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 16th to 19th 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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