Jonathan Gershenzon honored with Silver Medal of the International Society of Chemical Ecology
At the 39th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE), currently taking place in Prague (https://www.isce2024.cz/), Jonathan Gershenzon, Managing Director of our Institute and Head of the Department of Biochemistry, was awarded the Society's Silver Medal. The awardee gave the first plenary lecture of the conference entitled "The other half of the story: How insects circumvent plant chemical defenses".
With this medal, the ISCE (https://chemecol.org/awards/the-isce-silver-medal-award/) honors Jonathan Gershenzon's outstanding contributions to the study of the interactions between plants and herbivorous insects. His research supports the development of new, more sustainable methods of pest control in agriculture, the ISCE said in announcing the award. He analyzes the biosynthesis and function of plant defense compounds to gain new insights into the formation and role of these extraordinarily diverse chemical compounds. In particular, his research focuses on how certain herbivorous insects are able to feed on chemically well-protected plants without suffering adverse consequences. His work shows how insects can circumvent plant defenses through detoxification or by altering the target site of the toxin. These findings provide new insights into the function and efficiency of plant defense mechanisms. In recent years, Jonathan Gershenzon and his department have focused much of their research on the defense mechanisms of woody plants, particularly poplar and spruce species. The continuing severe bark beetle infestation in central European spruce forests prompted his department to investigate possible preventive measures based on a better understanding of the natural defense mechanisms of spruce.
"It is a great honor to receive this recognition, but most of the credit should go to the wonderful group of chemical ecologists I have been able to call "coworkers" over the years, the generous funding of the Max Planck Society, and the second-to-none personnel and facilities of our institute in Jena", Jonathan Gershenzon says about receiving the ISCE Silver Medal.
