Successful conclusion of the Dioscuri workshop "Physical and chemical determinants of biological evolution"

In the week of 5-9 September 2022, a workshop on "Physical and chemical determinants of biological evolution" took place at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön. The aim of the workshop was to deepen the cooperation with the Dioscuri Centre for Physics and Chemistry of Bacteria of the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAN in Warsaw, Poland, led by Bartek Waclaw.

It was the second annual meeting of both partners and at the same time the first time in presence in the lecture hall of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology (MPI) in Plön. A total of ten researchers from Warsaw and additionally four keynote speakers (Helen Alexander, Julia Bos, Nicolas Desprat, Joachim Krug) were invited for external input. 

In addition to external lectures, some MPI scientists used the opportunity to present their research and the general orientation of the different research groups and thus find approaches for further collaborations and deepen existing ones.

The Dioscuri Centre for the Physics and Chemistry of Bacteria:
The Centre's research revolves around a comprehensive understanding of the biology, physics and chemistry of bacteria, particularly pathogens.

The main goal of the centre is to combine experiments and mathematical modelling to better understand bacterial growth and evolution in the natural environment of pathogenic bacteria. The centre is located in the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAN in Warsaw, Poland and is headed by Dr Bartek Waclaw. 

To fulfil its mission, the centre has entered into a partnership with the Department of Evolutionary Theory at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany. This partnership is the origin of the name "Dioscuri" - in Greek mythology, the Dioscuri were the twin brothers Castor and Pollux