Guest scientists in Grosshansdorf

From the University of Florence in Italy, Prof. Stefano Biricolti is visiting the Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics. Between June and August 2022, the guest scientist will conduct research in the junior research group "Genetic Technologies". His project is a follow-up to the recently finished research project aProPop, which focused on DNA-free genome editing. CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing using special protein complexes is particularly interesting with regard to biosafety aspects: By only introducing protein-RNA complexes into plant cells, performing editing and then degrading them completely, the incorporation of foreign genes is generally excluded. The funding of the stay is made possible by the EU-COST Action PlantEd, which promotes scientific exchange in the field of plant genome editing.

Dr. Tetyana Nosenko of Helmholtz Center Munich is conducting a drought stress trial on pedunculate and sessile oaks at the Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics in Großhansdorf from June 21 to July 23, 2022. As part of the FNR-funded project "Survivor Oaks", she will conduct various physiological measurements during the trial. This information will later be correlated with population genetic and molecular data in the project, thus providing information on the drought tolerance of oaks from different climatic regions in Germany.