Prof Gilles van Wezel

Leiden University, The Netherlands

Professor Gilles van Wezel is Professor of Molecular Biotechnology and Cluster Leader of Microbiology at the Institute of Biology, Leiden University, and an Honorary Fellow at the Royal Academy Institute NIOO-KNAW. His research focuses on Actinobacteria—multicellular, mycelial bacteria that produce the majority of clinically used antibiotics and many other bioactive molecules. His laboratory combines molecular genetics, systems biology, and biotechnology to uncover the regulatory pathways that control growth and metabolite production in Streptomyces and related organisms. This fundamental understanding drives innovations in antibiotic discovery and industrial strain development, bridging basic and applied research.