Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

We investigate how organisms interact with chemical signals.
We do research in the lab to better understand interactions at a molecular level.

We do research in the lab to better understand interactions at a molecular level.

Photo: Anna Schroll
We do research in the glasshouse and in the field to better understand interactions and signals in their natural environment.

We do research in the glasshouse and in the field to better understand interactions and signals in their natural environment.

Photo: Anna Schroll
We support the Initiative “Weltoffenes Thüringen”.

We support the Initiative “Weltoffenes Thüringen”.

We are committed to ensuring that people from different backgrounds live and work together in a respectful manner.
Training and international collaborations are key features of our work.

Training and international collaborations are key features of our work.

Photo: Anna Schroll
We believe diversity and inclusion leads to the best science.

We believe diversity and inclusion leads to the best science.

Photo: Jürgen Scheere

Research News

New habitats affect plant defense
Populations of ribwort plantain outside their original range are just as well defended as native populations, and in some cases even better
Silkmoths: Different olfactory worlds of females and males
Female moths primarily use their sense of smell to find the best host plants on which to lay their eggs, with the deterrent effect of caterpillar feces playing an important role
Nature is inventive - the same substance is produced differently by plants
The production of special plant defense compounds has evolved independently in distantly related plant families

Current News and Announcements

Publications

Gandhi, A.; Reichelt, M.; Furch, A. C. U.; Mithöfer, A.; Oelmüller, R.: Cellooligomer/CELLOOLIGOMER RECEPTOR KINASE1 signaling crosstalks with PAMP-triggered immune responses and sugar metabolism in Arabidopsis roots. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (accepted)
Svietlova, N.; Zhyr, L.; Reichelt, M.; Grabe, V.; Mithöfer, A.: Glutamine as sole nitrogen source prevents induction of nitrate transporter gene NRT2.4 and affects amino acid metabolism in Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Plant Science (accepted)
Lyu, H.; Ernst, L.; Nakamura, Y.; Okamura, Y.; Köllner, T. G.; Luck, K.; Liu, B.; Chen, Y.; Beerhues, L.; Gershenzon, J. et al.; Paetz, C.: Phenylphenalenones and linear diarylheptanoid derivatives are biosynthesized via parallel routes in Musella lasiocarpa, the chinese dwarf banana. (2024)

News

The 2024 call for applications of the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) "Chemical Communication in Ecological Systems" in Jena, Germany, will is online from March 4 until April 19, 2024.
During the 3rd International Conference on Insect Pest Management, Bill Hansson, director of the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, was awarded a honorary professorship at Nanjing Agricultural University.
On October 23, 2023, Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) Jena, represented by its Vice President Prof. Dr. Christoph Steinbeck, awarded Martin Kaltenpoth the Honorary Professorship of Evolutionary Ecology in the university's auditorium.

Events and Seminars

Priotas

Zufriedenheitsumfrage am Institut - Informationsveranstaltung
Apr 10, 2024 11:00 AM (Local Time Germany)
Online

Priotas

Staff survey at the institute - information event
Apr 10, 2024 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

Noah Whiteman

to be announced
Apr 15, 2024 11:30 AM (Local Time Germany)
Hybrid lecture (online via zoom & MPI-CE, A1.009 + A1.011)

IMPRS Symposium

Apr 17, 2024
Dornburg Castle

Florian Schiestl

to be announced
Apr 24, 2024 11:30 AM (Local Time Germany)
Hybrid lecture (online via zoom & MPI-CE, A1.009 + A1.011)
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