FACULTEIT DER NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN, WISKUNDE & INFORMATICA
Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences
Prof dr S. Brul
Science Park 904
1098 XH Amsterdam
tel.: 020-525 7079/6970
fax: 020 -525 7934
e-mail [email protected]
To whom it may concern
C.V. Stanley Brul
Amsterdam, 4th of February 2015
Total number of pages: 14
Stanley Brul (1964) was trained as Biochemist and graduated "cum laude" in 1986.
In 1991 he obtained a PhD with a doctoral thesis entitled "Biochemical and Genetic
Aspects of Peroxisome Biogenesis in Mammalian Cells". He then started in 1990 as
a post-doctoral fellow at Nijmegen University to study the biogenesis of the
hydrogenosome at the Department of Microbiology and Evolutionary Biology of the
University of Nijmegen where he taught various practical courses Microbiology. In
1992 Stanley Brul obtained a National Science Council scholarship for a visit to the
Rockefeller University New York (lab. prof. Miklos Muller, who discovered
hydrogenosomes). Subsequently, in 1994, he was awarded an NWO (NATO)
TALENT Stipendium for a stay at the International Institute for Cellular and Molecular Pathology in
Brussels to study the cell and molecular biology of protozoa. In 1994 Stanley Brul moved to Unilever
Research & Development where he was appointed as a scientist in the field of fungal physiology and
molecular biology. From 1994-1999 he fulfilled at Unilever several scientific and managerial positions
from project to program manager. In addition he received training in teaching, project and program
management as well as general management and finance from the London Business School, the
Lausanne Business School and INSEAD, France. In 1999 Stanley was appointed professor of Industrial
Microbiology on an endowed chair at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences of the University of
Amsterdam while staying 4days appointed at Unilever Research & Development as senior scientist
novel (micro)biological technologies in the Science area Food Processing. As of 2002 the University
appointed him as full professor of Molecular Biology & Microbial Food Safety (MBMFS) at the
Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences while remaining part-time active as consultant for the Unilever
Food & Health Research Institute. From 2003 on he acted as coordinator of the masters program in
Medical Biochemistry of the University. Since end 2007 Stanley Brul is fully employed by the
University. Concomitantly he was appointed director of the bachelors program in Bio-medical Sciences
at the University and received training in managing University professionals. Stanley Brul teaches
courses in molecular microbiology, biochemistry, nutrition and human molecular physiology.
In 2005 the Australian Food Safety Centre of Excellence asked for a peer review of their program and in
2007 Stanley Brul was part of a 4 member technology audit of the Life Sciences part of TNO Quality of
Life. In 2007 the University of Tasmania appointed him as Distinguished Research Scholar. For 20132014 Stanley Brul was asked as chairman of the evaluation committee of the Flemish Universties and
Polytechnique courses bachelor and master in Biomedical Sciences of the Universities of Antwerp,
Hasselt, Ghent, Leuven (Kortrijk) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels.
He was chairman of the Dutch Society for Microbiology until 2009 and editor of FEMS Yeast
Research. Currently he is editor of Food microbiology, Innovative Food Sience and Emerging
Technologies as well as J. of Biotechnology and Biomedicine. From 2003-2007 Stanley Brul was a
member of the EU Advisory Group on Food Safety & Food Quality for the EU framework VI
program. Currently Stanley Brul is chairman of the Dutch Institute for BioSciences, Expert Advisor of
the Strategic Research Program of the IFR (UK), member of the Faculty of 1000, the Dutch
BioScience Forum and the ‘ad hoc’ Ci. BioSciences of the Royal Academy of Science (KNAW), and
co-chair of the Organising Board & Program Committee of the 6th FEMS Congress (2015 Maastricht).
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Research at the UvA department of Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety
Central to the research of our group is molecular stress physiology of microorganisms in
relation to their food or pharma related environment. Stresses include high temperature, weakorganic acid preservatives and clinically used antimicrobials. A response driver studied is the
homeostasis of the intracellular acidity (pH). We are a member of the Netherlands Institute
for Systems Biology NISB. The tools we apply includes genome-wide micro-array analysis,
proteomics, various advanced microscopical techniques and controlled cell culturing systems
such as fermentors and chemostats. We have contacts and contracts with industry focussing
on the application of our research in practical settings. Results are as much as possible
quantified and analysed using various modelling tools.
(1) Reaction of bacteria to environmental stress (10 staff).
(i) Bacterial spore formers. The behavior of bacterial spore-formers (mainly Bacillus subtilis
and Bacillus cereus, a close relative of Bacillus anthracis). These are organisms of primeimportance to the food industry. Their occurrence necessitates the application of harsh food
preservation processes such as high thermal treatments. The mechanistic basis of sporulation
initiation, the occurrence of extremely high thermal resistance of bacterial spores (e.g.
resistance to various minutes at 121°C) as well as molecular mechanisms involved in the
early phases of spore germination are still far from fully understood. We focus on germination
processes. Additionally, we study the mechanisms involved in stress resistance of vegetative
cells and germinating spores against weak-organic acid preservatives. The data provide
targets for inhibition of unwanted microbial growth.
(ii) Models for antibiotic resistance development. Bacteria of relevance to microbial food
safety are prone to acquire resistance towards environmental conditions such as the use of
antibiotics in animal feed practices. Such events create potentially harmful situations to the
medical field as multiple antibiotic resistance development may occur and could well harm
the effective use of these antibacterial agents in treating infection. Our group focuses on the
development of systems to study (1) acquisition of antibiotic resistance, (2) transmission of
antibiotic resistance, (3) loss of antibiotic resistance. For all scientific questions we make use
of the well accessible model systems Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and controlled culture
conditions (fermentors and chemostats).
(2) Reaction of fungi to environmental stress (4 staff). The interaction of fungal cells, in
particular bakers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with environments often encountered in
the food manufacturing industry and Candida albicans with medically relevant biotic and
abiotic surfaces. The prime focus is on both thermal and weak-organic acid stress response
and resistance development as well as on the analysis of the behaviour of cells exposed to
therapeutic treatment. In our experimental set-up we focus on analysing and subsequently
being able to interfere with stress cross-tolerance mechanisms. Furthermore, we focus on the
study of pathogenic yeast in the context of vaccine development. A prime area of research is
the role of (mitochondrial) energy metabolism in maintaining pHi homeostasis.
(3) Stress response in complex lower eukaryotes (5 staff)
Where phenotypical analysis of mitochondrial perturbation is not feasible / conclusive in
yeasts we use the multicellular nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as our model. We focus on
adverse effects of antiviral compounds as well as on mitochondrial perturbation in the context
of ageing. Analyses of mitochondrial structure and function is prime. In addition we focus on
the signalling pathways involved in the regulation of cell division early in development. Their
possible role in the onset of ageing and their relation to stress response is subject of study.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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(selected) Publications:
Citations in WoS: 3249; citations 2014: 360; per item 29; Most cited paper: 383; H-index: 31.
Aerts, J.M.F.G., S. Brul, W.E, Donker-Koopman, S. Van Weely, G.J. Murray, J.A. Barranger, J.M.
Tager and A.W. Schram. 1986. Efficient routing of glucocerebrosidase to lysosomes requires complex
oligosaccharide chain formation. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 141: 452-458
Aerts, J.M.F.G., W.E. Donker-Koopman, C. Van Laar, S. Brul, G.J. Murray, D.A. Wenger, J.A.
Barranger, J.M. Tager and A.W. Schram. 1987. Relationship between the two immunologically
distinguishable forms of glucocerebrosidase in tissue extracts. Eur. J. Biochem. 163: 583-589.
Brul, S., A. Westerveld, A. Strijland, R.J.A. Wanders, A.W. Schram, H.S.A. Heymans, R.B.H.
Schutgens, H.Van Den Bosch and J.M. Tager. 1988. Genetic heterogeneity in the cerebro-hepato-renal
(Zellweger) syndrome and other inherited disorders with a generalized impairment of peroxisomal
functions: a study using complementation analysis. J. Clin. Invest. 81: 1710-1715.
Brul, S., E.A.C. Wiemer, A. Westerveld, A. Strijland, R.J.A. Wanders, A.W. Schram, H.S.A. Heymans,
R.B.H. Schutgens, H. Van Den Bosch and J.M. Tager. Kinetics of the assembly of peroxisomes after
fusion of complementary cell-lines from patients with the cerebro-hepato-renal (Zellweger) syndrome
and related disorders. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 152: 1083-1089.
Aerts, J.M.F.G., W.E. Donker-Koopman, S. Brul, S. Van Weely, M.C. Sa Miranda, J.A. Barranger, J.M.
Tager and A.W. Schram. 1990. Comparative study on glucocerebrosidase in spleens from patients with
Gaucher disease. Biochem. J. 269: 93-100.
Wanders, R.J.A., E.A.C. Wiemer, S. Brul, R.B.H. Schutgens, H. Van Den Bosch and J.M. Tager. 1989.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Zellweger Syndrome by Direct Visualization of Peroxisomes in Chorionic Villus
Fibroblasts by Immunofluorescence Microscopy. J. Inher. Metab. Dis. 12 Suppl. 2: 301-304.
Wiemer, E.A.C., S. Brul, W.W. Just, R. Van Driel, E.M. Brouwer-Kelder, M. Van Den Berg, A.W.
Schram and J.M. Tager. 1989. Presence of peroxisomal membrane proteins in liver and fibroblasts from
patients with the Zellweger syndrome and related peroxisomal disorders: evidence for the existence of
peroxisomal ghosts. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 50: 407-417.
Van Roermund, C.W.T., S. Brul, J.M. Tager, R.B.H. Schutgens and R.J.A. Wanders. 1991. Acyl-CoA
Oxidase, Peroxisomal Thiolase and Dihydroxyacetonephosphate acyl-transferase: aberrant subcellular
localization in the Zellweger syndrome. J. Inher. Metab. Dis. 14: 152-164.
Lombardo, M.C.P., J.W. Van Der Zwaan, S. Brul and J.M. Tager. 1992. A Procedure for selecting
mammalian cells with an impairment in oxidative phosphorylation. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1138: 275281.
Wanders, R.J.A., C.W.T. Van Roermund, S. Brul, R.B.H. Schutgens and J.M. Tager. 1992. Bifunctional
enzyme deficiency-identification of a new type of peroxisomal disorder in a patient with an impairment
in peroxisomal ß-oxidation of unknown aetology by means of complementation analysis. J. Inher.
Metab. Dis. 15: 385-388.
Brul, S., R.H. Veltman, M.C.P. Lombardo and G.D. Vogels. 1994. Molecular cloning of
hydrogenosomal ferredoxin cDNA from the anaerobic amoebo flagellate Psalteriomonas lanterna.
Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1183, 544-546.
Brul, S. and C.K. Stumm. 1994. Symbionts and organelles in anaerobic protozoa and fungi. Trends in
Ecol. and Evol. 9, 319-324.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Brul, S., J. Nussbaum and S.K. Dielbandhoesing. 1997. Fluoresecnt probes for wall porosity and
membrane integrity in filamentous fungi. J. Microbiol. Meth. 28, 169-178.
Brul, S., A. King, J.M. van der Vaart, J. Chapman, F. Klis and C.T. Verrips. 1997. The incorporation of
mannoproteins in the cell wall of S. cerevisiae and filamentous Ascomycetes. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
72, 229-237..
Brul, S., H. Cuppers and S. Oomes. 1997. Groeimodellering van bederfveroorzakende schimmels.
Modelling of growth of spoilage fungi. De Ware(n) Chemicus 27, 159-167 .
Cuppers, H.G.A.M., S. Oomes and S. Brul. 1997. A model for the combined effect of temperature and
salt concentration on growth of food spoilage moulds. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 63, 3764-3769.
Brul, S., P. Coote, S.K. Dielbandhoesing, G. Naaktgeboren, W.M. Stam and M. Stratford. 1997. Natural
composition for combatting fungi. Patent WO97/16973.
Brul, S., M. Stratford, J.M. van der Vaart, S.K. Dielbandhoesing, F.M. Klis and C.T. Verrips. 1998. Zinc
deficiency inhibits fungal growth and causes changes in yeast wall morphology. Food Technology and
Biotechnology 35, 267-274.
Oomes, S. and S. Brul. 1998. An improved method for the screening of fungal growth inhibition. Food
Technology and Biotechnology 36, 79-84.
Bom, I.J. and S. Brul. 1998. Composition for combatting fungi. International patent filed 23 dec. 1997.
EP-PA 972040986.9
Dielbandhoesing, S.K., H. Zhang, L.H.P. Caro, J.M. van der Vaart, F.M. Klis, C.T. Verrips and S. Brul.
1998. Specific Cell Wall proteins confer resistance to nisin upon yeast cells. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 64,
4047-4052.
Bom, I.J., S.K. Dielbandhoesing, K.N. Harvey, S.J.C.M. Oomes, F.M. Klis and S. Brul. 1998.
Production and purification of Trichoderma beta(1-6)-glucanase expressed in Pichia pastoris. Biochim.
Biophys. Acta 1425, 419-424.
S. Brul, P. Coote, S.K. Dielbandhoesing, G. Naaktgeboren, W.M. Stam and M. Stratford. 1997. Natural
composition for combatting fungi. Patent WO97/16973.
I.J. Bom, and S. Brul. 1998. Composition for combatting fungi. International patent filed 23 dec. 1997.
EP-PA 972040986.9
S. Brul and F. Klis. 1999. Mechanistic and kinetic inactivation studies on spoilage fungi. Fung. Genet.
and Biol. 199-208.
S. Brul and P. Coote. 1999. Preservative agents; their mode of action and stress response. Int. J. Food
Microbiol. 50, 1-17.
S. Brul, A. Rommens and C.T. Verrips. 2000. Mechanistic studies on the inactivation of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae by High Pressure. Inn. Food Sci. Emerg. Technol. 1, 99-108.
Brul, S. 2000. “From cell to molecule and back”. Molecular cell biology of micro-organisms relevant to
the food industry (in Dutch). Inaugural lecture for the chair of Ind. Mol. Microbiol., UvA, Vossius Press,
Amsterdam.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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De Nobel, H., Lawrie, L., Brul, S., Klis, F., Davis, M., Alloush, H. and Coote, P. 2001. Parallel and
comparative analysis of the proteome and transcriptome of sorbic acid-stressed Saccharomyces
cerevisiae. Yeast 18, 1413-1428.
I.J. Bom, Nobel, H., Klis, F.M. and S. Brul. 2001. A new strategy for inhibition of the spoilage yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces bailii based on combination of a membrane-active
peptide with an oligosaccharide that leads to an impaired GPI-depend. wall protein layer. FEMS
Yeast Res. 1, 187-194.
Smelt, J.P.P.M., Hellemons, J. and Brul, S. 2001. Physiological aspects of modelling of high pressure
inactivation of microorganisms. Proceedings of high pressure meeting Japan, november 2000.
Brul, S. , Klis, F.M., de Nobel, H., Oomes, S.J.C.M., Coote, P. and Hellingwerf, K.J. 2002. Yeast
stress response to food preservations systems. In: Yeasts and Food (Boekhout, T. and Roberts, T. eds.)
Behr, Hamburg, pp.193-205.
Brul, S. Montijn, R., Schuren, F., Oomes, S., Klis, F.M., Coote, P. and Hellingwerf, K.J. 2002.
Genomics of survivors of food preservation processes for precision processing. Trends Food Sci.
Technol. 13, 325-333.
Brul, S., Coote, P., Oomes, S.J.C.M., Mensonides, F.I.C., Hellingwerf, K.J., and Klis, F.M.
2002. Physiological actions of preservative agents: prospective of use of modern
microbiological techniques in assessing microbial behaviour in food preservation. Int. J. Food
Microbiol., 79, 55-64.
Klis, F.M., Mol, P.C., Hellingwerf, K.J., and Brul, S. 2002. Dynamics of cell wall structure
in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 26, 239-256.
Mensonides, F.I.C., Schuurmans, J.M., Mattos, M.J.T., Hellingwerf, K.J., and Brul, S. 2002. The
metabolic response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to continuous heat stress. Mol. Biol. Rep., 29, 103106.
Brul, S., Klis, F.M., Knorr, D., Abee, T., and Notermans, S. 2003. Food preservation and the
development of microbial resistance; past present and future. In Food Preservation Techniques,
(Zeuthen, P. and Bogh-Sorensen, L. eds.) Woodhead, Cambridge, pp. 526-552.
Brul, S., Vossen, J., Boorsma, A. and Klis, F.M. 2003. Yeast and food spoilage. In: Functional
Genetics of Industrial Yeast. (de Winde H. and Hohman, S. eds.) In Topics in Current Genetics,
Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 273-295.
Oomes, S.J.C.M. and Brul, S. 2004. Correlation of genome wide expression profiles of Bacillus
subtilis cultured under different sporulation conditions to spore wet heat resistance. Innovative Food
Science and Emerging Technologies 5, 307-316.
Marthi, B., Vaughan, E.V. and Brul, S. 2004. Functional Genomics and Food Safety. New Food 7, 1418.
Brul, S., Wells, J. and Ueckert, J. 2005. Understanding the behaviour of pathogens in the food chain;
Food production animals, Food preservation treatment, survival and resistance development. In
Understanding pathogen behaviour (Griffith M. ed.) Woodhead, Cambridge pp 391-414.
Smits, G. and Brul, S. 2005. Stress response in fungi; how to kill a spoilage yeast. Curr. Op.
Biotechnol. 16, 225-230.
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Kort, R., O’Brien, A., van Stokkum, I.H.M., Oomes, S.J.C.M., Crielaard, W., Hellingwerf, K.J. and
Brul, S. 2005. Assessment of heat resistance of bacterial spores from food product isolates by
fluorescent monitoring of dipicolinic acid release. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 71, 3556-3564.
Mensonides, F.I.C., Brul, S., Klis, F.M., Hellingwerf, K.J. and Teixeira de Mattos, M.J. 2005.
Activation of the protein kinase C1 pathway upon continuous heat stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is mediated by a rise in intracelullular trehalose. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 71, 4531-4538.
Shen, T., Urrutia Benet, G., Brul, S. and Knorr, D. 2005. Influence of high-pressure-low temperature
treatment on the inactivation of Bacillus subtilis. Innov. Food Sci. Emerg. Technol. 6, 271-278.
Zakrzewska, A., Boorsma, A., Brul, S., Hellingwerf, K.J. and Klis, F.M. 2005. Transcriptional
response of Saccharomyces to the plasmamembrane perturbing compounds chitosan. Eukaryot. Cell 4,
703-715.
Veening, J.W., Kuipers, O.P., Brul, S., Hellingwerf, K.J. and Kort, R. 2006. Effects of phosphorelay
perturbations on architecture, sporulation and spore resistance in biofilms of Bacillus subtilis. J.
Bacteriol. 188, 3099-3109.
Smits, G.J. Schenkman, L.R., van den Ende, H., Brul, S., Pringle, J.R. and Klis, F.M. 2006. Role of
cell-cycle regulated expression in the localized incorporation of cell-wall proteins in yeast, Molecular
Cell. Biol. 17, 3267-3280.
Brul, S., Schuren, F., Montijn, R., Keijser, B.J.F., van der Spek, H. And Oomes, S.J.C.M. 2006. The
impact of functional genomics on microbiological food quality and safety. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 112,
195-199.
Bouwman J, Van Eunen K, Tuzun I, Postmus J, Canelas AB, Van den Brink J, Lindenbergh PA,
Teixeira de Mattos MJ, Smits GJ, Daran-Lapujade PAL, Van Gulik WM, Van Spanning RJ, Heijnen
JJ, De Winde JH, Brul S, Hellingwerf KJ, Westerhoff HV, Bakker BM. 2006. Standardization and 'In
vivo'- like enzyme activity measurements in Yeast. In 2nd International ESCEC Symposium on
Experimental Standard Conditions on Enzyme Characterizations, Kettner C, M.G. H (eds) pp 11-20.
Beilstein-Institut Frankfurt, Ruedesheim/Rhein, Germany
Brul,S., van der Spek, H., Keijser, B.J.F., Schuren, F., Oomes, S.J.C.M. and Montijn, R. 2007.
Functional genomics for optimal microbiological stability of processed food products. In: High
Pressure Processing of Foods. Doona, C., Dunne, P. and Feeherry, F.E. (eds). Blackwell, Ames, USA.
pp. 173-194. ISBN 978-0-8138-0944-1
Papadimitriou, M.N.B., Resende, C. Kuchler, K and Brul S 2007. High Pdr12 levels in spoilage Yeast
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) correlate directly with sorbic acid levels in the culture medium but are not
sufficient to provide cells with acquired resistance to the food preservative. Int. J.Food Micro. 113,
173-179.
Klis, F.M., De Groot, P.W.J. and Brul, S. 2007. Identification, characterization, and phenotypic
analysis of covalently linked cell wall proteins. Methods Microbiol. 36, 281-301.
Klis, F.M., De Jong, M., Brul, S. and De Groot, P.W.J. 2007. Extraction of cell surface-associated
proteins from living yeast cells. Yeast 24, 253-258.
Zakrzewska, A., Boorsma, A., Delneru, D., Brul, S., Oliver, S.G. and Klis, F.M. 2007. Identification
of cellular processes and pathways that protect yeast cells against the plasma membrane-perturbing
compound chitosan. Euk. Cell 6, 600-608
Keijser, B.J.F. 2007. Control of Preservation by Biomarkers. EP 05077246.6
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R. Albers, A.M. Ledeboer, S. Brul. 2007. Edible product containing beneficial moulds and/or yeast.
WO/2007/031129
W. Albers, S. Brul, A.M. Ledeboer, W.M. Meijer. 2007. Edible product containing beneficial
bacteria. WO/2007/009568
Keijser, B.J.F., Ter Beek, A., Rauwerda, H., Schuren, F., Montijn, R., van der Spek, H. and Brul, S.
2007. Analysis of temporal gene expression during Bacillus subtilis spore germination and outgrowth.
J. Bacteriol.189, 3624-3634.
Urrutia, G., Arabas, K., Autio, K., Brul, S., Hendrickx, M., Kakolewski, A., Knorr, D., le Bail, A.,
Lille, M., Molina-Garcia, A.D., Ousegui, A., Sanz, P.D., Shen, T. and van Buggenhout, S. (2007)
SAFE ICE: Low-temperature pressure processing of foods: Safety and quality aspects, process
parameters and consumer acceptance. J. Food Engineer. 83, 293-315.
Oomes, S.J.C.M., van Zuijlen, A.C.M., Hehenkamp, J.O., Witsenboer, H., van der Vossen, J.M.B.M.
and Brul, S. 2007. The characterisation of Bacillus spores occurring in the manufacturing of (low
acid) canned products. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 120, 85-94.
Modelling microorganisms in Food. 2007. Brul, S., Van Gerwen, S., Zwietering, M.
(eds.), Woodhead, Cambridge (UK).
Ter Beek, A., Keijser, B.J.F., Boorsma, A., Zakrzewska, A., Orij, R., Smits, G.J., and Brul, S. 2008.
Transcriptome analysis of sorbic acid stressed Bacillus subtilis reveals a nutrient limitation response
and indicates cell membrane remodeling J. Bacteriol. 190:1751-1761.
Ter Beek, A., Brul, S. Van der Vaart, M. 2008. Screening method for a preservative. EP 1935984.
Brul, S., Kallemeijn, W. and Smits, G.J. 2008. Functional genomics for food microbiology: molecular
mechanisms of weak organic acid preservative adaptation in yeast. CAB reviews 3, 5.
Postmus, J., Bouwman, J., Canelas, A., Bakker, B.M. van Gulik, W., Brul, S. and Smits, G.J. 2008.
Quantitative analysis of the effect of temperature on glycolytic flux in Sacaharomyces cerevisiae
reveals dominant metabolic regulation. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 23524-23532.
Brul, S., Mensonides, F.I.C., Hellingwerf, K.J. and Teixeira de Mattos, M.J. 2008. Microbial Systems
Biology; new frontiers open to Predictive Microbiology. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 128, 16-21.
Smelt, J.P.P.M., Bos, A.P., Kort, R. and Brul, S. 2008. Modelling the effect of sub(lethal) heat
treatment of Bacillus subtilis spores on germination rate and outgrowth to exponentially growing
vegetative cells. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 128, 34-40.
Orij, R., Postmus, J., TerBeek, A., Brul, S. and Smits, G.J. 2009. In vivo measurement of cytosolic
and mitochondrial pH using a pH-sensitive GFP derivative in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals a
relation between intracellular pH and growth Microbiol. 155, 268-278.
Shen, T., Bos, A.P. and Brul, S. 2009. A mechanistic study of freeze-thaw and High Pressure Low
Temperature induced damage to Bacillus subtilis cells using Flow Cytometry. Innov. Food Sci. and
Emerg. Technol. 10, 9-15.
*Orij, P.J., Urbanus, M.L., Vizeacoumar, F.J., van Dyk, N., Boone, C., Giaever, G., Nislow, C., Brul,
S., and Smits, G.J. 2009. Genome-wide analysis of pH homeostasis in yeast using a pH sensitive GFP.
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 95, 71.
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*Hornstra, L.M., Ter Beek, A., Smelt, J.P., Kallemeijn, W.W., Brul, S. 2009. Mechanisms of
heterogeneity in outgrowth and stress resistance of Bacillus spore populations. Antonie van
Leeuwenhoek 95, 71-72.
*de Boer, R., Scholte, M., Brul, S. and van der Spek, H. 2009. Caenorhabditis elegans as a model
system to study (anti-retroviral) drug induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
95, 115.
*Ter Beek, A., Wijman, J.G.E., Orij, R., Smits, G.J. and Brul, S. 2009. In vivo measurements of
intracellular pH in Bacillus subtilis using pHluorin reveals acidification of the cytosol upon weak
orgnic acid stress and hyperosmotic shock. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 95, 124.
Shen, T., Bos, A.P. and Brul, S. 2009. A mechanistic study of freeze-thaw and High Pressure Low
Temperature induced damage to Bacillus subtilis cells using Flow Cytometry. Innov. Food Sci. and
Emerg. Technol. 10, 9-15.
Hornstra, L., TerBeek, A., Smelt, J.P., Kallemeijn, W. and Brul, S. 2009. On the origin of
heterogeneity in (preservation) resistance of Bacillus spores; input for a ‘systems’ analysis approach of
bacterial spore outgrowth. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 134, 9-15.
Oomes, S.J.C.M., Jonker, M.J., Wittink, F.R.A., Hehenkamp, J.O., Breit, T.M. and Brul, S. 2009. The
effect of calcium on the transcriptome of sporulating B. subtilis cells. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 133, 234242.
Klis, F.M., Sosinska, G.J., de Groot, P.W. and Brul, S. 2009 Covalently linked cell wall proteins of
Candida albicans and their role in fitness and virulence. FEMS Yeast Research, 9, 1013-1028
Van Zuijlen, A.C.M., Oomes, S.J.C.M., Vos, P. and Brul, S. 2009. Detecting bacterial spores in soup
manufacturing. New Food 3, 21-24.
Havelaar, A.H., Brul, S., Jong, A. de, Jong, R. de, Zwietering, M.H. and TerKuile, B. 2010. Future
challenges to microbial food safety. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 139, S79-S94.
Klis, F.M., Brul, S., and de Groot, P.W.J. 2010. Covalently linked wall proteins in ascomycetous
fungi. Yeast. 27, 489-493.
Van Zuijlen, A., Periago, P.M., Amézquita, A., Palop, A., Brul, S. and Fernandez, P.S. 2010.
Characterisation of Bacillus sporothermodurans IC4 spores; putative indicator microorganism for
optimization of thermal processes in food sterilization. Food Research International 43, 1895-1901.
Van Eunen, K., Bouwman, J., Daran-Lapujade, P., Postmus, J., Canelas, A.B., Mensonides, F.I.C.,
Orij, R., Tuzun, I., van den Brink, J., Smits, G.J., van Gulik, W., Brul, S., Heijnen , J.J., de Winde,
J.H., Teixeira de Mattos, J.M., Kettner, C., Nielsen, J., Westerhoff, H.V. and Bakker, B.M. 2010.
Measuring enzyme activities under standardized in vivo-like conditions for systems-biology. FEBS J.
277, 749-760.
TerBeek, A. and Brul, S. 2010. To kill or not to kill Bacilli; opportunities for food biotechnology.
Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 21, 168-174.
Tracing Pathogens in the Food Chain. 2010. Brul, S., Fratamico, P. and McMeekin, T.
(eds.), Woodhead, Cambridge (UK), in press.
Sorgo, A.G., Heilmann, C.J., Dekker, H.L., Brul, S., de Koster, C.G. and Klis, F.M. 2010. Mass
spectrometric analysis of the secretome of Candida albicans, Yeast 17, 661-672.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Zakrzewska, A., Boorsma, A., TerBeek, A., Hageman, J.A., Westerhuis, J.A., Hellingwerf, K.J., Brul,
S., Klis, F.M. and Smits, G.J. 2010. Comparative analysis of transcriptome and fitness profile reveals
general and condition specific cellular functions involved in adaptation to environmental change in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, 14, 603-614.
Cytology, Cell Walls and Septa: A Summary of Yeast Cell Biology from a Phylogenetic Perspective
(2011) van der Klei, I., Veenhuis, M., Brul, S., Klis, F.M., De Groot, P.W.J., Muller, W.H., van
Driel, K.G.A. and Boekhout, T. in: The Yeasts, a Taxonomic Study, Kurtzman, C.P., Fell, J. W. and
Boekhout, T. (eds), pp. 111-128. Elsevier, London (UK), SanDiego (USA), Chennai (India).
Sohier, D., Brul, S. and Peck, M. (eds.) 2011. Spore Forming bacteria in food; International Congress
SPORE. Special issue Food Microbiology 28, ISSN 0740-0020
Brul, S., van Beilen, J., Caspers, M., Hoogenkamp-O’Brien, A., de Koster, C., Oomes, S., Smelt, J.,
Kort, R. and Ter Beek, A. 2011. Challenges and advances in systems biology analysis of Bacillus
spore physiology; molecular differences between an extreme heat resistant spore forming Bacillus
subtilis food isolate and a laboratory strain. Food Microbiology 28, 221-227.
Caspers, M.P.M., Schuren, F.H.J., van Zuijlen, A.C.M., Brul, S., Montijn, R., Abee, T. and Kort, R.
2011. A mixed-species microarray for tracking spore-forming bacilli in the food chain. Food
Microbiology 28, 245-251.
Ter Beek, A., Hornstra, L.M., Pandey, R., Kallemeijn, W.W., Smelt, J.P.P.M., Manders, E.M.M. and
Brul, S. 2011. Models of the behaviour of (thermally stressed) microbial spores in foods; tools to
study mechanisms of damage and repair. Food Microbiology 28, 678-684.
Orij, R., Brul, S. and Smits, G. 2011. Intracellular pH is a tightly controlled dynamic signal in yeast.
BBA-General Subjects 1820, 933-944.
Heilmann, C.J., Sorgo, A.G., Siliakus, A.R., Dekker, H.L., Brul, S., de Koster, C.G., de Koning, J.J.
de and Klis, F.M. 2011. Hyphal Induction in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans reveals a
characteristic wall protein profile. Microbiology 157, 2297-2307.
Sorgo, A.G., Heilmann, C.J., Dekker, H.L., Brul, S., de Koster, C.G., de Koning, L.J. and Klis, F.M. 2011.
The effects of fluconazole on the secretome, the wall proteome and wall integrity of the clinical
fungus Candida albicans. Euk. Cell 10, 1071-1081.
Klis, F.M., de Koster, C. and Brul, S. 2011 Mass spectrometric explorations of the fungal
wall proteome. Future Microbiology 6, 941-951.
Zakrzewska, A.M., van Eikenhorst, G., Burggraaf, J.E., Vis, D.J., Hoefsloot, H., Delneri, D., Oliver,
S., Brul, S. and Smits, G.J. 2011. Genome-wide analysis of yeast stress survival and tolerance
acquisition reveals a central trade-off between growth rate and cellular robustness. Molecular Biology
of the Cell, 22, 4435-4446.
Postmus, J., Tuzun, I., Bekker, M., Teixeira de Mattos, J.T., Brul, S. and Smits, G. 2011. Dynamic
regulation of respiratory chain efficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microbiology, 157, 35003511.
Abhyankar, W., Ter Beek, A., Dekker, H., Kort, R., Brul, S. and de Koster, C. 2011. Gel-free
proteomic identification of the Bacillus subtilis insoluble spore coat fraction. Proteomics. 11, 45414550.
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Postmus, J., M., Aardema, R., de Koning, L.J., de Koster, C., Brul, S. and Smits, G.J.. 2012.
Isoenzyme expression changes in response to high temperature determine the metabolic regulation of
increased glycolytic flux. FEMS Yeast Research 12, 571-581.
Brul, S, Bassett, J., Cook, P., Kathariou, S., McClure, P., Jasti, P.R. and Betts, R. 2012. Omics
technologies in quantitative microbial risk assessment. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 27, 12-24.
Ullah, A., Orij, R., Brul, S. and Smits, G. 2012. Quantitative analysis of the modes of growth
inhibition by weak organic acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 78, 8377-8387.
Orij R., Urbanus M.L., Vizeacoumar F.J., Giaever G., Boone C., Nislow C., Brul S. and
Smits G.J. 2012. Genome-wide analysis of intracellular pH reveals quantitative control of cell
division rate by pHc in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genome Biology 13, R80.
Smith, R.L., de Boer, R., Brul, S., Budovskaya, Y. and van der Spek, H. 2012. Premature and
accelerated Ageing; HIV or HAART? Frontiers in Genetics of Ageing 3, 328.
Smelt, J.P.P.M., Stringer, S. and Brul, S. 2013. Behaviour of individual spores of non proteolytic
Clostridium botulinum as an element in quantitative riks assessment. Food Control 29, 358-363.
Sorgo A.G., Heilmann C.J., Brul S., de Koster C.G., Klis F.M. 2013. Beyond the wall: Candida
albicans secret(e)s to survive. FEMS Microbiol. Lett, 338, 10-17.
Heilmann, C.*, Sorgo, A.*, Mohammadi, S., Sosinska, G., de Koster, C., Brul, S., de Koning, L. and
Klis, F. 2013. Surface stress induces a conserved cell wall stress response in the pathogenic fungus
Candida albicans. Eukaryotic Cell 12, 254-264.
van der Horst, M.A., Fabri, T.H., Schuurmans, M., Koenders, B.B., Brul, S. and ter Kuile, B.H.
2013. Effects of therapeutical and reduced levels of antibiotics on the development of antibiotic
resistance of Escherichia coli in the chicken gut. Food Borne Pathogens & Disease 10, 55-61.
Pandey, R.*, Ter Beek, A.*,Vischer, N.O.E., Smelt, J, Brul, S. #and Manders, E.M.M.# 2013. Live cell
imaging of germination and outgrowth of individual Bacillus subtilis spores; the effect of heat
stress quantitatively analyzed with SporeTracker. Plos One 8, e58972.
Ullah, A., Lopes, M.I., Brul, S. and Smits, G.J. 2013. Intracellular pH homeostasis of Candida
glabrata in infection associated conditions. Microbiology UK 159, 803-813.
Ullah A., Chandrasekaran G., Brul S. and Smits G.J. 2013. Yeast adaptation to weak acids prevents
futile energy expenditure. Front. Microbiol. 4, 142 doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00142.
Mensonides, F.I.C, Hellingwerf, K.J., Teixeira de Mattos, J.M. and Brul, S. 2013. Multiphasic
adaptation of the transcriptome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to heat stress. Food Res. Int. 54,
1103-1112.
Sorgo, A.G., Brul, S., de Koster C.G., de Koning, L.J. and Klis, F.M. 2013. Iron restriction induced
adaptations in the wall of Candida albicans. Microbiology, 159, 1673-1682.
Händel, N., Schuurmans, J.M., Brul, S. and ter Kuile, B.H. 2013.Compensation of the metabolic
costs of antibiotic resistance by physiological adaptation in Escherichia coli. Antimicro. Agents
Chemother. 57, 3752-3762.
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Van Beilen J.W.A. and Brul, S. 2013. Compartment-specific pH monitoring in Bacillus subtilis using
fluorescent sensor proteins; a tool to analyse the antibacterial effect of weak organic acids. Frontiers in
Microbiology 4: 157
Abhyankar, W., Houssain, A., Djajasaputra, A., Permpoonpattana, P., Ter Beek, A., Dekker, H.,
Cutting, S., Brul, S., de Koning, L.J. and de Koster, C.G. 2013. In Pursuit of Protein Targets:
Proteomic characterization of Bacterial Spore Outer Layers. J. Proteome Research 12, 4507-4521.
Kuile, B. ter and Brul, S. 2013. Antibiotic resistance development and identification of response
measures. In J. Sofos (Ed.), Advances in microbial food safety: volume 1 (Woodhead Publishing
series in food science, technology and nutrition, 259) (pp. 157-169). Cambridge: Woodhead
Publishing.
Feng, Y., Händel, N., de Groot, M.H.P., Brul, S., Schultsz, C. and ter Kuile, B.H. 2014.
Laboratory simulation of the effects of an initial antibiotic treatment on a subsequent therapy after
initial therapy failure. Antibiotics 3, 49-63.
Klis, F.M., de Koster, C.G. and Brul, S. 2014. Cell wall-related bionumbers and bioestimates of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. Eukaryotic cell 13, 2-9.
Mensonides, F.I.C., Brul, S., Hellingwerf, K.J., Bakker, B.M. and Teixeira de Mattos, M.J. 2014. A
kinetic model of catabolic adaptation and protein reprofiling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during
temperature shifts. FEBS J. 281, 825-841.
Smelt, J. and Brul, S. 2014. Thermal inactivation of microorganisms. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. and
Nutrition 54, 1371-1385.
Brul, S. 2014. An introduction to Molecular Biology: ‘Omics’ in Food Microbiology. Encyclopedia
of Food Microbiology 2nd edition. Batt, C. and Tortorello, M.L. (eds.), 759-769.
Schuurmans, J.M., van Hijum, S.A.F.T., Piet, J.R., Händel, N., Smelt, J., Brul, S. and ter Kuile, B.H.
2014. Effect of Growth Rate and Selection Pressure on Rates of Transfer of an Antibiotic Resistance
Plasmid between E. coli Strains. Plasmid 72, 1-8.
Händel, N., Schuurmans, J.M., Feng, Y., Brul, S. and ter Kuile, B.H. 2014. Interaction between
mutations and regulation of gene expression during development of de novo antibiotic resistance.
Antimicro. Agents and Chemother. 58, 4371-4379.
Van Beilen, J.W.A., Teixeira de Mattos, M.J., Hellingwerf, K.J. and Brul, S. 2014. Sorbic acid and
acetic acid have distinct effects on the electrophysiology and metabolism of Bacillus subtilis. Appl.
Env. Microbiol. 80, 5918-5926.
Abhyankar, W., de Koning, L, Brul, S. and de Koster, C.G. 2014. Spore proteomics: The past, present
and the future. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 358, 137-144.
Ter Beek, A., Wijman, J.G.E., Zakrzewska, A., Orij, R., Smits, G.J. and Brul, S. 2015. Comparative
Physiological and Transcriptional Analysis of Weak Organic Acid Stress in Bacillus subtilis. Food
Microbiology 45 (A), 71-82. doi: 10.1016/j.fm.2014.02.013
Abhyankar, W., Pandey, R.,Ter Beek, A., Brul, S., de Koning, L.J. and de Koster, C.G. 2015.
Monitoring the progress in cross-linking of spore coat proteins during maturation of Bacillus subtilis
spores. Food Microbiology 45 (A), 54-62. doi: 10.1016/j.fm.2014.03.007
.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Pandey, R., Ter Beek, A., Vischer, N.O.E., Smelt, J.P.P.M., Kemperman, R., Manders, E.M.M., and
Brul, S. 2015. Quantitative analysis of the effect of specific tea compounds on germination and
outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores at single cell resolution. Food Microbiology 45 (A), 63-70. doi:
10.1016/j.fm.2014.03.006.
Smelt, J.P., Hoefsloot, H.C., de Koster, C.G., Schuurmans, J.M., ter Kuile, B.H., and Brul, S. 2015.
Modelling the rate of transfer of antibiotic resistance between E coli strains cultured under well
controlled environmental conditions. Food Microbiology Food Microbiology, 45 (B), 189-194. doi:
10.1016/j.fm.2014.03.019.
Händel, N., de la Sayette, S., Verweij, P.E., Brul, S. and ter Kuile, B.H. 2015. De novo induction of
resistance against voriconazole in Aspergillus fumigatus. J. Global Antimicrob. Res. (in
press) DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2015.01.001
Van de Ven, K., Veerman, M., Zange, N., Lezzerini, M., Brul, S., and Budovskaya, Y.V. 2015.
Obtaining gene-specific inactivation in Caenorhabditis elegans by using Bacillus subtilis to
express dsRNA. In preparation (PLOS One, under revision).
Van Beilen, J. Blohmke, C.J., Folkerts, H., Zakrzewska, A., Kulik, W., Vaz, F.M., Brul, S.# and Ter
Beek, A#. 2015. Reduction of rodZ and pgsA Expression Sensitizes Bacillus subtilis to Weak Organic
Acid Stress. Plos One (under revision).
PhD students theses
Promoter: F. Mensonides. 2007. How Saccharomyces cerevisiae copes with heat stress: an
experimental and theoretical study. PhD thesis University of Amsterdam.
Promoter: A. Zakrzewska. 2007. Exploring plasma membrane stress response in Saccharomyces
cerevisiae with functional genomics. PhD thesis University of Amsterdam.
(key-assessor) A. Boorsma. 2008. Dissection of transcriptional regulation networks and prediction of
gene functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PhD thesis University of Amsterdam.
Promoter: A. TerBeek. 2009. Weak acid stress response in Bacillus subtilis. PhD thesis University of
Amsterdam.
Promoter R. Orij 2010. pH homeostasis and stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PhD thesis University
of Amsterdam (18 November 2010).
Promoter J. Postmus 2011. Vertical genomics of temperature stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PhD
thesis. University of Amsterdam (March 2011).
Promoter A. Ullah 2012. Weak organic acid stress in yeast. PhD thesis. University of Amsterdam
(November 2012).
Promoter C. Heilmann (15th February 2013).
Promoter A. Sorgo. (22nd February 2013).
Promoter J. van Beilen. On the mechanisms of weak organic acid stress and resistance in Bacillus
subtilis PhD thesis. University of Amsterdam (17th October 2013).
Promoter W. Abhyankar. The Proteome of Spore Surface Layers in Food Spoiling Bacteria PhD
thesis. Univetsity of Amsterdam (2nd April 2014)
Promoter R. Pandey. Live-imaging of Bacillus subtilis spore germination and outgrowth. PhD thesis
University of Amsterdam (17th October 2014)
Promoter R. de Boer. Anti-HIV therapy side effect analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans (2014)
~50 times member of a thesis committee of a PhD candidate both in and outside of the Netherlands.
Amongst others: Harris, M.R. 2009. An Investigation into the effects of Cationic Antimicrobial
Peptides on Candida and Saccharomyces species. University of St. Andrews, Scotland.
Mellegård, H. 2011. Inhibition of Bacillus cereus spore (out)growth by chitosan. Norwegian School
for Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Sosinska, G. 2012. Canida albicans virulence. (Klis F.M. co-promoter) PhD thesis. University of
Amsterdam (October 2012).
Congresses and seminars (key ones):
-Invited speaker at the International Congres on Predictive Microbiology in Food (Spoilage/Safety)
(France, Quimper, 2003)
-Invited speaker at the First FEMS European Congress on Microbiology (Slovenia, Llubljan2003)
-Invited speaker at the annual meeting of the Association for Food Protection (USA, New Orleans,
2003)- The Challenge of Genomics in Food Microbiology
-Invited speaker at the annual meeting of the Association for Food Protection (USA, New Orleans,
2003)- Use of genomics to develop novel antifungals for food use
-Invited speaker at the International Congres on Food Microbiology Food Micro 2004 (Slovenia,
Llubljana 2004) The impact of functional genomics on microbiological food quality and safety
-Invited speaker at the European Spore Conference 2004 (Slovakia, Bratislava)
Bacterial spores in the food chain: occurrence & issues for the food processing industry
-Invited speaker at EU-US Workshop on Innovative technologies to ensure microbial safety along the
food chain, January 2005, Brussels, Belgium.
-Invited speaker at the Microbiology Symposium of the Unilever Food Research Centre, 2005.
-Invited speaker at the annual meeting of the Food Safety Centre of the University of Georgia, USA
march 2005 (host Distinguished Research Professor Dr. Larry Beuchat)
-Invited speaker at the Spore Workshop part of the Institute for Food Technology Annual meeting in
New Orleans July 2005.
-Invited speaker at the Conference on Nano4Food, June 2005 Wageningen, The Netherlands.
-Invited speaker at the Conference Genomics in Business Wageningen, October 2005, The Netherlands.
-Invited speaker at the Australian Centre for Food Science as part of a peer review visit to the Centre,
November 2005, Australia..
-Invited speaker at the SAFE International Congress on Food Safety, Budapest, June 2006, Hungary
-Selected speaker at the annual meeting of the Institute for Food Research (IFT), June 2006, USA
-Selected speaker (and senior author on 2 independently selected oral contributions) of Food Micro
2006, August/September 2006, Bologna, Italy
-Distinguished Research Scholar of the University Tasmania, July 2007, Tasmania, Australia
-Iinvited speaker at the annual meeting of the Australian Institute of Food Technology, June 2007,
Melbourne, Australia.
-Keynote speaker at the 5th International Congress on Predictive Microbiology in Foods, September
2007, Athens, Greece
-Invited speaker at the Food Micro meeting 2008 in Aberdeen (September 1-4th).
-Key-Note seminars lectures at the Institute for Food Research (IFR), Norwich, UK Jan 2009.
-Member of the Scientific Ci. and key-note speaker at SPORE 2009, an International Conference on
Bacterial Spores, Quimper (June 15th-17th).
-Member of the Technical Committee and key-note speaker at the 6th International Congress on
Predictive Microbiology in Foods, September 7-10 2009, Washington, USA.
-Invited seminar at a meeting of the Norwegian Food Industry (Nofima & Matforsk), November 3rd
2009, Ås, Norway.
-Seminar Eurpean Spore Conference, May 2010, Cortona, Italy.
-Seminar Food Micro 2010, Copenhagen, Denmark.
-Member of the organising committee of the centenary meeting of the Dutch Society for Microbiology,
2011, Papendal, the Netherlands. Includes lectures by 3 Nobel laureates, Craig Venter, Lynn Margulis.
-Member of the Scientific Ci. Of & speaker at the ILSI Workshop on ‘Impact of developments in
genomics on microbiological risk assessment in relation to food safety’, 2011,Ede, the Netherlands.
-Selected abstract for oral contribution ‘Live-cell imaging of aerobic bacteria: a tool to assess and
model heterogeneous germination & outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores’ at the 6th international
Gram-positive congress Montecatini, Italy, June 2011. To be delivered by Dr. Alex Ter Beek.
-Organizer of & invited speaker at a symposium on ‘Response of fungi to medically relevant
environments’: FEMS Congres Geneve, June 2011.
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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-Member of the Scientifc Ci. of the 7th International Congress on Predictive Microbiology in Foods,
September 2011, Dublin, Ireland.
-Selected abstract for oral contribution at the above: Behaviour of individual spores of non proteolytic
C. botulinum as an element in quantitative risk assessment. To be delivered by Dr. Jan Smelt.
-IAFP European symposium on Microbial Risk Assessment. ‘Omics tools’, May 2012, Warschau,
Poland; invited speaker.
-MICROAL 11th Latin American congress of Food Microbiology & Hygiene, November 2012,
Buenos Aires, Argentina; invited speaker.
-Functional genomics for optimal food preservation; Bacillus subtilis spore germination and outgrowth
or ‘the awakening of sleeping beauty’. March 2013, Norwich Institute for Food Research.
-‘Spoorzoeken in voedsel’; van ongenode gast tot goede vriend. March 2013, FNWI Collegetour,
Amsterdam.
-Functional genomics for food preservation; Inhibiting bacterial spore germination. April 2013,
Bacell, Newcastle.
-Omics steered risk assessment of food spoilage; Bacillus subtilis spore germination and outgrowth as a
case study. Microbial spoilers in food, July 2013, Quimper, France.
-Modelling the rate of transfer of antibiotic resistance between E coli strains cultured under well
controlled environmental conditions. 8th International Congress Predictive Food Microbiology, Sept.
2013, Paris.
-European Spore Conference, April 2014, Royal Holloway University, London.
-IAFP European Symposium, April 2015, Cardiff, UK.
-6th European Congress for Microbiologists, June 2015, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
-9th ICPFM, September 2015, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Editor:
FEMS Yeast Research (Wiley) until 2005
Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies (Elsevier) until 2013
Food Microbiology (Elsevier) current
Biomed Res. International (Hindawi)
Honours:
NWO-NATO Talent Stipendium 1993
Unilever Research Prize lecture 1998
Unilever patent silver dollar 1998
Unilever authors awards 1997-1999; 2001-2008
Distinguished Research Scholar University Tasmania, Australia 2007-2009
Extracurricular training:
Graduate of the Unilever International Managers Seminars
London, Lausanne, INSEAD Business Schools
Societies & advisory commissions
Chairman of the Dutch Society for Microbiology until 2009
FEMS representative of the Dutch Society for Microbiology as of 2009
Chairman of the Dutch Institute for Biology - current
Member of the board of the Dutch Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology until 2007
Member of the EU Commission Advisory Group framework VI
Member of the Dutch BioScience Forum
Member if the VICI election Committee 2009 of NWO-STW
Member of Rubicon & CASIMIR Committees of NWO
Member of panels of NWO-Biochemistry Open Competition
Member of the ‘sector plan BioScience’ panel of the Royal Academy of Science (KNAW)
Expert Advisor Strategic Research Program Institute for Food Research (UK)
Member of the reflection group Biosecurity (KNAW)
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Member of the Organising & Program Board of the 6th FEMS Congress of European Microbiologists
(FEMS)
Chair of the international committee for the evaluation of the Flemish Biomedical Sciences courses at
the Universities of Antwerp, Hasselt, Ghent, Leuven and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) 20132014
Chair of the international committee for the evaluation of the research at the Royal Dutch Academy of
Science (KNAW) Fungal Biodiversity Centre (CBS) 2014
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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Research highlight: Contribution to the field of bacterial spore formers.
Our group has from the early days on advocated the use of molecular tools in food microbiology. This
was driven by the wish to turn areas of food microbiology research from an empirical into a
knowledge driven branch of life science. In addition we aim at analysing our data such that we can
generate predictive growth, lag and death kinetic models from primary (molecular) data. Our object of
research was always fungal food spoiling organisms next to in more recent year a growing interest in
bacterial spore-forming organisms. While we have gathered much fundamental insight in stress
response processes, our group has also among others through the natural link with Unilever (and TNO
Food and Nutrition) focussed on making sure that knowledge is valorised. This was facilitated through
the dual appointment of prof. Dr. Stanley Brul both as head of the department of Molecular Biology
and Microbial Food Safety of the University of Amsterdam and as Senior Scientist in the Advanced
Food Microbiology group of the Unilever Food and Health Research Institute.
Specifically we have shown that during spore formation in Bacillus subtilis a change in the mineral
content of the sporulation medium leads to a significant adaptation in the expression profile Oomes
and Brul, 2004). This adaptation may effect the sensitivity of the spores to a thermal treatment by
altering the spore biopolymer structure or directly through a changed protein composition. An extreme
form of a change in environmental conditions during sporulation is the development of an
exopolysaccharide layer (biofilm) that supports growth and sporulation. It was shown by a
collaborative effort that spores originating from biofilms are more stress resistant (Veening et al.,
2006). A further set of experiments was aimed at elucidating in germinating fungal spores the
molecular physiological basis for the onset of germination and outgrowth. This has been written up, is
partially patented and integral part of the paper by Keijser et al. (2007) in the Journal of Bacteriology.
A summary of the processes involved may be given as highlighted in the figure below.
outgrowth
Emergence
DNA segregation
Rod shaped
Multiple nuclei
motility
Novel insights emerged from these
studies regarding possible
antimicrobial targets for inhibition
Early phase
Intermediate phase
Late phase
of spore germination. Finally, we
Transcription essential genes
now have a full integrated analysis
Transporters incl.
of the response of vegetative
Lipophilic weak acid resistance gene 1
Septum formation
Bacillus subtilis to a weak-organic
DNA topoisomerases
Spore cortex lytic enzyme
acid, the food preservative sorbic
Glycolysis / TCA
DNA repair 1
GSR incl.
Aminoacid biosynthesis
acid. Various protein among which
Lipophilic
Initiation replication
Motility
weak acid
a response regulator and an mdr
resistance
DNA repair 2
gene 2
Cell growth
pump of the Major Facilitator
Cell wall-bound proteases
super-family were identified as
AA uptake, Luciferase-like monooxygenase
important factors in weak acid
 

stress resistance (patented with
A
Unilever and ter Beek et al. J.
Bacteriol. (2008). Follow-up studies by a new PhD student aim at identifying the exact role of the
individual proteins in allowing the cells to deal with the weak-acid compound (Hornstra et al., 2009;
Ter Beek and Brul, 2010, Brul et al., 2011, Ter Beek et al., 2011; Pandey et al., 2013).
I
X
D
Prof. Dr. Stanley Brul
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
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