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At the conference, Nobel Prize winner Prof. Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard gave an insight into her research.

Professional exchange in a historic setting: International conference on development and regeneration in Osnabrück

27.03.2024

The annual conference of the German and Dutch societies for developmental biology (GfE & DSDB) took place in the Osnabrück castle from 12 to 15 March 2024 under the motto "Development and Regeneration". The programme included presentations by 53 researchers from Germany and abroad – including Nobel Prize winner Prof. Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard.

How does a single cell develop into a complex organism with tissues and complex organ systems? This is the question addressed by the scientific discipline of developmental biology. During the four-day conference, the participants had ample opportunity to present and discuss their latest research findings in this field.

Focus on promoting young talents

Osnabrück was chosen as the venue because two local researchers are represented on the board of the German Society for Developmental Biology (GfE): Prof. Dr. Kerstin Bartscherer (head of the Animal Physiology research group) as Chair and Prof. Dr. Achim Paululat (head of the Zoology research group) as a member.

The conference organisation team led by Prof. Dr. Kerstin Bartscherer (back right) and Prof. Dr. Achim Paululat (back left). S. Bröcker-Smidt and A. Mentrup are absent.

"We are delighted that we were able to organize the conference in the historical setting of the Osnabrück castle," said Paululat and Bartscherer, who were thoroughly happy with how the conference went. "We are particularly pleased that so many young researchers travelled from the Netherlands and that new German-Dutch networks were created."

Several young scientists were represented with talks in the conference programme – and five outstanding poster presentations by doctoral students were honoured with prizes. There was also a networking evening at the Alando-Palais club in Osnabrück organised by the University Society.

"We will see you in Potsdam in 2026!“ – there could be no better praise for the conference organisation team from the young Dutch researchers.

Special honour for three researchers

During the conference, the Society for Developmental Biology also awarded three prizes for special scientific achievements. Dr. Marco Podobnik (Tübingen) was honoured for his outstanding doctoral thesis with the Society's doctoral prize of 1,000 euros. Dr. Daniel Wehner (Erlangen) received the Hilde Mangold Prize for Young Scientists, endowed with 5,000 euros, for his research on tissue regeneration in zebrafish. The Klaus Sander Prize for lifetime achievement, endowed with 10,000 euros, went to a very special guest at the conference: Nobel Prize winner Prof. Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard. She presented her work on pattern formation in zebrafish in a public lecture – and thus provided a special highlight in the conference programme.

The conference was supported by: Osnabrück University Society, The Company of Biologists, German Research Foundation (DFG), Osnabrück University, New England Biolabs.