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Science

Our knowledge contributes to biodiversity preservation

National
research institute

Naturalis is the Dutch national research institute for biodiversity. With one of the largest natural history collections in the world, our labs and our biodiversity data, we offer a unique scientific infrastructure: a veritable time machine that enables scientists to map the biological and geological diversity of the past, present and future. Scientific biodiversity research is fundamental to the protection of the natural riches of our Earth.

Naturalis helps talented biodiversity researchers get their scientific careers off to a flying start. Our PhD students and postdocs have access to unique tools in our collection and research facilities, and our close collaboration with academic institutions ensures that they will have good career prospects in the long term. Interested?

Research Coordination Office

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News
from Naturalis

Max van Balgooy during field work in Papua (1965), holding the inflorescence of an unspecified Araliaceae
September 6th, 2021

Botanist Max van Balgooy deceased

Dr. M.M.J. (Max) van Balgooy passed away on 3 September, aged 89. He started working with the Dutch National Herbarium (now a part of Naturalis) in 1961, and stayed working there until and after his retirement. He obtained his PhD with prof. Dr. Van…
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Gloved hand holding eppendorfs
July 15th, 2021

Naturalis’ research receives top marks

The quality of the research at Naturalis is rated as “excellent”, research facilities are “state of the art”, the collection is “unique” and its relevance to society is no less than “world leading”. This was all said by an external top visitation committee…
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Expanding
frontiers of knowledge

Continually expanding the frontiers of knowledge is vital, including by documenting plant and animal species and the relationships between them over millions of years of evolution. Over 120 scientists at Naturalis are constantly working towards this aim. We develop new technologies that allow researchers to identify and monitor species much faster. In doing so, we make a major contribution to the fundamental knowledge that is crucial to preserving biodiversity.

waterkevers
Planten en schimmels

Research
and scientific infrastructure

At Naturalis, over 120 researchers (40 FTE permanent academic staff, among them 10 professors, 1 lector and dozens of PhD students and postdocs) are working on scientific issues in the field of biodiversity on land and at sea worldwide: mapping species and their cohesion, the changing living environment and the influence of climate change. Our natural history collection, the labs and data specialists offer valuable scientific resources and infrastructure.

Researchers and specialists

Naturalis conducts research
worldwide

Services
we offer

Laboratories

Naturalis laboratories

The Naturalis laboratories offer a wide range of opportunities to perform biological or geological scientific analyses. A group of 8 research technicians with specialist knowledge annually support 80 students, 60 internal research projects, 10PhDs, 40…
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Online access
to our collection and collection data

Catalogue of Life 
One worldwide name list of all animals, plants and fungi that have been described by scientists.
Linnaeus
Are you  a species specialist working to make taxonomic knowledge and type information available online? Please consider the software-as-a-service package Linnaeus.
BioPortal 
As a researcher or collection manager, you can quickly browse the Naturalis digital collection.
Netherlands Biodiversity API/Data Services
For software developers or bio-computer scientists, we built an API to provide access the digital collection information from Naturalis.

Bio Portal

Bachelor
and Master

The research groups at Naturalis offer  bachelor- and master courses at Dutch universities and applied universities. We also offer many projects for Bachelor and Master internships.

Education:  bachelor- and master courses
Research: bachelor- and master projects

Academisch onderwijs
Nederlandse paddestoelen