The NVBMB prize is handed out to give recognition to the work of a highly talented young independent biochemist or molecular biologist working in the Netherlands. Dr. Nico Claassens made a major breakthrough by successfully implementing a synthetic pathway for the fixation of the one-carbon substrates CO₂ and formate in a bacterium, for which he used his expertise in genetic engineered obtained during his PhD studies. In 2020, Dr Claassens was awarded an NWO Veni grant to return to Wageningen University, where he now has a position as assistant professor in Microbial Synthetic Metabolism.

More information about Dr. Claassens and the NVBMB prize can be found here.