Lara Van Dijck
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laravdijck.bsky.social
Lara Van Dijck
@laravdijck.bsky.social
1K followers 270 following 7 posts
Postdoc at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology in the Rhizosphere lab of Sofie Goormachtig
@therhizolab.bsky.social

PhD graduate @parkergroup.bsky.social @mpipz.bsky.social
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laravdijck.bsky.social
Lara Van Dijck @laravdijck.bsky.social · Aug 21
Super excited to share that my PhD research paper is finally out!
@newphyt.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1111/nph....

@parkergroup.bsky.social
Cooperation between a root fungal endophyte and host‐derived coumarin scopoletin mediates Arabidopsis iron nutrition
Iron acquisition is a critical challenge for plants, especially in iron-deficient soils. Recent research underscores the importance of root-exuded coumarins in modulating the root microbiome communi.....
doi.org
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
therhizolab.bsky.social
Have a look at our most recent preprint, where we looked at transcriptional regulation during tomato root colonization by Rhizophagus irregularis.
biorxiv-plants.bsky.social bioRxiv Plant Bio @biorxiv-plants.bsky.social · 4d
Decoding stage-specific symbiotic programs in the Rhizophagus irregularis-tomato interaction using single-nucleus transcriptomics https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.22.701092v1
January 27, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
hadrienoliveri.bsky.social
Job alert🚨I am advertising a 2-year postdoctoral position to work on the mathematics of plant morphogenesis @mpipz.bsky.social. Candidates with interests in mathematical modelling, mechanics, or biophysics are strongly encouraged to apply. 🌱Reposts are appreciated!

jobs.mpipz.mpg.de/jobposting/4...
January 22, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
johninnescentre.bsky.social
VACANCY - We're looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the @philcarella.bsky.social Group, working in the field of Evo-MPMI (Evolutionary Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions).

okt.to/yIlgTU

Closing date - 10 February 2026
Salary - £37,500 - £45,350
Contract - Full-time, 3 years
okt.to
January 22, 2026 at 1:51 PM
laravdijck.bsky.social
Happy to contribute to the circular economy of STAMAGRO 🌱🐓
therhizolab.bsky.social The RhizoLab @therhizolab.bsky.social · 5d
This week we officially kicked off a new collaboration with STAMAGRO for the development of plant signalling molecules derived from poultry proteins, applied as a seed treatment to enhance soybean-rhizobia interactions.
@laravdijck.bsky.social
@psb-vib.bsky.social
@viblifesciences.bsky.social
January 22, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
psb-vib.bsky.social
jobs.vib.be/j/129762/pos...

Please spread! @viblifesciences.bsky.social
Post-Doctoral Researcher in Plant Genome Editing - VIB
Application deadline January 30, 2026 or until position is filled About the lab The VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (PSB) is a world-leading plant sc
jobs.vib.be
January 8, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
psb-vib.bsky.social
The group of @hildenelissen.bsky.social is looking for a highly motivated and talented machine vision / mechanical engineer Please spread the word!
jobs.vib.be/j/129008/mac...
Machine Vision / Mechanical Engineer - VIB
We are looking for a highly motivated and talented machine vision / mechanical engineer to join our team at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology. The selected candidate will join the Nelisse...
jobs.vib.be
January 15, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
dompsfr.bsky.social
This week we will hear @federicalocci.bsky.social (from @parkergroup.bsky.social, @mpipz.bsky.social) talk about "How not to die", workings of TIR-networks in damage and systemic resistance.

📅 Jan 16 | 🕥 10:15 |📍KS 00.009
#PlantScience

If you want to know more, check out their review below. 👇🏼
royalsocietypublishing.org Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · Jun 30
ICYMI #OpenBiology review - Plant NLR immunity activation and execution: a biochemical perspective: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... #biochemistry #immunology
January 12, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
somssich.bsky.social
If you're interested in #PlantScience R&D work at a plant breeding company: @kwsgroup.bsky.social is hosting its annual R&D TalentCampus here in Einbeck on May 29th.

More info here:
www.kws.com/corp/en/care...
Four Images: A scientist in a lab looking at a pipetting robot, a greenhouse with lots of pots containing plants, a scientist with drones and other euipment in a field, and a tractor driver with lots of high-tech equipment in the cockpit. The text is: TalentCampus@KWS May 29, 2026 A look behind the scenes: All KWS research and development departments open their doors The headline and text says: May 29, 2026 in Einbeck, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Seeding the future – breeding combines sciences and talents The image is a wheel showing all the R&D contributions to plant breeding, incl. Molecular Biology Experimental Fields Cell Biology Breeding Phytopathology Chemical Analytics Greenhouse Phenotyping Digitalization Highlights of the program Information stands Breeders of our main crops explain their work From sowing to harvesting: all the special machines of a breeding station Digital tools for field trialing Root phenotyping: how roots grow in the soil Phenotyping with drones: multispectral from a bird's eye view Phytopathology: insects, fungi, nematodes and other pathogens Chemical Analytics and process analysis Catch crops - concepts for agriculture, soil health, CO2 balance Biological seed treatment Breeding technologies – data and genomics specialists support breeding Genome Editing: new breeding technologies and their application at KWS Regulatory Affairs: paving the way to approval From lab to market: how KWS protects intellectual property Marker lab: examine the DNA The art of engineering for seed production Career opportunities at KWS Hands-on activities The start of a new generation of varieties: crossing plants by hand Tissue culture: placing plant parts on a special diet in vitro Leaf harvest for the marker lab Live view of root growth: navigate a camera through the soil
January 13, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
therhizolab.bsky.social
🌱 Wat als bodembacteriën planten kunnen helpen overleven bij droogte? In @eoswetenschap.bsky.social legt Michiel Vandecasteel uit hoe Streptomyces een duurzaam alternatief bieden voor chemische meststoffen.
www.eoswetenschap.eu/natuur-milie...
Bacteriën als plantenmest: hoe bodembacteriën planten helpen groeien bij droogte
Landbouwers vertrouwen sterk op chemische meststoffen, maar dat gaat ten koste van de bodemkwaliteit, biodiversiteit en vruchtbaarheid. Bodembacteriën kunnen...
www.eoswetenschap.eu
January 6, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
nasonline.org
How do plants fight disease? 🌱 #NASmember Jane Parker studies NLR proteins that help plants sense attackers and launch powerful immune defenses. She shares her latest findings on how these proteins signal plants to resist disease in a new @pnas.org QnAs: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
November 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
nickdunken.bsky.social
My former colleague Patricia Zecua, me and the Zuccaro group published a new story about how autophagy restricts cell death and regulates root colonization by beneficial fungi:

academic.oup.com/plphys/advan...
Autophagy restricts symbiosis-associated cell death and regulates colonization by Serendipita indica in Arabidopsis
Autophagy acts as a pro-survival mechanism in plant roots during beneficial fungal colonization by restricting fungal proliferation and immunometabolic cel
academic.oup.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
mpipz.bsky.social
We’re #hiring! Our #IMPRS @mpipz.bsky.social & @unicologne.bsky.social recruits 4 PhD students. We look for candidates with a keen interest in experimental & computational plant biology to join us in 2026!

Find details at www.mpipz.mpg.de/imprs/imprs-... and apply by Jan 5.

#PlantSciJobs
A Banner that shows the open call for the international PhD program on interdisciplinary Plant Biology in Cologne Germany between University of Cologne and Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. A button reads "apply now!".
November 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
gweissbart.bsky.social
Why are leaf cells of so many different sizes?
Our paper explores how giant cells form!
We also provide automatic cell-type classification and perform statistical quantification of cell spatial organization.
If interested, check it out in @plosbiology.org. Thanks Pau and @roederlab.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
pfeilmeier.bsky.social
We are hiring‼️ Two cool projects in my group for a PhD student in plant immunity and for a Postdoc in plant microbiota research 🌿🧫🚀🚀
October 31, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
mpipz.bsky.social
👏 Congratulations to Dr. Lara Van Dijck from Jane Parker’s lab @mpipz.bsky.social on successfully completing her PhD! Wishing you continued success ahead! 🎓🌱
#PhDSuccess #PlantScience #PhDone #ScientificAchievement
The post shows a picture of Lara after successfully passing her viva on a green background with words congratulating her on acquiring the PhD title.
October 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
somssich.bsky.social
Our article "Guns in Rosettes: The Arabidopsis chemical weapons arsenal" is finally published @plantphys.bsky.social!
You can download the #OpenAccess PDF here:

doi.org/10.1093/plph...

But real connoisseurs of #AntimicrobialCompounds will want to get the vinyl boxset: #PlantScience #PlantImmunity
A vinyl box with six colored vinyl LPs sticking out of its right side. The Title "Guns in Rosettes" is on top, with the subtitle "The Arabidopsis chemical weapons arsenal" just below. Then there is an Arabidopsis plant with machine guns sticking out. Below is the statement "6-LP LIMITED EDITION COLORED VINYL BOX SET" The back cover of the vinyl box set showing the tracklist: 1. Methionine-derived compounds Aliphatic GSLs 2. Tryptophan-derived compounds (trptonites) Indolic GSLs Camalexin Hycanite (4-OH-ICN) 3. Phenylalanine-derived compounds (phenylpropanoids) Benzenic GSLs Coumarins Hydroxycinnamates Flavonoids 4. Terpenoids (E)-β-caryophyllene α- and β-pinene Thalianin, arabidin, and DMNT And the statement "Recorded live in front of an audience in 2025"
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
bossdorf.bsky.social
Job Alert! We're hiring a BIOINFORMATICIAN / NGS SPECIALIST to support our new Molecular Biodiversity Lab in the @terra-cluster.org at @unituebingen.bsky.social. Like the idea to use your skills for understanding biodiversity? To work on diverse questions in a wonderful place? Apply!
Please repost!
September 24, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
spicybotrytis.bsky.social
Fun review of Arabidopsis anti-pathogen metabolism with @somssich.bsky.social and @tonnigrubeandersen.bsky.social.

Started to make a complete catalogue and had to focus. Even with all this knowledge, we still haven't studied most Arabidopsis enzymes or metabolites doi.org/10.1093/plph...
Guns in Rosettes: The Arabidopsis chemical weapons arsenal
Arabidopsis remains one of the best studied models today and has a number of remarkable chemical defense systems which actively engage, interact and preven
doi.org
September 24, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
nikogeldner.bsky.social
Call for a tenure-track position at our Department of Plant Molecular Biology in Lausanne! We are searching for promising early-career researchers in the broad field of plant-organismal interactions. Deadline: November 30, 2025 - Please re-post!

career5.successfactors.eu/career?caree...
Career Opportunities: DBMV: Tenure Track Assistant Professor towards Associate Professor in the field of Plant-organism (22484)
career5.successfactors.eu
September 17, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
gstringlis.bsky.social
🔬🌱Our review “Roots: metabolic architects of beneficial microbiome assembly” led by PhD candidate Melissa Uribe Acosta @plantphys.bsky.social discusses plant mechanisms of root microbiome selection. Co-authors: @cornepieterse.bsky.social Jiayu Zhou Alberto Pascale.
academic.oup.com/plphys/artic...
Roots: metabolic architects of beneficial microbiome assembly
Abstract. The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has driven a renewed interest in plant–microbiome interactions as a basis for the ne
academic.oup.com
September 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
plantevolution.bsky.social
2/2 @hotvegetables.bsky.social now solved this mystery, showing that this locus is responsible for natural variation in root architecture in response to commensal Pseudomonas — likely due to local adaptation
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
September 10, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
kawaima.bsky.social
Our review article on the "Potential and challenges for application of microbiomes in agriculture" is published
@theplantcell.bsky.social [1/n]
doi.org/10.1093/plce...
Potential and challenges for application of microbiomes in agriculture
Abstract. The plant microbiome can promote plant health and productivity through a multitude of mechanisms. Our understanding of plant–microbiome interacti
doi.org
September 2, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
parkergroup.bsky.social
🚨 New paper alert!

Our work is published in PNAS! @junli-wang.bsky.social @mpipz.bsky.social

In this study, we uncover how NLR-assembled and canonical Ca2+ ion channels cooperate to confer robust resistance against disease in plants.

Check it out here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
August 25, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Lara Van Dijck
somssich.bsky.social
Great to see this really cool story (see quoted post) published in @newphyt.bsky.social!

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Congratulations @laravdijck.bsky.social, @parkergroup.bsky.social!

Plant-Scopoletin-Fungal Endophyte-Iron

#PlantScience #Coumarin #PlantImmunity #PlantNutrition
August 21, 2025 at 8:56 AM
laravdijck.bsky.social
Super excited to share that my PhD research paper is finally out!
@newphyt.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1111/nph....

@parkergroup.bsky.social
Cooperation between a root fungal endophyte and host‐derived coumarin scopoletin mediates Arabidopsis iron nutrition
Iron acquisition is a critical challenge for plants, especially in iron-deficient soils. Recent research underscores the importance of root-exuded coumarins in modulating the root microbiome communi.....
doi.org
August 21, 2025 at 10:55 AM