Departments

Root Biology and Symbiosis
Prof. Dr. Caroline Gutjahr's department studies the symbiosis between soil fungi and plant roots. This symbiosis is called mycorrhiza and is of great importance for the growth and health of plants.

Research groups

Mycorrhiza and Root Biology (Prof. Dr. Caroline Gutjahr)
Central Metabolism
(Dr. Alisdair Fernie)

Receptor structures at the plant-microbe interface (Dr. Alexander Förderer)
The Genetics of Crop Metabolism (Dr. Saleh Alseekh)
Plant Reproductive Biology and Epigenetics
The department of Prof. Dr. Claudia Köhler with three different research groups studies genetic and epigenetic processes regulating flowering plant reproduction and their impact on plant speciation. The main focus is to understand processes regulating seed formation, seed growth and the establishment of hybridization barriers.

Research groups

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Plant Reproduction (Prof. Dr. Claudia Köhler)
Seed Development and Apomixis (Dr. Duarte Figueiredo)
Intercellular Macromolecular Transport (Dr. Fritz Kragler)
Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology
Research of three research groups in the Department of Professor Dr. Ralph Bock focuses on the biology of the two DNA-containing cell organelles in plants, plastids (chloroplasts) and mitochondria, and their integration with the nucleocytosolic compartment.

Research groups

Organelle Biology and Biotechnology (Prof. Dr. Ralph Bock)
Biophysics and Photosynthesis Research (Dr. Mark Aurel Schöttler)
Translational Regulation in Plants (Dr. Reimo Zoschke)
Algal Cell Biology and Biophysics (Dr. Adrian Nievergelt)

Department-Independent Research Groups

Current News


ERC grant for a pollen-free future

ERC grant for a pollen-free future

December 03, 2024
Researchers want to protect crops against the climate crisis
Top research made in Potsdam

Top research made in Potsdam

November 26, 2024
Max Planck Institute employs five of the world's most cited scientists
Viable seeds produced by Capsella orientalis on the left side and collapsed, non-viable seeds produced by crossing Capsella orientalis with its near relative Capsella rubella. A lack of maternal small RNA was found responsible for this discrepancy in seed quality.

Mothers Determine the Fate of Hybrid Seeds in Plants

November 11, 2024
Scientists Uncover Vital Role of Maternal Small RNAs in Plant Breeding

Recent Research Highlights

Journal Article (117)

Urrea-Castellanos, R., Calderan-Rodrigues, M. J., Artins, A., Musialak-Lange, M., Macharanda-Ganesh, A., Fernie, A. R., Wahl, V. & Caldana, C. The Regulatory-associated protein of target of rapamycin 1B (RAPTOR 1B) interconnects with the photoperiod pathway to promote flowering in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 122, (2025).
López, C. M., Alseekh, S., Rivas, F. J. M., Fernie, A. R., Prieto, P. & Alamillo, J. M. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of two adenine phosphoribosyl transferase coding genes reveals the functional specialization of adenine salvage proteins in common bean. Journal of Experimental Botany 76, 346–362 (2025).
D'Auria, J. C. & Fernie, A. R. The BAHD and the bold: the mitochondria's role in alkaloid artistry. Trends in Plant Science 29, 1290–1291 (2024).
Domer, A., Jasinska, W., Rosental, L., Shochat, E., Alseekh, S., Fernie, A. R., Brotman, Y. & Ovadia, O. Comparative analysis of the plasma metabolome of migrating passerines: novel insights into stopover metabolism. Journal of Avian Biology (2024). doi:10.1111/jav.03331
Li, B., Armarego-Marriott, T., Kowalewska, Ł., Thiele, W., Erban, A., Ruf, S., Kopka, J., Schöttler, M. A. & Bock, R. Membrane protein provision controls prothylakoid biogenesis in tobacco etioplasts. The Plant Cell 36, 4862–4880 (2024).

Events

No events

Seminars

Phasing viruses in RNA regulation

Feb 19, 2025 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Central Building, Room: Seminar Room

Actin Tug-of-War: A Novel Mechanism Regulating Seed Size by Controlling Endosperm Nuclear Positioning and Movement

Mar 19, 2025 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Central Building, Room: Seminar Room

Greetings from the vascular: Untapping the brassinosteroid signaling pathway mediated by BRL3 receptors

Mar 26, 2025 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Central Building, Room: Seminar Room

How to join MPI-MP

IMPRS and PhD programme
University graduates who are interested in modern plant research can work on their doctorate at our institute. Our doctoral programme, the IMPRS for Molecular Plant Science (IMPRS MolPlant), is open to students from all countries. The doctoral research is done under the guidance of our directors, group leaders and senior scientists. We work closely with the Faculty of Science at the University of Potsdam where most of our doctoral researchers are registered and enrolled during their doctorate. The doctoral thesis is submitted and defended at the University, which also confers the doctoral degree.

Our Application Call is OPEN. Apply by 28 February 2025

Job Offers

No Vacancies

Further Information


Events

Events

Those who want to visit the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology and want to learn more about the research at the institute can do so in various ways. The institute takes part in a number of events every year and also organizes events itself.
Media Library

Media Library

Scientists of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology are are well-known experts in their field of study. In the movies shown here, which are either excerpts from TV shows or short individual productions, they give you an insight into their work.
Flyer and Brochures

Flyer and Brochures

On the following pages you will find various brochures of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. You can also download the documents as PDF files.
Go to Editor View