The german research foundation (DFG) has created the creation of a nation wide research consortium to elucidate the mechanisms by which plants organs acquire their specific shape. This multidisciplinary consortium called FOR2581: Morphodynamics of plants is established for an initial period of 3 years and is coordinated by Alexis Maizel. The RU2581 will receive DFG funding in the amount of approx. 2.7 million euros. The research unit RU2581 consists of nine expert laboratories from Heidelberg, Cologne, Munich and Göttingen with experts in the fields of plant development, computer sciences and physics.
In Heidelberg, the laboratories of Thomas Greb and Jan Lohmann both located at the Center for Organismal Studies as well as the laboratory of Fred Hamprecht from the Center for Scientific Computing are part of this consortium. In Cologne, are also members: the labs of Miltos Tsiantis, Richard Smith and Angela Hay all located at the Max Planck Institute for plant breeding. Finally, the labs of Kay Schneitz from the TU Munich and Karen Alim from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen are completing the line up.
We are all very excited by the joint work ahead of us.
Link to the press release of the DFG (in german)