Rate My Professor Bram Van de Poel

Bram Van de Poel is a professor BOF in the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at KU Leuven, serving as head of the Division of Crop Biotechnics within the Department of Biosystems. He leads the Laboratory of Molecular Plant Hormone Physiology and holds additional leadership roles as head of the KU Leuven Greenhouses Core Facility, the Division University Greenhouse, and the Division Crop Resilience. His academic journey began with a Bachelor in Bio-science Engineering from the University of Antwerp (2002-2005), followed by a Master in Bio-science Engineering from KU Leuven (2005-2007), and a PhD in Bioscience Engineering from KU Leuven (2008-2013). Following his doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland in the Chang Lab (2013-2014) and at Ghent University in the Van Der Straeten Lab (2014-2016), before joining KU Leuven as Associate Professor in 2016.

Van de Poel's research centers on molecular plant hormone physiology, with a particular emphasis on ethylene biosynthesis, signaling, fruit ripening, and abiotic stress responses in plants. He investigates the evolutionary origins of ethylene pathways using model organisms like liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) and crops such as tomato. Notable achievements include receiving the ERC Consolidator Grant in 2022 for the ETHYLUTION project, valued at €2 million, to reveal ancient plant ethylene biosynthesis and ACC signaling. His scholarly impact is evidenced by over 4,900 citations and an h-index of 33 on Google Scholar. Key publications encompass 'Evolution of ethylene as an abiotic stress hormone in plants' (Trends in Plant Science, 2023), 'Ethylene inhibits photosynthesis via temporally distinct mechanisms' (The Plant Cell, 2024), and 'A transcriptomics-based kinetic model for ethylene biosynthesis during tomato fruit ripening' (New Phytologist, 2014). He teaches courses including Plant Physiology, Plantenteelt, and Teeltmanagement, and supervises PhD students funded by FWO fellowships.