PhD: Meat Aroma Generation in Plant-Based Meat via Thermomechanical Processing

Do you have a keen interest in flavor chemistry? Do you want to contribute to the flavor of next-generation plant-based meat analogues? We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD student to study how flavor precursors can be used to enhance meat aroma and reduce off-notes in plant-based meat analogues.

Although many modern plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) exhibit fibrous meat-like textures, consumer acceptance remains limited due to insufficient meat aroma and persistent off-flavors. PBMAs are typically produced by texturizing plant proteins through extrusion or shear cell processing, both of which involve elevated temperatures. Interestingly, the characteristic aroma of cooked meat is also generated at high temperatures through reactions such as the Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation.

In this project, you will investigate how protein texturization and aroma generation can be integrated into a single processing step. You will explore the effects of different aroma precursors, texturization conditions, and protein sources on the flavor profile of PBMAs. To characterize the resulting aroma compounds, you will work with state-of-the-art analytical techniques, including GC-HRMS and UHPLC-HRMS, complemented by sensory evaluation studies. Your research will contribute to the development of plant-based meat products with improved flavor and consumer appeal.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• designing, performing and interpreting experiments for simultaneous texturization and flavor generation in PBMAs;
• contributing to the development and optimization of analytical methods;
• publishing your results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presenting them at (inter)national scientific conferences;
• supervising BSc and MSc students during their thesis and helping with education;
• fulfilling the requirements of the PhD program, including completing a training and supervision plan to further develop your personal skills as a researcher.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the laboratory of Food Chemistry and the laboratory of Food Process Engineering, where you will be part of a dynamic and international groups of scientists. You will be part of the flavor chemistry team in Food Chemistry, led by dr. Roelant Hilgers and the food structuring team led by prof. Atze Jan van der Goot of Food Process Engineering.

Specialist Diagnostiek en Kwaliteitsborging

Wil jij met jouw laboratoriumkennis bijdragen aan betrouwbare diagnostiek van dierziekten? Bij Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) in Lelystad krijg je die kans. Binnen het team One Health Virology zoeken we een HBO-onderzoeker die helpt de kwaliteit van veterinaire diagnostiek in Nederland te bewaken.

Een taak van WBVR als nationaal referentielaboratorium is het toezicht op de diagnostische testen die door private laboratoria wordt uitgevoerd. Dit is een belangrijke taak waarbij de kwaliteit van diagnostiek voor belangrijke dierziekten geborgd wordt. En daar hebben we jouw expertise voor nodig!

Belangrijke onderdelen van de werkzaamheden zijn batchcontrole van testkits en reagentia, organisatie van rondzendoefeningen, en uitvoeren van audits. Daarnaast werk je mee aan het opstellen van adviezen aan NVWA over erkenning van testen en schrijf je mee aan periodieke rapportages over audits en bevindingen voor NVWA.

Voor deze taken is zowel ervaring met serologische diagnostische testen als bacteriologie belangrijk, naast kwaliteitsbewustzijn en communicatieve vaardigheden.

Daarnaast bestaat de mogelijkheid om ongeveer één dag per week mee te werken aan andere onderzoeksprojecten binnen WBVR. Zo blijf je je kennis verbreden én draag je bij aan nieuwe ontwikkelingen.

Jouw taken en verantwoordelijkheden zijn:

• bewaken en controleren van erkende testen onder Regeling erkenning veterinaire laboratoria;
• uitvoeren toezichtwerkzaamheden, waaronder audits;
• organisatie en uitvoeren van proficiency tests;
• onderhoud kwaliteitssysteem toezicht;
• bereiden en voorraadbeheer controle panels;
• beoordelen en vrijgeven van testkits en reagentia;
• onderhoudt contacten intern en extern i.r.t. het uitvoeren van toezichtwerkzaamheden.

Jouw team
Je werkt samen met je collega’s van de afdeling One Health Virology bij Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) in Lelystad.

Je komt te werken bij

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) is een toonaangevend onderzoeksinstituut op het gebied van diergezondheid en volksgezondheid. De unieke kracht van WBVR ligt in de interdisciplinaire benadering van onderzoek en de focus op innovatieve oplossingen voor complexe vraagstukken binnen deze domeinen.

WBVR neemt een unieke positie in binnen Nederland, aangezien het het enige onderzoeksinstituut is dat bevoegd is om te werken met de meeste dierlijke virussen en bacteriën tot en met niveau vBSL‑4 (vDM‑4), zoals mond‑ en klauwzeer en Afrikaanse varkenspest. Dit onderzoek vindt plaats in laboratoria en dierfaciliteiten waar zowel grote landbouwhuisdieren (zoals runderen) als kleinere knaagdieren kunnen worden gehuisvest. Daarnaast beschikt WBVR over faciliteiten voor onderzoek en dierexperimenten met BSL‑3‑pathogenen, zoals aviaire influenza en Coxiella. De aanwezigheid van experts op het gebied van specifieke pathogenen, gastheerresponsen, bio‑informatica, pathologie, epidemiologie en diagnostiek stelt WBVR in staat te werken aan haar missie en visie.

WBVR draagt bij aan een samenleving waarin dieren en mensen gezond kunnen leven, door middel van wetenschappelijk onderzoek gericht op het voorkomen van de verspreiding van dierziekten en het bevorderen van gezondheid.

Daarnaast voegt WBVR waarde toe aan de agro‑ en levenswetenschappelijke waardeketens door het uitvoeren van contractonderzoek, onderzoek en ontwikkeling (R&D) en wettelijke onderzoekstaken. Wij dienen de belangen van de Nederlandse agro‑foodsector, de (veterinaire) volksgezondheid en de sectoren life sciences & health. Als contractonderzoeksorganisatie richten wij ons op de marktvraag binnen de dierlijke en humane levenswetenschappen.

WBVR hanteert drie speerpunten: gezonde veehouderij, One Health en hightech diermodellen (inclusief de 3R‑principes).

Specialist in Diagnostics and Quality Assurance

Within the One Health Virology department at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) in Lelystad, there is a vacancy for an HBO Researcher.

One of WBVR's responsibilities as the national reference laboratory is to oversee the diagnostics of specific pathogens carried out by private laboratories. This is an important task that helps ensure the quality of diagnostics for significant animal diseases. We need your expertise to support this work.

Key aspects of the role include batch testing of test kits and reagents, organising proficiency tests, and conducting audits. In addition, you will contribute to preparing recommendations for the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) regarding the recognition of diagnostic tests and assist in writing periodic reports on audits and findings for the NVWA.

For these tasks, experience with both serological diagnostic tests and bacteriology is important, as well as a strong quality awareness and good communication skills.

In addition to these responsibilities, there is an opportunity to work on other projects (approximately one day per week).

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• monitoring and evaluating approved tests under the Veterinary Laboratories Recognition Scheme;
• carrying out supervisory activities, including audits;
• organising and conducting proficiency tests;
• maintaining the quality system for supervisory activities;
• preparing and managing the inventory of control panels;
• assessing and releasing test kits and reagents;
• maintaining internal and external contacts related to supervisory activities.

Your team
You will be working alongside your colleagues in the One Health Virology department at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) in Lelystad.

You will work here

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) is a leading research institute in the field of animal health, and public health. Its unique selling point lies in its interdisciplinary approach to research and its focus on innovative solutions for complex problems in these fields.

WBVR has a unique position in the Netherlands, as it is the only research institute that is allowed to work with the most animal viruses and bacteria up to level vBSL4 (vDM4), such as foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever in laboratories and animal facilities, were large livestock animals (o.a. cattle) and smaller rodents can be housed. Also, facilities are in place to do research and animal experiments for BLS3 pathogens such as avian influenza and Coxiella. Different experts on specific pathogens, host responses, bioinformatics, pathology, epidemiology and diagnostics allows WBVR to work on the mission and vision of WBVR.

WBVR contributes to a society where animals and humans live a healthy life by scientific research to prevent the spread of animal diseases and promote health.

WBVR adds value to the agricultural and life sciences value chains by conducting contract research, R&D, and statutory research tasks. We serve the interests of the Dutch agro-food sector, (veterinary) public health, and the life sciences & health sectors. As contract-research organization we focus on market needs in the animal and human life sciences sectors.

WBVR has 3 focus points, healthy livestock, one health and high tech animal models (including the 3R’s).

Laboratory Technician / Sample Logistics Coordinator

Are you customer-oriented, technical, communicative, and have an affinity with environmental laboratories? Do you want a unique job where you combine logistics and lab work? Then we’re looking for you!

As a Technical research assistant within ESG’s Proficiency Testing Team, you will work in a small team that organizes proficiency testing for soil, water, plants, and animal materials, among others, produces test materials and supplies reference materials to support quality assurance in laboratories worldwide.

In this role, you will work closely with the coordinators of the WEPAL and QUASIMEME programs, ensure that test materials are dispatched to laboratories worldwide, assist with the acquisition and preparation of aquatic and terrestrial samples, and with the maintenance of the sample preparation equipment. You will be the first point of contact for our customers regarding sample shipments and the sale of reference materials.

Your tasks and responsibilities include:

• shipping samples and reference materials to laboratories worldwide, including coordinating all logistics, and preparing all necessary documents;
• maintaining contact with customers regarding orders and shipments;
• monitoring stock of samples, raw materials, sample materials and consumables;
• maintaining the sample preparation equipment;
• (help/assist) preparing various (terrestrial and aquatic) samples.

Your team
The Proficiency Testing Team is a team of 10 enthusiastic staff members who have been organizing laboratory proficiency testing for over 70 years. We have been ISO 17043 accredited for this purpose since 2000. We are known for our quality and customer-friendliness.

You will work here
The Proficiency Testing Team is one of the 14 ESG teams at Stichting Wageningen Research, based on the Wageningen University and Research Campus, in building 112 NERGENA.

Postdoc on computational (meta)genomic analysis

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges for global food security, requiring new approaches to understand and harness the natural diversity that enables plants and their associated microbiomes to adapt to environmental change. Ancient environmental DNA (eDNA) provides a unique record of past ecosystems, preserving genetic traces of microorganisms and plants that interacted with crops and their wild relatives over thousands of years. In this project, you will develop and apply computational omics approaches to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying ancient plant–microbiome interactions, with a particular focus on biosynthetic gene clusters and other functional genes involved in chemical communication, defence, and adaptation. You will analyse large-scale ancient metagenomic datasets to identify and characterize microbial and plant-derived biosynthetic pathways, predict their ecological functions, and reconstruct the (co-)evolutionary dynamics of traits such as microbiome recruitment, metabolite-mediated interactions, pathogenicity and disease resistance. This will involve using and further adapting state-of-the-art genome mining approaches, including biosynthetic gene cluster identification, gene cluster family classification, and functional prediction, to work with highly fragmented and complex eDNA datasets.

This project is part of the larger European AEGIS consortium, bringing together expertise in ancient DNA, plant science, microbiome research, computational biology, and crop improvement. You will work closely with researchers across the consortium to translate computational predictions into biological insights and identify ancient genetic traits that may contribute to future climate-resilient agriculture. Within Wageningen University, you will be embedded in the Bioinformatics chair group and collaborate with researchers developing innovative approaches for microbiome and genome mining. The research is expected to deliver fundamental insights into the evolutionary history of plant–microbiome interactions, novel computational strategies for analysing ancient omics data, and candidate genes and pathways that can ultimately support the development of more resilient crops.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• computational (meta)genome mining and quantitative data analysis of biosynthetic and catabolic genes and clusters, pathogenicity genes and other functional genes relevant for host-microbe interactions across ancient DNA samples;
• biological interpretation of the data to elucidate evolution of plant-microbiome interactions and metabolites involved therein;
• development or improvement of existing or new algorithms or computational strategies;
• collaboration with international partners.

Your team
You will work within the Bioinformatics chair group at Wageningen University, in the team of Marnix Medema. The expertise of the Medema research group within the Bioinformatics chair group lies in developing and applying computational approaches to identify metabolic pathways and connect them to specific molecules and phenotypes.

You will work here
Wageningen UR has a global reputation for its ground-breaking research and innovative education in the fields of food and health, sustainable agrosystems, the rural environment, and societal development - all of which make an essential contribution to the quality of life, i.e. the supply of safe and healthy food and drink, on the one hand, and the chance to live, work and play in a balanced ecosystem with a large variety of plants and animals on the other. Within Wageningen UR, the Plant Sciences Group (PSG) brings together science education and scientific, strategic and applied research in the fields of biology, of plants in relation to their environment, of plant-related organisms and of plant production. This project will be carried out at the Bioinformatics Group within PSG. This research group focuses on fundamental and applied bioinformatics research in the green life sciences. In particular, they develop and apply novel computational methods for the analysis and integration of –omics data. The group has a strong track record in (integrative) computational omics analysis, algorithm development, machine learning and scientific data infrastructure. There are many national and international collaborations with researchers studying plant and microbe metabolism, biotechnology and genomics.