Swiss Society of Plant Biology
The year 2022 was basically a year of renewal for the Swiss Society of Plant Biology (SSPB). It emerged from the Société suisse de Physiologie végétale / Gesellschaft für Pflanzenphysiologie. The promotion of young talents was launched as a new core activity. At the conclusion of the SwissPLANT 2022 conference, held in June, the society awarded eight prizes to young participants for their excellent presentations. In addition, SSPB members supported the proposal to hold a stand-alone Early Career Meeting (ECM) before the SwissPLANT conference in 2023. Furthermore, several members provided expertise for two SCNAT and A+ projects.
The Swiss Society of Plant Biology held its annual symposium «SwissPLANT» from 13 to 15 June 2022 in Meiringen (BE). Its scientific committee was composed of Geneva University members: Roman Ulm, Marie Barberon, Emilie Demarsy, Teresa Fitzpatrick, Michael Hothorn, Luis Lopez-Molina, Yamama Naciri, supported by Sylvia Martinez (U Basel). 41 PIs met to present and discuss current research advances in plant sciences in Switzerland. The meeting offered excellent opportunities to interact and network with peer plant scientists.
> https://swissplantscienceweb.unibas.ch/en/swissplant/
The Swiss Society for Plant Biology resumed its membership to the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (https://fespb.org/)
At the SwissPLANT 2022 conference, the society awarded eight prizes to young plant biologists for their excellent contributions. The prize consisted of a financial contribution towards the conference cost.
Awardees: Léa Frachon, U Zurich; Anthony Guihur, U Lausanne; Darina Koubínová, U Neuchâtel; Annemarie Perez Boerema, U Basel; Charles Pouchon, U Geneva & Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques; Sara Simonini, U Zurich; Elia Stahl, U Lausanne; Wojciech Wietrzynski, U Basel.
- Mailings to all members of the Society.
- Maintain a website that showcases research portfolios of 120 plant biologists associated to Swiss universities. Regularly post news, events, and job openings in plant biology research.
- For the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT): Markus Geisler (U Fribourg) actively contributed to the position paper «Stellungnahme – Weiterentwicklung der gymnasialen Maturität (WEGM)» that was presented to the State Secretariat on Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
- For the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (A+): Etienne Bucher (Agroscope) contributed his expertise for the elaboration of an A+ Fact Sheet «RNA-based technologies for agriculture and environment».
- The following SSPB members currently participate as Board members in the SCNAT Forum on Genetic Research: Didier Reinhardt (U Fribourg), Bruno Studer (ETH Zurich), Sebastian Soyk (U Lausanne).
- SSPB member Roman Ulm (U Geneva) is a board member of the SCNAT Biology Platform.
- In order to raise awareness for plant biology, the Society maintains a website that regularly features news and events that are also aimed at the interested public. > https://swissplantscienceweb.ch
- Didier Reinhardt (U Fribourg) wrote a SCNAT carte blanche contribution on «Mener en toute sérénité un vaste débat sur le génie génétique».
- SSPB coordinated and encouraged the 2022 activities for the «International Fascination of Plants Day» that were offered to the general public in Switzerland. This orchestrated event is held every two years in May under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO). It aims at raising awareness for the importance of plant sciences and the significant contribution of this research to social, environmental and economic issues.
> https://swissplantscienceweb.unibas.ch/en/plantday/