Jeff Schell Prize for discoveries in mobile small RNAs and protein interaction landscapes
Max Planck Institute honours Dr. Jiali Zhu and Hanne Zillmer for outstanding achievements in plant science
The Jeff Schell Prize is awarded annually in a festive ceremony by the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam-Golm. This year, the institute honours two young scientists, Dr. Jiali Zhu and Hanne Zillmer, for their outstanding contributions to plant reproductive biology and computational molecular biology. The award, sponsored by Targenomix, recognises early-career researchers who have made significant advances in plant science.
Dr. Jiali Zhu reveals long-distance small RNA communication controlling plant fertility
In her recent work, Jiali Zhu discovered a previously unknown class of mobile small RNAs that are transported over long distances from maternal plant tissues into developing pollen. These sRNA molecules act as essential signals for normal pollen maturation and successful seed production, revealing a previously unrecognized communication pathway between maternal tissues and the male reproductive system.
This finding fundamentally revises the current model of plant reproductive regulation. Until now, it was assumed that the small RNAs required for pollen development are produced locally within reproductive tissues. Zhu’s work demonstrates that key regulatory signals can instead originate in distant maternal tissues and be transported into pollen, where they directly regulate gene activity and fertility.
About Dr. Jiali Zhu
Jiali Zhu is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the group “Epigenetic Mechanisms of Plant Reproduction” led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Köhler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Horticulture in 2014 at Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University in China. She then moved to South Korea, where she received her PhD in 2020 at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology and the Institute of Basic Science.
Jiali Zhu’s research uncovers a previously unknown communication pathway between maternal plant tissues and developing pollen, fundamentally changing our understanding of reproductive regulation in flowering plants.
Hanne Zillmer maps evolutionary trends in protein–metabolite interactions using AI-based structural biology
Hanne Zillmer’s research focuses on protein–metabolite interactions, where small molecules bind to specific protein surface sites through non-covalent forces such as hydrogen bonding. Using AI-based structure prediction tools like AlphaFold, she and collaborators analysed binding sites across the proteomes of 11 species, including human and Arabidopsis, enabling large-scale comparative analysis that was previously not possible.
Their results reveal a striking evolutionary pattern: while the number of proteins increases with organismal complexity, the number of distinct molecular interaction sites does not grow proportionally. This suggests constraints or a limited requirement for structural innovation in protein–metabolite interactions.
Her work highlights both the opportunities and current limitations of AI-driven structural biology, particularly in plant-related research questions, and contributes to understanding how computational tools are reshaping modern molecular biology.
About Hanne Zillmer
Zillmer is currently pursuing her PhD in the group „Bioinformatics” led by Prof. Dr. Dirk Walther. She studied Molecular Biology and Applied Bioinformatics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Prior to her doctoral research, she worked in software systems at BioNTech before returning to academic research.
Her research combines computational biology and structural prediction methods to uncover how protein interaction sites evolve across species.
Jeff Schell revolutionized plant research
Jozef Stefaan (Jeff) Schell (1935–2003) was a Belgian molecular biologist who transformed the field of plant biotechnology. He studied zoology and microbiology at the University of Ghent, where he later worked as a professor from 1967 to 1995. From 1978 to 2000, he led the Department of Molecular Basis of Plant Breeding at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne.
Schell was one of the pioneers of biotechnology. His work on plant–microbe interactions led to the discovery that the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens can transfer DNA into plant genomes. This breakthrough laid the foundation for plant genetic engineering, enabling targeted gene transfer and functional analysis of plant genes. His contributions remain fundamental to modern plant biology and agricultural biotechnology.
The Jeff Schell Prize was made possible by a generous donation from Targenomix.
