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Two Days of Inspiration and Exchange: The CEPLAS Early Career Researcher Symposium 2025

10/10/2025

For two days, The CEPLAS community came together for engaging talks, creative posters, and plenty of great conversations.

Group picture of the Symposium participants sitting on a large staircase in the hall

© CEPLAS

View on a large group of people discussing in a foyer during a break

© CEPLAS

A footage of three pictures where scientists are discussion during the poster session

© Laura Merx

People discussing on a scientific poster during the poster session

© CEPLAS

On October 7 and 8, the annual CEPLAS Symposium took place at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf - this year dedicated entirely to the cluster's early-career researchers (ECRs). Around 130 CEPLAS members gathered for two days of scientific exchange, collaboration building, and networking.

The diverse program featured numerous talks and poster sessions in which ECRs impressively showcased the breadth and depth of CEPLAS research. To conclude the poster session, awards were presented for the best posters. Patrick Lederer received first place, followed by Moritz Göbel in second place. Marjorie Guichard and Julia Macholl shared third place.

Among the highlights of the symposium were three keynote lectures by Dr. Margot Raffeiner, Dr. Charles Williams, and Dr. Diala Abu Awad.
Dr. Raffeiner presented her research on DD1, a ubiquitin-binding aspartyl protease involved in proteotoxic stress responses. Dr. Williams, Lead Strategic Projects at LenioBio, discussed the development of cell-free protein synthesis systems. Dr. Abu Awad shared insights into her work on self-fertilization and its influence on genome structure.

The final session of the symposium featured a panel discussion on different career paths, where the keynote speakers engaged in an open and honest exchange with the ECR audience. The event concluded with a relaxed networking evening that gave participants the opportunity to continue their discussions over good food and science-themed games.

In her closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Maria von Korff highlighted the outstanding contributions of the early-career researchers, expressing her wish for the ECR Symposium to become a regular annual event.

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