15. Okt. 2026 Actualia · Tagungsbericht

13th International PhD School on Plant Development

Die Teilnehmenden der 13th PhD School on Plant Development im Garten des Veranstaltungsortes Kloster Neustadt. Foto: Moritz Nowack
Der Preis für das beste Poster ging an Vijayalakshmi Suryavanshi vom ZMBP Tübingen (zweite von links) und für den besten Vortrag an Anastasiia Korosteleva von der Uni Bern (rechts daneben). Sie nahmen die Auszeichnungen von Moritz Nowack (links) und Michael Raissig (rechts) entgegen. Foto: Moritz Nowack
Aktive Diskussionen, die durch ECRs geleitet wurden, entstanden nach vielen der Vorträge im Tagungszentrum des Klosters Neustadt. Foto: Moritz Nowack
Neue Netzwerke und Kollaborationen entstanden auch während der Weinverkostung und dem gemeinsamen Abendessen in einem lokalen Weingut. Foto: Moritz Nowack

Die 13. Internationale Doktorand*innenschule zur Pflanzenentwicklung brachte 45 Forschende im frühen Karrierestadium und 13 etablierte Wissenschaftler*innen zusammen. Sie fand vom 23. bis 25. September 2026 im Kloster Neustadt in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Deutschland, statt. Die von Moritz Nowack (VIB Gent), Michael Raissig (Universität Bern) und Arp Schnittger (Universität Hamburg) organisierte Veranstaltung markierte die Wiederaufnahme dieser traditionsreichen Veranstaltung an einem neuen Ort, nachdem sie aufgrund der COVID-19-Pandemie unterbrochen worden war und der bisherige Veranstaltungsort in Retzbach geschlossen worden war. Für einige der Organisatoren hatte die Wiederbelebung der Schule eine besondere Bedeutung: Michael Raissig hatte 2008 als Doktorand an der allerersten Ausgabe teilgenommen.

Background and purpose

Since 2008, the PhD School has given young scientists a forum to present their work, exchange ideas and meet leading researchers in plant development in an informal, inclusive and supportive setting. Plant developmental biology is advancing rapidly, driven by progress in sequencing, single-cell technologies, gene editing, imaging and modelling. The school aims to connect the next generation of researchers working at this frontier.

Programme

Attendance was limited to 45 participants to preserve the intimate character of the meeting, and registration was fully booked and the sizeable waiting list indicated that this PhD school remained popular. 

Each scientific session was opened by an internationally recognised keynote speaker, followed by two short talks selected from submitted abstracts. Early-career scientists acted as session chairs, and two poster sessions provided further opportunities for informal discussion. Each poster was presented in a flash talk session. 

The program comprised 11 thematic sessions

  • root development (Bert De Rybel, VIB Ghent)
  • shoot and leaf development (Chris Whitewoods, JIC)
  • reproductive development I (Andre Marques, MPI Cologne)
  • reproductive development II (Sara Simonini, University of Zurich)
  • evolutionary development (Isabel Monte, ZMBP Tübingen)
  • developmental mechanisms (Charlotte Kirchhelle, ENS Lyon)
  • development and environment (Marie Barberon, University of Geneva)
  • development and defence (Yan Ma, GMI Vienna)
  • crop development (Sebastian Soyk, University of Lausanne)
  • developmental plasticity (Charles Melnyk, SLU Uppsala)
  • career development, with representatives from industry and administration

Highlights

Participants and organizers described the talks as outstanding, and the community as warm, engaged and collaborative. Kloster Neustadt provided a beautiful setting for the meeting. A dinner and wine tasting at a local winery gave attendees the chance to continue scientific conversations in a relaxed atmosphere, which is often where new collaborations and friendships begin. The prize for the best talk went to Anastasiia Korosteleva (University of Bern) and for the best poster to Vijayalakshmi Suryavanshi (ZMBP Tübingen)

Value for early-career researchers

Small, focused meetings like this are rare. They give doctoral students and early postdocs hands-on experience in presenting their data, chairing sessions and building networks with peers and senior scientists. By keeping the registration fee low (€350, covering accommodation, meals and the social event), the school remains accessible to young researchers from across Europe. This was made possible by the support of academic – for example from the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) - and industrial sponsors.

Outlook

This meeting will be organized again in 2028 by Charlotte Kirchhelle (ENS Lyon) and Michael Raissig (University of Bern).

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Prof. Dr. Michael Raissig, University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Plant Genetics and Development, Bern, Switzerland 

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