Phycology Section in the DBG

Prof. Dr. Michael Melkonian erhält als erster deutscher Algenwissenschaftler den prestigeträchtigen Award of Excellence, den die Phycological Society of America (PSA) für herausragendes wissenschaftliches und lehrendes Engagement vergibt, um das Lebenswerk von Forschenden und den Einfluss auf die Phykologie auszuzeichnen. Unser Sprecher, Prof. Dr. Andreas Holzinger (Universität Innsbruck), schildert das wissenschaftliche Werk des Sektionsmitgliedes Professor Melkonian, stellt kurz den Preis und die Jury vor, und berichtet über Melkonians Wirken.

Am 20. Februar 2026 verstarb Prof. Dr. Robert Ludwig Kies, Mitbegründer unserer Sektion Phykologie und erster Träger der Hans Adolf von Stosch-Medaille, die seit 2006 alle vier Jahre von der Sektion an herausragende Phykolog*innen verliehen wird. Als Forscher, Hochschullehrer und engagierter Förderer des wissenschaftlichen Austauschs und Nachwuchses prägte er die Phykologie im deutschsprachigen Raum über viele Jahrzehnte. 
Ludwig Kies' Arbeiten zu Desmidiaceen, Glaucophyten sowie zur Algenflora limnischer, brackiger und mariner Lebensräume verbanden systematische Genauigkeit mit großer Begeisterung für die Vielfalt der Algen. Als Hochschullehrer in Hamburg inspirierte er Generationen von Studierenden und jungen Wissenschaftler*innen – im Hörsaal ebenso wie bei Exkursionen. Sein wissenschaftliches Wirken, seine Begeisterung für die Algen und seine zugewandte Art bleiben der phykologischen Gemeinschaft in dankbarer Erinnerung.

From March 9^th to 12^th, 2025, the 21^st scientific conference of the Phycology Section of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) took place in the venerable halls of the "Alte Mensa" at the University of Göttingen. The conference was organized by Dr. Maike Lorenz, Prof. Jan de Vries, Prof. Thomas Friedl, and Dr. Janine Fürst-Jansen (University of Göttingen), and provided over 120 participants from Germany and abroad an opportunity to present and discuss their current research in the field of algal studies. A wide range of phycological topics was covered in 44 talks and 50 posters. Most of these contributions were presented by PhD students and postdocs and stood out for their high scientific quality. One of the many highlights was the visit to the University of Göttingen's Culture Collection of Algae (SAG) on the final day of the conference. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to explore Göttingen’s historic old town through guided tours in both German and English, with many references to the university city's fascinating history.

During our biannual Phycology Conference members elected new speakers and board members. Three long-standing board members did not stand for re-election: Dr. Thomas Leya, Prof. Severin Sasso, and Dr. Charlotte Permann. The new acting board will be in office for the next two years and consists of: 

Prof. Andreas Holzinger (1^st Speaker), Jun.-Prof. Karin Glaser (2^nd Speaker), Dr. Maike Lorenz (Treasurer), Jun.-Prof. Klaus Herburger (Secretary), Prof. Claudia Büchel (1^st Accessor), Prof. Peter Kroth (Representative in the Federation of European Phycological Societies (FEPS) and 2^nd Accessor) and Dr. Vivien Hotter (Graduate Representative). 

To inspire early interest in algal research, our Section bianually awards the High School Student Prize. This year, the prize was awarded to Maddox Srey-Ouch and Witalij Plett from the Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium and the Student Research Center (Schülerforschungszentrum) in Tuttlingen (Baden-Württemberg) for their biotechnology project “Photopower – Energy from Algae.”

The newly discovered algae species Streptofilum arcticum possesses a potentially highly flexible cell wall: When water is scarce, the cell and cell wall shrink; when water becomes available again, the cell wall expands without causing damage. This function explains the evolutionary transition from water to land and provides the algae with advantages in climate adaptation. An international research team led by TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the Universities of Rostock and Innsbruck, and the National Academy Institute in Kyiv has described the species and its cell functions for the first time in a recent publication in the scientific journal Environmental Microbiology. To date, researchers have identified the new algae species in the Arctic tundra on Svalbard and in coastal dunes along the Baltic Sea, indicating a broader regional distribution than previously assumed.

The 20^th scientific meeting of our Phycology Section took place from March 12 to 15, 2023 in the Rosensäle in Jena. Prof. Dr. Maria Mittag and PD. Dr. Volker Wagner organized the meeting, for which 91 algal researchers registered. They presented and discussed up to date topics of phycology. Maria Mittag, chair of the Phycology Section, welcomed all participants on the first day and presented the topics of the individual Sessions of the Meeting. She acknowledged the following institutions on behalf of the Section for their support: the German Society for Plant Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena with its Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, as well as the companies (in alphabetic order) Agrisera, New England Biolabs, Walz and Zeiss. Maria Mittag mentions the topics of the meeting in her Report and describes the price for high school students under the theme „Shaping the Future with Algae“, which was awarded for the second time. She reports about further prices for students including PhD students as well as about the Pringsheim price awarded for the best presentation of a PhD thesis. Finally, she reports about the von Stosch Award presented to an outstanding phycologist who enthused the audience with his critical questions about photosynthesis and phycology and inspired the people with a poem on evolution. 

read whole conference report with photos at DBG's website:

Three members of the Board, who have contributed for many years, decided not to stand again for election and made also place for younger phycologists. These are the graduate speaker Dr. Karin Glaser, the secretary Prof. Dr. Andreas Holzinger und the chair Prof. Dr. Maria Mittag. In the General Assembly Meeting, held March 13, 2023, the following members standing for election were voted for: 

Prof. Dr. Claudia Büchel (chair), Dr. Thomas Leya (deputy chair), Jun.-Prof. Klaus Herburger, PhD (secretary), Dr. Maike Lorenz (treasurer), Prof. Dr. Severin Sasso (assessor), Charlotte Permann (graduate assessor) and Prof. Dr. Peter Kroth (representative of the Federation of European Phycological Societies, FEPS).

Sections members can contact the editor: stellen @ dbg-phykologie.de

More jobs are also available via our mother society, The German Society of Plant Sciences (DBG)

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The 22^nd Scientific Conference of our Phycology Section will take place in Rostock, Germany, from 14^th - 17^th March 2027.

Invitation

The University of Rostock, represented by Klaus Herburger, Bernard Lepetit and Ulf Karsten, kindly invite you to the 22^nd Scientific Meeting of the Phycology Section of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG). 
As in previous years, we plan to start on 14^th March with afternoon coffee (around 3 pm) followed by the opening ceremony and one to two scientific sessions. The Meeting will finish with a conference dinner etc. on 16^th March, so that you can leave Rostock on 17^th in the morning.
The venue is located at Trihotel Rostock, Tessiner Strasse 103, where we booked lecture hall, poster rooms, catering etc. including 50 double rooms for special prices. The hotel is easy to reach by public transport or car. The conference and accommodation fees will be communicated later during the year when we know all our sponsors. We try to financially support in particular Master and PhD students.
So, please reserve already now 14^th to 17^th March 2027 for an exciting meeting in Rostock.
Best wishes
Klaus, Bernard, Ulf and the local organization team

If you would like to inform the Section about a conference, please write to tagungen [at] dbg-phykologie.de.

Every other year - in between the Botanik-Tagung (International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences) - the Section organizes a scientific conference to discuss latest reaserch results.

Past Meetings

The archives lists past Section's meetings. including images and conference gleanings.

Our Section is the largest non-profit association for algal research and phycology in the German speaking area. The network promotes phycology and represents more than 140 scientists (in March 2018) and researchers in the German Society for Plant Scientists (DBG). It also aims to introduce and to enthuse non-specialists for this fascinating and important organisms. The Phycology Section supports young scientists, unites all generations and promotes the exchange between its members.

Members of the Phycology Section support the aims and objectives of our Section. The more members we have the more powerful we are able to advocate the concerns of phycology and phycologists in the scientific community, in the public and in politics.

Join the Phycology Section and please download and complete our application form (pdf) and return it to us.

We are looking forward to network with you.