About our research
Research
This Master's specialisation is offered in close connection with the research departments of Microbiology at Radboud University and Medical Microbiology at Radboudumc (university medical centre). We collaborate with colleagues from the Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES) and complementary (inter)national experts from SIAM, NESSC and various Max Planck Institutes.
Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES)
Our researchers
Get to know our researchers and their work, you might be working alongside them in your Master's!
Research departments
During your Master's you will do at least one internship at one of our research departments. Relevant departments are:
The research department Microbiology at Radboud University works at the forefront of environmental microbiology and is specialised in the discovery of ‘impossible’, new anaerobic microorganisms. Microbiology has the potential to replace common energy-intensive chemical processes by more sustainable solutions. Radboud University collaborates closely with environmental scientists, animal ecologists and industrial partners to create energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for societal waste problems.
Our Microbiology department has been bestowed with the most prestigious science prizes, including three ERC Advanced Grants, a Spinoza Prize, and two Gravitation Grants. Also, many of the students have been awarded prizes for best thesis, poster and paper.
At the department of Medical Microbiology at Radboudumc, we conduct diagnostic research and provide treatment advice. We work on tracking, diagnosing, and treating infectious diseases caused by microorganisms, e.g. by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
Research themes
You can choose one of the themes below as the subject of your research internship.
Microbiology has the potential to replace common energy-intensive chemical processes by more sustainable solutions. Radboud University collaborates closely with environmental scientists, animal ecologists and industrial partners to create energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for societal waste problems.
A better understanding of host defence will lead to the development of improved vaccines against microorganisms. Why do some bacteria make us ill whereas others do not? How do bacteria outsmart our immune system? What are the mechanisms of human defence against microorganisms?
Understanding host-pathogen interactions is fundamental for the development of novel antibiotics and improvement of vaccines. This requires research at the interface between microbiology, molecular biology and genetics, like, for instance, work on functional gene analyses by mutagenesis studies and on the interaction between epithelial cells and pathogenic bacteria.
Pathogenic microorganisms are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe. In-depth insights – from molecule to man – are required to effectively fight microbial infections. How does a virus replicate and cause disease? How can we treat microbial infections? And how to prevent infection by vaccination?
Research projects
When you do your Master's intership, you can contribute to one of our research projects. Get in touch with the internship coordinator of the relevant department (often listed on the department website) or with the project leader of the project you're interested in. Some examples of ongoing research projects are:
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AMOXENSE: Ammonia Biosensing in Wastewater Treatment using Bacteria
This project will develop an ammonium biosensor that can uniquely operate in the low oxygen and anoxic conditions found in wastewater treatment plants. This biotechnology will contribute to optimizing ammonium removal during wastewater treatment.
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MARIX
The ERC synergy project MARIX studies marine redox transitions to understand how they remove toxic ammonium and methane. It combines fieldwork, lab experiments and modelling to explore new microbial pathways and their environmental impact.
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Biogas to bioenergy
The project Biogas to bioenergy investigates how certain micro-organisms generate electricity, and how we can apply this quality for electricity production and for reducing methane emissions from e.g. water treatment plants.
Research facilities
Bioreactors
RIBES microbiologists have discovered several 'impossible' micro-organisms over the years. Their bioreactors have been instrumental in these discoveries. The reactors contain the optimal conditions for growth and the conditions and population development can be monitored in detail over many months. Learn more about the Bioreactors. The Microbiology lab is also equiped with electron microscopy, GC-MS, metagenomics, and metaproteomics facilities to grow and study microorganisms that contribute to a better environment by consuming greenhouse gasses and nitrogenous pollutants.
General Instrumentation
The General Instrumentation department houses several state-of-the art instruments including transmission & scanning electron microscopes and image analyses techniques, such as Autoanalysers for water and soil samples in biogeochemical-ecological research. RIBES also has a CN elemental analyser, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, Isotope Ration Mass Spectrometry, Total Organic Carbon analyser and auxiliary equipment.
Molecular labs
Several RIBES research clusters have advanced equipment for processing material for molecular analyses.
Radboudumc technology centre
The Radboudumc hosts many facilities for medical research, such as genomics, spectrometry, and biobanks.