On the 19th of August 2025, fifty-seven researchers gathered beneath the leafy canopies of Botanical Gardens of the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg for the first joint retreat of the Value Plant (VP) and Agri-Explore (AE) projects. This full-day event blended scientific discussions with collegial exchange, aiming to welcome new PhD and postdoctoral candidates, share ongoing research and chart a path for future collaborations.
Opening Remarks and Project Overviews
The retreat began with a warm welcome from Ingo Heilmann, spokesperson for Value Plant, alongside Sven-Erik Behrens and Edgar Peiter representing Agri-Explore. Their remarks underscored the shared vision: to accelerate plant-based innovation through interdisciplinary networks. Scientific coordinators (Marija Milanović and Amanda Ratier Backes) then presented a short tour of each project’s mission, introduced the full roster of participants and outlined upcoming retreats, trainings and meetings for the years ahead.
Morning Sessions: Agri-Explore PhD Spotlight
Six Agri-Explore doctoral students delivered insightful presentations that showcased both methodological depth and real-world relevance: Supriya Gupta, Vanessa Brückner, Gregor Wittig, Marie Schomburg, Lieselotte Rauh and Maren Maruschewski.
Guided Tour of the Botanical Garden
After lunch, participants embarked on a guided tour of the garden’s living collections. Along the way, attendees learned about the garden’s three-century heritage, its role in botanical research, and the remarkable diversity of over 12,000 plant species that now serve as both teaching tools and research specimens.
Afternoon Session: Value Plant Work Packages and Core Facilities
Returning from the garden, the retreat resumed with: Nils Wörz (AE PhD Student), Robin Schick, Sarlita Dwiani and Ingo Heilmann, presenting Value Plant Work Packages.
Michael Zahn presented an overview of the Biozentrum’s Core Facilities at Martin Luther University (MLU), detailing cutting-edge equipment and access procedures for both VP and AE teams.
Shaping the Future: Discussion and Best Practices
Sven closed the day with an introductory talk on translational science, followed by an invitation to all participants to join an open forum to discuss the future of the projects and retreats as well as share their suggestions, feedback and questions.
Award Ceremony and Next Steps
The retreat concluded with an award ceremony hosted by Stephanie Krüger of the Biozentrum Microscopy Core Facility. Vanessa Brückner, an Agri-Explore PhD student, received an award for her winning image, “The Puzzle of Life,” the visitors’ favourite of the Night of Science Image Contest (04.07.2025).
The next joint Value Plant & Agri-Explore retreat is scheduled for 18 December 2025.
