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Summer Vibes & New Horizons – Your Microverse Update
Dear Microverse Community,
As summer draws to a close, our calendar is filling up with exciting opportunities, inspiring talks, and ways to connect across disciplines. In this edition, we invite you to nominate exceptional researchers for the Microverse Early Career Scientist Award 2025, explore collaboration opportunities through our Scientist Exchange Funds and LIFE funding calls, and join thought-provoking events ranging from the Jena Excellence in Microbiology Seminar to the Arts & Science Residency at TRAFO Jena.
You’ll also find workshops to boost your career confidence, science-inspired film nights, cycling challenges, and updates on recent activities within our cluster. Whether you are looking to advance your research, broaden your network, or simply get inspired, there’s something here for everyone.
Let’s make the coming months a season of connection, collaboration, and creativity!
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Microverse Early Career Scientist Award 2025
Deadline: November 28, 2025
The Microverse Cluster is announcing the Microverse Early Career Scientist Award. The award aims to honor outstanding early career scientists for their achievements and significant contribution to the mission of the Microverse Cluster. With this award we want to recognize significant publications, excellent research achievements, major method advancements, transfer activities and entrepreneurship … or other outstanding contributions. Sounds like someone you know? We are looking forward to your nominations!
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About the Call
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Michael Zimmermann, Photo credit: Amber Brauer
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Jena Excellence in Microbiology Seminar: Dr. Michael Zimmermann
September 9, 2025 | 12:15 pm | Leibniz-HKI, Building A8, Seminar Room Pasteur, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
We are excited to announce the upcoming talk in the Jena Excellence in Microbiology Seminar (JEMS) series:
If you’d like to meet with Michael Zimmermann on Tuesday morning before the seminar for a 1-on-1 research discussion, please contact Silvia Kolossa (silvia.kolossa@uni-jena.de).
JEMS brings together leading experts to share cutting-edge research and foster collaboration within the microbiology community.
The seminar is open to all interested members of the Microverse Cluster and beyond. No registration is required.
We look forward to seeing you there for what promises to be a fascinating and thought-provoking session!
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Arts & Science Residency at TRAFO Jena
Thursday, August 15, 2025 | 6 to 10 pm
Friday, August 16, 2025 | 4 to 10 pm
TRAFO, Nollendorfer Str. 30, 07743 Jena
As part of the Arts & Science Residency organised by Künstlerische Tatsachen, open-minded scientists shared their research findings and ideas with artists, who then created unique works inspired by these scientific principles.
Among this year’s participants is Dr. Andreas Ulmer from our Cluster of Excellence, who collaborated with Vienna-based artist Felix Helmut Wagner.
If you’re curious to see the results of this and the other collaborations, you can visit TRAFO Jena. In addition to film screenings and video installations, the program will feature artistic lectures and offer plenty of space for conversations with both scientists and artists.
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Read more
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Microverse Scientist Exchange Funds
Deadline: September 1, 2025
Do you want to
- learn new technical skills
- experience research life in a different laboratory environment and culture
- help build (inter)national collaborations
You can apply for funds to spend a short research stay in another lab, or invite an outside researcher here to us in Jena.
The exchange program supports projects that are in line with the Microverse core topics (see below for more info) and enhances the scientific career development of doctoral researchers and postdocs.
Completed applications should be sent to contact@microverse-cluster.de by September 1, 2025.
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| Call & Application form (To download the documents, mark this email as trustworthy.) |
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Graphic: Franziska Eberl edited by Dania Rose-Sperling
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Apply Now for LIFE Funding!
Deadline: September 30, 2025 | Funding: 15.000 €/ 20.000 €/ 25.000 €
The LIFE “Connect” funds enable the development of scientific projects that have have the potential for successful application for third-party funding. New cooperations between researchers of different groups, institutes and disciplines shall be established to stimulate top-level research.
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Microverse Diversity and Culture
Workshop: “Raise Your Hand! How to Follow Your Path with Self-Confidence”
September 11 to 12, 2025 | Leibniz-HKI, Building A7, Seminar Room Dorothy Hodgkin, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
The Scientists and Career Jena Network invites aspiring female scientists to a 1.5-day interactive workshop designed to boost self-confidence, strengthen professional identity, and equip you with strategies to navigate your career path in science. Led by Antje Rach (Worte & Wandel), the program combines historical perspectives, practical training, and self-reflection to help you overcome barriers, handle bias, and assertively present your work.
- Dates: September 11 (9 am to 4 pm) & September 12 (9 am to 12.30 pm)
- Language: English
- Capacity: Limited to 10 participants (female researchers from WKJ member groups)
- Register by September 3, 2025: Registration link
Don’t miss this opportunity to take a confident step toward your professional goals!
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Reminder: Science Meets Society – Summer Film Night
August 20, 2025 | 7.30 pm | Leibniz-HKI, Building A1, Lecture Hall, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
While our book club takes a summer break, we’re shining a spotlight on neurodiversity in science with a special screening of "A Beautiful Mind" — the inspiring true story of mathematician John Nash, whose groundbreaking work in game theory was shaped by his experience with schizophrenia.
Pizza planning alert: Please register by August 13, even if you’ve attended SMS events before.
Everyone is welcome — no university affiliation required. Come watch, reflect, and discuss with us!
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Photo: Silvia Kolossa
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New in the Cluster Office: Game Backpack for Kids
Visiting the Cluster office with children? We now have a game backpack available for loan during regular office hours. Packed with fun and educational games, it’s a great way to keep young visitors entertained while you attend to your work or meetings.
- Location: Cluster Office, Leibniz-HKI, Bulding A5, Room D10 (top floor), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
- Availability: Monday–Friday, during regular office hours
Simply stop by the office to borrow the backpack — no reservation needed.
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Three people riding bicycles on campus, Photo: Green Office, University of Jena
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Stadtradeln 2025 (City Cyling 2025)
136 active cyclists, 24,217 kilometres cycled and sixth place in the final rankings. That is the university team's record in last year's "STADTRADELN Jena". Can we top that this year?
From August 29 to September 18, 2025, there will once again be an opportunity to collect cycling kilometres at "STADTRADELN Jena". The Green Office invites all members and affiliates of the university to participate: whether you are an employee or a student, anyone can join the umbrella team ‘University of Jena’. In addition, subordinate faculty or group teams can be formed if required. The kilometres collected do not have to be covered in Jena, so if you are visiting home, for example, you can still participate.
Challenge your colleagues and fellow students and cycle for all you're worth! It keeps you fit, is good for the climate – and above all, it's a lot of fun. So get your bike out of the basement and let's become the largest City Cycling team in Jena!
Click HERE to register for City Cycling.
After registering, you can select the ‘University of Jena’ team.
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| Further Information (only in german language) |
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Upcoming Events
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Microverse Seminar: Dr. Michael Habig
August 14, 2025 | 12:15 pm | Leibniz-HKI, Building A7, Seminar Room Hodgkin, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
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FLI Seminar with Simon Alberti
August 22, 2025 | 1 pm | FLI, Seminar room „Nucleus“, FLI 1, Beutenbergstraße 11, 07745 Jena
Further Information
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ad hoc arena Jena
September 11, 2025 | 1 to 6 pm | Roland-Ducke-Weg 1, 07745 Jena
Further information
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8th International Symposium on Systems Biology of Microbial Infections
September 18 to 19, 2025 | Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
Further information
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NFDI4Microbiota Annual Conference 2025—“From Lab to Publication: Bridging the Gap with Best Practices"
September 30 to October 2nd, 2025 | ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences, Gleueler Str. 60, 50931 Cologne
Registration Period: June 30 to August 31, 2025 (CEST)
Infos, Program and Registration
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Noble Gespräche: Prof. Dr. Venkatraman "Venki" Ramakrishnan
October 23, 2025 | 5 pm | Lecture hall of the Abbe Centre Beutenberg, Hans-Knöll-Str. 1, 07745
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Aging and Microbiome Conference 2025
October 28 to 29, 2025 | Rosensäle, Fürstengraben 27, 07743 Jena
Further information
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4. LIFE-Symposium - TIME TO CONNECT
November 26, 2025 | 12 to 18 pm | Center for Applied Research (ZAF), Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena
Further Information
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More dates from the Microverse
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Selected Publications
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- Turner D [et. int.] Dutilh BE, [et.int] Wojcicki M, Ictv Taxonomy Summary C, Consortium ITS. Summary of taxonomy changes ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) from the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee, 2025. J Gen Virol. 2025;106(7).
- Schwegler E, Hellmich UA. Backbone NMR assignments of the essential oxidoreductase tryparedoxin from the human pathogenic parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Biomol NMR Assign. 2025.
- Jungwirth J, Siegert L, Gauthier L, Henke A, Krämer OH, Engert B, Ehrhardt C. The Procaine-Based ProcCluster® Impedes the Second Envelopment Process of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025;26(15).
- Hornung F, SureshKumar HK, Klement L, Reisser Y, Wernike C, Nischang V, Jordan PM, Werz O, Hoffmann C, Loffler B, Deinhardt-Emmer S. High-fat diet impairs microbial metabolite production and aggravates influenza A infection. Cell Commun Signal. 2025;23(1):359.
- Thomas-Ruddel D, Giamarellos-Bourboulis E, Neumann C, Briegel J, Roquilly A, Annane D, Wetzker R, Bauer M, i Rsg. IFNgamma in human sepsis: a scoping review. Ann Intensive Care. 2025;15(1):112.
- Hitzler SUJ, Fernandez-Fernandez C, Gunther K, Dietschmann A, Hovhannisyan H, Moslinger A, Austermeier S, Cristovao B, Vascelli G, Zelante T, Pekmezovic M, Ramirez-Zavala B, Morschhauser J, Werz O, Gabaldon T, Jordan PM, Vylkova S, Gresnigt MS. Host albumin redirects Candida albicans metabolism to engage an alternative pathogenicity pathway. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):6447.
- Eulenfeld T. Sugar: A Python framework for bioinformatics. Journal of Open Source Software. 2025;10(111).
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All publications
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