GLOMICAVE final conference: Holistic approaches and digital tools for omics data analysis
2024-05-07 09:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
The GLOMICAVE project, coordinated by Eurecat, is organising its final conference “Holistic approaches and digital tools for omics data analysis”. The project has led to an innovative digital platform to process large-scale omics datasets using Big Data and Artificial Intelligence by leveraging pre-existing data to enhance our understanding of biological systems as a whole.
During the final conference, partners will present the main outcomes of the research done in the areas of omics sciences, Big Data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, animal reproductive technology, agro-biotechnology and bioenergy to maximise the utility of omic data at a massive level.

TARGETED TO:

Undergraduate, graduate or master students willing to learn about multi-omics data analyses and digital solutions.
Researchers in omics sciences, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, bioinformatics and biotechnology, among other topics from Universities, Institutes or Research Centers.
Professionals from companies in the field of omics technologies, livestock, bioenergy, bioinformatics, Artificial Intelligence, etc.
General public with interest in GLOMICAVE topics.

Fascination of Plants Day 2024
2024-05-18
Fascination of Plants Day 2024 will be back! It will take place in May 2024 with a focus on May, 18, 2024.
The seventh international “Fascination of Plants Day” will be launched by plant scientists across the world under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).
Why FoPD?
The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture and sustainable production of nutritious food, as well as for horticulture, forestry and the production of plant-based non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy and pharmaceuticals.
Everybody is welcome to join this initiative!

We invite everyone, from schools to producers, to join in and contribute to this initiative. Many plant science institutions, universities, schools, botanical gardens and museums, together with farmers and industry, have opened their doors during the Fascination of Plants Day in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. You can look up the variety of interactive plant related events held across the globe in our “FoPD Success Stories”.
We also invite the media, scientists and policy makers to discuss the latest state-of-the-art research and breakthroughs in the plant science and explore new applications plant science can offer. The Fascination of Plants Day will be backed up by a range of events in public spaces, theaters, cafes, central city squares and parks designed to make everyone grasp the importance of plants.
We invite YOU to organize an attractive, plant related activity and to interact with the public. Events can be organized throughout the whole month of May. Our goal is to break the record of 865 events you organized in 2019.
Get inspired and follow us
Get inspired by previous events with our Success stories from 2019 and follow us on our social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Check new events taking place in your country on FoPD website

13th International Conference for Plant Mitochondrial Biology
2024-05-26 - 2024-05-30 | Saint-Malo, France
The 13th International Conference for Plant Mitochondrial Biology (ICPMB 2024) will be held in Saint-Malo, France from May 26th to 30th 2024, in the Palais du Grand Large.
The purpose of the biennial ICPMB is to provide an international forum for junior and senior academics researchers worldwide who specialize in various aspects of plant mitochondrial biology. The conference will facilitate the exchange of research results, ideas, and to bring emerging concepts to the forefront. With about 50 conferences and two poster sessions planned, the event will illustrate the dynamism and excellence of research in a field that is a major challenge for plant biology and agronomy, in the context of climate change.

Introduction to Network Analysis and Modelling
2024-05-28 - 2024-06-05 | Online
Networks are pervasive in various fields, from biology and ecology to sociology, computer science, and beyond. This course is designed for researchers and students from diverse disciplines who are interested in understanding and analysing complex systems using network theory.
The course will cover the following key topics:

Introduction to networks
Random Graphs and Null Models
Community Structure and Mixing Patterns
Ranking in Networks
Introduction to Dynamics on Networks and Dynamics of Networks

In the live sessions we will combine online lectures with hands-on computational exercises, in Python, to provide both theoretical understanding and practical skills in the analysis of complex networks.
Whether you are a biologist, sociologist, computer scientist, or researcher in any other field, this course will equip you with valuable tools and insights for studying and analysing complex systems through the lens of network theory. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of complex networks!

—
The Global Plant Council members are entitled to a 20% discount on course fees using the discount code: GC927384

New Phytologist Next Generation Scientists 2024
2024-06-05 - 2024-06-08 | Duke University, Durham, United States
New Phytologist next generation scientists meetings are free events with the unique aim to provide the next generation of plant scientists a chance to share their work with their peers and outstanding international scientists in a stimulating, supportive and exciting environment.
To register: https://nextgenerationscientists.evessiocloud.com/2024/en/page/home
This event is exclusively for early career researchers, including graduate students and any researcher with up to five years’ experience since gaining/defending their PhD, excluding career breaks.
Sign up to our early career mailing list for information about future events.
The 2025 next generation scientists meeting is expected to be held in Europe.
Applications close 6 December 2023

The New Phytologist Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation committed to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and research in plant science. One of the ways we support plant science is by organising symposia, with all registration fees subsidised by the Foundation and opportunities to apply for travel grants. Find out more.

Leadership in a Laboratory Environment, June 2024
2024-06-05 09:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | Online
Introduction
A successful career in a scientific lab environment needs leadership and management skills as well as research skills. To get the best from people, team leaders need to be able to form teams, provide leadership and deal with issues that will inevitably emerge. These are skills that can be developed with practice. The aim of this course is to introduce some team-working and leadership models that can be of practical use in developing those skills.

The course will take place over 2 sessions, on the 5th and 6th June at 9:00-13:00 each day.
Who is the course for?
Following the success of previous courses, the Society continues offer this introductory course specifically to meet the needs of postdoctoral researchers in academic or industrial environments. It is aimed at:

Laboratory team leaders and principal investigators who want to improve the way they manage their teams
Postdoctoral researchers who have been selected for, or aspire to, promotion to team leader positions

What does the course cover?

How teams work and how to work in teams
An introduction to leadership models and styles
Successful team management – learning leadership behaviours and dealing with potential issues
Performance management
Case studies
Guidance on further study and development

Who is the course trainer?

Charlie Wilson scraped through with a BSc in biology from Southampton University in 1978 and has been a member of the Society or its predecessors almost ever since. Although he has never worked in the biosciences he has always regarded himself as a biologist who happens to be doing other things. Those other things have included a career in the Royal Navy during which he led bomb-disposal teams and commanded ships in peace and in war. He is now an independent consultant and executive coach. With master’s degrees in both Coaching and Behavioural Change, and Leadership and Management, he works with industry, banks, small businesses and schools to improve how they work together.

Feedback from Charlie’s previous course at the Royal Society of Biology:

“Excellent, great balance between theory and real-world practical situations.”
“Case studies were great to make us investigate causes of problems.”
“Intensive, informal.”
“Very interactive.”
Certification and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
A certificate of attendance will be provided after the event.
We evaluate all of our training events, to make sure that we maintain a high quality of training.
This event has been approved by the Royal Society of Biology for purposes of CPD and can be counted as 24 CPD points.
Professional Registers
This course supports registers competencies and has been identified as supporting competency development for: Registered Scientist (RSci) and Registered Science Technician (RSciTech).
Competency area:

Interpersonal skills
Personal responsibility

Fees
Members – £120 + VAT
Non-members – £240 + VAT
Get in touch with training@rsb.org.uk to access these rates:

Members of Member Organisations, SCAS members – £180 + VAT
Non-members who have completed a membership application and made payment – £120 + 20% VAT.

Contact
For further information about the course please contact Emily Lunn, training and registers officer at training@rsb.org.uk or on 020 3925 3447.

Special requirements
If you have accessibility requirements, please let us know during your booking, and we will do what we can to accommodate your needs.

Refunds
Unfortunately, the Royal Society of Biology is unable to offer refunds on training courses that have been attended. We do, of course, welcome and encourage any feedback from a course and will continue to improve the service we offer.
Terms and Conditions
By booking to attend this event, you are confirming you have agreed to the RSB’s Terms and Conditions which can be found here

Plant Health Series: Summer conference 2024
2024-06-06 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
Plant Health Series: Summer conference 2024
6 June 2024
10:00 – 15:45
Online via Zoom

An online conference focusing on different aspects of plant health
As part of the Royal Society of Biology’s Plant Health Series, this symposium will involve lectures and short flash talks from a range of professionals within the industry. There will also be opportunities to engage with different members of the plant health community, and build bridges across the many disciplines within this sector.

Attendees will get the opportunity to hear from industry experts, learn about exciting new or ongoing projects and discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise within the area of plant health.

An agenda will be made available in due course.
Speakers include

China Williams, senior science officer (science policy), Kew
Dr Tom Pope, reader in entomology & integrated pest management, Harper Adams University
Abby Buckle, University of Sheffield
Harriet Foster, University of Bristol
Dr Charles Lane, plant health consultant, Fera
Dr Julian Smith, science director, Rothamsted Research
Ryan Simpson, sales manager, Boningale Nurseries
Pauline Jordan, plant health and seed inspector, APHA
Vasili Tsourekas, University of Bristol

with more to come.

Timings
10:00 – Welcome address
10:05 – China Williams, Kew – The Nagoya Protocol
11:00 – Refreshment break
11:15 – Plant Health Undergraduate Studentship flash talk session
12:00 – Dr Charles Lane, Fera – Updates on the Plant Health Register
12:20 – Lunch break
13:20 – Career overview panel discussion and Q&A
14:10 – Refreshment break
14:40 – Ryan Simpson, Boningale Nurseries – The Importance of good plant health practice in nurseries
15:40 – Summary
15:45 – Close

Audience
This event is open to all, but will be particularly relevant to scientists including those working in areas related to plant health.

Cost and booking
This event is free to attend and open to all. Advance registration is essential through the link at the top of the page. The Zoom joining details will be sent to all registered guests ahead of the meeting.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
This event is approved by the Royal Society of Biology for purposes of CPD and can be counted as 18 CPD points.

Special requirements
If you have accessibility requirements, please let us know during your booking, and we will do what we can to accommodate your needs.

Contact
For booking, website or event queries, please contact Ellie Barrand at events@rsb.org.uk or on 020 3925 3444.

Summer School 2024 - Plant science to tackle climate change
2024-06-16 - 2024-06-21 | Saint-Lambert-des-Bois, Saint-Lambert-des-Bois, France
This Summer school is co-organized by the French Saclay Plant Sciences (SPS) network and the German Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS).

Mankind is facing an unprecedented challenge from anthropogenic climate change. This is already associated with altered rainfall patterns, extreme weather events and less predictable seasonal patterns, which are expected to increase in the future. Climate change is a major challenge to crop production, food security and therefore to human society.
Agriculture is a victim of climate change but also a culprit since 20-25% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are released through agricultural activities. Without a substantial diet change, the ever-growing world population will require a 70-100% increase of agricultural productivity by 2050 to produce enough food. This must be achieved in a sustainable manner without compromising nutritional quality and in a context of decreasing GHG emissions and increasing C-sequestration to help mitigate global climate change. This complex scenario will require resilient, higher yielding crops having a more efficient use of water and minerals, and suited to climate-change adapted cultivation schemes and practices. Moreover, laboratory/researcher practices will also have to be modified to accommodate low energy-use/low C-footprint research activities.
In this context, the SPS-CEPLAS Summer School 2024 will focus on introducing and discussing strategies, techniques and practices to carry out next generation plant research aimed at improving sustainable climate-change friendly plant productivity.
The summer school will bring together outstanding and enthusiastic young scientists (PhD students and young post-docs) and high-level researchers from all over the world in order to exchange knowledge and ideas. It is limited to a small group of participants (20 maximum) to privilege informal interactions and scientific discussions.
Provisional program and speakers
Download the provisional program of the Summer School
This Summer School will include:
> Theoretical modules and discussions (~18 hours):
The objective is to address key climate change challenges from the perspective of plant sciences. Scientists will give lectures and lead discussions, giving the participants an insight into the latest research findings and identifying key open questions in the field. Lectures will focus on reducing agricultural GHG emissions, improving plant productivity/resilience to climate change, and the challenges of next generation low energy-use/low C-footprint research. They will be presented in 4 sessions comprising a general overview followed by more focused research/technical talks from invited experts.
N-inputs & emissions
Concepts addressed: N-use-efficiency in crop species, N signalisation, allocation & remobilization, N metabolism & microbes in the context of climate change
Confirmed speakers:
Jacques Le-Gouis, (GDEC, Clermont-Ferrand, France)
Anne Krapp (IJPB, Versailles, France)
Fabien Chardon (IJPB, Versailles, France)
Alia Dellagi (IJPB, Versailles, France)
CO2 capture and C sequestration
Concepts addressed: Improving photosynthesis, sugar transport & partitioning, C-sequestration in trees and soil
Confirmed speakers:
Amanda Cavanagh (Essex University, UK)
Sylvie Dinant (IJPB, Versailles, France)
Philippe Ciais (LSCE, Saclay, France)
Plant resilience to predicted climate change conditions
Concepts addressed:
The interaction of elevated atmospheric CO2 with plant mineral nutrition & abiotic stresses, stomata & stress signalling, the influence of bacteria on environmental stress resilience & N-nutrition, the influence of climate change on biotic stress resistance and computational modeling of photosynthetic acclimation
Confirmed speakers:
Rosa Morcuende (IRNASA, Salamanca, Spain)
Hannes Kollist (Institute of Technology, Tartu University, Estonia)
Antoine Martin (IPSiM, Montpellier, France)
Daniela Ristova (Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne University, Germany)
Guillem Rigaill (IPS2, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France)
Marina Cotta (MPIPZ, Cologne, Germany)
Heribert Hirt (KAUST, Saudi Arabia)
Axel de Zélicourt (IPS2, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France)
Richard Berthomé (LIPME, Toulouse, France)
Anna Matuszynska (RWTH Aachen University, Germany)
Future research practices & opportunities
Concepts addressed:
How to reduce the C-footprint of scientific research & implement and promote environmentally friendly research practices, agroecology, biodiversity & climate change, and how to help farmers move towards a climate change sustainable agriculture
Confirmed speakers:
Jean Colcombet (IPS2, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France)
Paul Leadley (ESE, IDEEV, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France)
Sophie Gendre (Arvalis, France)
> Workshop on outreach and communication (7 hours)
This workshop will be led by Isabel Mendoza of the Global Plant Council. After a presentation on different forms of scientific communication including social media, participants will form groups, given a hot-topic paper on plants & climate change and asked to deliver communications aimed at the general public.
> Collaborative Climate Fresk workshop (3 hours)
Climate Fresk is a powerful tool that provides a quality climate education. It requires all participants to take an active role in building the Fresk by linking causes and effects of climate change.
https://climatefresk.org/
> Participant flash-talks and poster session (5 hours)
Each participant will give a short “get to know me” flash talk at the beginning of the Summer School. The poster session will be organized to allow each participant to discuss his/her poster and to see all posters. It will finish with a general discussion and a “best” poster prize.

Plant Biology 2024
2024-06-22 - 2024-06-26
Plant Biology 2024 will celebrate the centennial of the American Society of Plant Biologists and the plant science community In Honolulu, Hawaii, from June 22 to 26, 2024.
The submission portal is open NOW: https://plantbiology.aspb.org/submit-abstract/

IPMB2024
2024-06-24 - 2024-06-28 | Cairns, Cairns, Australia
The 13th International Congress on Plant Molecular Biology will be held in Cairns, Australia from 24th – 28th June 2024
The International Congress on Plant Molecular Biology (IPMB) was initiated in 1984 and is a triennial conference gathering plant molecular biologists from all over the world. The scientific program highlights recent discoveries in plant science from basic molecular biology to crop biotechnology. The range of presentations demonstrate the importance of plant molecular biology to understanding species diversity, promotion of plant conservation, and goals toward fulfilling the need for the development of ecologically sustainable farming in our changing world.
About Cairns, Australia
Cairns is a city located on the tropical northeast coast of Far North Queensland. It is nestled close to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site, which is the world’s most extensive coral reef system, and the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site, an area of Australian wet tropical forests. To the northwest lies the Daintree National Park with its mountain rainforests, stunning gorges, and pristine beaches. The nearby Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park pays tribute to the rich history of the indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Within Cairns a bustling Esplanade is lined with bars and restaurants and has a swimming lagoon. The daytime temperature in Cairns in June ranges from 23°C to 28°C with an average maximum around 25°C (77°F). The night-time temperature ranges from 14°C to 22°C with an average minimum temperature around 18°C (64.4°F). Click here to read more.
Website: https://www.ipmb2024.org/

45th New Phytologist Symposium: Ecological and evolutionary consequences of plant–fungal invasions
2024-06-26 - 2024-06-29 | University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
45th New Phytologist Symposium: Ecological and evolutionary consequences of plant–fungal invasions
26–29 June 2024, UNICAMP, Brazil
Organised by
Laszlo Nagy, University of Campinas
Erika Buscardo, University of Brasília
Miranda Hart, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Jason Hoeksema, University of Mississippi

Registration and abstract submission for the 45th New Phytologist Symposium are open. Deadlines for abstract submission are:

Travel grants and oral abstracts: 1 March
Poster abstracts: 1 April

A two-day pre-symposium workshop on “Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, powerful tools to explore the ecological dimension of biological invasions” will also be held from Monday 24 June 2024. See the programme for full details of sessions and confirmed speakers.

XVII Meeting Molecular Biology of Plants
2024-07-03 - 2024-07-05 | Castellón de la Plana, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
The XVII Meeting of Plant Molecular Biology that will be held in Castelló de la Plana 3-5 th of July 2024.
The Meeting of Plant Molecular Biology (RBMP) is an important biennial plant research event, open to scientists working in the academia and the industry. It constitutes an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange, presentation of novelties at the conceptual and methodology levels, thus expanding visibility and promoting collective scientific enrichment and the establishment of new and potentially fruitful collaborations.
Nowadays, one of the aims of the plant molecular biology research is to fulfill the increasing demands of agriculture and the challenges of climate change is posing on food production. Therefore, this meeting will focus on fundamental and applied research considering the needs of agriculture and presenting new advances in plant biotechnology. To attain these objectives, the meeting has the support of the biotechnological platform BIOVEGEN.
As in past editions, the active participation of young researchers in both the scientific committee and the oral presentation of their work is strongly encouraged. To this respect, as a gold standard to ensure an excellent scientific level, we have invited senior researchers of international prestige for plenary sessions. The meeting is fully committed to gender equality, as seen in the composition of the scientific and organizing committees.
The XVII RBMP will be held in Castelló de la Plana, a small city by the Mediterranean Sea, with a unique architecture and gastronomy and an important historical background. The historical and artistic heritage of Castelló is reflected in its numerous monuments, which can be admired in a walk through its old town. Some of the most outstanding are the cathedral of Santa María, of Gothic style; the town hall, of neoclassical style; the Fadrí, the independent bell tower of the cathedral; the central market, of modernist style; the municipal palace, of Renaissance style; or the Real Casino Antiguo, of eclectic style. The museums of Castelló offer a wide variety of themes, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Ethnological Museum, the Ceramic Museum, the Orange Museum or the City Museum, at walking distance from the city center. The gastronomy is based on fresh products from the orchard, the sea, or the mountain being rice dishes the most popular. The beaches of Castelló are another of its great attractions, as they have an extension of 8.6 kilometers of fine and golden sand, bathed by the Mediterranean Sea.
We are looking forward to having you here in our University Jaume I, in Castelló de la Plana, and enjoy your presence in a relaxing and friendly environment.

Plant Canada 2024. Plants: Adapting to a Changing World
2024-07-06 - 2024-07-10 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Plant Canada 2024 is now open for event registration and abstract submission! This event is taking place on July 6-10 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. To register, submit your abstract, or reserve a hotel for this event, visit the Plant Canada 2024 website.
This event is a joint meeting for all societies, and will represent the CSPB-SCBV Annual General Meeting for 2024. Important deadlines: Early Bird Registration: May 17, 2024 ($100 discount on registration fee)

27th International Congress on Sexual Plant Reproduction
2024-07-07 - 2024-07-11 | Providence, Providence, United States
The 27th International Congress on Sexual Plant Reproduction will take place in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The conference program will be scheduled over four days, from Sunday July 7th to Wednesday July 10th, 2024 and will be held on the campuses of the Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University, which are located on College Hill.
Website: https://sites.brown.edu/27th-icspr/

Plant Epigenetics/SEB 2024
2024-07-10 - 2024-07-12 | Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
EPIPLANT/SEB 2024 will bring together the scientific community working in the broad field of plant epigenetics, chromatin dynamics, environmental responses and transgenerational inheritance. EPIPLANT/SEB 2024 is a joint meeting of the CNRS Groupement de Recherche (GDR) EPIPLANT and the Society For Experimental Biology.
The meeting will provide a dynamic platform for leading international experts and researchers, particularly those in the early stages of their career, to present their latest findings and foster exchanges and collaborations.
The conference will start Wednesday, 10th of July at 9am and will finish Friday, 12th of July 2024 at 1pm with lunch.

The conference will comprise five half-day sessions:

Chromatin dynamics during plant development
Epigenetic regulation of repetitive elements
Chromatin in transcription, replication and repair
Dissecting molecular mechanisms of gene expression control using epigenomics
Epigenetic responses to environmental changes

ICAR2024
2024-07-15 - 2024-07-19 | UC San Diego, San Diego, United States
The International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR) is an annual gathering of up to 1000 scientists whose primary research organism is the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This meeting embraces the remarkable contribution that Arabidopsis has made to our understanding of plant science.
ICAR2024 takes place at UC San Diego, California, USA.
More info: https://icar2024.weebly.com/

XX International Botanical Congress 2024
2024-07-21 - 2024-07-27 | Madrid, Madrid, Spain
The next International Botanical Congress ―the 20th IBC— will take place in Madrid (Spain) on the following dates:

Nomenclature Section, 15–19 July 2024
Congress, 21–27 July 2024

The IBC takes place every six years under the supervision of the International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS). The 20th was scheduled to take place in 2023 in Brazil after Shenzhen’s (China) 2017. Unfortunately, the difficult situation caused by the worldwide pandemic has made impossible to organize this big event in Brazil in 2023.
Rooted in the tradition of Systematic Botany, the IBCs have enlarged their scope over more than a century to become an integrated forum for knowledge on the plant and mycological world. Please take a look at the broad scope of topics that we hope to include in this upcoming IBC in this site.
The Congress will include plenary lectures, concurrent symposia ―for which we will ask for proposals in Spring 2022—, posters, exhibitors, as well as short courses and workshops.

CRISPR Genome Editing - Workshop/Webinar
2024-07-22 - 2024-07-26 | Online
Overview
Since the discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 based genome editing technology in 2012, the world is witnessing an unprecedented revolution in its use for various applications for genetic improvement and modification of various organisms. The technology enables the manipulation of targeted genes in a precise and efficient manner in many organisms and cell lines, and has become indispensable for all life science researchers globally, ranging from agriculture to pharma to health sectors.
In this 5-day online workshop, we will cover the basics of genome editing as investigated by researchers in different organisms including model plant species and elaborate its application for sustainable agriculture, better nutrition, health benefits and environmental sustainability.
Future developments and directions of the emerging genome editing tools and technologies will also be discussed.
The faculty for the workshop will be drawn from reputed national and international organizations working in the area of CRISPR mediated genome editing in agriculture, pharma and health sector.
This workshop is brought to you by the organizing team of the conference “Germplasm to Genome Engineering” held in NAAS Complex, New Delhi on October 17-18, 2019 under the dynamic leadership of Prof. KC Bansal and Prof H Nguyen.
Certificate and Study Material will be give to all the registered participants after the event.
Attendee Profile
Scientists & Researchers from Academics and Industry working in the field of Human, Animal and Plant Biotechnology including Agriculture Biotechnology, Plant Genetics & Genomics, Plant Breeding, Crop Improvement, Disease Resistance, Stress Tolerance, Plant Functional Genomics, Transcriptomics, Metabolomics, Agronomics and Plant-microbe interactions, Molecular Biology, Pharmacogenomics, Personalized Medicine and Genome Sequencing.
Researchers involved in employing Techniques and Methods in their Research including PCR, NGS, CRISPR, TALENs, ZFNs, MS, GWAS, Gene Mapping, RNA Imaging, Sequence capture approach, High-performance computing, High throughtput techniques, Microarray technologies, etc.
Agricultural and Biotechnology Scientists working in Specialized Areas like GM Crops, Genetic Diseases in Human and Animals, etc.

3rd Plant Cell Atlas Symposium
2024-08-13 - 2024-08-14 | Online
Registration and abstract submissions are open for the 3rd Plant Cell Atlas Symposium! This is a free, virtual conference. The Symposium will feature investigators who’s work involves Synthetic Biology, Single-Cell and Spatial Omics, Imaging, and Comparative Biology in the context of plant science and provide a space for researchers interested in these and other topics related to the development of a plant cell atlas. Register.

Plantae Presents: World Policies in Plant Science
2024-08-29 17:00 - 18:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
In this webinar, renowned experts from various fields of plant science will highlight information on current and relevant plant policies related to plant diversity, plant protection and health, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This webinar would most importantly help students, apart from early career researchers and scientists, who wish to know more about regulatory policies straight from experts who have delivered brilliant talks on these topics and have been working on these policies.
Hosted by the 2024 Plantae Fellows.
SPEAKERS
Susana Perera-Valderrama
Ms. Susana Perera Valderrama has been a Marine Biodiversity Programme Officer at the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention, since June 2023, where she coordinates the implementation of the Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the wider Caribbean region. Ms. Perera Valderrama is a Cuban national with 20 years of experience in national and regional projects to conserve and monitor marine species and ecosystems and design and implement marine protected areas.
Before joining the Secretariat, Ms. Perera Valderrama worked as a marine protected areas (MPAs) specialist at the National Centre for Protected Areas of Cuba. There, she supported the design and implementation of Cuba’s MPAs and was Cuba’s technical focal point for the SPAW Protocol during this time. She also worked as a marine biodiversity monitoring specialist at CONABIO in Mexico, coordinating marine biodiversity monitoring programmes in Mexico’s MPAs.

Felix Moronta Barrios
Felix Moronta Barrios is a Venezuelan biologist committed to facilitating the adoption of agricultural products enhanced by modern biotechnologies. As a Senior Programme Specialist in the Regulatory Science Group at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB, Trieste, Italy), he supports projects to energize and strengthen biotechnology regulatory offices in the Global South. Felix works closely with national and international authorities for ensuring regulatory effectiveness in the changing landscape of evolving biotechnologies.

Prof. K.C. Bansal
Prof. K.C. Bansal is an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia. He previously served as Secretary of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India (2021-2023) and Director of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi (2010-2016).
Prof. Bansal was Vice-Chair for Asia at the 15th Regular Session of the UN’s Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (2013-2015). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Plant Council and the Board of Trustees of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.
Prof. Bansal’s research focuses on functional genomics and transgenic development for abiotic stress tolerance in plants. He developed India’s first transgenic crops with improved tolerance to drought and salt stress. His lab identified and cloned the first ABA receptor gene OsPYL10 from an Indian drought-tolerant rice landrace. He evaluated the entire wheat germplasm collection (~22,000 accessions) in the Indian National Genebank and identified trait-specific reference sets for heat tolerance and disease resistance.
With over 40 years of research experience, Prof. Bansal has been pivotal in research management, human resource development, and policy formulation for promoting GM crops and genome editing for climate-resilient agriculture.

MODERATORS

Alicia Quinn
Alicia is currently working on her PhD in plant molecular biology at Monash University, Australia. Her project aims to understand the regulation of a toxic compound produced in Sorghum. When she’s not at work, Alicia loves hiking and exploring local wineries. X: @AliciaQuinnSci.

Gillian Rowe
Gillian is doctoral researcher at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and a research scientist at the Scientific Research Council (SRC), Jamaica. Her scientific interests are microbiology, molecular plant-pathogen interactions, the soil microbiome and bioinformatics. Her current research focus is on the development of novel biocontrol agents for plant biodiversity conservation, reducing environmental pollution to enhance human health. Community outreach, nature and the outdoors, running and watching soccer are just a few of her interests. X: @RoweGill.

Indrani Kakati Baruah
Indrani K.B, an ASPB 2023 Plantae fellow is an ORISE post-doctoral fellow (2019-2024)
who finished her tenure this February at the USDA-ARS Beltsville Agricultural Research Centre (BARC) in Maryland, USA and currently on a self-imposed sabbatical visiting family in India. Her research interests include focusing on functional and comparative genomics studies related to phytopathology, pathogen genomics, plant-microbial/ plant-insect interaction and plant epigenetics. Apart from being a first-generation researcher mother from her family, she likes to involve herself in easy scientific communication and voluntary activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She wishes to be an inspiration for young women to choose STEM fields and never give up. X: @Indranik333.

Isabel Pochet Pimentel
Isabel is a Venezuelan Biologist with a Master’s in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Her work focused on the characterization of important genes related to plant associations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, using physiological and transcriptomic approaches. As a researcher, she wants to understand how plants communicate and interact with other living beings. Outside the lab, she enjoys food, TV shows, and fluffy cats. X: @isabelpochet.

Konzo: forgotten but not gone - Introducing the International Working Group for safe cassava
2024-09-05 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
Join us for an enlightening webinar titled “Konzo: Forgotten but Not Gone,” where we will introduce the International Working Group for Safe Cassava.
In this session, Prof Ros Gleadow from Monash University (Australia) will interview Dr Julie Cliff of the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Mozambique, a leading expert on Konzo—a neurological disease linked to the consumption of improperly processed cassava.
Alongside the interview, Prof Ros Gleadow will also provide a brief presentation on the group’s efforts to ensure cassava safety worldwide. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about a critical, yet often overlooked, global health issue.
The webinar is the first in a series we hope will fill the gap left by the CCDN (Cyanide in Cassava Disease Network) news which is no longer published.
Date: 5th September 2024
Time: 15:00 CET
Konzo materials:
https://biology.anu.edu.au/research/centres-units/konzo-prevention-unit

Early Careers Plant Pathology 2024 (ECPP2024)
2024-09-10 | University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Early Careers Plant Pathology 2024 (ECPP2024)
PPATH2024 will be preceded on the 10th September by ECPP2024, a one-day meeting for early career plant pathologists.
Start: 10th September 2024
End: 10th September 2024
Venue: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford
#ECPP2024 will be held at the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory and the MPLS Doctoral Training Centre. #ECPP2024 is an informal meeting that provides the opportunity for postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and early career researchers in industry to present a talk or poster and to connect with other early career researchers. If you are eligible for the PH Gregory prize or the J Colhoun Poster Prize in the main meeting the same poster or presentation can be offered for both #ECPP2024 and #PPATH2024.
Registration includes 1 day of talks and posters, lunch and refreshments and an informal networking dinner.
Note: For ECPP2024 we are currently prioritising registration for ECRs only. If places remain after May 1st non-ECRs can then apply to attend.
Registration for ECPP2024 is now open – click here

6th Symposium of Potato Cyst Nematode Management
2024-09-10 - 2024-09-11 | Newport, United Kingdom
The 6th Symposium of Potato Cyst Nematode Management will cover many aspects, including international distribution, genetic diversity, sampling and decision making, population dynamics, diagnostics, integrated management, biology and application of resistance, use of effectors, rotational control, chemical control, biological control and novel control methods such as RNAi and biofumigation.
AAB have a history of organising the Symposium of Potato Cyst Nematode Management including a 2019 meeting that was also held in Harper Adams. We are happy to supply the PDF of the conference papers from that event.

DOWNLOAD 2019 ASPECTS PAPER (PDF)

Abstract Submission Details

The majority of speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts. We encourage delegates to submit an abstract to either present an oral or poster presentation. Everyone who is not selected for an oral presentation will be invited to bring a poster presentation.
Abstract submission deadline is June 17th 2023.

Looking ahead to COP16: Key considerations for a multilateral mechanism for DSI
2024-09-10 - 2024-09-11 | Online
CBD COP16 will be an important milestone in bringing to reality the much-awaited multilateral system for benefit sharing from the use of DSI. Many questions remain to be addressed before this new mechanism can be put in place, and the devil will be in the details.

Experts from the DSI Scientific Network will discuss key aspects of the current DSI landscape that have important implications for the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism. The discussion will also look ahead to considerations for “future-proofing” the benefit-sharing system so that it is effective in the face of technological and policy developments.

The webinar will take place on two dates at different times to facilitate broad participation.

:10th September: 9am Colombia, 10am New York, 11am Brasilia , 2pm Dakar, 3pm London, 4 pm Johannesburg, 5pm Nairobi
Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UD97wGmuSsi-Hkmc-3Owvg

AND

:11th September: 9am Brussels, 9am Johannesburg, 10am Nairobi, 11am Dubai, 12:30am Delhi, 3pm Manilla, 4pm Tokyo, 5pm Sydney
Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KNuF0OooRLm_nDOhsdR1HQ

Looking ahead to COP16: Key considerations for a multilateral mechanism for DSI
2024-09-10 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
CBD COP16 will be an important milestone in bringing to reality the much-awaited multilateral system for benefit sharing from the use of DSI. Many questions remain to be addressed before this new mechanism can be put in place, and the devil will be in the details.
Experts from the DSI Scientific Network will discuss key aspects of the current DSI landscape that have important implications for the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism. The discussion will also look ahead to considerations for “future-proofing” the benefit-sharing system so that it is effective in the face of technological and policy developments.
The webinar will take place on:
10th September: 9am Colombia, 10am New York, 11am Brasilia , 2pm Dakar, 3pm London, 4 pm Johannesburg, 5pm Nairobi
Learn more about the DSI Scientific Network on our website: www.dsiscientificnetwork.org

Plant Pathology 2024 (PPATH2024)
2024-09-11 - 2024-09-13 | University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Plant Pathology 2024 (PPATH2024)
Start: 11th September 2024
End: 13th September 2024
Venue: Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford
Professor Gail Preston, the President of the BSPP, invites you to register for Plant Pathology 2024 (#PPATH2024), the main annual meeting of the British Society for Plant Pathology. The meeting will be held at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford, UK, Wednesday 11th to Friday 13th September.
The first two days of the main meeting will feature open sessions based on submitted abstracts, presentations from our invited speakers, the RKS Wood Prize lecture, PH Gregory Prize session and the J Colhoun Poster Prize.
On Friday, there are 3 parallel one-day sessions that you can choose from.

Surveillance and Decision Support in Action – jointly organised with the AAB (organised by Jon West)
Plant Colonisers Manipulating Plant Organ Development (organised by Katharina Schiessl)
Excursion to Diamond Light Source at the nearby Harwell Science and Innovation Campus

Registration includes 3 days of talks, posters and exhibitions and a conference dinner on Thursday evening at New College, Oxford.
The BSPP welcomes exhibitors at #PPath2024 – click here for more details
Confirmed speakers for Plant Pathology 2024
We have a great line up of invited speakers:

Diane Saunders, John Innes Centre, winner of the RKS Wood Prize 2024, ‘Turning the tide on a cereal killer’.
Gail Preston, University of Oxford, ‘Niche construction – building a better environment’.
Gary Foster, University of Bristol, BSPP Honorary Member 2024, ‘Everything is connected; pathology, terrorism and drugs’.
Jens Boch, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany ‘TALEs, TALEN and TALE base editors: from plant pathogens to biotechnology’.
John Carr, University of Cambridge, ‘Manipulation of plant hosts by viruses’.
Kenichi Tsuda, Huazhong Agricultural University, China, ‘Regulation of Bacterial Growth and Behavior by Plant Immunity’.
Ksenia Krasileva, University of California, Berkeley, USA, ‘Evolution in Overdrive: Decoding and Encoding Genomes for Disease Resistance’.
Leena Tripathi, CGIAR, Kenya ‘Genome Editing of banana for disease resistance’.
Paul Birch, University of Dundee – ‘Delivery of RXLR effectors from haustoria into plant cells’.
Steven Spoel, University of Edinburgh, ‘Transcriptional regulation of plant immune responses’.
Tessa Burch-Smith, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA ‘Viral cell-to-cell movement and impacts on plant cell biology’.

Registration for PPATH2024 is now open – click here

Looking ahead to COP16: Key considerations for a multilateral mechanism for DSI
2024-09-11 09:00 - 10:30 (Europe/Madrid) | Online
CBD COP16 will be an important milestone in bringing to reality the much-awaited multilateral system for benefit sharing from the use of DSI. Many questions remain to be addressed before this new mechanism can be put in place, and the devil will be in the details.
Experts from the DSI Scientific Network will discuss key aspects of the current DSI landscape that have important implications for the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism. The discussion will also look ahead to considerations for “future-proofing” the benefit-sharing system so that it is effective in the face of technological and policy developments.
The webinar will take place on:
11th September: 9am Brussels, 9am Johannesburg, 10am Nairobi, 11am Dubai, 12:30pm Delhi, 3pm Manilla, 4pm Tokyo, 5pm Sydney
Learn more about the DSI Scientific Network on our website: www.dsiscientificnetwork.org

AAB Presidents Meeting: Cereal Quality for sustainable production and human health
2024-09-17 - 2024-09-18 | Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
We are delighted to introduce the 2024 AAB Presidential Meeting led by Professor Mike Gooding, who for the past three decades has supported sustainable cereal production through improving quality, resource use-efficiency, and climate-change adaptation.
The human population is heavily reliant on the cereals for food security. Indeed, production of the most popular cereals has outstripped that of population growth over the last 60 years. This remarkable achievement is, in part, testament to scientific and technological advances in crop improvement, nutrition, and protection, and the efforts of farmers, agronomists, and processors. However, there is growing concern as to the effect of the quantity of certain cereal products in the human diet on health. These concerns need to be set against recognised health benefits, and the contribution that increased production has for global food security in times of political upheaval and climate change.
In addition to improving human health, attempts to meet processor and consumer expectations is key to sustaining food chains. Achieving quality criteria, however, often demands special attention to the selection of genotypes, agronomy, and cropping system; while success is also often heavily dependent on soils, weather, and climate. Growing crops for specific markets have, therefore, implications for the efficient use of land and other resources, whilst environmental change will undoubtedly affect the reliability of meeting quality standards.
It is timely that AAB returns to the subject of Cereal Quality. We invite contributions that seek to increase sustainability; through improved understanding and innovation related to environmental, genetic, agronomic, and processing effects on cereal quality and human health. We also welcome systems orientated contributions: more needs to be known concerning the effects on crop quality of systems protecting the soil, and mitigation / adaptation of effects of climate change such as regenerative- , conservation-, and climate-smart agriculture.
This meeting is co-organised by the AAB Plant Physiology and Crop Improvement group and will include awards of AAB Presidents Medals.

Abstract Submission

The majority of speakers at this meeting will be selected from submitted abstracts. We encourage delegates to submit an abstract to either present an oral or poster presentation.
We especially encourage submissions from early career professionals. AAB offer generous travel grants to support ECP attendance which we hope will encourage abstract submission.
Everyone who is not selected for an oral presentation will be invited to bring a poster presentation.
Abstract submission deadline is July 1st 2024.

Registration
Delegates can register for the meeting without accommodation. This will includes access to all sessions, meeting catering and the conference dinner on September 17th.
Online registration is also available for those delegates who are unable to travel to Birmingham. Online delegates are eligible to present an oral or poster presentation.
Registration will open in Spring 2024

Sainsbury Laboratory Symposium 2024
2024-09-17 - 2024-09-19 | Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The Symposium aims to unite researchers from various disciplines who work with a wide range of species from around the world, all with an interest in understanding developmental variation. The Symposium’s four topic areas are reprogramming by 1) Evolution, 2) Domestication, 3) Environment and 4) Engineering.
Abstract submissions close on 29 April 2024.

Sainsbury Laboratory Symposium 2024: Development Reprogrammed

17-19 September 2024 | Cambridge, UK | In-person and online live stream | Website

Symposium overview
The theme for the 2024 Sainsbury Laboratory Symposium is “Development – Reprogrammed”. Throughout plant evolution, and notably during crop domestication, the processes and mechanisms underpinning plant development have undergone changes. Additionally, plants are remarkable in their ability to adapt their development to environmental cues such as temperature, light, drought, and plant-inhabiting microbes. This Symposium aims to unite researchers from various disciplines who work with a wide range of species from around the world, all with an interest in understanding developmental variation be it genetically-encoded plasticity or genetically-selected by nature, breeding or rational design.

Symposium format
The 5th biennial Sainsbury Laboratory Symposium (#SLS24) will take place in-person at the Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge, UK over three days (17-19 September 2024). Talks will be live streamed online for those who would like to attend remotely.

Our goal is to create a welcoming, safe, collaborative, inclusive and respectful symposium environment by promoting diversity of attendance and inclusivity of participation of underrepresented scientists. We have a number of waivers available for those who do not have the financial resources to pay the registration fees to attend the Symposium. The waiver will cover conference fees only; if you are applying for an on-site place, you will need to cover your travel and accommodation fees. You may be offered an online fee waiver in lieu of an in-person fee waiver.

Confirmed Speakers

Keynotes

Keiko Sugimoto (RIKEN)

Zachary Lippman (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Invited Speakers

Benjamin Blackman (UC Berkeley)

Caixia Gao (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Devin O’Connor (Pairwise)

Eric Giraud (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement)

Jorge Dubcovsky (University of California Davis)

Jorge José Casal (IFEVA)

Laura Moody (University of Oxford)

Laura Ragni (Universität Freiburg)

Ross Sozzani (North Carolina State University)

Yuki Hirakawa (Gakushuin University)

Abstract submissions
We particularly welcome abstract submissions from early career researchers and those from groups underrepresented in science. We will be promoting our Symposium to a diversity of research institutions and countries. If you know of any people, research groups or institutions you think would be interested in presenting a short talk and/or poster, please share this website with them or contact us at sls@slcu.cam.ac.uk.
You must submit a 250-word maximum abstract if you wish to be considered for presenting a short talk, flash talk or poster.

Short Talk: 15-minute live talk
Flash Talk & Poster: Pre-recorded 5-minute talk and live poster presentation
Poster Only: Live poster presentation

Key Dates

29 April: Abstract submissions close

13 May: Confirmation of talk/poster acceptance

4 August: In-person and online standard attendance registration payment deadline

26 August: In-person late attendance registration payment deadline

16 September: Online late attendance registration and payment deadline

Biomass and Energy Crops VI
2024-10-01 - 2024-10-03 | Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
Biomass and Energy Crops can provide feedstocks for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), green manufacturing and construction materials. Biomass and Energy Crops are therefore important for not only renewable energy and transport fuels, but also for the decarbonisation of agriculture and other industries.
In response to the urgency of the climate emergency, biomass and energy crops are becoming an important part of the portfolio of negative emissions technologies, needed for meeting net zero targets. As a result, the size of the Biomass and Energy Crop community has significantly expanded in recent years. For example, in the UK this has been through the Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme, the Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator Programme, the Supergen Bioenergy Hub and the AI for Net Zero Programme.
Our objective is to bring together researchers from these communities in the UK along with researchers involved in similar international programmes, and importantly industrialists and policymakers, to exchange ideas and foster closer collaboration, and to thereby ensure that Biomass and Energy Crops can fulfill their potential for people and planet.
The conference provides an ideal forum for researchers, agricultural advisors, bioenergy industry representatives, policy makers and research funders, NGO’s and environmental organisations to meet and discuss the state of the art in Biomass and Energy Crops, and how these crops can be optimised and sustainably scaled up.
This event includes standard talks but also the opportunity to visit energy crop experiments and demonstrations at IBERS including one of the Biomass Connect Hub site demonstrating different energy crops and varieties.

Abstract Submission

The majority of speakers at this meeting will be selected from submitted abstracts. We encourage delegates to submit an abstract to either present an oral or poster presentation. We especially encourage submissions from early career professionals. AAB offer generous travel grants to support ECP attendance which we hope will encourage abstract submission. EVERSITYveryone who is not selected for an oral presentation will be invited to bring a poster presentation.
Abstract submission deadline is July 1st 2023.
