15. Oct 2026 Actualia (engl.) · Conference Report

13th International PhD School on Plant Development

Participants of the 13th PhD School on Plant Development in the gardens of Kloster Neustadt, the venue of the PhD school. Photo: Moritz Nowack
The prize for the best poster won Vijayalakshmi Suryavanshi from ZMBP Tübingen (second from left) and for the best talk to Anastasiia Korosteleva from Bern University (right of Suryavanshi). They received their certificates from Moritz Nowack (left) and Michael Raissig (right). Photo: Moritz Nowack
Active discussions evolved after many talks that were led by ECRs in the seminar rooms of Kloster Neustadt. Photo: Moritz Nowack
New networks and collaborations also were initiated during the wine tasting and the joint dinner. Photo: Moritz Nowack

The 13th International PhD School on Plant Development gathered 45 Early Career Researchers (ECR) and 13 senior scientists. It took place 23-25 September 2026 at Kloster Neustadt in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. Organized by Moritz Nowack (VIB Ghent), Michael Raissig (University of Bern), and Arp Schnittger (University of Hamburg), the meeting relaunched this long-standing event at a new venue after the disruption of COVID-19 and the closure of its former site in Retzbach. For some of the organisers, reviving the school carried special meaning: Michael Raissig attended its very first edition as a first-year PhD student in 2008.

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