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Establishing a Diverse Research Community 

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Why is Plant Sciences so exciting?

What effect bacterial communities have on root growth 

CEPLAS members Stanislav Kopriva (UoC) and Tonni Grube Andersen (MPIPZ) identified several plant growth promoting volatiles.

Publication on the genetic control of barley architecture 

Coordinated by Rüdiger Simon, researchers discovered the signaling pathway that regulates the control of meristems in barley.

CRISPR in plants: CEPLAS members provided insights at Cologne City Hall 

Götz Hensel and Susanne Vollmer presented current developments in the use of molecular gene editing tools in plants.

Publication on the genetic diversity of European potato 

Korbinian Schneeberger and Craig Dent (both MPIPZ) pieced together the genetic makeup of European potatoes and published the results in Nature.

The paradox of European potato 

CEPLAS postdoctoral researcher Craig Dent (MPIPZ) reveals in a illustrative comic that potato DNA is at the same time diverse and not diverse.

New publication in "Science" about gene order 

Martin Lercher’s group (HHU), together with collaborators from Linköping University, has discovered that bacterial genes are positioned by function.

CEPLAS-Events

15/05

TRANSPLANT DAYS

15/05/2025, 13:00 Event

The second event on the TRANSPLANT DAYS series takes place in Cologne.

19/05

Pint of Science 2025

19/05/2025, 18:00 - 20/05/2025, 21:00 Public Event

Pint of Science 2025 in Düsseldorf - science with beer and bar stools

23/05

CEPLAS Friday - Special event

23/05/2025, 15:30 Event HHU, Düsseldorf

Internal event!

27/06

CEPLAS Friday

27/06/2025, 13:00 Event MPIPZ, Cologne

Speakers: Paula Duque (Gulbenkian Institute), Jane Parker (MPIPZ)

28/06

Soapbox Science 2025

28/06/2025, 14:00 Public Event Düsseldorf

Science communication event for the promotion of female and non-binary scientists SAVE THE DATE!!!

03/07

Campus Walk: A (Time)Travel Through Plant Science at HHU

03/07/2025, 17:00 Public Event

Public event in the context of the HHU 60 year anniversary

07/07

Grüne Helden: Mit Pflanzen dem Klimawandel trotzen

07/07/2025, 17:00 Public Event Haus der Universität, Düsseldorf

Discussion event

26/09

CEPLAS Friday

26/09/2025, 13:00 Event UoC, Cologne

Speaker: Brandon Gaut (University of California, Irvine)

07/10

CEPLAS Symposium

07/10/2025 - 08/10/2025 Event Düsseldorf

Save the date!

About CEPLAS

The Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS) is a joint initiative of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), University of Cologne (UoC), Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research Cologne (MPIPZ) and Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ). In CEPLAS scientists are developing innovative strategies for sustainable plant production and the promotion of early career researchers.

CEPLAS Movies

CEPLAS Image Movie

CEPLAS in 60 seconds