Jiri Friml, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria
Anna-Liisa Laine, University of Helsinki, Finland
Tatsuya Nobori, The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK
Nicola Patron, University of Cambridge, UK
Jenny Russinova, VIB, University of Ghent, Belgium
Rüdiger Simon, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
Hannele Tuominen, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Sweden
| 12:30–13:50 | Registration open & lunch |
| 13:50–14:00 | Welcoming words and session chair: Ari Pekka Mähönen |
| 14:00–14:40 |
Invited speaker: Jiri Friml, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria Cyclic Nucleotides: Second Messengers in Auxin Signalling and Beyond |
| 14:40–15:00 |
Alexey Shapiguzov, University of Helsinki, Finland Suppressors of methyl viologen tolerance in rcd1 uncover new mitochondria-chloroplast energy interactions |
| 15:00–15:15 |
Luis Alonso Baez, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway Mapping the mechanical properties during development and in response to stress in living plant cells and tissues |
| 15:15–15:30 |
Pirita Paajanen, University of Helsinki, Finland Heterogeneity of gene expression across individual plants in a natural plant population |
| 15:30–16:00 | Coffee break (registration) |
| Session chair: Saijaliisa Kangasjärvi | |
| 16:00–16:20 |
Timo Vesala, University of Helsinki, Finland Pandora’s Box of Multicomponent Leaf-Air Gas Exchange |
| 16:20–16:35 |
Sara Mashhadi Meyghani, University of Eastern Finland, Finland Drought constrains HIPV-mediated defence responses and alters herbivore feeding in Scots pine seedlings |
| 16:35–16:50 |
Tal Dahan-Meir, Gregor Mendel Institute, Austria Adaptive seed-size variation in Arabidopsis thaliana |
| 16:50–17:20 |
Invited speaker: Anna-Liisa Laine, University of Helsinki, Finland Trait variation under environmental change and its consequences for plant disease risk |
| 18:00–19:00 | Evening reception, Helsinki City Hall |
| Session chair: Cezary Waszczak | |
| 9:00–9:40 |
Invited speaker: Rüdiger Simon, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany Spatial cell ecotypes in barley development |
| 9:40–10:00 |
Hanna Hõrak, Univerity of Tartu, Estonia Stomatal distribution between leaf surfaces and its importance for plant growth and yield |
| 10:00–10:15 |
Miki Iida, University of Helsinki, Finland PaSM and PaFAMA are multifunctional regulators of spruce stomatal development |
| 10:15-10:30 |
Jasmin Kemppinen, University of Helsinki, Finland Rethinking stomatal defence: the role of water dynamics in plant disease processes |
| 10:30–12:00 | Poster session 1 and coffee break |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch and posters |
| Session chair: Maija Sierla | |
| 13:00–13:40 |
Invited speaker: Tatsuya Nobori, The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK Dissecting plant-microbe interactions at the single-cell and spatial resolution |
| 13:40–14:00 |
Allan G. Rasmusson, Lund University, Sweden Cell polarity of epidermal plasma membrane lipid composition induced by Arabidopsis-Trichoderma interactions |
| 14:00–14:20 |
Xuelei Lai, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Wuhan, China Functions of biomolecular condensates in transcriptional regulation and stress responses in plants |
| 14:20–14:45 | Coffee break |
| Session chair: Anne Vaten | |
| 14:45–15:05 |
Laura Wey, University of Turku, Finland Evolution of photosynthetic electron export from cyanobacteria to chloroplast |
| 15:05–15:20 |
Franziska Brunozzi, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden Tracking Leaf Carbon Fluxes in Aspen with ¹³CO₂ Labelling |
| 15:20–16:00 |
Invited speaker: Nicola Patron, University of Cambridge, UK Engineering gene regulatory networks |
| 16:00–18:30 | Poster session 2 and refreshments |
| 19:00 | Conference dinner, Restaurant Sipuli |
| Session chair: Teng Zhang | |
| 9:00–9:40 |
Invited speaker: Jenny Russinova, VIB, University of Ghent, Belgium Regulation of Brassinosteroid Homeostasis in the Arabidopsis Root Meristem |
| 9:40–9:55 |
Steffen Grebe, University of Helsinki Chlorophyll-a fluorescence responses to freezing temperatures in Pinus sylvestris |
| 9:55–10:10 |
Claudia Cortés de Felipe, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden Viral Influence on RNA Granules: Unravelling Condensate Dynamics in Infection and Immunity |
| 10:10-10:25 |
Paula Mulo, University of Turku, Finland Chloroplast acetyltransferases: novel regulators of photosynthesis, metabolism and growth |
| 10:25–11:00 | Coffee break |
| 11:00–12:00 | General assembly |
| 12:00–13:00 | Lunch |
| Session chair: Paul Grini | |
| 13:00–13:40 |
Invited speaker: Hannele Tuominen, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Sweden What are good neighbours doing during xylem development? |
| 13:40–13:55 |
Kang Wang, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany A regulatory network that prevents floral reversion at the Arabidopsis inflorescence meristem |
| 13:55-14:10 |
Aswin Nair, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Sweden Photoperiodic gatekeeper mediates robust control of tree bud break |
| Session chair: Kirsten Krause | |
| 14:10–14:20 | Presenting SPPS prizes and the SPPS prize winner |
| 14:20–14:50 | SPPS Prize winner talk |
| 14:50–15:20 | Coffee break, pictures of the award winners |
| 15:20–16:50 | Award announcements, presentations, poster awards |
| 16:50–17:00 | Closing of the meeting: Kirsten Krause & Ari Pekka Mähönen |
The Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society 2026 Early Career PI meeting will be held at the University of Helsinki Viikki campus .
Venue: Info Centre Korona, room K1088, Viikinkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
Registration is open until 15th of June 2026, and the number of participants is limited to 40. Conference costs are kindly covered by the SPPS.
Note: this event is intended only for early career principal investigators working in research organizations located in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia.
Organizing committee: Maija Sierla (
Preliminary program:
Sunday 16 August 2026
18:00 Start of the meeting and get-together dinner
Monday 17 August 2026
09:00 - 10:30 Scientific session #1
10:30 - 10:45 coffee break
10:45 - 12:00 Scientific session #2
12:00 - 13:00 lunch
13:00 - 15:00 Scientific session #3
15:00 - 15:15 coffee break
15:15 - 18:00 Brainstorming session on collaborative ideas, future challenges and opportunities
18:30 Dinner and social program at the local brewery