GMI - Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology

Name: GMI - Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology
Address: Dr Bohr Gasse 3, Wien, 1030, AT
Telephone: +431790449000

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österreich
Wien
GMI - Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology

It is the only international center for basic plant research in Austria.

The Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI) was founded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 2000 to promote research excellence in the area of plant molecular biology. Research at the GMI is curiosity driven and covers many aspects of molecular genetics, including basic mechanisms of epigenetics, population genetics, chromosome biology, developmental biology, and stress signal transduction.

04/09/2026

The second meeting of the EMBO Young Investigator Program (YIP) was hosted by the GMI on 3–4 September. Co-organized by Joao Matos (Max Perutz Labs Vienna) and Frédéric Berger (GMI), the meeting brought together 20 YIP and EMBO members to present and discuss their recent work on meiosis and the germline across a variety of model systems.

Many thanks to the organizers and participants for a great exchange!

01/09/2026

This summer, Cristina Cordero Garzona had the opportunity to become immersed in the world of research through the Vienna BioCenter Summer School.

A recent graduate in Biotechnology Engineering from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, Cristina was selected through the “Talents for Future” program – a special track of the VBC Summer School which allows students from countries with fewer opportunities the chance to experience life in an international research environment.

From June to August, Cristina worked on a research project in Nick Irwin’s lab, mentored by Senior Research Assistant, Arie Fridrich. Her project focused on how plants integrate genes acquired from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, using CRISPR mutants to investigate the function of these genes.

The experience allowed her to develop skills and learn techniques she had expected to encounter only during a Master’s or PhD. Surrounded by supportive mentors and an encouraging lab community, she rediscovered the excitement of asking questions, exploring new ideas, and doing research.

“It changed my way of looking at a research-focused career path and has made me excited for it,” Cristina says.

The experience had a large influence on her future plans. In her next career step, she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree focused on basic research – a path she had not previously considered. She hopes that programs like the VBC Summer School and “Talents for Future” will receive more attention in Costa Rica and Latin America and encourages other aspiring scientists to apply to see where science can take them.

Vienna Biocenter Scientific Training

31/08/2026

On Friday, August 28th, the GMI and IMBA were pleased to welcome outstanding Ukrainian high school students taking part in the AITHYRA Life Sciences School 2026, a week-long program for students who have excelled in chemistry, biology, and medicine competitions.

Following an introduction to the Vienna BioCenter and a campus tour led by Emilie Habetzeder and Semhar Araya, the students gained insight into research in the Irwin lab at the GMI. Darya Kripkiy Casado and Arie Fridrich introduced the students to their research on how they combine molecular biology and machine learning to understand the evolution of plant traits.

Students met researchers from across campus, including Nick Irwin and Darya Kripkiy Casado, Helena Okulski (IMBA, Tanaka Lab), Kirill Salewskij (IMBA, Tissue Culture Support), and Olena Kim (IMBA, Knoblich Lab). The researchers shared their experiences and career paths, allowing the students to see what it’s like to work as a scientist.

Thank you to Dmytro Rzhemovskyi from “Mathematik macht Freude” for making this event possible. It was a pleasure to host such excellent aspiring scientists!

14/08/2026

Congratulations to Polina Foteva, PhD student in Silvia Ramundo (GMI) and Sven Klumpe’s (IMBA/IMP) research groups, who has been awarded a highly competitive PhD fellowship from the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF).

This fellowship will support her project, “Novel alga–virus system to discover transferable dsDNA sensors and signaling systems”.

DNA carries the information of life, but what happens when it ends up in the wrong cellular compartment? In mammals, misplaced DNA serves as a danger signal to activate an immune response, but in organisms outside of vertebrates, such a DNA sensor has not yet been identified.

Through her work, Polina will establish the single-celled green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model system, combining genetic tractability with natural infection by the recently discovered double-stranded DNA giant virus, Punuivirus. Using a virus-responsive reporter system, reverse genetics, in situ cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), and biochemical assays, she aims to identify candidate DNA sensors and reveal how they operate.

With the support of this prestigious fellowship, Polina’s research will address fundamental questions in the evolution of immunity and provide valuable new tools for the future of experimental biology.

Read more here: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/gmi/detail/news/polina-foteva-receives-phd-fellowship-from-the-boehringer-ingelheim-fonds

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

11/08/2026

The Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI), part of the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, seeks to appoint a Scientific Director (f/m/x) to lead one of Europe’s premier research institutes in plant biology.

The Scientific Director is a dual role position, combining executive leadership with active scientific engagement – offering a unique opportunity to shape the future of plant molecular biology research and innovation.

We are looking for a distinguished, internationally recognized scientist who...
..Has made seminal contributions to basic molecular plant biology and enjoys international reputation in the scientific community;
..Is actively engaged in cutting-edge, high-impact research with transformative potential;
..Has a proven track record of securing substantial third-party funding from public and/or private sources;
..Demonstrates outstanding leadership, strategic vision, and the ability to inspire and grow a dynamic research team;
..Is deeply connected within the international scientific landscape and committed to advancing collaborative science.

We Offer...
..An internationally competitive salary and recruitment package;
..A substantial annual research budget covering personnel, consumables, and equipment;
..Full access to the advanced research infrastructure of the Vienna BioCenter, one of Europe’s leading hubs for molecular life sciences;
..A vibrant, highly collaborative community in the BioCenter of over 2,000 scientists (including 400 PhD students) from more than 80 countries;
..State-of-the-art core facilities in plant husbandry, transgenesis, high-performance computing, advanced microscopy, proteomics, metabolomics, flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing, and high-throughput phenotyping.

If you are a forward-thinking leader with a passion for science, innovation, and organizational excellence, we encourage you to apply.

Apply now until November 15, 2026 via [email protected]

For more information, visit: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/de/gmi/join-us/currently-listed-positions/the-gmi-seeks-to-appoint-scientific-director

05/08/2026

New paper published in The Plant Journal! “Transposon expansion is associated with reorganization of small RNA and DNA methylation landscapes in the morphologically minimal angiosperm Wolffia brasiliensis”

Plant genomes can expand when "jumping genes", parasitic mobile stretches of DNA called transposons, multiply and spread. Plants normally keep transposons switched off to prevent disruptions to genes and genome organization, using a molecular silencing system. But what happens to that system when transposons take over most of the genome?

To find out, a team of researchers led by first-author Daniel Buendía-Ávila and group leader Arturo Marí-Ordóñez at the GMI of the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften compared two closely related duckweed species: Wolffia brasiliensis, whose genome has undergone expansion and is nearly three-quarters transposons, and the transposon-poor Spirodela polyrhiza.

The researchers found that the basic rules for silencing any single transposon are shared between the two species: the longer and more intact a transposon, the more strongly it is singled out for silencing. But in transposon-rich Wolffia, these finely tuned rules for targeting operate mainly on transposons close to genes. Across the rest of its vastly expanded genome, DNA methylation takes over to keep transposons switched off.

These results indicate that genome expansion doesn't rewrite the silencing rulebook; instead of creating new defenses, plants with different genome sizes shift existing mechanisms to silence transposons.

More about the study here: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/gmi/detail/news/conserved-rulebook-for-transposon-silencing-how-an-expanding-plant-genome-reorganizes-its-defenses

Read the full publication here: https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.71054

29/07/2026

On July 24th, the GMI and IMBA opened their doors for an all-day GMI/IMBA KinderUni Day!

In the morning, 120 curious minds gathered for an interactive lecture on the topic “Superpower Diversity: Why being different makes you strong”, which connected diversity across institutes, scientists, and research questions. Liam Dolan, the GMI Scientific Director, and IMBA Managing Director, Barbara Kraus, opened the program with an enthusiastic kick-off.

Researchers Tom Ellis (GMI) and Helena Okulski (IMBA) had a lively dialogue on their similarities and differences across their journey into science and what they research now. They even demonstrated a live experiment! The scientists encouraged the kids to stay curious, appreciate diversity in all areas of life, and never stop asking questions.

After the lecture, the children participated in two different workshops – one led by the GMI on plant pigments and the other led by IMBA on neuronal cells. At the GMI workshop, kids extracted red cabbage juice to use as a pH indicator, observed photosynthesis in action, and discovered why trees reveal their hidden colors in Autumn.

A special thank you to all the researchers, especially Lisa Weidlich and Lucyna, who co-created the workshop with the GMI Comms Team!

The day would not have been possible without support and expertise of the KinderBüro Wien and KinderUni Wien.

28/07/2026

On July 17th, the GMI hosted a KinderUni workshop at the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften on the topic of seed dispersal. The workshop, titled “About Slings, Umbrellas & Sneaky Paths: How Plants Spread Their Seeds”, welcomed kids to explore plant seeds, and the many different methods plants use to disperse them.

The kids dissected beans to find the plant embryo inside discovered what plants need to grow, and observed what happens during germination. Through games and hands-on activities, they explored how plant seeds get around – by flying, shooting, sticking, swimming, and being offered as rewards to animals.

Plants and their seed dispersal mechanisms continue to inspire human creativity and inventions. We hope the workshop has inspired the next generation of scientists!

Thank you to the ÖAW for hosting this wonderful day in collaboration with the KinderUni Wien and allowing us to take part in sharing our science with such an engaged audience.

27/07/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Buendía-Ávila, researcher from the Marí-Ordóñez lab at the GMI! He successfully defended his PhD thesis, titled “Understanding Transposon Silencing in Duckweeds”.

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Vienna Biocenter Scientific Training

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Zeynep Begüm Şen, PhD student in the Ma group at the GMI, who received a DOC Fellowship from the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften!

This competitive fellowship is awarded to outstanding doctoral candidates to support excellence in research. Through her project, titled “Investigating Phytohormonal Regulations in Swede Midge-Induced Galls on Arabidopsis thaliana”, Begüm aims to understand how insects reprogram plant cells to form galls. Although these specialized structures provide insect pests with both nutrients and protection, they result in damage to economically important crop plants, including canola and broccoli.

Begüm’s research investigates the molecular mechanisms by which the Swede Midge (Conarinia nasturtii) induces gall formation by focusing on plant hormones and signaling pathways that regulate cell growth, development, and defence. Using a robust Arabidopsis thaliana model system established within the Ma group, her work will advance understanding of the interplay of phytohormones during gall development.

Read more about Begüm’s research here: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/gmi/detail/news/doc-fellowship-awarded-to-zeynep-beguem-sen

Adresse

Dr Bohr Gasse 3
Wien
1030

Telefon

+431790449000

Webseite

http://www.gmi.oeaw.ac.at/

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