Students from Leibniz University Hannover recently completed a student internship at the IPK. Hardy Rolletschek, head of the ‘Assimilate Allocation and NMR’ research group, explains what they did, how the collaboration came about, and what he hopes to gain from it.
IPK Leibniz-Institut/ C. Schafmeister
Visiting the IPK with a hemp plant
You recently hosted a group of students from Hannover. What’s the story behind this?
Since 2010, I have been offering the compulsory elective module ‘Biology of Seed Development’ as part of the Bachelor’s degree programme at Leibniz University Hannover. This comprises two lectures in Hannover, followed by a week of practical work at the IPK and, finally, an exam. Last week, we once again hosted a group of six students for a one-week work placement.
What did the programme involve?
After arriving on Monday, the students toured the campus and attended a seminar on NMR analysis. On Tuesday, Stefan Ortleb and Steffen Wagner introduced the students to the practical aspects of NMR technology, whilst also teaching them the basics of histology. Students need to understand plant anatomy. Anna Backhaus showed the students the Genebank. I also wanted the students to get to know the heart of the institute.
What happened next?
On Wednesday and Thursday, the focus was on analysing the NMR data obtained and on segmentation. The students had to trace the plant structures they had identified on the computer. Ultimately, the aim is to create a 3D model of the plant. This resulted in short videos. To round things off on Friday, the students gave a half-hour presentation. In it, they were asked to explain NMR technology, the sample analysis, and their approach.
Which plants did you examine in more detail with the students?
Of course, we looked at the plants that are of particular importance to research at the IPK - namely cereals, pulses, and rapeseed. But the students could also bring their plantsof interest. That went down very well. Among them were a tiny apple, a maple seed and the flower of a hemp plant.
How did the connection with Hanover come about?
It all started with a joint research project with Prof. Hans-Peter Braun and a rapeseed breeder in 2008. After that, Ljudmilla and I completed our habilitations in Hanover. Since 2016, she has also taught a second module in the Master’s programme, which focuses on ‘imaging in plants’. We are therefore represented in both areas of the Plant Biotechnology degree programme with our courses.
What do you hope to achieve with these opportunities?
On the one hand, we want to support early-career researchers, particularly because there is a gap in seed biology at the University of Hanover. We are also always on the lookout for committed early-career researchers to join our research group. We offer particularly suitable students the opportunity to write their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis with us.
What’s next?
In the winter term, Ljudmilla will once again be offering her ‘Imaging’ module. In addition to our NMR technology, the module will cover other techniques such as microscopy in Michael Melzer’s group. The aim is for students not only to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods and techniques, but also to develop an understanding of how experimental designs are conceived. A guided tour of the Institute’s Genebank is also planned again.