#6: Richard Kormelink (Microbes special series)

Masters of Beautiful Achievements

What if we would be able to zoom out? Leaving the microscope and our traditional human perspective on viruses behind for a minute. What would happen if we look at viruses as one of the players in a much broader system? And as such changing our perspective to that of Spaceship Earth and the role of a virus in the web of life? What lessons can we draw from nature’s logic on how Spaceship Earth operates?

Moderator Alexander Prinsen is eager to know what questions and insights a different level of abstraction could lead to. Together with specialists in the field of virology, microbiology and biochemistry Alexander will take us on a journey into an unknown world of interesting insights.

Combining insights and working towards cross disciplinary solutions and the essential questions we might have been overlooking. And who knows we might discover one or two innovative applications along the way.

Speaker: Alexander Prinsen (Scope Matters)
Alexander is Managing Partner of Scope Matters. As circular innovation specialist he assists Business Leaders in creating better sustainable and circular systems. He is part time tutor at Van Hall Larenstein Leeuwaarden. He is co-host of the Business network Nieuw Voer. And he advises startups on sustainable and circular business models.

Speaker: Marc van Bemmel (Orvion)
Marc is CEO/owner of Orvion Orvion is a biotechnology company providing research and consultancy in the field of Water & Environment. Orvion has it’s own research Laboratories in Stolwijk near Gouda. Orvion is dedicated to realizing new sustainable techniques in which biological techniques are often a key element.

Speaker: Richard Kormelink (Wageningen University)
Richard is associate professor and his current research focuses at viral genome transcription-replication, innate immunity and viral counter defense strategies with the plant and animal-infecting bunyaviruses and geminiviruses. One of the major driving forces in all his research lies in his interest in the evolutionary relation between the plant- and animal-infecting bunyaviruses, and the commonalities in cell biology and innate immunity between the animal and plant kingdom.