We are hiring!
HHU and IPK jointly call for applications for a W2-Professorship in Root-Microbiome Interactions. [23/10/2026]
Category Open positions
CEPLAS Graduate School begins training phase at IPK in Gatersleben
CEPLAS students start introductory week at the IPK in Gatersleben. [15/10/2026]
Category Training & Careers
How plants and root microbes work together to overcome iron deficiency
New study in Cell reveals how Arabidopsis adapts communication with microbiota to improve iron acquisition. [09/10/2026]
Category Research
CEPLAS member Lena Daumann receives the “Heine Mensch” award
In support of equal opportunity and a tolerant society: Four women and four men were honored by HHU as “Heine People”. [07/10/2026]
Category Equity and Diversity
Open doors for 60 kids and “the Mouse”
Together with the West German Genome Center CEPLAS opened their doors to provide exciting insights into everyday research. [06/10/2026]
Category Science communication
CEPLAS Women in Plant Sciences Day 2026
On 1 October, CEPLAS hosted its annual Women in Plant Sciences Day, celebrating women in science and supporting the career development of women ECRs. [02/10/2026]
Category Equity and Diversity
Ancient genome function persists despite frequent mutations
New study published in Nature shows how centromere DNA sequences evolve rapidly and extensively while retaining their function. [25/09/2026]
Category Research
Sexual reproducing plant mimicking clonal reproduction
A newly published study in Nature shows, that Brazilian sedge is able to maintain its genetic identity across generations. [21/09/2026]
Category Research
Congratulations to Büsra Elkatmis
CEPLAS Graduate School member Büsra Elkatmis successfully defended her PhD thesis! [18/09/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Congratulations to Franziska Fichtner
Franziska Fichtner successfully completed her Habilitation [15/09/2026]
Category Training & Careers
We are hiring!
We are looking for an Academic expert in Metabolomics [26/08/2026]
Category Open positions
New insights in fungal genome
In a new study published in Nature Communications researchers around Bart Thomma identify a key molecule behind severe leaf loss in crop plants. [07/08/2026]
Category Research
Congratulations to Zarah Sorger!
CEPLAS Graduate School member Zarah Sorger successfully defended her PhD thesis! [27/07/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Laura Rose honoured as "Top Mentor"
CEPLAS Researcher was honoured at the 20th anniversary celebration of Selma Meyer Mentoring [22/07/2026]
Category Equity and Diversity
Viruses as Plant Protectors
Bacteriophages open up new prospects for more environmentally friendly plant protection. [20/07/2026]
Category Research
Soapbox Science Rheinland Returns for Its Seventh Edition
Two CEPLAS Early Career Researchers presented hands-on plant research – in a clear and engaging way, and with great passion [10/07/2026]
Category Equity and Diversity
Prof. Dr. Peter Westhoff bids farewell
Four decades at HHU, characterised by integrity, vision and academic excellence [03/07/2026]
Category Science communication
AI decodes the language of genes
An international research team led by CEPLAS researcher Jędrzej Szymański has developed an AI model that improves the prediction of gene regulation in… [19/06/2026]
Category Research
EU Parliament adopts adjusted rules on new genomic techniques for plants
An important step to support the development of resilient and sustainable crops. [17/06/2026]
Category Research
Congratulations to Susanne Vollmer
CEPLAS Graduate School member Susanne Vollmer successfully defended her PhD thesis! [11/06/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Exploring Plant Breeding and Innovation at KWS
CEPLAS ECRs gain first-hand insights into modern plant breeding at TalentCampus@KWS 2026. [07/06/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Congratulations to Tobias Pfennig!
CEPLAS Graduate School member Tobias Pfennig successfully defended his PhD thesis! [01/06/2026]
Category Training & Careers
CEPLAS Career Speed Dating 2026
On May 19, nine CEPLAS early career researchers participated in the Career Speed Dating to learn more about various professional fields outside… [28/05/2026]
Category Training & Careers
CEPLAS/TRANSPLANT Exchange Platform 2026 – Connecting academia and industry
The Exchange Platform brought together researchers, companies and innovation experts to explore pathways for translating science into practice. [27/05/2026]
Category Transfer
Research team ‘trims’ wheat chromosomes
Research team succeeded in reducing the size of, or even completely removing, chromosomes in plants with large genomes, such as wheat. [04/05/2026]
Category Research
Decoding of key infection strategy of fungal pathogens
Fungi utilize ancient antimicrobial proteins to attack hosts and their microbiomes [04/05/2026]
Category Research
Participation at CROP IB conference in Wageningen
CEPLAS and TRANSPLANT Highlight Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at CROP IB 2026. [01/05/2026]
Category Transfer
Girls' Day 2026
At this year’s Girls’ Day at Heinrich Heine University, schoolgirls were able to experience the work of plant researchers first-hand. [28/04/2026]
Category Equity and Diversity
An alliance for life
Animals and plants work together with their microbes in surprising ways (The article is only available in German) [28/04/2026]
Category Science communication
New Insights in Mechanisms of Plant Symbiosis
A recently published study shows how beneficial fungi can enter cereal roots without triggering an excessive immune response. [27/04/2026]
Category Research
Transforming knowledge, shaping education
The 6th TRANSPLANT DAY took place on Apr 15 at the University of Cologne under the motto: “Sowing knowledge: transforming excellent research into… [24/04/2026]
Category Transfer
Research on interaction networks in microbiomes
Crop scientist receives funding from the ‘Klaus Tschira Boost Fund’ [17/04/2026]
Category Research
Advancing Genome Editing in Rice together
Current guest researcher Dr Satendra Mangrauthia developed a genetically modified rice variety in cooperation with CEPLAS member Prof. Dr Wolf B.… [30/03/2026]
Category Transfer Category Research
Advancing Plant Biotechnology for Stress Resilience and Nutritional Food Security
CEPLAS Researchers participated in a joint collaboration and international conference [13/03/2026]
Category Research
Congratulations to Nhu Tran
CEPLAS Graduate School member Nhu Tran successfully defended her PhD thesis! [13/03/2026]
Category Training & Careers
From basic research to the field and back
5th Transplant Day Summary [11/03/2026]
Category Transfer
Beet Battle 2026
The school competition Beet Battle started. In this challenge, pupils grow plants and discover how much produce can be grown in one square metre of… [11/03/2026]
Category Science communication
Congratulations to Anastasija Plett
CEPLAS Graduate School member Anastasija Plett successfully defended her PhD thesis! [27/02/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Congratulations to Pengxin Yu
CEPLAS Graduate School member Pengxin Yu successfully defended his PhD thesis! [27/02/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Wolf Frommer receives funding from prestigious DFG Reinhart Koselleck programme
1.25 million euros for research into bacterial infection mechanisms in rice. [19/02/2026]
Category Research
We are hiring!
We are looking for 12 Postdoctoral Research Associates and 7 Doctoral researchers at CEPLAS. [18/02/2026]
Category Open positions
Congratulations to Laura Redzich
CEPLAS Graduate School member Laura Redzich successfully defended her PhD thesis! [13/02/2026]
Category Training & Careers
CEPLAS-TransPLANT participation at the SynBioReactor Summit 2026
CEPLAS contributed a plant science perspective on research translation and innovation at the SynBioReactor Summit 2026. [06/02/2026]
Category Transfer
Congratulations to Mary Ngigi!
CEPLAS Graduate School member Mary Ngigi successfully defended her PhD thesis! [27/01/2026]
Category Training & Careers
Mapping barley development
New insights into the genetic control of barley development open up opportunities for targeted trait improvement. [19/01/2026]
Category Research
Congratulations to Ruben Eichfeld!
CEPLAS Graduate School member Ruben Eichfeld sucessfully defended his PhD thesis! [09/12/2025]
Category Training & Careers
Congratulations to Raphaël Mercier
MPIPZ director Raphaël Mercier receives prestigious VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields. [09/12/2025]
Category Research
CEPLAS welcomes EU provisional agreement on the regulation of new genomic techniques
An important step to support the development of resilient and sustainable crops. [05/12/2025]
Category Research