Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Predatory behaviour is an inherited trait across multiple generations in nematodes

Study highlights the role of long-term environmental changes in the evolution of predatory behaviour in nematodes.  Research by the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen reveals how nematodes can rapidly change to predatory behaviour through long-term environmental exposure. Over 101 generations, dietary changes led to a complete shift to 100% predatory behaviour, challenging traditional views on fixed traits. This revealed the significant role of multi-generational genetic memory and micr...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

New research group at the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory explores the evolution of limb regeneration

Can Aztekin heads the new research group “Structural Regeneration” investigating the evolution and capabilities of lost limb regrowth across species. In February 2025, Can Aztekin joined the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory (FML) in Tübingen with his “Structural Regeneration” research group. Aztekin and his group will investigate biological questions relating to limb and tail regeneration in tadpoles and mice in vitro and ex vivo (limbs grown in a petri dish without an animal body) culture system...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

New research group leader at the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society

Beatrice Ramm joins the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory in 2025 as its 3rd Research Group Leader. Beatrice Ramm’s research group will investigate pattern formation across biological scales, from the inner life of bacterial systems to the development of higher organisms, using the interdisciplinary field of synthetic biology. Starting in January 2025, Beatrice Ramm is heading the new research group in “Synthetic Biology Approaches to Pattern Formation” at the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory o...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Mark your calendars and submit your abstract for the multidisciplinary meeting on biological noise

Connect with Leading Scientists for the SMBE Satellite Meeting on Origin, Maintenance and Evolution of Biological Noise  Join us for a unique and dynamic gathering in Tübingen, Germany, from 3rd to 5th June 2025, as we delve into the fascinating world of Biological Noise.  The Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE) Satellite Meeting on Origin, Maintenance and Evolution of Biological Noise will bring together a diverse community of researchers – theoreticians, molecular biologi...

How human activity has shaped Brazil Nut forests’ past and future

Genomic analyses reveal the vital role of human activity in the Amazonian species’ genetic makeup. Researchers from the German Max Planck Institutes of Geoanthropology and Biology Tübingen use genomic data to study the decline in genetic diversity in the Amazon Basin, particularly in Brazil Nut trees. The research uses genomic data to understand this keystone species’ genetic health and adaptability, help reconstruct its demographic history, and assess the long-term impacts of human interactio...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Zebrafish: Tiny windows into the wonders of life

These tiny fish, with their transparent bodies and fascinating stripes, are helping scientists unlock the secrets of brain function and fight cancer. The zebrafish, small striped fish measuring just four to five centimetres, has garnered global scientific acclaim. This recognition stems largely from their unique properties, which were initially highlighted by Nobel Laureate Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard in her groundbreaking work on pattern formation, growth, and cell migration during vertebrat...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Revolutionising cancer therapy with protein design

A new protein antagonist design strategy shows promise against leukaemia by targeting important receptors to stop the proliferation of cancer cells.  A new family of protein-based antagonists has been created by researchers that efficiently block the granulocyte-colony stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR), which is essential for the development of leukaemia and other inflammatory illnesses. This groundbreaking work paves the way for targeted therapies that could revolutionise treatment options...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Interview with our guest Postdoctoral Researcher Dr. Mariam Coulibaly from Burkina Faso

Dr. Mariam Coulibaly's inspiring career trajectory in agricultural research on neglected crops.  Mariam Coulibaly has been a guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, in the Department of Molecular Biology, for 3 months. She received funding from The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft funding (TWAS-DFG) for scientific visits by researchers from sub-Saharan Africa. We discussed her enthusiasm for promoting neglected crops, such as Ke...
Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society •

Fruit flies in research: An SWR Wissen interview with Luisa Pallares

How Drosophila is revolutionising our understanding of genetics and disease In an SWR Wissen interview with Luisa Pallares from the riedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society in Tübingen, we learn why fruit flies are indispensable as model organisms in research. The small insects play a crucial role in genetics, evolution and research into diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's. Luisa Pallares shares her passion for these fascinating creatures and explains the latest development...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Two MPI Biology Tübingen Directors and a Postdoc among the “Highly Cited Researchers” 2024

Ruth Ley, Detlef Weigel and Postdoc William “Tony” Walters are once again among Clarivate’s ranking of the top 1% by citations in their respective fields on the Web of Science™. Clarivate Analytics, which provides the Web of Science™ database, has announced this year’s outstanding researchers for 2024. For the past ten years, Ruth Ley, Director of the Department of Microbiome Science, and Detlef Weigel, Director of the Department of Molecular Biology, have been recognised as recipients of the...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Announcing the inaugural African Plant Genomics Symposium: Nairobi, 10-11 April 2025

Registration opens for the first Symposium on the genomics of African plants for 100 delegates. The African Plant Genomics Symposium is an eagerly awaited event to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2025, with the aim of building a network, supporting a unified agenda for plant genomics in Africa, and launching the Africa Plant Genomics Society. Scientists and organisations working with African plants are invited to share their perspectives and strategies for research, and build a network that supp...

Algae growth follows the hourglass model

The mid-embryonic developmental stages are strikingly similar in animals, plants and algae Recent observations in brown algae from researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and the University of Dundee reveal the same hourglass pattern during embryogenesis as animals and plants. The ‘hourglass model’ of development in multicellular organisms suggests that embryos of the same phylum display differences morphologically and molecularly at the earliest and latest stages but rese...

Harnessing Mutations: A Breakthrough in Fruit Fly Genetics

A game-changing technique, TF-High-Evolutionary (TF-HighEvo), allows large-scale assessment of de-novo mutations in multicellular organisms Developed in collaboration with researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society and published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, this technique provides fresh insights into the evolutionary dynamics of gene regulatory networks and their role in shaping life’s diversity....
Phys.org •

Why do females switch to asexual reproduction?

"Amazon" algae shed light on what happens to populations when females switch to asexual reproduction. Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and Kobe University discovered populations of female brown algae that reproduce from unfertilized gametes and thrive without males. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, they used brown algae to shed light on the phenotypic and genetic consequences of the shift from sexual to asexual reproduction. The researchers found several populations of brown algae in the sea on the co...
Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen •

Cannibalism in Nematodes

Developmental plasticity plays a crucial role in the predatory development of Allodiplogaster sudhausi, according to experimental genetics. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology have produced intriguing evidence of how environmental factors and genetic adaptation can lead to evolution of novel and aggressive traits and behaviours in nematodes. The discovery of genome duplication and a new cannibalistic morph in Allodiplogaster sudhausi raises questions about how these genetic cha...
Phys.org •

Researchers discover Paleocene origin of leaf beetles in Panama

Brightly colored beetles that feed on a wide range of plants possess robust metabolic capabilities, thanks to bacteria residing in specialized organs in their digestive tract. The bacterium Stammera provides essential enzymes enabling Cassidinae beetles to digest plant cell wall components efficiently. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen discovered the ancient origin of this specialized relationship. They found symbiotic leaf beetles exhibit greater species diversi
idw - Informationsdienst Wissenschaft e.V. Nachric •

Bacterial pathogens share genes to outsmart treatments and adapt to new environments

Bacterial pathogens share genes to outsmart treatments and adapt to new environments A new study published in PNAS sheds light on how bacterial plant pathogens, like Pseudomonas syringae, rapidly evolve resistance to antibiotics and adapt to changing environments. This is particularly concerning as copper-based antimicrobials are commonly used in agriculture to control these very pathogens. The study reveals a previously unknown mechanism by which these bacteria gain new abilities due to mobile
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