Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
I am a microbiologist with a passion for carbohydrates and their role in biology; I am particularly interested in finding out how microbes degrade complex carbohydrates. I became fascinated by carbohydrate active enzymes while pursuing my PhD in microbial physiology at the University of Groningen. There I combined biochemistry with fungal genetics to study how enzymes degraded complex sugars in fungal cell walls. As postdoctoral fellow at the University of Nottingham I investigated how fungi regulate their gene expression and produce enzymes to degrade complex carbohydrates in plant cell wall lignocellulose. Funded by a BBSRC Fellowship, I then moved to the University of Manchester where I investigating how fungi, via their enzymes, affect the properties of plant material. I applied surface analysis tools to characterise changes in insoluble lignocellulose and combined this with detailed characterisation of the responsible enzyme activities. This work aimed to understand of how the fungal enzymatic machinery deconstructs plant biomass, a prerequisite for improving exploitation in sustainable biotechnology. At SRUC I lead the glycomycology team, we focuss on elucidating plant biomass degradation by anaerobic fungi that are part of the ruminant microbiome.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, University of Groningen
2008 → 2012
Award Date: 22 Sept 2014
External positions
EUROFUNG think tank in fungal biotechnology
Mar 2023 → …
Microbiology Society
Feb 2022 → …
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester
Aug 2020 → Aug 2022
Frontiers in fungal biology
Jun 2020 → …
Carbohydrate Research
Aug 2017 → …
Keywords
- Q Science (General)
- microbiology
- mycology
- plant biomass degradation
- QD Chemistry
- carbohydrates
- carbohydrate active enzymes
- SF Animal culture
- microbiome
- rumen
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Separating fibre from feed – the role of gut fungi in ruminant digestion
van Munster, J. (PI)
1/03/21 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Understanding activities of the rumen microbiome during herbivore digestion to advance sustainable ruminant farming
van Munster, J. (PI)
1/10/23 → 30/09/31
Project: Research
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Metabolic Interactions Between Fungi And Bacteria In The Rumen Microbiome
van Munster, J. (Supervisor) & Monino Ramos, S. (PhD Student)
1/10/23 → 30/09/27
Project: PhD project
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Understanding Detection And Colonisation Of Lignocellulose By Anaerobic Fungi To Improve Agricultural Waste Valorisation
van Munster, J. (Supervisor)
1/10/22 → 30/09/26
Project: PhD project
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Elucidating temporal-spatial patterns in lignocellulose degradation by morphologically distinct anaerobe gut fungi
van Munster, J. (PI)
1/10/22 → 30/09/24
Project: Research
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Biochemical characterization of a glycoside hydrolase family 43 β-D-galactofuranosidase from the fungus Aspergillus niger
Bulmer, G. S., Yuen, F. W., Begum, N., Jones, B. S., Flitsch, S. L. & van Munster, J. M., Mar 2023, In: Enzyme and Microbial Technology. 164, 110170.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile112 Downloads (Pure) -
The feruloyl esterase from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus shows broad specificity for processing pre-biotic feruloylated xylooligosaccharides at high temperatures
Garbelotti, C. V., Bulmer, G. S., Ward, R. J. & van Munster, J. M., 30 Mar 2023, In: Food Chemistry. 405, Pt B, 134939.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)84 Downloads (Pure) -
A promiscuous glycosyltransferase generates poly-β-1,4-glucan derivatives that facilitate mass spectrometry-based detection of cellulolytic enzymes
Bulmer, G. S., Mattey, A. P., Parmeggiani, F., Williams, R., Ledru, H., Marchesi, A., Seibt, L. S., Both, P., Huang, K., Galan, M. C., Flitsch, S. L., Green, A. P. & van Munster, J. M., 1 Jun 2021, (First published) In: Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry. 19, 25, p. 5529-5533 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Short communication › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Citations (Scopus)44 Downloads (Pure) -
Biochemical characterization of a glycoside hydrolase family 43 β-D-galactofuranosidase from the fungus Aspergillus niger
Bulmer, G. S., Yuen, F. W., Begum, N., Jones, B., Flitsch, S. L. & van Munster, J., 27 Oct 2021, (First published) bioRxiv.Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint
Open AccessFile86 Downloads (Pure) -
Recent advances in enzymatic synthesis of β-glucan and cellulose
Bulmer, G. S., de Andrade, P., Field, R. A. & van Munster, J. M., Oct 2021, In: Carbohydrate Research. 508, 108411.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile26 Citations (Scopus)105 Downloads (Pure)