The event featured keynote speakers from Germany, Denmark and Switzerland, as well as a laudatory speech on one’s own behalf and a Star Wars parody concerning the IPK Leibniz Institute’s Galactic Genebank. The farewell symposium for Evelin Willner, Andreas Börner and Frank Blattner at the end of November certainly had plenty of highlights and surprises to offer.

On Wednesday evening, the Rudolf Mansfeld Prize 2025 was awarded as part of the ‘Science - Explained Simply’ lecture series. Zsa Zsa Boyny, a doctoral student at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, won the award, which is endowed with 1,500 euros. The prize money comes from the Association for the Promotion of Crop Plant Research in Gatersleben (Gemeinschaft zur Förderung der…

The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) was successful in this year's Leibniz competition. Two projects - one led by the IPK and one involving the IPK - have now been selected by the Leibniz Association's Senate for funding of one million euros each.

On Wednesday, IPK scientist Narendra Narisetti received the Wernigerode Science Award at a ceremony held in Wernigerode Town Hall, attended by Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister of Science, Armin Willingmann. Nicolaus von Wirén delivered the laudatory speech.