In the MICROBIOMES4SOY project, we are collaborating with the support of wonderful early-career researchers. To highlight their contribution to the project, we invite you to meet our PhD Students through these short introductions. Discover the people behind the science: their motivations, research focus, and hopes for the impact of their work.
Meet Maria from Greece, a PhD candidate at Utrecht University:
My name is Maria Papadopoulou, and I am from Greece. I studied Plant Sciences at Wageningen University, where I became fascinated by microbes — how essential they are for promoting sustainable agriculture and how they interact with plants in complex ways. This passion led me to pursue my PhD at Utrecht University, in the Plant–Microbiome Interactions department, as part of the MICROBIOMES4SOY project.
In this project, I work on the first stage of the research chain. Using microbiomes from 100 different soils, I aim to enhance soya bean growth. My work involves testing how these microbial communities affect soyabean phenotypes and analysing which microbes are present in each community. By correlating microbiome composition with plant performance data through machine learning, I will develop a predictive model that can forecast soybean performance based on the microbiome present in a given field.
Additionally, I aim to identify novel beneficial microbes and formulate them as bioinoculants for field applications. I am also investigating “collaboromes”—microbial groups that act synergistically to promote plant growth—to develop them as effective inoculant combinations.
Working on such a meaningful topic that contributes to sustainable agriculture truly inspires me. My PhD allows me to explore uncharted scientific territory, make new discoveries, and contribute to a more sustainable planet.
