Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series (DSSS)

The Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series is a joint colloquium of the Max Planck Institute for Biology and the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory. External (inter)national guest speakers alternate with our own scientists presenting a range of exciting research that reflects the diversity of our institutes. Each seminar is followed by opportunities to discuss research findings further with the speakers in an informal small group or 1-1 setting.

Time: Friday at 3:00 pm (according to announcement)
Place: In the seminar room of the MPI IS building, the MPI-Bio seminar room or online.
Organizers: Cátia Igreja, Michael Borg

DSSS - Elisa Izaurralde Memorial Lecture

Date: Apr 30, 2025
Time: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. David Bartel
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, MIT
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme
Topic: Discussion and debate formats, lectures

[more]

DSSS - Cryptic genetic variation: the hidden treasures of phenotypic variation

Date: May 9, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. Jan E. Kammenga
Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University, Netherlands
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme

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DSSS - Epigenetic inheritance of chromatin states in C. elegans

Date: May 16, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Ass. Professor Florian Steiner
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Geneva
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme
Topic: Discussion and debate formats, lectures

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DSSS - Competition and warfare in bacteria and the human microbiome

Date: May 23, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. Kevin Foster
Department of Biology and Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme
Topic: Discussion and debate formats, lectures

[more]

DSSS - FGF21 and Alcohol: A Sobering Liaison

Date: Jun 6, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. David J. Mangelsdorf
Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Alfred G. Gilman Distinguished Chair in Pharmacology Raymond and Ellen Willie Distinguished Chair in Molecular Neuropharmacology University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme

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DSSS - The design of evolution and the evolution of design

Date: Jul 4, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Andreas Plückthun
Dept. of Biochemistry University of Zurich
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme

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DSSS - tbd

Date: Jul 11, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Assis. Prof. Michael O’Donnell
Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme

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DSSS - tbd

Date: Jul 18, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Dr. Edwige Moyroud
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge, University of Cambridge, UK
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme

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DSSS - How do cells create tissue patterns?

Date: Jul 25, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Pulin Li
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, MIT
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme
Topic: Discussion and debate formats, lectures

[more]

DSSS - tbd

Date: Sep 26, 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Speaker: Prof. Franjo Weissing
Prof. Dr. Emeritus professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen
Location: NO.002, MPI für Intelligente Systeme