Spotlight: Peter van Esse
Coach. Board Member. Scientist. Peter van Esse is the Founder of van Esse Coaching & Consulting based in Utrecht, Netherlands. Previously, van Esse served as Group Leader for 2Blades at The Sainsbury Laboratory from 2014 - 2023. This spotlight series interview was conducted during his time as Group Leader.
Could you explain your research in 5 words?
Combating plant pathogens using genetics
Okay, now in a few more words.
Plant pathogens are an enormously important challenge to growers, because they require constant management and can cause almost complete yield loss regionally. We know a lot about plant immunity, but often we don’t know enough about the pathogen, so in the 2Blades group we study the pathogen to identify the right type of plant immunity that would work in crops like soy and corn. Importantly, we work with industry to make sure our solutions are deployed in elite varieties that can be used by farmers.
Could you explain one technique you use regularly?
This is actually a management technique – it’s more like a concept. It’s called ‘moving authority to where the information is’. Within 2Blades, we have competent experts in the research group, and it’s my philosophy and the 2Blades philosophy that they are in the best position to make decisions about which techniques to use and which path to follow. That’s a core philosophy in my mind.
What about your field of research is most exciting to you right now?
The sequencing of the causal agent of Asian soybean rust, the fungus P. pachyrhizi. We’re doing this with a huge consortium of 11 partner groups. We’re going to make the sequence available to the scientific community, which is exciting because I believe it will give the whole field a boost to develop innovative new solutions now that everyone can investigate this pathogens genome.
What keeps you busy when you’re not in the lab?
I love to listen to music, read books, and I love hiking. Also playing guitar, and I’m crazy about movies. And of course, most importantly, food and coffee.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a scientist?
Ah I know the answer to that – I would very likely be a life coach. I really enjoy working with people. People are as interesting as science and just as complex, so I really think that’s an interesting area.
What’s the most enjoyable thing about your job?
Seeing the team grow and develop, which in turn then accelerates the science and the insights we have into new solutions to tackle crop disease. It’s that crucial combination of people who get better at what they do and more capable, and seeing that leveraged against these plant pathogens.
How has the 2Blades Foundation been beneficial to your work?
Th 2Blades has enabled me to put together a team in a way I could never have done in another setting. The most important thing is allowing strategic and mission-driven research. I enjoy this a lot because it allows you to tackle a disease problem more patiently and find a durable solution for it. The freedom of this without needing to prioritize publication all of the time is great. In a way, I also got to invent my own job, which is pretty cool!