Test-EN 13.4

From 16^th to 19^th September 2025, 74 scientists attended the 23^rd Symposium of the International Society of Endocytobiology (ISE), which takes place at various locations in Germany, alternating with the International Conference of Endocytobology. At the Freie Universität Berlin, a lively exchange on presymbiotic and endosymbiotic cell and organelle biology took place over 29 lectures, 31 posters, during a campus tour, and in a particularly relaxed atmosphere at the "Young Organelle BBQ" and the conference dinner. Organiser Professor Margarete Baier reports about topics of the meeting, and the titles and names of the awarded early career scientists. 

270 researchers discussed their latest findings at the International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas. Organizers Prof. Dr. Michael Hippler and Prof. Dr. Michael Schroda provide an insight into the latest research priorities on the well-established algal model organism and describe what the participants particularly enjoyed. 

The Summer School „The Numbers Matter: Exploring Photoautotrophic Organisms through Quantitative Biology” took place from 15^th to 19^th September 2025 at the Institute for Biosciences at the University of Rostock. Fourteen PhD students and Rostock’s colleagues discussed recent findings, experienced hands‐on workshops on quantitative techniques. Theoretical lectures accompanied the lab courses. The organisers Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jennifer Selinski (Kiel) and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter (Rostock) report on the topics and contributions of the DBG-supported Summer School.

This year’s meeting of our Section Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology brought together early career researchers (ECRs) and experienced scientists. The more than 90 participants from four countries presented and discussed recent research results under the motto Frontiers in Plant Systematics and Evolution in Heidelberg at the End of August. Prof. Dr. Elvira Hörandl (Göttingen), reports on the highlights, the topics, informs, who of the ECRs received prizes for excellent research, and who was elected to be the new speaker of the Section. 

On 9^th and 10^th September DBG’s Executive and Extended Board met at the RUB to coordinate not only the highlights of the programme of our German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) International Conference, the Botanik-Tagung, but also discussed the first results of DBG’s survey about the needs of early career researchers (ECRs), which is running since 1^st August. The invitation of the next conference chair, Prof. Dr. Christopher Grefen, also encompassed a test about possible meals that could be served at the conference, which awaits - like in previous years - several hundreds of plant scientists from various disciplines next year. Board reports from our president, Prof. Andreas Weber, our Treasurer, Prof. Raimund Tenhaken, about the impact of our scientific journal Plant Biology, about outreach and website, as well as solutions for current challenges for scientific societies were also topics discussed at this year’s Board meeting.