Save the date !!!
Date: 23.08. – 25.08.2027
Location: Science Park, Utrecht University
Registration: opens November 2026
NEW EPS course – Molecular Plant Pathology
The arms race between plants and pathogens or other invaders is never ending, making it an ever evolving part of biology research. It is also an exciting research area because these interactions are multifaceted, can be studied from different angles and at different levels, and the obtained fundamental knowledge can be translated to crops, enabling more sustainable agriculture.
The Netherlands has a long tradition of phytopathology research. Already 110 years ago, in 1917, the first female professor in the Netherlands, Johanna Westerdijk, gave her inaugural lecture. Since then, research groups in the Netherlands have shaped the field and continue to advance it. We also enjoy being a part of this vibrant community and want to share our passion for both science and interactions between the scientists.
We believe plant pathology research is not only about interactions between plants and other organisms. It is about interactions between researchers and related fields such as biotechnology, bioinformatics, and translational research. Therefore, we are delighted to announce a new EPS PhD course – Molecular Plant Pathology.
The course aims to serve as a platform for early-career researchers in molecular plant pathology in the Netherlands to situate their research within the broader context of plant immunity, biotechnology, earlier and current phytopathology research conducted in the Netherlands and to build their professional network. Lectures and assignments (challenges) provide an opportunity to acquire and apply new knowledge.
The first edition of the course will be held in Utrecht on August 23-25, 2027. It is intended for ~20 PhDs or postdocs from EPS. The program is under development. Registration will open in November. For now, save the date!
We look forward to having an interactive course!
Organizers:
UvA – Sebastian Pfeilmeier, Frank Takken
LU – Pingtao Ding
UU – Dmitry Lapin, Saskia van Wees
WUR – Matthieu Joosten, Aska Goverse
Main contact: Dmitry Lapin (UU, d.lapin@uu.nl)