RTG Seminars and Lectures
As a core component of the structured training in RTG 3120, Research Seminars and Ring Lectures will feature leading scholars and scientists in the field in Dresden and from abroad to share the latest research from their groups and community. All researchers in Dresden working or interested in the field are invited to join the seminars. The variety of disciplines covered by the speakers will showcase the interdisciplinary approaches in studying condensates and prepare the PhD candidates of the RTG for a stimulating scientific career.
Research Seminar
The Research Seminar takes place every other Tuesday at 12 starting May 2026 and presents the audience with insights into the frontiers of condensates research. The list below is tentative and maybe changed at any time. Therefore, please consult the page regularly for updates.
| Speaker | Affiliation | Topic | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick McCall | Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden | Contrasting phases: from biomolecular composition to condensate properties and functionality | 05.05.2026 | CRTD |
| Lars Hubatsch | MPI-CBG Dresden | Transport Kinetics Across Phase Boundaries | 19.05.2026 | CRTD |
| Arash Nikoubashman | Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden | Molecular insights into biomolecular condensates from coarse-grained simulations | 02.06.2026 | CRTD |
| Alexander von Appen | MPI-CBG Dresden | Building a minimal nucleus to understand structure and mechanics of assembly | 16.06.2026 | B CUBE |
| Jared Sterneckert | CRTD, TU Dresden | New insights into axonal vulnerability to ALS using iPS cells | 30.06.2026 | CRTD |
| Evan Spruijt | Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands | 17.07.2026 | CRTD | |
| Aida Maraj | MPI-CBG Dresden | 06.10.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Amy Gladfelter | Duke University School of Medicine | 27.10.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Host: Miki Ebisuya | Physics of Life, TU Dresden | 10.11.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Agnes Toth-Petroczy | MPI-CBG Dresden | 17.11.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Sebastian Aland | HTW Dresden | 24.11.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Ellen Adams | Physics of Life, TU Dresden | 01.12.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Tony Hyman | MPI-CBG Dresden | 15.12.2026 | B CUBE | |
| Jan Brugues | Physics of Life, TU Dresden | 12.01.2027 | B CUBE | |
| Helmut Schiessel | Physics of Life, TU Dresden | 26.01.2027 | B CUBE |
Ring Lecture
The Ring Lecture takes place every Thursday at 16:40 in the summer semester of 2026, 2027 and 2028 and is dedicated to teach early career researchers the principles of condensates science and landmark research studies. The list below is tentative and maybe changed at any time. Therefore, please consult the page regularly for updates.
| Speaker(s) | Affiliation | Topic(s) | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Alberti and Alf Honigmann | BIOTEC, TU Dresden | -Biochemistry of higher-order assemblies and condensates - Role of protein phase separation for organization of cellular membranes | 07.05.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Helmut Schiessel and Jan Brugues | Physics of Life, TU Dresden | -The physics of epigenetics -Chromatin organization by condensate-DNA interactions | 21.05.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Anthony Hyman | MPI-CBG Dresden | Phase Separation in Cell Physiology and Disease | 28.05.2026 | Leibniz IPF Dresden |
| Michael Schlierf | B CUBE, TU Dresden | RNA biology and RNA folding in the context of condensates | 04.06.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Jens-Uwe Sommer | Leibniz IPF Dresden | Multi-component phase transitions | 11.06.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Jared Sterneckert | CRTD, TU Dresden | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: from disease mechanisms to therapeutics | 18.06.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Titus Franzmann | BIOTEC, TU Dresden | An introduction to Protein folding | 25.06.2026 | BIOTEC |
| Ellen Adams and Tyler Harmon | Physics of Life, TU Dresden Leibniz IPF Dresden | - Water in biological systems -Molecular grammar underlying biological condensation | 02.07.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Agnes Toth-Petroczy and Miki Ebisuya | MPI-CBG Dresden Physics of Life, TU Dresden | - Evolution of condensates - n vivo Models for studying the Kinetics of Condensates | 09.07.2026 | MPI-CBG |
| Stephan Grill | MPI-CBG Dresden | Biolomecular condensates on and with DNA | 16.07.2026 | MPI-CBG |
PhD Seminar
The PhD Seminar is forum for presenting project ideas and work in progress between students and affiliates of the RTG 3120. Two scientists, one from the primary cohort and one from the extra cohort, are asked to present and discuss their work in around 30 minutes each (aim for 15 minutes of material to present). The focus should be on clearly explaining the background, context, scientific gap/question, aims, methods, and if available preliminary results to an interdisciplinary audience. This event of the RTG aims to support the training of RTG students into interdisciplinary scientists well-trained and versed in physics, biology, and biochemistry to bridge these fields and address biological phenomena that require a wide range of expertise.
| Date | Speaker (1. Cohort) | Speaker (Extra Cohort) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||
| May 29th | Nora-Elen Giesinger Theme: 'Molecular insights into condensate surfaces' | Election and seminar planning |
| June 9th | Lukas Haugk Theme: 'Simulation and theoretical modelling of condensates in epigenetics' | Subhasish Chaki Theme: 'Nuclear Condensates as Reaction Containers' |
| June 23rd | Renan dos Reis | Alberto Hernandez Armendariz |
| July 7th | Snigdha C Udayakumar | Takahiro Yokoyama |
| July 21st | Jishu Dutta | Likhitha Pulibandla |
| October 13th | Zhiheng Zhang | Zhouyi (Joey) He |
| November 3rd | Maria del Sol Reyes Ortiz | Dr. Andreas Hartmann |
| December 8th | Vijay Subramanian | Jialin Yin |
| 2027 | ||
| January 19th | Anastasiia Chinakova | Georg Pöppich |
| February 2nd | Daria Miasoedova | Tim Schell-Dieckel |
| February 23rd | student from B2 | Mari Hambardzumyan |
