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Professor de Vos receives Holland’s most prestigious science award

The award-winning FiDiPro at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine specialises in lactic acid bacteria research.

Professor de Vos, who specialises in bacterial genetics and lactic acid bacteria research in particular, has today been awarded the Spinoza Prize, Holland’s most prestigious scientific accolade.

The Spinoza Prize is awarded annually to four researchers for their outstanding and groundbreaking scientific research. The award, which amounts to 1.5 million euros, may be used freely by the researcher for his or her research.

In citing the grounds for awarding him the prize, the jury commended Professor de Vos as a prolific researcher and research leader who has published 350 scientific articles and who actively engages in cooperation with business and industry.

De Vos works as a visiting FiDiPro (Finland Distinguished Professor) in the Centre of Excellence in Microbial Food Safety Research. The unit, which is headed by Professor Airi Palva, studies microbiological challenges in the food chain, from the outset of the production process all the way through to the consumer’s gastro-intestinal tract.

The research seeks out solutions for such things as the spoilage problem in foodstuffs and the prevention of intestinal infections.

De Vos has also served as research manager at the Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research (now NIZO Food Research) and he is Professor of Microbiology at Wageningen University. He has established and led several research teams.

Text: Niina Viitanen
Picture: NWO/Arie Wapenaar
9 June 2008
www.helsinki.fi/digitalcommunications
Translation: AAC Noodi Oy

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