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Microverse Update: Beyond the Site Visit
The DFG inspection is officially wrapped up—and we couldn't be prouder of our community! Thank you to everyone who helped turn our vision into tangible, hands-on experiences during the site visit.
As we look forward to a busy summer in Jena, this newsletter brings you the latest highlights from the cluster, including prominent TV and podcast features, upcoming committee meetings, funding deadlines, and excellent new research papers.
Thank you for your continued dedication, and enjoy this issue!
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Group photo taken after the DFG inspection (Photo: Juliane Seeber)
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One Step Closer: Thank You to Everyone Involved
The site EXU visit is behind us – and now it’s time to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the Excellence Strategy proposal and the recent evaluation process.
Researchers, students, technical staff, and supporters from across our community invested an extraordinary amount of time, energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to showcase the strength of our research and our vision for the future. Your commitment made a real difference.
The site visit provided an opportunity to showcase not only the scientific excellence and interdisciplinary spirit of our cluster, but also the creativity and enthusiasm of our community. From killifish and an instant ageing suit to live microscopy demonstrations and the Microverse Mapper, the hands-on exhibits brought our research to life and highlighted the societal relevance of microbiome science.
Now, all that remains is to keep our fingers crossed. The final decision on the Excellence Universities competition will be announced on October 2, 2026. Until then, we can be proud of what we have achieved together and of the outstanding impression our community has made.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
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Serious science, not always serious faces. (Photos: Juliane Seeber)
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Film shooting in the lab (Photo: Juliane Seeber)
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From Lab to Headlines
Our research continues to spark interest beyond the scientific community. Explore recent media coverage featuring discoveries, researchers, and initiatives from our Cluster of Excellence and see how our science is making its way from the lab into public conversations.
- Podcast "Die großen Fragen in 10 Minuten" | MDR Wissen
"Warum Antibiotika plätzlich nicht mehr helfen?"
Why does antibiotic resistance emerge so rapidly? In a recent podcast episode, microbiologist Kai Papenfort explains how bacteria acquire resistance—and why the genes responsible often exist from the very beginning.
- TV Report | 3Sat Ländermagazin
"Jena und seine Uni - Exzellenz aus Tradition"
A recent TV feature highlights the close ties between Jena and its university, showcasing innovative research at the Microverse Cluster. Featured are spokesperson Kirsten Küsel and master’s students Samira Quanz and Emily Reichel, who provide insights into life and research at the cluster.
- Print | VBIO
"Forschung aus Jena entschlüsselt neue Form bakterieller Virusabwehr"
The article highlights research by microbiologist Kai Papenfort and his team at the University of Jena. Their study uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae controls a toxin-carrying virus, providing new insights into bacteria–virus interactions and microbial adaptation.
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Microverse Diversity and Culture
Diversity Committee Meeting
June 30, 2026 | noon | Leibniz HKI, Nucleus Cafeteria, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
You're warmly invited to join our next Diversity Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 30 at 12 noon, in the Nucleus Cafeteria. We’ll chat about Microverse diversity topics in a relaxed setting — feel free to join just once or regularly!
Your Diversity Committee
Rosalind Allen, Merle Hammer, Silvia Kolossa & Johannes Zimmermann
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Open Calls
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Upcoming Events & Workshops
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ELLIS Summer Lecture Series - Explainability & Understanding of Models
Several dates | Letcure Hall, Room 005, Inselplatz 5, 07743 Jena
Read more
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Symposium "Geoanthropology Biosphere: Integrated, long-term, global approaches to human-biosphere interactions"
June 22, 2026 | Volkshaus, Carl-Zeiss-Platz 15, 07743 Jena
Read more
- Schillertag
June 26, 2026
Read more
- University:Future Festival
June 22 to 24, 2026 | online
Read more
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We love Science! Summer Science Slam 2026
June 30, 2026 | 4 to 11 pm | Tagungszentrum Schloss Herrenhausen, 30419 Hannover
Read more
- Matthias Schleiden Institute Seminar Talk with Dr. Isabell Klawonn (Microbial Plankton and Fungal Ecology; Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemuende IOW)
June 30, 2026 | 4 pm | Lecture Theatre, Am Planetarium 1, 07743 Jena
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More Than a Paper - How research becomes impact and how to shape your path
July 9, 2026 | 5 to 7 pm | Abbe Center of Photonics, Auditorium, Albert-Einstein-Straße 6, 07745 Jena
Read more
- Falling Walls Lab
September 10, 2026 | 5 to 7 pm | Imaginata, Löbstedter Str. 67, 07749 Jena
Read more
- Microverse Seminar: Sivaramesh Wigneshweraraj
September 29, 2026 | 12.15 pm | Leibniz-HKI – Rosalind Franklin Lecture Hall, Building A1, Beutenbergstr. 11a, Jena
Read more
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More dates from the Microverse
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Selected Publications
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Alvelid J, Koerfer A, Eggeling C. Smart event-triggered MINFLUX microscopy to catch and follow rare events. Nat Commun. 2026;17(1).
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Azizah M, Otto JFM, Ueberschaar N, Werner M, Werz O, Pohnert G. Rapid Adaptive Evolution of Oxylipin-Based Chemical Defence Against Algicidal Bacteria in a Bloom-Forming Diatom. ISME J. 2026.
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Bojang E, Sheriff L, Morris E, Rouvray S, Fu MS, Wellings C, et al. Vancomycin disrupts mitochondrial morphology and function and impairs macrophage fungal killing. mBio. 2026:e0058026.
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Costa FS, Kruger T, Ueberschaar N, Kniemeyer O, Brakhage A, Kothe E. Organic Molecules are Involved in Ni-Struvite Biomineralization by Streptomyces mirabilis. Mol Biotechnol. 2026.
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Glockner S, Wendler S, Schlichting N, Freiburger S, Doenst T, Oberbach A, et al. Staphylococcus aureus strains sustain their high-virulent phenotype during native endocarditis. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2026.
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Kumar G, Kallscheuer N, Appiah D, Hammer J, Haufschild T, Jogler C. Characterisation of Kothea flammea gen. nov., sp. nov., a planctomycete of the family Pirellulaceae isolated from Fjord Schlei in the Baltic Sea. Sci Rep. 2026;16(1).
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Shetty P, Vuong T, Li C, Wagner V, Myrzakhmetova D, Peng CC, et al. Multi-omics studies reveal how ambient temperature changes govern cellular responses of Chlamydomonas. Plant Cell. 2026.
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Urbauer E, Grawe A, Chamas A, Papenfort K. Engineering quorum sensing: new directions for antimicrobial therapy. Trends Microbiol. 2026.
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Vurnek D, Tchitashvili G, Seichter A, Vuletic T, Hess I, Trapaidze L, et al. Protocol for mapping murine myeloid bone marrow progenitors and their differentiation into CD103(+) cDC1s and CD301b(+) cDC2s. STAR Protoc. 2026;7(2):104508.
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All publications
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