Welcome to the International Symposium "Evolution of Plant Reproduction".

This symposium will bring together researchers around the world into explore the evolution of land plant sexual reproduction on a molecular scale.

We particularly invite early-career researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and PhD students to join us for this unique opportunity to present your research, engage in discussions and scientific networking.

This meeting is organized by ICIPS, a research unit funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) entitled „Innovation and Coevolution in Land Plant Sexual Reproduction“. This research unit is composed of seven research groups from five German universities (Justus Liebig University Gießen, University of Regensburg, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Osnabrück University).

The symposium will feature eight sessions:
- evolution of multicellular embryos and endosperm,
- innovation of pollen and their reception/rejection systems,
- evolution of ovules and seeds,
- evolution of carpels and fruits,
- evolution of fertilization mechanisms in plants,
- co-evolution of ROS signalling systems and gene regulatory networks in plant development and reproduction,
- evolution of Redox-dependent mechanisms in development and fertility, as well as
- finding bioinformatics solutions to harness EvoDevo challenges.

We are trying to keep the costs at minimum while still providing a pleasant and memorable meeting with active participation of as many young scientists as possible. Registration fee includes reception, lunches, coffee breaks, conference dinner and tours of the Botanical Garden of Berlin

Thanks to our sponsors - The German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), The Company of Biologists & CLF PlantClimatics GmbH - different prices and travel grants are available:
- one price for the best Poster and,
- one price for the best Talk (only for early-career researchers).

Both prices will be awarded at the end of the conference.

To help early-career researchers (Master, PhD student or first year postdoctoral researchers) to come to Berlin to participate to this international symposium, a total of six "Travel" grants is also available:
- 3 "Travel/Accommodation" grants will be attributed to German early-career researchers, and
- 3 "Travel" grants will be attributed to early-career researchers affiliated to institutions located outside Germany (in Eastern/Central/Southern Europe, in Asia or Africa and in Northern/Central/Southern America).

If you want to benefit from these "Travel" grants, please contact the conference organizer by email (Dr. Romain Scalone, email: romain.scalone@bot1.bio.uni-giessen.de) by sending him a short resume (CV) and a 100-word essay, explaining why you are a suitable candidate for the grant and how you intend to contribute to the symposium.


We look forward to welcoming you to Berlin for an inspiring and productive meeting.

• DFG research unit 5098 ("Innovation and Coevolution of land Plant Sexual Reproduction" - ICIPS)
• Annette Becker (Justus Liebig University Gießen)
• Thomas Dresselhaus (University of Regensburg)
• Alexander Goesmann (Justus Liebig University Gießen)
• Stefanie Müller-Schüssele (University of Kaiserslautern-Landau)
• Stefanie Sprunck (University of Regensburg)
• Günter Theißen (Friedrich Schiller University Jena)
• Sabine Zachgo (Osnabrück University)
• Duarte Figueiredo (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology - Postdam -)