John D. Marugg graduated in Biology at the Radboud University Nijmegen (NL) and obtained his Ph.D. degree in Molecular Genetics in 1988 at the University of Utrecht (NL). Since then, he gained extensive experience in microbiology research & development and project management in different academic and industrial positions throughout a variety of multidisciplinary, biotechnological research projects, such as protein engineering of detergent enzymes (proteases/lipases), metabolic pathways in industrially-relevant lactic acid bacteria (flavor generation and natural conservatives in foods), and biotechnologically-relevant extremophilic bacteria and archaea. As an Invited Scientist in the scope of an EU-FP4-funded project in the Laboratory of Microbiology at CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology at the University of Coimbra, he introduced and implemented molecular biology techniques on compatible solutes (osmolytes) biosynthesis in hyper/thermophilic bacteria and archaea. In his subsequent position as a Team Leader in charge of analytical microbiology within the Quality & Safety department at the Nestlé Research Center (NRC), Lausanne, Switzerland, he further developed his knowledge and experience in the area of microbiological safety and hygiene of food and nutritional products. The main responsibility of his team was to ensure that microbiological methods used in Nestlé laboratories worldwide were kept up-to-date and compliant with the GLP/GMP requirements and international or local regulations. In addition, he has developed and validated rapid, state-of-the-art analytical microbiological methods according to official internationally recognized guidelines. He also participated in official ISO Validation Committees: ISO/SC9 Method Validation (ISO16140 revision) working group and the MicroVal General Committee (official EU ISO-based validation/certification organization). As a Research Development Manager, he initiated and managed research projects for Swissaustral Biotech, a worldwide specialist company in biotechnology of extremophilic microorganisms, with industrial partners in the food and personal care business. He has also been active as a freelance consultant and scientific writer for Biosynth AG (CH). In the last 6 years, he has been associated with CIBB - Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, as a Principal Investigator within the Molecular Microbiology and Microbiome Group, supervising a small team (1 Ph.D. and 1 MSc students) with a special focus on the biosynthesis of neurotransmitters or neurotoxins by members of the gut microbiota, linked to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance as an effect of within-host microevolution. He has published 32 peer-reviewed papers and 5 book chapters, and he is a co-inventor in 8 patents. He co-supervised 4 Ph.D. students, and several postdoctoral fellows as well as MSc and BSc students. Personal skills include curiosity, innovative and analytical mindset, resourcefulness and problem solver, positive and pro-active approach, good communication and interpersonal skills, leadership and coaching skills, team spirit, result-oriented and pragmatic, polyvalent, and integrity.