To limit global temperature rise well below 2⁰C, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Removal (CDR) strategies, such as Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) and biochar, are urgently required. Besides CDR, ERW releases nutrients and trace metals, while biochar surfaces may bind these weathering products. The main objective of this research was to experimentally study whether and through which processes ERW, and biochar co-deployment, can promote carbon sequestration, while limiting trace metal risks and providin ...

This thesis investigates the importance and the function of the General Stress Response (GSR), regulated by the transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during nutrient-limited, slow-growth conditions. Using advanced cultivation techniques, including chemostat, fed-batch, and retentostat cultivations, the research highlights a novel role for the GSR beyond stress resistance.---A key finding is that GSR activation promotes energy conservation by significantly reducing ...

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) is a highly destructive migratory pest native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Since its first detection in West Africa in 2016, FAW has rapidly expanded across Africa and Asia to Australia and New Zealand, and has recently reached southern Europe. Despite its rapid global spread, the genetic characteristics, invasion sources, and outbreak mechanisms of invasive FAW populations remain insufficiently understood. This thesis i ...

The innovation of hybrid potato breeding on the diploid level comes with opportunities to re-design potato multiplication and cultivation systems. The conventional system has significant challenges regarding the multiplication of starting materials which happens clonally, belowground and comes with low multiplication rates, combined with a rapid pest and disease built-up. Moreover, the seed tuber infrastructure is cumbersome and costly due to the seed tuber’s bulky and perishable nature. In ...

This research investigates the drivers of biodiversity decline in semi-natural grasslands, particularly Dutch roadside grasslands, and potential management adjustments to mitigate their effects. Analyses of vegetation change (2004-2020) revealed that winter warming, especially under high nitrogen deposition, was a major driver of plant diversity loss and community shifts. Winter warming promoted competitive species, particularly grasses, through extended growing seasons and increased biomas ...

The collection and consumption of wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in the diet in Ethiopia, where food shortage is recurrent and stressful. WFPs are key to survival strategies used by rural farming households at times of food stresses. However, little is studied on the subject, especially for Konso. Humanitarian partners have used the gathering and consumption of WFPs as early warning indicators in assessing seasonal food availability in chronically food insecure areas. This g ...

The work described in this thesis focuses on the development of chemoenzymatic methods to prepare targeted therapeutics based on monoclonal antibodies, with a particular focus on anticancer drugs, and includes preliminary biological evaluations. Given the ongoing pursuit of safer and more effective cancer treatments, antibody-based therapeutics have garnered significant attention within the biopharmaceutical industry. In particular the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) has obtained s ...

Currently, our cities operate under linear systems where resources are discarded after use. This reduces the capacity for resource recovery and decreases their value. Humanity is at a critical juncture as pollution and overexploitation reach tipping points. The adoption of new technologies and a circular approach is urgently needed to transition from linear to circular systems, reducing waste and fostering local, sustainable practices. Circular Additive Manufacturing (AM) promotes the creat ...

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) that can inhibit enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) adhesion to the mammalian intestinal surface, thus mitigating ETEC-mediated diarrhea. LAB are present in tempeh, a Rhizopus-fermented food product made from soybean. We investigated the anti-adhesion bioactivity against ETEC of EPS from tempeh-associated LAB strain isolates to explore their possible application as adjunct culture in tempeh production to develop tempeh wit ...

Community-based conservation and community forest management (CC-CFM) have become central pillars of present-day forest governance, particularly in tropical regions where Indigenous peoples and local communities play a vital role in conserving forest resources. Despite widespread adoption and strong normative support, many CC-CFM initiatives struggle to deliver lasting conservation outcomes. This thesis investigates why such efforts often fall short and how conservation design can better al ...