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Microverse Newsletter – Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Spring is bringing an exciting lineup of events, networking opportunities, and career development programs at the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse"! Whether you're looking for funding advice, eager to connect with leading researchers, or ready to explore the unseen microbial world, there’s something for everyone.
- Career Talk & Consultations – Get expert insights on DFG funding with Andreas Strecker.
- Microverse Seminar – Meet Johannes Zimmermann and explore microbial metabolic interactions.
- JSMC Summer School 2025 – Apply now for a two-week program in microbial communication.
- Discover the Microverse – Join us for immersive screenings at the Zeiss-Großplanetarium Berlin.
Plus, don’t miss upcoming workshops, mentoring programs, and new publication highlights! Keep reading for all the details.
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Career talk and individual consultations for early career researchers with Andreas Strecker (DFG - German Research Foundation)
June 17, 2025 | Seminar room Louis Pasteur, Building A8, Leibniz-HKI, Jena
Are you looking to take the next step in your career? Join us for a career lecture and individual consultations by Andreas Strecker from the DFG. He will discuss the various DFG funding opportunities, provide insights into the application process, and some guidelines for a compelling proposal. Andreas Strecker is DFG Programme Director for the Life Sciences 2: Microbiology, Immunology, Neurosciences.
This offer is aimed primarily at advanced doctoral researchers, postdocs and junior group leaders, to help you navigate your professional journey.
The event is divided into two parts:
- Presentation
June 17, 2025 | 9:30 to 10:30 am
„Writing a DFG proposal: programs and advice to foster your career”
- Individual consultations:
Do you have any questions on DFG funding programmes or are planning to write a proposal? Andreas Strecker offers one-on-one consultations on June 17. Sign up for a 15 min discussion slot by April 25:
https://cloud.uni-jena.de/apps/forms/s/HW6JakYogj9DYRcbs3TkBkBy
Spread the word to your peers in Jena - everyone is welcome!
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Portrait Johannes Zimmermann | Photographer: Anna Schroll
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Microverse Seminar: Johannes Zimmermann
April 15, 2025, 12:15 pm | Seminar room Louis Pasteur, Building A8, Leibniz-HKI, Jena
We are very happy to announce our Microverse Seminar speaker for April:
- Johannes Zimmermann
Junior Research Group Leader of "Mechanisms of Microbial Metabolic Interactions" at the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse"
- Topic: "Systems Approaches to Microbial Metabolic Interactions"
Since Johannes joined the Microverse family only last June, we invite you to a get-together after the seminar to meet him and his team over pizza and finger food—a great opportunity to network! No registration required. Johannes' work focuses on developing advanced models to elucidate microbial metabolic diversity and interactions, aiming to uncover the functional drivers behind microbial community assembly. Find out more about his fascinating research!
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MiCom 2024 | Photographer: Anna Schroll
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Call for Applications for the first JSMC Summer School 2025!
This year the graduate school, Jena School for Microbial Communication, will host its first Summer School from August 1 to 15, 2025. This engaging two-week program of science and social events is open to all recent M.Sc. graduates (and soon-to-graduate master students) of life sciences and bioinformatics with an interest in pursuing a PhD in Microbial Communication. Come to Jena in the heart of Germany and get first-hand insights into your next big step in your academic career at University of Jena!
The deadline for applications is April 30, 2025, and selected candidates will be contacted in May 2025.
For more information and the detailed program please visit the website and reach out to jsmc@uni-jena.de.
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| For online applications please follow the link https://apply2.uni-jena.de/wtvop |
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Screening at the Zeiss Planetarium Jena | Photographer: Tina Peißker
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Discover the Microverse at the Zeiss-Großplanetarium Berlin
To celebrate 400 years of microscopy, the Zeiss-Großplanetarium Berlin is hosting a five-day program from April 9 to 13, 2025, culminating in World Microscopy Day on April 13. As part of this special event, the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse" presents its immersive Full-Dome film "Into the Microverse", offering a unique perspective on the hidden microbial world.
Our scientists will accompany the screenings with engaging lectures and live experiments, bringing cutting-edge microbiome research to life.
Screening Schedule (German version):
- Friday, April 11 | 3 to 3:45 pm
- Saturday, April 12 | 2:30 to 3:15 pm
- Sunday, April 13 | 2:15 to 3 pm
A Celebration of Microscopy: 400 Years of Discovery
Under the theme "Invisible Worlds: From the Microcosm to the Universe", the event offers hands-on microscopy workshops, interactive installations, expert talks, and science-art performances—an inspiring journey through the unseen!
Join us for five days of discovery and explore the wonders of the microverse like never before!
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| For more details, visit the Stiftung Planetarium Berlin website. |
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Upcoming Events
- Thuringian Competence Network Research Data Management - Online Coffee Lecture: DMP – early planning is half the battle
March 26, 2025 | 2 to 2:30 pm | online
Further Information & Registration
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Research Data Management Plans – more than a formality!
April 10, 2025 | 9 am to 12 noon | online
Further Information
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Data Science Day Jena 2025
May 14, 2025 | 1 to 7:30 pm | Rosensäle, Fürstengraben 27, Jena
Read more
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EC2U Science Contest - Science in competition with our European partner universities
May 21, 2025 | 6 to 8:30 pm | online
Join now
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More dates from the Microverse
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JSMC Career Mentoring Program for JSMC PhD candidates and postdocs
Deadline: April 15, 2025
You can apply for one-on-one mentorship with experienced professionals for advice concerning career and work life. Our mentors, all doctorate holders in life sciences, bring real-world expertise from academia, biotech, pharma, consulting, and more.
- Which responsibilities do you have?
It will be your responsibility to reach out, schedule meetings, and seek advice on topics of interest. A comprehensive guidebook and the JSMC team will support you.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to Jasmin Mertens (jasmin.mertens@uni-jena.de) if you have any questions!
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Illustration: Adobe Stock
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Survey
Deadline for submission: April 4, 2025
This survey aims to assess the current culture within the Microverse Cluster and the JSMC and help shape future policies and programs to ensure a more just and supportive workplace. All responses are anonymous, and all questions are optional. It will take about 5 to 10 Minutes to answer the survey.
Thank you in advance for your participation and for contributing to this initiative. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Silvia Kolossa (silvia.kolossa@uni-jena.de).
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Open Calls
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Wissen der Vielen (Knowledge of the many) - Research prize for Citizen Science
Nomination Deadline: April 7, 2025
Further Information
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"FAIRest Dataset" Award 2025
Application Deadline: April 15, 2025
Further Information
- Call for competition FTI-Thuringia - Support for applied research in Thuringia
Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
Further Information
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Acknowledgements & Affiliation
As a quick reminder:
- Please add the Microverse Cluster as affiliation in your publications (in addition to your institute affiliation):
"Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany"
- Cluster funding must be acknowledged using the correct wording and project ID:
"Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany´s Excellence Strategy – EXC 2051 – Project-ID 390713860"
- In German:
"Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) im Rahmen der Exzellenzstrategie des Bundes und der Länder – EXC 2051 – Projekt-ID 390713860"
For easy copying and pasting, we have displayed the acknowledgments on our website.
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Selected Publications
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Brassington PJT, Klefisch FR, Graf B, Pfuller R, Kurzai O, Walther G, Barber AE. Genomic reconstruction of an azole-resistant Candida parapsilosis outbreak and the creation of a multi-locus sequence typing scheme: a retrospective observational and genomic epidemiology study. Lancet Microbe. 2025;6(1):100949.
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Lenić A, Bardl B, Kloss F, Peschel G, Schlembach I, Lackner G, Regestein L, Rosenbaum MA. Pilot Scale Production of a F420 Precursor Under Microaerobic Conditions. Biotechnol J. 2025 Mar;20(3):e70002.
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Bando Y, Klapper M, Herbst R, Sachse A, Stallforth P, Arndt HD. Semiautomated Total Synthesis of the Cyclic Lipodepsipeptide Anikasin. Org Lett. 2025 Mar 10.
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Nikitashina V, Bartels B, Mansour JS, LeKieffre C, Decelle J, Hertweck C, Not F, Pohnert G. Metabolic interdependence and rewiring in Radiolaria-microalgae Photosymbioses. ISME J. 2025 Mar 9:wraf047.
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Praetorius JP, Hitzler SUJ, Gresnigt MS, Figge MT. Image-based quantification of Candida albicans filamentation and hyphal length using the open-source visual programming language JIPipe. FEMS Yeast Res. 2025 Mar 13:foaf011.
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Koceva H, Amiratashani M, Akbarimoghaddam P, Hoffmann B, Zhurgenbayeva G, Gresnigt MS, Marcelino VR, Eggeling C, Figge MT, Amorim MJ, Mosig AS. Deciphering respiratory viral infections by harnessing organ-on-chip technology to explore the gut-lung axis. Open Biol. 2025 Mar;15(3):240231.
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Nair A, Doijad SP, Suryavanshi MV, Dey A, Singh Malik SV, Dutilh BE, Barbuddhe SB. Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity. Microbiology Research, 2025;16(3), 54.
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Wasmuth I, Warinner C, Stallforth P. Microbial dynamics and Pseudomonas natural product production in milk and dairy products. Nat Prod Rep. 2025 Mar 3.
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All publications
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