Topics ranged from interorganismic recognition of organisms and processes of organelle evolution, to peculiarities of RNA homeostasis and protein biosynthesis, to plastid-nucleus signaling, thylakoid biogenesis, photosynthesis regulation, and biotechnological aspects. A special feature of the conference was the breadth of subjects from pre-endosymbiotic organisms to highly developed red and green plastids, mitochondria and secondary endosymbioses and experiments on the stability of artificially generated endocytobioses.

Numerous contributions were presented by early career scientists. Marie Karstens from Ruhr University Bochum received the award for the best poster presentation on "Molecular analysis of the biogenesis pathways of thylakoid membrane proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana" from a grant provided by the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG). Further prizes went to Leonora Peters (Universität Halle, granted by the ISE) for the talk „The PPR protein PPR596 is important for splicing of nad2 and assembly of Complex I in mitochondria of Arabidopsis thaliana“, Yoji Okabe (University of Tokyo, sponsored by Agrisera) for the talk „Potential for photosymbiosis: Algal survival and acclimation in fish embryos“ and Alain Gervasi for the best bioinformatic presentation „Modular microscopy platform to study microalgae motility, photophysiology and photoprotection“ (Université de Liège, Belgium; sponsored by Granger Institut, Chicago). The symposium concluded with an invitation from Prof. Dr. Marek Eliaš to the next International ISE Conference in September 2026 in Ostrava (Czech Republic). The meeting was supported by the DBG.

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In October 2025

Prof. Dr Margarete Baier, Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, research group Plant Physiology, Berlin 

From 25^th to 29^th August 2025, 270 scientists met in Münster, Germany, for the 21^st International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas. Over two-thirds of the participants came from abroad, mainly from Europe, but also many from the USA, China, and Japan. Thanks to the support of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) for the conference, the participation fees for several doctoral students could be kept low. 

The lectures were held in the Fürstenberghaus, lunch was served in the cafeteria at the Aasee, and dinner, poster presentations, and the party took place in a large tent directly in front of the Prince-Bishop's Palace. We walked up to 10 km every day between the locations and didn't even notice it, thanks to the lively scientific exchange along the way! Here, everyone had to get used to the typical Münster view over their shoulders so as not to overlook any of the many cyclists in the town.

Topics

The 86 presentations and 122 posters focused on topics such as photosynthesis, organelles, responses to environmental changes, biotechnological applications, structural biology, cilia, and new methods and tools. Since Chlamydomonas is primarily used in Europe for the study of photosynthesis, there were three large photosynthesis sessions. One highlight was the new barcode-labeled mutant library from the Jonikas lab (Princeton, USA) with 71,700 new mutants covering 80% of the genome. It was also striking how routinely CRISPR/Cas9 is used. The particular suitability of Chlamydomonas for cryo-ET-based structural biology also became clear, beautifully illustrated by the mitochondrial respirasome in the presentation by Florent Waltz (Biozentrum Basel). 

Well renowned Chlamydomonas scientists  

Highlights included the plenary lectures by Peter Hegemann (Berlin) and Nathan Nelson (Tel Aviv, Israel). Peter Hegemann, who has pioneered optogenetics thanks to his groundbreaking work on channelrhodopsin, reported on how a heterodimeric protein complex with two chromophores can absorb blue and red light. 87-year-old Nathan Nelson showed us how it is possible to remain at the forefront of research even at an advanced age! In his razor-sharp lecture, he showed us structures of photosystem II assembly intermediates in Chlamydomonas, from which the two new assembly factors Psb1 and 2 emerged.

Lecture and poster prizes went to England and China

The first prize for the best lecture by a young scientist went to Ousmane Dao from the University of York, UK, for his contribution Photorespiration is essential for acclimation to low CO₂ in Chlamydomonas. The first prize for the best poster by a young scientist went to Lian Ye from the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan, China, for his contribution RNA-based transient expression and cell-wall surface display expand the synthetic biology toolbox of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Conclusion

In summary, this conference was a great success: the beautiful city of Münster and the wonderful castle provided an unforgettable scenery. The conference was supported above all by the many early career scientists from all over the world who, with their enthusiasm for this extraordinary model organism, predict a long life for the scientific “Chlamy community”. 

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In October

Prof. Dr Michael Hippler, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Biology, Münster, Germany 

Prof. Dr Michael Schroda, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau University of Technology, Molecular Biotechnology & Systems Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany

The new generation of plant scientists from Munich, Kaiserslautern, Münster, Kiel, and Rostock, who participated in the summer school, benefited from lab courses and hands-on experience in analyzing photosynthesis, photosynthetic complexes, carbohydrates, targeted gene expression, and the analysis of antioxidative enzymes. During the courses, the students were trained in new techniques, including non-toxic RNA extraction, quantitative gene expression analysis, gas chromatography, photosynthetic gas exchange, and automated protein complex purification, which were previously unfamiliar to them. Through intensive discussion of the protocols and procedures, the participants deepened their understanding of the quantitative extraction and analysis of plant-derived biomolecules essential to cellular functions. 

The practical work was accompanied by lectures on the mission of the NFDI initiative ‘dataPLANT’ FAIR digital objects and research data management, presented by Prof. Dr. Timo Mühlhaus (RPT University Kaiserslautern-Landau). Prof. Dr. Iris Finkemeier (University Münster) introduced the students to the field of plant proteomics, the theoretical principles and the application of quantitative mass spectrometric analysis for plant research. 

The organizers are grateful to all supporters and the lively contributions of all participants, which will undoubtedly transform the gained experience in cellular plant biology into a valuable contribution to the field of science, providing solutions to modern life's most pressing societal questions and challenges, particularly those related to plant biology and crop performance. 

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In September 2025

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jennifer Selinski, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU), Plant Cell Biology Group, Kiel 

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter, Universität Rostock, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Pflanzliche Stoffwechselphysiologie, Rostock 

The symposium of our Section took place from 27th to 30th August 2025 at the Centre for Organismal Studies at Heidelberg University. The symposium was organized by Prof. Marcus Koch and his team (Heidelberg University) and comprised three keynote talks, five symposia with altogether 33 talks (15 student talks), and two poster sessions with 34 posters. The symposium had 92 participants coming from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovakia. 

Scientific highlights

The keynote talks were highlights of the symposium and covered a broad range of topics, starting with an evening lecture by Prof. Herbert Hurka on “Florogenesis of the Eurasian steppe belt – a comprehensive interpretation”. The keynote talk by Kirsten Bomblies “Adaptation to cellular challenges in polyploid Arabidopsis arenosa” reported about progress in cytogenetics, while the talk by Yvonne Willi “Elevational range limits and the role of trait integration” bridged the field of evolution and ecology by reporting adaptations of alpine plants.

Five symposia focused on various aspect of plant evolution, phylogenetics and morphology:

• Symposium I, From populations to species (chaired by E. Hörandl/B. Gemeinholzer) had a focus on population and species level studies
• Symposium II, Plant reticulate evolution at different evolutionary scales (chaired by C. Oberprieler/N. Wagner) presented research on hybridization and polyploidy in plants
• Symposium III, Progress in plant systematics and taxonomy (chaired by G. Kadereit/A. Zerdoner Calasan) focused on phylogenomics and morphology in modern taxonomy
• Symposium IV, Plant life at its environmental limits (chaired by M. Koch/C. Bechteler) focused on plant evolution in deserts, steppe and on heavy metal soils
• Symposium V, Omic’s in systematics and evolution (chaired by N. Walden/C. Kiefer) presented progress of whole genome sequencing studies and phylogenomics in various genera of vascular plants.

All 33 talks were given mainly by early career researchers (ECRs) in front of the full audience, and the two poster sessions allowed also a personal presentation of authors by short “flash talks”.

Awards

The Catherine Dörrien student prizes of the Section were given to the best student and poster presentations. The poster prize was awarded to Lara Iaboli (LMU München) for her work on plant diversification and disperser communities in Aglaia (Meliaceae), and the oral presentation prize to Tina Kiedaisch (LMU München) for her study of reticulated evolution in Amaranthaceae sensu stricto using herbariomics.

Social events

In the lunch breaks we enjoyed guided tours through the Botanical Garden of Heidelberg University and the exhibition “timeline of evolution” at COS. The coffee breaks and the dinner on Friday, served at the conference location, provided ample opportunity to network, relax, and exchange scientific ideas. 
Annual assembly of the section 

The annual section’s meeting included reports of the spokespersons, and the election of the new spokespersons team: Dr. Anze Zerdoner Calasan (Bavarian State Collection for Botany) was elected as the new speaker. Dr. Tim Böhnert (Bonn University) and Dr. Natalia Tkach (Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg) were elected as deputy speakers. 

Altogether the symposium was successful to report scientific progress of our research field and represented a broad range of topics of plant evolution. It was a nice get-together of young and experienced scientists, and a good opportunity for ECRs to present and discuss their work. We, the former speaker, Prof. Dr. Elvira Hörandl, and our new speakers, thank Prof. Marcus Koch and his team for the organization of this wonderful event and the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) for support.

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In September 2025

Prof. Dr. Elvira Hörandl, University of Göttingen, Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants 

 

As this was the first time the workshop had been held jointly by the two sections, the contributions represented a wide range of scientific topics, but had many points of contact, particularly in terms of methods. Natural products also often play an important role in the quality and stress management of numerous crops.

Scientific Topics 

The programme included contributions on plant stress responses to nematode infestation, drought, salinity and climate change, on the biosynthesis and regulation of specialised metabolites such as terpenes, phenols, glucosinolates and alkaloids, and on the role of various volatile compounds. Other focal points were enzyme characterisation, metabolic engineering and ecological integration perspectives. Many presentations highlighted the increasing relevance of climate-related issues and application-oriented research, particularly in the fields of plant-derived natural products, synthetic biology and enzyme engineering.

Emerging Research Focus 

Despite the very different project phases, the quality of the presentations was consistently impressive. In addition to lively discussions on the content, the workshop promoted networking and visibility among this group through a format specifically designed for young researchers. Overall, the event highlighted both the continuity of natural product research and new thematic emphases in stress physiology, biotechnological applications and ecological integration. Some pictures give an impression of the event.

The organisers, Prof. Dr. Dietrich Ober, University of Kiel, and Prof. Dr. Christian Zörb, University of Hohenheim, would like to thank all participants for their commitment to the event and everyone involved in the organisation, not least the team at Michaeliskloster in Hildesheim, who made it possible to run the event in a relaxed and professionally organised manner. They both also thanked the sponsors of this event, i.e. the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), and the companies Bionorica (Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany), and PhytoLab (Vestenbergsgreuth, Germany) for financial support.

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In September 2025

Prof. Dr. Dietrich Ober (Deputy Speaker Section Natural Products), head of the Botanical Garden and head of the research group Biochemical Ecology and Molecular Evolution, Kiel University, Germany

Prof. Dr. Christian Zörb (Speaker Section Applied Botany), Hohenheim University, Quality of Plant Products (340e) | Viticulture

This symposium was the first to focus on the genetic and epigenetic regulation of signaling and development in plant reproduction from an evolutionary perspective, including various morphological comparisons. A focus was on the evolution of pollen, carpels, ovules, fertilization mechanisms, multicellular embryos and endosperm as well as seeds and fruits. The event, which took place from 25^th to 28^th March 2025 in Berlin, was attended by 101 scientists showcasing the impressive diversity of emerging model organisms spanning major land plant lineages, allowing research into plant reproduction beyond the well-established model plants and crops. This focus included cross-lineage comparisons of reproductive systems and co-evolution of signaling pathways and gene regulatory networks. 

The species studied included the bryophytes Marchantia polymorpha (a liverwort), Anthoceros agrestis (a hornwort), and Physcomitrium patens (a moss); the fern Ceratopteris richardii; the gymnosperms Ginkgo biloba and Cycas revoluta, but also diverse angiosperms such as Eschscholzia californica, Cannabis sativa, Phlox longifolia, and Torenia crustacea and of course model plants such as Arabidopsis and maize. These comparisons were used, for example, by William Friedmann (Harvard University, USA) to discuss the origin of the endosperm and by Madelaine Bartlett (Cambridge University, UK) to report on sex determination, which is highly complex in the grasses. Furthermore, bioinformatics tools have been described that are being developed to facilitate comparative analyses of gene regulatory networks and signaling pathways. 

Regulatory processes seem to be older than previously thought

It became evident that many signaling pathways and gene regulatory modules are more ancient than the traits they specify. Additionally, the frequently held view that gymnosperms are too difficult for experimental approaches was challenged: Tetsuya Higashiyama and Yukiho Toyama (both University of Tokyo, Japan), for example, reported about chemotactic behavior and evolution of male reproductive cells in Cycas revoluta, while Silvia Moschin (University of Padova, Italy) aims to elucidate pollen-ovule cross-talk in Ginkgo biloba.

In conclusion, this event marked the first symposium organized by the DFG Research Unit Innovation and Coevolution of Plant Sexual Reproduction (ICIPS, FOR 5098) and provided a platform for ICIPS researchers and other participants to present and discuss their data with international experts. It brought together plant scientists from diverse parts of the world (from Europe to the USA, Japan and China), and from diverse fields, including cell biology, developmental biology, comparative morphology, bioinformatics, and molecular evolution, to collaboratively explore the origin and evolution of the fascinatingly complex process of plant sexual reproduction.

Best science posters and talks awarded 

Thanks to the generous sponsoring of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) two prizes for the best posters were awarded to Camille Salaün (Max Planck Institute, Potsdam, Germany) and Nicholas Desnoyer (University of Zürich, Switzerland). The award for the best PhD talk went to Melanie Trupp (University of Osnabrück, Germany). Three travel grants were awarded to Siwei Pang (Justus Liebig University Gießen), Nicola Babolin (University of Milan, Italy) and Emanuela Talarico (University of Calabria, Italy). 

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Prof. Dr. Annette Becker, Dr. Romain Scalone, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institut für Botanik, AG Entwicklungsbiologie der Pflanzen

Opening and introduction to the scientific program

The conference opened with a welcome address by Dr. Maike Lorenz and Prof. Dr. Claudia Büchel, speaker of the Phycology Section. Dr. Lorenz highlighted the University of Göttingen’s long-standing tradition in algal research and set the tone for an exciting scientific program, engaging all attending phycologists.

Immediately afterward, the first scientific session kicked off with presentations on algal genetics. These talks covered topics such as genetic manipulation of algae, including nuclear genome editing in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to enhance light tolerance, and the use of cis-regulatory elements to investigate gene functions. Additional presentations explored photoprotective mechanisms in diatoms and the identification of the genetic basis for the three sexual phenotypes in the green alga Pleodorina starrii.

Following the talks, the first poster session took place. As with the oral presentations, this session provided a platform for several early-career researchers—PhD students and postdocs in particular—to present and discuss their findings with conference attendees.

High School Student Prize presented for the third time

The Phycology Section is committed to fostering young talent and, as part of the conference, awards its biennial High School Student Prize to inspire early interest in algal research. This year, the prize was awarded to Maddox Srey-Ouch and Witalij Plett from the Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium and the Student Research Center (Schülerforschungszentrum) in Tuttlingen (Baden-Württemberg) for their biotechnology project “Photopower – Energy from Algae.” Their project focused on the production of energy carriers using the green alga Chlamydomonas. In a 20-minute presentation, Maddox confidently showcased not only the project results but also the experimental design, the diverse application of methods, and a creative approach to experimental challenges.

Keynote lecture by Dr. Susana M. Coelho 

The first day of the conference concluded with a highlight: the keynote lecture by Dr. Susana Coelho (Director, MPI for Biology, Tübingen) on The curious world of brown algal mating rituals. She presented her research on reproductive mechanisms in brown algae and their evolutionary significance. In her talk, Dr. Coelho illustrated how the journey from the earliest morphological descriptions of brown algal reproduction to genome sequencing of model algae such as Ectocarpus has led to fundamental insights into the regulatory mechanisms of their sexual life cycles.

Day 2 – Diverse scientific topics

Day 2 once again offered a high-quality program featuring three sessions of oral presentations and the second poster session. The schedule was lightened by guided city tours. In the evening, the general assembly of the Phycology Section took place, followed by the traditional auction of "phycological treasures." Sen. Prof. Christian Wilhelm, with support from Dr. Vivien Hotter, led the auction with great humor, further fueling the spirited bidding contests. Proceeds from the auction will be used by the Phycology Section to support early-career researchers.

Day 2, Session 2: Stress responses and adaptations in algae

Presentations in this session examined how photosynthetic efficiency in brown algal populations changes with warming, the protective mechanisms employed by diatoms under stress, and the role of phenolic compounds in the stress resistance of Zygnematophyceae. Other talks focused on the light-stress protection mechanisms in conjugating green algae and the activity of benthic diatoms in complete darkness.

Session 3: Algae in extreme environments and applications

This session opened with a presentation on the potential use of stranded algae as a nutrient source for coastal plants. Further topics included the adaptations of glacier algae to extreme light conditions and metabolic shifts in darkness, as well as studies on the impact of nutrient uptake on algal pigmentation. Applied research covered the use of native algal proteins as a serum replacement in cell culture and cyanobacteria-driven biocatalysis as a sustainable method for producing chemical precursors in synthetic biology.

Session 4: Algae in biotechnology and environmental management

Talks in this session provided an overview on the current status of industrial microalgae biotechnology in Germany, the carbon storage potential of red algae, and the role of algae-bacteria consortia in bioremediation and wastewater treatment. One presentation on the green alga Botryococcus braunii showcased a scalable method for extracting extracellular oils for use in biofuels.

Following Session 4, participants enjoyed city tours, poster presentations, and the attended the general assembly of the Phycology Section and auction.

General assembly and board elections

The board of the Phycology Section is elected by its members every two years. This year, three long-standing board members did not stand for re-election: Dr. Thomas Leya (2nd Chair), Prof. Severin Sasso (1st Assessor), and Dr. Charlotte Permann (Graduate Representative). During the general assembly held on March 10, 2025, a new board was elected for a two-year term: Prof. Andreas Holzinger – 1st Chair; Jun.-Prof. Karin Glaser – 2nd Chair; Dr. Maike Lorenz – Treasurer; Jun.-Prof. Klaus Herburger – Secretary, Prof. Claudia Büchel – 1st Assessor; Prof. Peter Kroth – Representative of FEPS and 2nd Assessor; Dr. Vivien Hotter – Graduate Representative.

Day 3 – Extensive scientific program and Conference dinner 

Day 3 featured 4 sessions with oral presentations, interspersed with the third poster session. In the evening, the conference dinner was held in the halls of the “Alte Mensa”.

Day 3, Session 5: Cyanobacteria and algae in ecosystems

This session covered topics such as nitrogen fixation in cyanobacteria under far-red light and their ability to remain active in saline soil crusts through specialized chlorophylls. Further presentations discussed changes in the biodiversity of soil algae in agriculturally used land areas. Additional talks explored interactions between marine Chlamydomonas species and beneficial bacteria, as well as the isolation and characterization of chemically resistant extracellular polymers from the zygospores of this algal group and their importance for the biomechanical properties of the cells.

Session 6: Algal evolution and biodiversity

Progress in DNA metabarcoding for freshwater red algae was presented, along with new species delineations within the Achnanthidium minutissimum complex. Taxonomic revisions of the Prasiolaceae were also discussed, alongside phylogenomic insights into charophyte algae. One talk critically examined the discovery of new Streptofilum strains and their phylogenetic positioning. Another presentation focused on the Alga of the Year 2025, Draparnaldia, and explored how this organism could become a model system for studying the colonization of land by algae.

Session 7: Algal pigments and photoreceptors

This session covered the role of specific glycolipids as diagnostic tools for the phylogeny of cyanobacteria, the metabolic plasticity of algae under stress, and photoprotective mechanisms such as the diadinoxanthin cycle. Other talks addressed carotenoids in the deep red reproductive structures of Charophyceae and the function of aureochromes as photoreceptors in diatoms.

Session 8: Algal culture collections, computational approaches in phycology, and historical excursions in algal research

The final session opened with a talk on Nathanael Pringsheim, who was the first to directly observe the fusion of male and female algal cells, demonstrating the universal importance of sexuality in life. Other presentations focused on the historical and taxonomic significance of algal collections and the use of deep learning for the classification of microalgae based on their morphology, with the goal of developing a species identification app. This session closed with a tribute to the influential phycologist Klaus Lüning, who spent a significant part of his research life on the island of Helgoland, which remains an important site for algal field research.

Conference dinner and awards for scientific presentations and posters

The conference dinner kicked off with a fun activity, where small groups were formed to answer creative questions about algae in an app-based quiz. The highlight of the dinner was the awarding of prizes to early-career scientists:

The Pringsheim Prize for the best presented PhD thesis was awarded to Yuliia Lihanova, MSc (University of Leipzig), for her outstanding talk titled Using the power of cis-regulatory elements to study gene function in green algae. (PhD thesis topic: Elucidation of gene function in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: from forward to reverse genetics).

The Student Award for the best Bachelor’s/Master’s thesis was awarded to Mimoza Dani, BSc (University of Duisburg-Essen) for her presentation on the topic: Species delimitation within the Achnanthidium minutissimum complex, based on morphological, molecular, and ecophysiological approaches.

The prize for the best poster by a PhD student was awarded to Cäcilia Kunz, MSc (University of Göttingen) for her poster: Investigating the phenylpropanoid pathway in Zygnematophyceae.

Day 4 – Excursion to the Algal Culture Collection at the University of Göttingen (SAG)

A final highlight of the conference was the visit to the Algal Culture Collection at the University of Göttingen on the last day of the conference. Over 70 participants took part in the tours, gaining valuable insights into the preservation and research of algae – including those that begin to glow when shaken.

Conclusion and outlook

The 21^st Phycology Section Conference was a great success, also due to its excellent organization, and showcased the broad, vibrant and interdisciplinary research in this field in Germany and beyond. The presentations, both in the form of talks and posters, were of very high scientific quality. This made the conference an excellent platform for scientific exchange and the support of early-career researchers. The next Phycology Section Conference will take place in 2027 in Rostock, Germany.

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in April 2025, Jun.-Prof. Dr Klaus Herburger Uni Rostock, Secretary of the Phycology Section

Almost 60 scientists participated this year in the Central German Plant Physiology Conference ("Mitteldeutsche Pflanzenphysiologie-Tagung") to present and discuss current research going on in this field at the participating universities. The vast majority of participants, not only the attendees but also the presenters and chair persons, were ECRs, i.e., doctoral, master's and even bachelor's students at an advanced stage, about half of them international students. However, the overall high quality of the presentations and discussions and the perfect adherence of all speakers to the given time schedule could have suggested that the program would instead have featured quite experienced and established scientists in the field.

Range of organisms and topics

The presentations addressed a whole range of plant species (cyanobacteria and unicellular algae, monocots and dicots, model plants and crop plants) and research topics (e.g., regulation of gene expression, membrane transport of proteins and metabolites, plant hormones, biosynthetic pathways, organelle biogenesis, plant adaptation to environmental stresses, biotic interactions, ....), which were examined with a wide variety of methods and approaches. Despite or perhaps even because of this diversity, each presentation was intensively discussed, and it happened more than once that the discussion led to "wow effects", new ideas, and approaches. It would be unfair and inappropriate to single out individual presentations as particularly noteworthy, as the enthusiasm and enjoyment of all speakers in their own work was evident without exception. We would like to make just one exception: Prof. em. Christian Wilhelm, on whose initiative the whole conference series came into being more than 20 years ago, clearly demonstrated in his talk that retirement does not mean that the interest in actively shaping science disappears, quite the opposite.

A further and not to be underestimated component for the desired scientific exchange were, of course, the coffee breaks, which were deliberately scheduled to last 40 - 60 minutes each, somewhat longer than usual. Together with the traditional conference dinner and the shared breakfast, which was made possible by the joint accommodation of all conference participants in the Leucorea, this resulted in a relaxed atmosphere that was very much stimulating scientific exchange and discussions, quite similar to that of major EMBO conferences.

All in all, we as the organizers hope that all participants enjoyed the conference as much as we did and are already looking forward to the 24^th edition of the conference, which will take place in Dresden next year.

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March 2025,
Bationa Bennewitz & Ralf Bernd Klösgen, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Keynote Lectures

Originally, the keynote lecture was scheduled to be given by Dominique Bergmann (Stanford University). However, due to illness, Rüdiger Simon (University of Düsseldorf) stepped in and delivered a remarkable presentation on "Combining single-cell RNAseq with spatially resolved gene expression data to explore plant development." His engaging talk captivated the audience, setting the stage for an overall inspiring event.

This year’s meeting also featured a new highlight: a talk by Katherine Denby, York University and Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Journal, offering insights into scientific publishing and manuscript submission. She also highlighted why it makes sense to publish in society-owned scientific journals. An added bonus of Kathy’s attendance was that she could personally present the certificate for the Plant Journal Talk Award.

Before the conference dinner and the subsequent, legendary and indispensable party, the Reinhold-von-Sengbusch lecture was given by Thorsten Nürnberger (University of Tübingen), who discussed "Pattern recognition in plant immunity – evolution and function." His lecture shed light on the evolutionary dynamics of plant immune responses, captivating both early-career researchers and senior scientists alike.

Scientific Programme and opportunities for ECR’s

In total, MBP2025 featured nine sessions covering the topics mentioned above, along with signal transduction, tools & resources, omics & evolution, organelles, and abiotic interactions. The programme included 46 talks and two dynamic poster sessions, where 95 posters were presented and actively discussed. Feedback from colleagues, both during and after the meeting, highlighted the consistently high quality and strong relevance of the talks and posters to their respective fields. Notably, 80% of the talks were delivered by early-career researchers (ECR), including independent group leaders (10), postdocs (9), and PhD students (18), showcasing a highly promising next generation of plant scientists.

Industry Exhibition

Alongside the academic contributions, an industry fair with 14 participating companies provided insights into the latest technologies and resources available for molecular plant research—be it hardware, ranging from growth chambers to pipettes, or consumables, spanning sequencing kits to restriction enzymes. These interactions between academia and industry offered valuable networking opportunities for young researchers considering careers beyond academia. The industry representatives explicitly expressed positive feedback afterwards regarding the quantity and quality of communication with the young scientists. This is important for future organisers, as satisfied companies are more likely to continue supporting our meeting financially. Therefore, a big thank you to everyone who contributed!

Sports and Social Activities

Taking advantage of the sports facilities at the venue, attendees engaged in recreational activities during the traditional two-hour break on Wednesday afternoon. Football, badminton, table tennis, and hiking were popular choices, fostering informal discussions and strengthening professional networks. This year’s football match between PhD students/postdocs and group leaders saw the former claim victory with a narrow margin, reinforcing their dominance after last year’s triumph.

As always, the conference dinner and subsequent party were major highlights. DJs Stefan Rensing and Alexis Maizel provided a dynamic soundtrack for the evening, ensuring the dance floor remained packed late into the night. Those preferring quieter conversations gathered at the bar to enjoy drinks and exchange ideas in a more relaxed setting.

During the conference several awards were given: The Sengbusch-Awards to three graduate students for the best posters and the best talks, respectively, the Plant Journal (for the best junior group leader talk) and Agrisera Award (for the best talk for the best talk by a PostDoc to Gwendolyn K. Kirschner (Dundee): "Genetic control of the barley root angle". Also SPPMB’s award for science communication was given to Marc Somssich.

Looking Ahead to MBP2026

At the meeting's closure, Christopher handed the baton to Henning Kunz (LMU Munich), who will organise next year’s meeting again at the Sportschule Hennef, from 16^th to 19^th March 2026. Henning also revealed next year’s incoming co-organiser, Andrea Bräutigam from Bielefeld University. The community eagerly anticipates another stimulating conference, continuing the tradition of excellence in plant molecular biology research.

We look forward to seeing you at MBP2026!

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Prof. Dr. Christopher Grefen, Ruhr University Bochum (RUB)

Focus on plant responses to stresses

The conference brought together a diverse and dynamic community of scientists to explore the critical role of proteolysis in shaping the plant cellular proteome. With plant proteolysis impacting processes such as growth, development, stress responses, and disease, the conference provided a platform to address both basic and applied aspects of this vital biological function. In its 2025 edition, the conference focused on plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly the interactions between plants and pathogens.

The conference attracted some 80 scientists from five continents, a slightly lower number than anticipated, but the community proved to be lively, active, and growing. Almost half of the participants were early career researchers, reflecting the conference's emphasis on fostering the next generation of scientists. With a program that included cutting-edge science and much unpublished work, the conference provided ample opportunities for early career researchers to present their results. Networking and discussions between junior and senior researchers were encouraged, and the interactive nature of the event facilitated meaningful exchanges.

Sessions focus on key areas in proteolysis

The program featured nine sessions, each tackling a key area of plant proteolysis, with discussion leaders drawn from top institutions across the globe. Session topics included immune signaling in plants, plant responses to biotic and abiotic environments, the regulation of autophagy, and new technologies in proteolysis research. Mechanisms by which pathogens manipulate host immunity and autophagy, and the latest advances in organellar proteolysis and endocytic degradation were also discussed.

A highlight of the conference was the inclusion of researchers from diverse geographical backgrounds, with a significant increase in attendees from Asia. The inclusive environment fostered by the meeting contributed to its success in promoting community building across different regions, a crucial outcome for the growing field of plant proteolysis.

Networking and establishing a vivid community

In conclusion, the 2025 GRC on Plant Proteolysis successfully brought together experts and researchers of all career levels, facilitating the exchange of ideas and identifying the key research priorities for the coming years. The conference not only advanced scientific knowledge in this field but also helped building a more inclusive and collaborative research community. With the rapid growth of the field and its practical implications for agriculture and biotechnology, the meeting set the stage for future breakthroughs in plant proteolysis research. The next Plant Proteolysis GRC in 2027 will be chaired by Libo Shan (University of Michigan) and Byung-Ho Kang (The Chinese University of Hong Kong).

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In March 2025, Prof. Dr. Andreas Schaller, Universität Hohenheim

The biannual Botanik-Tagung of the DBG, known as the International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), has established itself as one of the most prominent interdisciplinary conferences in the plant sciences in the heart of Europe. It was in Halle (Saale) 63 years ago when the German plant science community had its last joint conference before being forcefully divided into East and West. This year’s Botanik-Tagung was held once again in Halle at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) on 15 - 19 September and was attended by 633 participants.

The Halle region is home to many plant science institutions that collectively organized the meeting. In addition to the Institutes of Biology, Biochemistry, and Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences of the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the Leibniz Institutes of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) and of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), as well as the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig provided a unique constellation of expertise from the molecular to ecosystems scale. This allowed to design a programme bringing together basic plant research and applied approaches with a focus on future developments of resilient crops by new breeding methods. At the same time, current research in plant ecology and biodiversity has probably received more attention than previously in this research conference series.

The motto of the 2024 conference - Growing Solutions for Growing Challenges - reflects the fact that the plant sciences must mobilise their full potential to tackle the existential problems of our planet. Photosynthetic organisms currently offer the only way to sequester CO₂ in large quantities and thus counteract climate change, but the environmental conditions in their habitats, from oceans to rainforests, are becoming increasingly unfavourable. In particular, the acceleration of climate change also requires crop plants to be adapted to limiting growth factors, which will benefit from a deep mechanistic understanding of gene and protein functions, as made possible by molecular and cell biological approaches in model plants. This scenario was reflected by the focus areas of the conference: crop improvement, biodiversity, and global change, in addition to fundamental plant research.

In his opening address, DBG president Andreas Weber pointed out the utmost importance of plants and stressed that the plant science community must leave its ivory tower and engage more extensively with society to meet the enormous challenges. Additional opening addresses were presented by Claudia Becker (Rector of the MLU), Egbert Geier (Mayor of Halle), and Karamba Diaby (Member of the German Federal Parliament - Bundestag - of the constituency of Halle). As chair of the parliamentary group on West Africa, as member of the subcommittee on global health, and as keen Halle ‘Schreber gardener’, he delivered a very personal video message. The conference opening was framed by music interludes by members of MLU‘s academic orchestra.

Opening lecture shows importance of interdisciplinary research

In his dogma-challenging opening lecture, Giles Oldroyd (Cambridge, UK) presented a novel view on the specificity of plant interactions with symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi and pathogens. Knowledge on the regulation of mycorrhization may be harnessed to improve this beneficial interaction in agricultural crop production systems, which is currently assessed in field experiments. The opening lecture thus was a prime example of translational research employing novel basic knowledge to tackle real-world challenges.

Seven plenary talks from international leading speakers  

Further plenary talks presented challenges, questions, and solutions on very different levels of scale. Meredith Schuman (Zürich, CH) introduced the audience to the power of spectroscopic remote sensing, while Josep Penuelas (Barcelona, ESP) pointed out the concerning limitations of global increases in crop productivity under elevated CO₂ levels. Plant responses to soil compaction were addressed by Bipin Pandey (Nottingham, UK). Sabeeha Merchant (Berkeley, USA) presented an all-embracing overview on the potential of green algae - from polycistronic RNA to their biotechnological use in producing valued human lipid mimetics. Cyril Zipfel (Zürich, CH) took us along on the search for missing pieces in immunity signalling, and Staffan Persson (Copenhagen, DK) displayed the current mechanistic understanding of cellulose synthesis, the basis of long-term carbon capture by plants. The visionary closing lecture of the conference by Keiko Torii (Austin, USA) covered the development of stomata - the pores mediating CO₂ entry and water loss. Collectively, the plenary lectures, presented by internationally leading figures in their respective fields, have addressed the conference theme from diverse angles and highlighted amazing current advances in basic understanding and translational approaches.

Public lecture addressed alarming trends

In the public evening lecture, the MLU and iDiv geobotanist Helge Bruelheide informed on the alarming decline in biodiversity, affecting not only individual species, but entire ecosystems. His lecture illustrated how this diversity has changed over time, how it is affected by changes of land use and climate, and he stressed the severe consequences of biodiversity loss for the environment and the society. He also introduced the “Faktencheck Artenvielfalt”, a summary of biodiversity and its decline in Germany, which was scheduled to be published a few days later.

More than 20 Sessions addressed different topics and put ECRs on stage

The parallel sessions of the conference embraced the full spectrum of plant science. Each of the 21 sessions included a keynote lecture by an internationally renowned scientist and five short presentations selected from the abstracts submitted by conference participants. Preference was given to early career researchers (ECR), offering them a forum for high-profile scientific discussions. To accommodate a diversity of research foci, session titles were kept general and included: applied botany for food security; beneficial plant-microbe interactions; biology of algae and cyanobacteria; biotechnology and genome editing; cell biology; crop biology and genetics; gene regulation; navigating abiotic challenges; photosynthesis and general metabolism; plant development; plant hormones and chemical mediators; plant proteins: structure to function; plant systematics, evolution and biodiversity; resisting pathogens and pests; specialized metabolism.

Individual sessions were organised and chaired by the six DBG Sections, covering physiology, molecular biology, phycology, applied botany, natural products, interactions as well as biodiversity and evolution. In addition, topically focused sessions were organized by iDiv (Plant functional diversity in a changing world), the German Society of Plant Nutrition DGP (on Molecular mechanisms of plant nutrition), the DFG priority programme MAdLand (Molecular evolution of plant form and function), and the DFG research training group 2498 (Communication and dynamics of plant organelles), the latter being chaired by enthusiastic PhD students.

More than 100 talks and 400 scientific posters

Besides the 105 talks selected from the abstracts, 402 posters were on display throughout the conference and presented in two poster sessions. Part of the poster exhibition was located in the stunning historic settings of the Löwengebäude Aula, as can be seen in the gallery of conference impressions (please log in first), accessible for DBG members. Ten posters were awarded with a DBG poster prize. The difficult selection was based on ballot vote by the conference participants. An additional poster prize was awarded by the Society for Genetics. As a novelty, posters could be presented ahead of the meeting as short videos hosted on a conference YouTube channel. These very creative movies and animations produced by early career researchers raised a lot of interest.

Award-winning research by early career plant scientists

During the conference, four prizes were awarded to early career researchers, DBG's Wilhelm Pfeffer prize, DBG's Eduard Strasburger prize, DBG's Horst Wiehe prize, and DBG's Best Paper prize. The recipients of the former three awards, Henryk Straube, Eliza Loo, and Martin Lewinsky, presented their impressive award-winning research work in plenary talks to a large audience. Details about their research topics that may help future research in measuring rare DNA nucleotides, improving plant health, analysing RNA binding proteins, and looking into plant cell division is provided in the press release published a few days before the conference.

Workshops on science, outreach, and writing

In addition to the scientific programme, a number of workshops were offered to both early career and established scientists. These covered methodological aspects of plant research, plant phenotyping, experimental reproducibility, as well as complementary skills, including a workshop on self and research presentation by our editor Esther Schwarz-Weig and a plenary workshop on scientific writing and publishing by Mary Williams (Glasgow, UK), features editor and developer of the Teaching Tools in Plant Biology of The Plant Cell journal and Plantae Community Manager.

DBG’s member assembly

In the DBG general assembly meeting held during the conference, Ulla Bonas (MLU) was elected as honorary member of the Society. Professor Bonas was honoured for the ground-breaking scientific advances of her team in plant biology and plant-microbe interactions, including the elucidation of the code for DNA recognition by TAL effectors, a then novel type of DNA-binding domain. Ulla Bonas has received numerous awards and is committed to the research community as Vice President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

Excursions to places in the Halle-Leipzig area

After the conference, excursions were organized to outstanding plant research facilities, including the iDiv/UFZ experimental station in Bad Lauchstädt, which hosts the Ecotron, the MyDiv Biodiversity-Ecosystem Functioning Experiment, and the Global Change experimental facility; to the IPK, home of the Gatersleben Genebank and the PhenoSphere phenotyping facility; to the Canopy Crane, an iDiv ecosystem research facility in the Leipzig floodplain; and to the Halle Botanical Garden, founded in 1698.

Résumé

The 2024 conference of the German Society for Plant Biology (DBG) was a vibrant event, at which we have seen many examples of major advances in our understanding of plant sciences and in ways to adapt crops to counter a diversity of challenges. The excitement and positive spirit at the meeting were certainly promoted by the location, with the welcome reception and the exclusively vegetarian catering taking place on the picturesque “Universitätsplatz” square in mostly brilliant weather, just a footstep away from the Audimax lecture halls and the posters displayed throughout the buildings surrounding the square. Most delegates joined the Botany Party in the historic Volkspark building, where the Jazzklienten jazz band and an energetic DJ created a great atmosphere for interactions, networking, and dancing into early morning. Professional childcare was offered to allow participation of parents with children throughout the meeting, actively supported by the MLU’s family office and free of charge due to financial support by DBG and MLU.

Help and support

The conference would not have been possible without the contribution of many people that unfortunately cannot all be named here. We are particularly grateful to Julia Grimmer, coordinator of our new CRC1664, for professionally handling countless issues. The conference rested on the shoulders of many student helpers that supported catering, handled technical equipment, and prepared the poster exhibition. The conference was supported by 29 sponsors and exhibitors, introducing their newest developments in an impressive industry exhibition. Travel expenditures of international invited speakers were generously covered by the DFG, the German Research Foundation.

Subsequent early career plant researcher network meeting

After the conference, early career researchers had the opportunity to participate in a two-day Early Career Plant Researchers Network meeting with Mary Williams, David Pacheco-Villalobos (KWS, DE) and Jan de Vries (Göttingen, DE), which was organized by Sascha Laubinger (MLU) and Debora Gasperini (IPB). In this format, which also provided ample opportunities for networking, experienced PhD students and postdocs discussed topics such as inclusion and diversity in academia, career paths in academia and industry and funding opportunities. Additionally, the participants engaged in a simulated job interview for a junior professor position.

Next Botanik-Tagung

The next Botanik-Tagung will take place at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, where Christopher Grefen and his team will welcome the plant science community from 6 to 12 September 2026. We are eagerly looking forward to this meeting and to seeing many of you again.

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Edgar Peiter, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Agrar- und Ernährungswissenschaften Pflanzenernährung and the local organising team of the International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG)

34 Early Career Researchers (ERCs), including MSc and PhD students as well as postdoctoral fellows, participated at the symposium. The meeting was free of charge for ECR’s thanks to generous funding by the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG). A travel stipend from the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology (FESPB) enabled the attendance of two ERCs from Italy. In addition, the conference was co-financed via a module workshop from a DFG-ANR research grant to invite 10 renowned speakers. 12 ECRs gave oral presentations on their research and received vivid feedback from senior colleagues.

Evolution, modification, interactions and reactions

Several key areas dominated the scientific program, especially the activity and evolution of RuBisCO, the regulation of cyclic electron transfer as well as co- and post-translational modifications, protein interactions, and stress reactions within chloroplasts. Researchers shared their latest results on critical regulatory mechanisms, shedding light on complex phenomena such as protein stability, enzyme activity, and plant growth and new hypotheses and findings were discussed at the symposium.

On Monday, November 18th, the symposium kicked off with an engaging session focusing on "Protein Structure and Evolution" with invited speakers and an oral presentation from the PhD student Jens Mühlenbeck, who co-organised the conference together with the post-doctoral researcher Jürgen Eirich from the group of Iris Finkemeier at the University of Münster.

Functions, adaptions, protein life and proton motive force

Later that day, a poster session allowed almost 20 early career researchers to showcase their work, sparking lively peer-to-peer discussions. Among the poster topics were studies exploring novel approaches to investigate chloroplast functions under varying conditions, highlighting molecular determinants influencing protein half-life, examining how plants adapt to excessive sugar levels, and developing tools for analysing proton motive forces.

Throughout Tuesday, November 19th, four thematically matching sessions explored different facets of environmental acclimation and photosynthesis. Young and invited speakers aside tackled subjects ranging from cyclic electron flow, to various other aspects of photosynthesis, and characterizing chloroplast  protein modifications. Other notable contributions explored the functional architecture of photosystems.

On Wednesday morning, protein import, (mis)translation, and quality control concluded the presentations.

Dedicated audience delighted early career researcher

Attendees praised the inclusive atmosphere fostered by this particular conference format, allowing ECRs and established investigators to contribute not only posters but also talks to the program. “It was a great opportunity to present my research in front of such a dedicated audience” said Tim Demmig (PhD student at Ruhr University Bochum), after his talk on photosynthetic acclimation mediated by chloroplast localized kinases.

Best poster and talk prizes

The oral presentation on STIC2 (SUPPRESSOR OF TIC40 2) and its selective binding to ribosome-nascent chain complexes in the co-translational sorting of Arabidopsis thylakoid proteins by Lena Osterhoff (PhD student at Ruhr University Bochum) was selected as best short talk, while Yu Ogawa (Post Doc at University of Münster) won the prize for the best poster, entitled “A dynamin-like protein FZL shapes thylakoid membranes and maintains their integrity against enhanced proton motive force”.

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In November 2024

Dr. Jürgen Eirich and Jens Mühlenbeck, https://www.uni-muenster.de/Biologie.IBBP/agfinkemeier/

In response to moderately elevated temperatures, plants adjust their morphology and development, including enhanced elongation growth of various organs. These warm temperature-dependent morphological adjustments are the focus of thermomorphogenesis research, which is becoming increasingly relevant due to climate change and the associated increase in prolonged warm temperature episodes. Every two years, scientists from the thermomorphogenesis community gather to discuss the latest advances within the field. This year, the 4^th Thermomorphogenesis meeting took place at Würzburg University from September 4^th to 6^th with the financial support by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG).

International audience

In total, the meeting was attended by 48 scientists. In addition to 14 attendees from Germany, the vast majority came from other European countries. A distinctive feature of past Thermomorphogenesis meetings, which was also maintained at the meeting in Würzburg, is the high proportion of presentations on unpublished data and the significant number of talks given by early-career researchers. Approximately two-thirds of the presentations were delivered by PhD students or early-stage postdoctoral researchers. Funding from the DBG enabled the allocation of three travel grants to early-career researchers from the UK and India, allowing them to present their work to the audience.

Scientific highlights and further research needs

The 30 talks were grouped into several topical sessions, covering a range of subjects from post-transcriptional and phosphorylation-mediated regulation of plant thermal responses to crosstalk between light and temperature signalling, as well as heat stress resistance and its metabolic aspects.

Several presentations addressed the interplay between warm temperatures and drought stress - a combination of stressors that often co-occur under natural conditions but the combination of which is still little studied at the molecular level. Another high-interest topic discussed in several talks was the role of biomolecular condensate formation in plant temperature responses. Notably, nearly all of the presentations focused on research involving the model plant Arabidopsis with very few exceptions only (addressing oilseed rape and wheat). This was also picked up in the discussion following the concluding talk by Professor Dr. Marcel Quint, who recognised and critically assessed the progress that has been made in the field of thermomorphogenesis research over the past years. One of the conclusions from the discussion was the need for more translational research to transfer the knowledge gained from model species, such as Arabidopsis, to other species, particularly crop plants.

Next Thermomorphogenesis Symposium

The scientific programme was completed by the conference dinner held in one of Würzburg’s most traditional restaurants, which dates back to medieval times. Overall, the meeting was regarded as a huge success, continuing the collegial atmosphere of the previous meetings and the many discussions it enabled. The next thermomorphogenesis meeting will take place in Dundee, Scotland, in 2026 and will be hosted by Dr. Martin Balcerowicz.

One of the key highlights of the meeting was the opening lecture given by Thomas Mock from the University of East Anglia. He discussed the evolution of marine microalgae and their associated microbial communities, emphasizing the significant role these organisms play in global carbon cycling, contributing to 50% of the annual carbon fixation.

A primary goal of the ISE symposium is to provide early-career scientists with opportunities to present their work. To support this, the program was designed to ensure that as many young researchers as possible could give oral presentations, if they wished. Thanks to support from the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), participation fees were kept particularly low for early-career researchers. Furthermore, the symposium provided ample opportunities for in-depth exchange between junior and senior scientists during the poster session, coffee breaks, and a walk through the Botanical Garden of the Ruhr University Bochum.

A total of five awards were presented to young researchers. Three Eppendorf Prizes were given for the best talks. The best talk prize was awarded to Lena Osterhoff (Ruhr University Bochum) for her presentation “STIC2 is associated with ribosome-nascent chain complexes and involved in cotranslational sorting of thylakoid proteins“. The Grainger Bioinformatics Prize was given to Parth Raval (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) for his work on "Evolutionary Refinement of Organelle Import Fidelity in Plants." The Peter-Sitte Poster Prize went to Ella Kobaivanov (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) for her contribution “Restorer of Fertility Like 1 (RFL1) Protein in Plant Mitochondrial Gene Expression and RNA Metabolism”.

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In October 2024, Prof. Dr. Danja Schünemann, Ruhr University Bochum, Molecular Biology of Plant Organelles

The 21^st ISINIP conference brought together an international community of scientists and early career researchers with a common interest in understanding plant-related aspects of the acquisition and utilization of the critical micronutrient iron. The symposium took place from 8^th to 12^th July 2024 at HHU, Germany (https://www.isinip2024.de) and featured

• 8 scientific sessions
• 2 invited 40-minute Keynote Lectures
• 13 invited 20-minute lectures by expert scientists
• selected short talks (selected from abstracts of participants)
• selected flash talk poster presentations (selected from abstracts of participants)
• 2 poster sessions (abstracts of participants)

ISINIP 2024 provided a learning and networking opportunity especially to early career stage researchers. ISINIP 2024 supported them in identifying interesting areas for future scientific endeavours to solve global challenges, for example specific crop science topics, biofortification, plant-microbe interactions or specific molecular topics and synthetic biology approaches.

Three themes highlighted the scientific significance

1. ISINIP 2024 emphasized the significance of iron research for food security. Micronutrient deficiencies remain a major barrier to quality nutrition and equity in many countries. This theme was introduced in a keynote presentation by Maryke Labuschagne (South Africa) on Nutritional Food Security in Africa.
2. A particular focus addressed environmental sustainability. The uptake of iron in calcareous and alkaline soils presents a particular challenge. The occurrence of such soil conditions is expected to increase with climate change. In this regard, Charlotte Poschenrieder (Spain) gave a keynote lecture on ecologically relevant genetic adaptations of plants to alkaline and calcareous soil conditions in Spain.
3. The ISINIP 2024 Symposium placed significant emphasis on deciphering the genetic factors and intricate regulatory mechanisms of iron uptake, allocation, and storage in crops and model plants, which are important for biofortification and crop improvement.

Relevance and objectives of the conference

The ISINIP conference fulfilled important objectives: Due to the combined diverse scientific expertise ISINIP highlighted the relevance of iron nutrition research to solve global challenges based on scientific evidence. The conference highlighted the importance of proper iron nutrition for plant growth and crop production and strengthened the awareness of global alkaline-calcareous and acidic soils which impact plant iron nutrition and global food production. ISINIP emphasized that plants develop nutritional disease symptoms when iron nutritional demands are not met. Several presentations addressed plant responses and treatments to low bio-availability of iron, wide-spread in alkaline and calcareous soils, as well as iron toxicity in regions with acidic and low redox potential soils.

ISINIP also highlighted that human malnutrition due to low-iron-providing staple crops is very wide-spread and it emphasized that women (of child-bearing age and pregnant) and children are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency anaemia. Novel tools, strategies and application examples were reported that address iron biofortification, e.g. knowledge to select iron-rich crops and develop transgenic and gene-edited crops or alternatively to increase yield through specific physiological treatments or beneficial microbes applied to plants.

Understanding plant iron nutrition and homeostasis

A lot of exchange and joint discussion took place to better understand the fundamental biology, soil ecology and biotechnology approaches of plant iron nutrition (through eight scientific sessions each introduced by invited speakers).

• Crop iron physiology: focused on nutrition physiology, breeding and solutions for iron deficiency remediation in crops in field and laboratory conditions.
• Micronutrient biofortification: highlighted new approaches to biofortify and select iron-biofortified crops, develop orphan crops with improved iron nutrition characteristics.
• Plant-soil-microbe interactions: contributed to the understanding of how the microbiome aids iron mobilization and growth promotion in different environments, especially alkaline soils, highlighted signaling between plants and their environment in response to iron supply, and investigated the roles of active compounds in plant exudates.
• Alkaline and acidic soil environments: shed light on the ecological constraints, genome-wide associations and genetic mechanisms for adaptation of wild and cultivated plants.
• Transcription factor networks: uncovered and discussed regulatory components, target genes and molecular mechanisms to understand signaling processes in response to iron nutrition.
• Iron acquisition and transport: identified components and activities for iron acquisition and regulated transport across membranes in cells and at molecular and protein structural level.
• Whole-plant iron physiology and regulation: shed light on the long-distance iron signaling and the integration of iron homeostasis in whole plant physiology including connections with light, abiotic or biotic stress, plant hormones, photosynthesis, metabolism and development.
• Iron physiology and interaction with other elements: discussed the interaction between different metals and elements in the soil and in the plant, e.g. the interconnections of iron nutrition with nitrogen and sulfur assimilation, phosphate uptake, other micronutrients and heavy metals, and highlighted how general plant nutrition impacts iron utilization in plants.

Hence, ISINIP helped to make the research on plant iron homeostasis impactful and to show approaches for basic and translational research. Techniques were reported to better recognize symptoms of disturbed iron nutrition, provide solutions to render crop plants iron-efficient or treat iron deficiency and toxicity of crops in the field. Reported experimental procedures and technologies encompassed population-wide, physiological and molecular studies.

International exchange of research results and ideas

ISINIP had a very international character, with key note and invited speakers stemming from five continents and eleven countries (excluding Germany). One Key note speaker and three invited speakers were from countries considered of the Global South. Five travel fellowships were granted to early career stage scientists from India (2), Taiwan (2) and Japan (1). In total, the conference has been attended by 126 participants from a total of 24 countries, 93 of them with PhD and 33 without.

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In September 2024, Prof. Dr. Petra Bauer, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Dear Participants of the Botanik-Tagung 2024 in Halle,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the Botanik-Tagung 2024 in Halle. On behalf of all the members of the German Society for Plant Sciences, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the organisers in Halle, especially Professor Edgar Peiter and his team, for making this conference possible. A big thank you also for the innovations that make the conference more accessible and equitable, such as providing childcare services and organizing the inaugural Early Career Researcher Satellite Conference—a tradition we hope will continue in the years to come.

The theme of our conference is "Growing Solutions for Growing Challenges". As I mentioned in my opening address at the Botanik-Tagung 2022 in Bonn, one of the greatest challenges we face is anthropogenic climate change. In the two years since 2022, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen from 416.18 ppm to 421.75 ppm, an increase of 1.38% in just two years. If this trend continues, we will reach 495 ppm in 2050, which would cause the global average temperature to rise by 2K above pre-industrial levels. This trajectory puts us on course to exceed the 1.5 K threshold set by the Paris Agreement. Removing enough carbon from the atmosphere to halt and eventually reverse climate change is unlikely to be possible through technological processes, but will require plants and therefore plant science to achieve. 

While climate change is at the centre of public media and debate, the other growing challenge, biodiversity loss, is less visible. Yet, the decline in biodiversity poses an even greater threat to human life, as we depend on functioning ecosystems for food, clean water, and numerous other services essential to our well-being. Yet we are irreversibly losing between 150 and 200 species per day as a result of human activities, which is 100 to 1000 times higher than the background rate of natural extinction.

Plants, algae and cyanobacteria, through photosynthesis, form the base of most food webs and are therefore crucial for ecosystem function. Plants also provide habitats, contribute to soil health and stabilisation and nutrient cycling, and have a direct impact on climate regulation and stabilisation. Plant science is therefore also central to developing solutions to prevent biodiversity loss.

Growing solutions to these growing challenges involves three components: plants, people and society as a whole. The role of plants has already been mentioned. Without the initiative of people—particularly well-trained scientists—we cannot drive the transformative change that is urgently needed. Moreover, we must engage with society at large to garner the support and investment necessary to meet these challenges.

Growing solutions also means going beyond the academic ivory tower. While we excel in basic research and in generating publications and patents, we often struggle to bridge the “valley of death” between academic discovery and practical application. It’s imperative that academia becomes more proactive in translating research into societal benefits, whether through startups, collaborations with philanthropic initiatives, or partnerships with industry. In Germany, we often hesitate to engage in such translational activities, which limits our capacity to develop effective solutions. Now is the time to change this mindset.

Growing solutions also require us as plant scientists to reach out and collaborate with other disciplines such as agronomy, soil science, engineering and construction. We need to work across national borders, overcoming the limitations of nationally bound funding in an inherently international scientific community. This will demand creativity, cooperation, and advocacy—including exploring unconventional funding avenues. Embracing innovation and accelerating translation are essential.

The Botanik Tagung 2024 brings together these crucial elements: plants, people and society. As reflected by our conference programme, we are bringing together diverse disciplines, from ecology to molecular biology. In particular, the strong focus on early career researchers will have a lasting impact. Now is the time to take the initiative, get involved and innovate! 

I now wish you all a pleasant and productive time here in Halle!

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Professor Dr. Andreas Weber, 15^th September 2024, at Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, President of the German Society for Plant Sciences (Deutsche Botanische Gesellschaft, DBG), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

The ePS2 Young Session brought together a diverse cohort of over 120 early-career scientists from 22 countries, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and discoveries in the realm of photosynthesis research. The meeting, held as a part of the larger ePS2 congress (https://www.eps2.org), featured four distinct sessions with a total of 24 engaging talks. The event brought together early-career scientists from over 22 countries, creating a melting pot of ideas and discoveries.

Testimonials from participating researchers:

Paul Greife from Holger Dau’s group at Freie Universität Berlin:

“Our research focusses on clarifying the atomic mechanisms involved in Photosystem IIs water-splitting catalytic-cycle using various spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. In this work we identified the time-resolved spectroscopic signature of a transiently deprotonating carboxylate residue preceding the formation of O₂ at the MnCaO₆ catalyst. In combination with complementary QM/MM simulations, this resulting intermediate was characterized as the (until now) undefined highest oxidation state of the catalyst.”

Melvin Rodriguez-Heredia from Guy Hanke’s group at Queen Mary University of London:

“My project is focused on understanding how the tethering Ferredoxin-NADP(+) oxidoreductase (FNR) to different regions of the thylakoid has an impact on plant stress tolerance. We utilised biochemical and biophysical techniques to analyse stress of both photosystems in variable FNR binding genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Our findings indicate that FNR contributes to protect PSI through a yet unclear role in cyclic electron flow and photosynthetic control.”

Alice Robijns from Johannes Kromdijk’s group at the University of Cambridge:

“My research work is about the changing mechanisms of photoprotection through time. I have been examining PsbS, the major trigger of this process, using both bioinformatics and experimental work to see whether it has been conserved across the green lineage.”

Personal Reflections:

Paul Greife from Holger Dau’s group at Freie Universität Berlin:

“The oral and poster presentations at the ePS2 Young Session exposed me to research topics from literal botany to protein-scale biochemistry and down to the more familiar atomic scenarios. While my own work focusses on understanding a specific chemical process, much of the motivations presented were concerned with more practical applications such as improving biomass yield or understanding environmental adaptation mechanisms, urgent questions relevant to the current and looming global crises.”

Melvin Rodriguez-Heredia from Guy Hanke’s group at Queen Mary University of London:

“The ePS2 Young Session was an outstanding opportunity to share our research with an incredibly vibrant and large community of PhD students and early career researchers who are working on any kind of photosynthesis related topics. I was pleased to listen to well timed talks about a variety of fundamental aspects of photosynthesis such as light harvesting of far-red wavelengths or the role of the pyshell of diatoms in carbon fixation. I was even surprised to chat with a few people working on niche projects quite related to mine. The meeting was an excellent space to discuss in a less formal environment, young scientists were more comfortable about asking naive questions and some talks generated as much interest as those of the Main Session. I would absolutely recommend any young scientist to attend the Young Sessions in future editions of the ePS congress.”

Alice Robijns from Johannes Kromdijk’s group at the University of Cambridge:

“It was a great experience to present my work at the ePS2 Young Session as I got to speak to many people at a similar stage in their research career who were also interested in my work. It was helpful to meet some people before the Main Session and have some friendly faces that I could see around the next couple of days. I especially enjoyed meeting people who also worked on PsbS as it is a bit of an enigma!"

Conclusion

The ePS2 Young Session emerged as a vibrant hub of scientific exchange, fostering collaboration and camaraderie among emerging researchers. From discussions on fundamental photosynthesis concepts to novel insights on environmental adaptation mechanisms, the meeting encapsulated a spectrum of research endeavors critical to addressing pressing global challenges. The interactive nature of the session facilitated open dialogues and knowledge sharing, where young scientists felt encouraged to pose thought-provoking questions and engage in fruitful exchange. The informal setting not only nurtured networking opportunities but also catalyzed the exploration of interdisciplinary connections, igniting new avenues for future collaborations. The enthusiasm exhibited by participants underscored the invaluable role of such sessions in fostering a vibrant scientific community dedicated to unravelling the complexities of photosynthesis.

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In September 2024, Laura Mosebach, Universität Münster

The Gordon Research Conference "Mitochondria and Chloroplasts - Energy Transducing Organelles: Fundamental Processes and Translation in Agriculture and Medicine" was held from 7 to 12 July at the Rey Don Jaime Grand Hotel near Barcelona, Spain. The conference was organized by conference chair Antonio Barrientos (University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA) and vice-chair Andreas Weber (Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany). Of the 161 researchers from five continents, that attended the conference, more than 50% of the participants being early career researchers.

Bringing together scientists of very different disciplines

Mitochondria and chloroplasts are unique among cellular compartments due to their endosymbiotic origins, semi-autonomous genetic systems, roles in energy transduction, and complex biological functions. The 2024 Gordon Research Conference on Mitochondria and Chloroplasts brought together established scientists and early-career investigators to present and discuss novel aspects of organelle biology. With a strong focus on fundamental biological processes, the conference was interdisciplinary in nature, serving as one of the few forums that unite scientists from fungal, animal, and plant research communities.

Specific sessions covered topics such as organelle evolution, gene expression systems, protein import mechanisms, protein sorting and assembly into functional complexes, organelle metabolism, quality control mechanisms, signaling roles, stress responses, and the translation of this knowledge into agricultural and medical applications. To reflect the conference’s interdisciplinary spirit, each session featured speakers from both mitochondrial and chloroplast research fields.

Solving long standing questions

A total of 118 posters were presented across four poster sessions. While GRC policy prohibits reporting on the content of individual talks or posters, two topics were particularly prominent and provided outstanding novel insights: cryo-electron microscopy for protein structure determination and cryo-electron tomography for three-dimensional reconstruction of cellular structures at the resolution of individual proteins. For example, one presentation reported the three-dimensional structure of the entire chloroplast protein import machinery. This structural elucidation resolves many longstanding questions, such as the nature of the protein translocation pathway through the complex and the specific subunits that contribute to pore formation.

Conclusion

The evaluation of the conference by the participants was very positive, perhaps best summarized by this specific comment: “Great conference that brings together researchers from two fields and create synergies. I was impressed by the number of female and junior speakers. Credit to the organizers.” The next Mitochondria and Chloroplasts GRC will take place in 2026, most likely in the USA.

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Prof. Dr. Andreas Weber, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

The idea of the Symposium of Insect-Plant Relationships (SIP) is to bring together young and senior scientists from all over the world to specifically discuss current topics in insect-plant interactions, comprising ecology, evolution, behaviour as well as physiology. The conference is meant to offer an open and welcoming surrounding for networking, especially for young researchers, which made up nearly half of the attendees. Eight young researchers received travel awards, which were supported by the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) and by the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB).

Scientific presentations and discussions

SIP18 was characterised by a diverse set of scientific topics. In the opening lecture, Renee M. Borges highlighted the role of chemodiversity, genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity for plant-insect food webs under climate change. The scientific sessions revealed that insect-plant relationships are largely influenced by ongoing environmental change, emphasised the importance of spatio-temporal dynamics and uncovered molecular mechanisms underlying insect-plant relationships, highlighting the potential of omics techniques. In a workshop, the participants discussed the potential of metabolomics for addressing ecological questions. More specific research areas were addressed in seven subsequent sessions. It was discussed how insects make use of plant compounds via sequestration and pharmacophagy and inorganic/elemental versus organic plant defences were contrasted. One session was dedicated to plant antagonists that feed on the vascular system of plants. In the corresponding keynote lecture, Beata Gabryś highlighted the potential of aphids being used as sensors when assessing the suitability of plants for these herbivores as well as the influence of allelochemicals including pesticides.

It emerged that applied aspects of insect-plant relationships, i.e. those dealing with crop plants and agriculture, are at the front of research, as indicated by the majority of submitted contributions being linked to this topic. For example, cover crops, strip cropping as well as breeding strategies and biocontrol approaches that may allow to reduce the application of pesticides were discussed. With research topics from single genes or metabolites to whole ecosystems and global challenges like climate change, including basic and applied research as well as laboratory and field-scale studies, the interdisciplinary nature of the community of researchers became apparent. The authors of the best six scientific posters were honoured with poster awards, in addition to a poster award for children for the best self-painted poster on insect-plant relationships.

Networking, social activities

Given the quite specific topic of the conference and the fact that there were no parallel sessions and nearly all participants were housed directly at the conference site, the (scientific) exchange between the conference attendees was very intense. The networking between the researchers was further supported by exciting excursions. While several people searched for insects in an “Insect safari” around Haus Neuland, others went for a plant excursion to a highly diverse meadow (“Ochsenheide”), visited a zoo (“Tierpark Olderdissen”) or the Sparrenburg castle. At the last evening, the participants came together at the conference dinner downtown Bielefeld in the “Hechelei”. During the whole conference, the researchers enjoyed diverse and very tasty vegetarian meals, in line with the guiding idea of sustainability that is widespread in the community of ecologists. Moreover, while the large distance from Haus Neuland to Bielefeld city centre reinforced the focus on the scientific topics and facilitated the networking, the green nature around Haus Neuland contributed to a relaxed atmosphere with nature-inspired (scientific) discussions. 

Conclusion

Taken together, the specific overall topic, combined with the multidisciplinarity of research presented and discussed, contributed to the success of the conference in terms of scientific output. With the SIP in Bielefeld, the spirit of a (scientific) family was kept, meeting people with similar interests, (potential) collaboration partners as well as old and new friends. Many established researchers, who regularly visit the SIP, were present, while several early career academics for the first time experienced fruitful scientific exchange, hopefully coming together again at the next SIP, which will be hosted in Wageningen (Netherlands) in three years. Many thanks to all the helpers and the generous financial contributions of the supporters, as for example the DBG, who made this symposium possible!

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Caroline Müller, Rabea Schweiger und Christine Fiebig; Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/fakultaeten/biologie/forschung/arbeitsgruppen/chem_eco/

Premise

Since almost 20 years (s)elected PhD students from either IPB or IPK organize the annual PSSC. The goal of PSSC is to provide a platform for students to practice presenting themselves and their research in front of their scientific peer. To achieve this, they participate in scientific talk sessions or prepare a poster. Furthermore, students can learn from already established scientists through attending their talks or socializing with them during coffee breaks. In addition, a set of different workshops were organized, which focused on developing certain core competences that young researchers need. And finally, to provide sufficient time for networking, we dedicated a full day of activities to socializing and interaction between students.

Science in the 3 keynotes

The scientific journey of the PSSC 2024 started with Prof. Schaaf, who presented a unique mechanism how cellular levels of phosphate are monitored in plants and how plants adjust their metabolism accordingly. Dr. Barberon introduced different pathways of radial nutrient transport in roots and pointed towards the relevance of the Casparian strip and suberin for vascular transport and plant defense. Having reached the shoot, Prof. Ranf-Zipproth guided us through the intricate field of pathogen-plant interaction and the plethora of different receptors possibly involved.

Scientific results and discussions by plant science students

However, not only the keynotes, but also the students contributed greatly to our scientific program. Their research ranged from genetic analyses over biochemical studies towards metabolomic investigations focusing on Arabidopsis thaliana as well as on a variety of crop plants and fungi.

Specific projects focused on the comparison of plant ecotypes to elucidate key parameters of their research question. Nagarjun Devabhakthini (IPK) phenotyped approximately 200 accessions of Medicago to identify genetic factors influencing the phosphorus utilization efficiency of his plants. Natalie Leutert (IPB) is characterizing LPR1, a protein involved in phosphate sensing, through the investigation of LPR1 proteoforms from different Arabidopsis cultivars. Giwhan Kim (IPK) - awarded best poster - and Taoran Liu (IPK) introduced the audience to the concept of B chromosomes - remnants of incorrect nuclear division, which have been shown to occur in over 1000 plant species. Both are working to understand the molecular basis of B chromosome origin and the ways of their elimination. Many other projects were dedicated to gene regulatory networks. Kexin Liu (IPK) displayed her work about the impact of the HvNAC6 transcription factor on yield and abiotic stress tolerances. In accordance, Keerthana Nagesh presented the Brassinosteroid dependent transcription factor BZR1 and her efforts to assess its impact on gene regulation in maize. Sandra Schüler (MLU) shared her interest in post-transcriptional regulation and the identification of upstream regulatory elements, which would determine the mRNA half-life in A. thaliana. David Görg (IPB) investigates the ER stress-dependent autophagy-mediated proteostasis in plants and the involvement of the protein Can1. Simranjit Kaur (IPB) and Rajalakshmi Reghunath (IPB) introduced ADP-ribosylation as a post-translational modification involved in the recognition of pathogen associated molecular patterns. They are working on the characterization of the up- and downstream molecular processes of this poorly understood modification. Many other projects were investigating the metabolome of different fungi. Alejandro Instroza Muños (IPB) for example gave insights into his project, where he isolated and characterized potential anti-phytopathogenic compounds from Chilean fungal strains and was awarded best presentation by the audience.

Interactive Workshops for Presentation Skills and Field Expert Lecture about Light

Besides interesting scientific keynote lectures, talks and poster sessions, two workshops were offered at the PSSC: Dr. Lars-Ole Haag, an acting instructor from Berlin, gave an introduction about presenting oneself on stage. He gave many valuable suggestions for voice modulation, correct breathing and stage freight. The second workshop was held by Dr. Peter Paul Heym, an IPB alumni, who talked about developing a scientific story and taught techniques to captivate the audience. On the last day, Dr. Krysztof Dobrynin from Bilberry Ltd. gave his expertise about the impact of photobiology on plants and described the challenges and opportunities of the design of greenhouse and phytochamber lighting.

Networking on the “social day”

Despite ongoing summer rain, we acquainted our guests and ourselves with the attractions of Halle, joining guided tours through the city and attending the museum of the Halloren factory - the oldest chocolate factory in Germany. The students could prove their ingenuity in designing their own pralines or they could marvel at the skyline of Halle from the Hausmannstürme at the marketplace. The day was rounded off in the Peißnitz house, surrounded by trees and near the Saale river, with BBQ and music.

Conclusion

The PSSC2024 ended with the hosts giving their final remarks. Cheerful and lively discussions, not only after presentations, but also during coffee breaks, joint dinners and time spent together, created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, woven in with laughter and smiles. Through the organizers tireless work, the relentless zeal of many helpers, the positive attitude of the participants and the generous financial contributions of our supporters, as for example the German Society of Plant Sciences (DBG), the PSSC2024 was brought to a successful end, leaving everyone in anticipation of next year’s PSSC in Gatersleben.

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Max Jonas Paulmann, Lilly Eger and Jolina Marx (IPB), https://www.ipb-halle.de/