Welcome

Plant Morphodynamics is a research consortium funded by the German research foundation (DFG) consisting of biologists, physicists and computer scientists interested in understanding how plants shape their organs. You will find here all relevant information about the participants, their Research and the activities of the group.

Summary

Elementary cell properties determine the behavior of cell populations and organs and ultimately the so-called morphogenesis. Since plant cells are connected to one another via cell walls and thus are immobile, they constantly adjust their behavior to the one of their neighbours. This high degree of complexity is one reason why the control mechanisms of plant morphogenesis have not yet been comprehensively understood. In the research group “Morphodynamics of Plants”, researchers from the fields of developmental biology, computer science and physics are working together on this problem in order to achieve a holistic and quantitative understanding of tissue morphogenesis.

The research unit was created by the DFG in April 2017 and will receive funding for  three years. It will go into its second funding period from 2020 to 2023.

auf Deutsch

Elementare Zelleigenschaften bestimmen das Verhalten von Zellpopulationen und Organen und damit letztlich die sogenannte Morphogenese. Da Pflanzenzellen über Zellwände miteinander verbunden und somit immobil sind, müssen sie ihr Verhalten jederzeit intensiv abstimmen. Dieser hohe Grad an Komplexität ist ein Grund dafür, dass trotz der Fortschritte in einzelnen Aspekten die Kontrollmechanismen der pflanzlichen Morphogenese noch nicht umfassend verstanden sind. In der Forschergruppe „Morphodynamik der Pflanzen“ widmen sich die Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler aus der Entwicklungsbiologie, der Computerwissenschaft und der Physik gemeinsam dieser Problematik, um ein ganzheitliches und quantitatives Verständnis der Gewebemorphogenese zu erlangen.

Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) richtete den neuen Forschergruppe im April 2017 und bewilligte Fördermittel für drei Jahre. Es wird Ende 2020 in die zweite Förderperiode gehen bis 2023.

Latest news

Youtube Feature

Posted: June 22, 2021

The explosive work of FOR281 members from the Hay and Tsiantis labs on seed dispersal in Cardamine has been featured on the Youtube channel “Smarter Every Day”. The channel by the engineer and science communicator Destin Sandlin is dedicated to ‘exploring the world using science” in an entertaining format. You can find the paper he’s…

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Karen Alim – Süddeutsche Zeitung

Posted: June 9, 2021

Our members and PIs also excel in their work outside of the research unit. Prof. Karen Alim, PI for our project “Dynamic patterns of the plant growth regulator auxin”, has recently been featured in an article by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. Here she talks about her work with the physarum polycephalum as professor for…

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First Progress Meeting 2nd Phase

Posted: April 29, 2021

Due to the ongoing COVID situation, the research unit decided to held its bi-annual meeting online on the 23rd of April 2021. The PIs, PhD students, and postdocs presented the latest results of their joined projects and were able to meet online and discuss their research. The group was happy to have Professor Thorsten Hamann…

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