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transporters and their regulation by the AGC3-type kinase PINOID (PID). His research direction shifted towards the interactions between PID kinases and the light regulatory protein COP1, specifically in the context of light and darkness effects on root growth. He then moved to Utrecht University's Plant Photobiology/Ecophysiology group, led by Prof. Ronald Pierik, where they focused on plant responses to far-red light and explored shoot-to-root signalling. He continued working with Prof. Pierik on shoot-root signalling and rekindled his interest in cell biology, studying the phyB photobody and the shoot-to-root transport of the HY5 transcription factor. With the help of funding from the DFG Emmy Noether Program he has set up his own lab at the COS. His current research is a combination between his expertise obtained during his MSc and PhD degrees in Cell Biology and his postdoc work, which focused on light signalling. Kasper has remained fascinated by protein interactions, structures and their role in the fundamental processes of life and hopes to convey this fascination to others via his teaching in the Molecular Biosciences master programs.
Personal Data
Title: Dr.
First name: Kasper
Name: van Gelderen
Current position: Independent Group Leader (Emmy Noether)
Current institution, country: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Germany
Identifiers/ORCID: 0000-0001-7809-2812
Institutional website: https://www.cos.uni-heidelberg.de/en/research-groups/light-signaling-and-cell-biology
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Qualifications and Career Stages
2008–2010: MSc. Biology (Cell), Wageningen University, The Netherlands
2002–2008: BSc. Biology (Cell), Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Doctorate:
2010–2014: Prof. Remko Offringa, Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Netherlands. Awarded 2017
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Stages of academic/professional career
2022–Present: Independent Group Leader (DFG Emmy Noether) at the Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University
2018–2022: Postdoc at Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Prof. Dr. Ronald Pierik, Utrecht University, Netherlands
2020: Visiting researcher on an EMBO short-term fellowship, Laboratory of Hormonal Development and Regulation, Dr. Jan Petrasek and Dr. Katarzyna Retzer, CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
2014–2018: Postdoc at Plant Ecophysiology, Prof. Dr. Ronald Pierik, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Netherlands
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Engagement in the Research System
2024-Present: Organising COS Seminar series
2024: Organiser of 8th International COS Symposium
2022–Present: Lecturer in the Molecular Biosciences master program, Heidelberg University
2022–Present: Part of the HeiTracks career development program (Heidelberg University)
2019–2021: Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology Journal
2020–2021: Organised Digital Pictures: Data Integrity and Display; MSc and PhD level, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Utrecht University
2019–2020: Mentor of first-year students, BSc Biology, Utrecht University
2015–2017: Plant Development and Adaptation practical course and lecture, BSc Biology, Utrecht University
2013–2014: Lectures at BSc honors program, Leiden Science Faculty
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Supervision of Researchers in Early Career Phases
Supervised PhD students in the last five years: 2
Current PhD students under supervision: 4
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Academic Distinctions
2022: DFG Emmy Noether Program fellowship
2022: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (declined due to conflicting Emmy Noether grant)
2020–2022: Assistant Features Editor at Plant Physiology Journal
2020: EMBO short fellowship (At UEB-CAS Prague, Petrasek lab)