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​2025 President elect candidate |Corné ​Pieterse​

Without science, facts risk being replaced by unsupported opinions. In fields like ours—with vast potential to drive sustainable solutions for food security and a healthy environment—this is a serious concern. Since attending my first IS-MPMI Congress in Interlaken in 1990 and serving on the Board of Directors from 2012–2016, I’ve witnessed several waves of groundbreaking discoveries in our field, many with real-world applications in agriculture. From pathogen effectors, resistance genes, and immune signaling to symbiosis and microbiomes, nearly every Congress has marked the birth or growth of transformative MPMI insights. Our vibrant, global, curiosity-driven community has been the engine of this progress. Strengthening this spirit within IS-MPMI, especially amid shifting global values, is what motivates my nomination. 

I’m passionate about fundamental research as the foundation for true innovation and real-world impact. As an active member and chair of the Utrecht Science for Life community, I’ve seen how shared enthusiasm for basic science unites people across diverse disciplines—from plant biology to medical and veterinary sciences—fueling unexpected collaborations and technology exchange. I believe in celebrating major breakthroughs, but also in valuing smaller, elegant discoveries that can spark new avenues of research. IS-MPMI has long fostered both types of discoveries, offering a supportive platform that bridges academia and industry. To continue thriving, our community must maintain low-barrier opportunities for global networking and collaboration—across all career stages and regions, including rapidly growing scientific communities in China and other parts of Asia, and the Global South. These connections help experienced researchers pass on insights while empowering early-career scientists to introduce fresh perspectives and values. By continuing to share our knowledge globally in a supportive and collegial manner, I am confident our science field will continue to thrive. IS-MPMI already offers tools to support such interactions, and I would gladly contribute to their development to ensure our society remains connected, forward-looking, and inclusive. 

As biologists, we know diversity strengthens communities—and that diversity takes many forms. Raised in a relatively progressive, open-minded, yet down-to-earth society, equity and inclusion are natural parts of my everyday life. As a first-generation academic from a large working-class family, I believe every link in the chain matters. I aim to be a leader who values everyone’s well-being and contributions—not just a boss. Today, the Utrecht Plant-Microbe Interactions group includes people from 16 nationalities across nearly every continent. Our team embraces differences in culture, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and ability. I’m especially proud of our inclusion of two neurodiverse lab assistants, who feel fully appreciated by the rest of the group—and, just as importantly, that the group genuinely values the unique contributions of these individuals who otherwise may have a distance to the traditional job market. Creating such a team requires a non-competitive, inclusive atmosphere—one where people genuinely enjoy interacting with one another and find true joy in their work. I believe that fostering this kind of environment not only enhances well-being but also translates into stronger and more creative scientific output. This culture of community and collaboration echoes the legacy of Prof. Johanna Westerdijk, who founded our research group in 1917 and was the first female professor in the Netherlands. Her motto, “Werken en feesten schept schone geesten” (“working and partying creates beautiful minds”), still resonates. I hope to carry these values into IS-MPMI as well. 

Born and raised in the Netherlands, I naturally represent the European region. But my academic path has been global: as a student I did an internship at the Plant Research Lab at Michigan State University and later worked as a visiting professor in Australia at the University of Queensland and CSIRO. I’ve served on international advisory and research assessment boards across Europe and the USA, and in the past decade, have built collaborations with labs in China, Africa, and Latin America. These experiences have reinforced my belief in the power of fundamental research while deepening my understanding of the unique challenges faced in Asia and the Global South. It’s rewarding to see our science applied to issues that matter most in those regions.