07.10.2026

International Symposium on New Concepts in Prokaryotic Virus-Host Interactions Welcomes the International Phage Biology Community to Berlin

The 2026 International Symposium on New Concepts in Prokaryotic Virus–Host Interactions, held at Harnack House in Berlin in October 2026, brought together an international community of scientists to explore emerging concepts and novel mechanisms in phage biology. The symposium was organized within the framework of the DFG-funded Priority Programme SPP 2330, which is currently in its second funding period.

The event opened with a career workshop for early-career researchers from SPP 2330. During a dedicated discussion session, Julia Frunzke, speaker of the Priority Programme, shared insights into her academic career path, while Stefan Miller of PolyQuant GmbH offered perspectives on pursuing a career in industry and founding several start-up companies. The exchange provided young scientists with valuable insights into different career paths and the opportunities and challenges they may encounter along the way.

Over three inspiring days in Berlin, members of SPP 2330 and scientists from around the world came together to discuss recent advances in prokaryotic virus-host interactions. A particular highlight were keynote talks by internationally renowned guest speakers, who shared pioneering research and new perspectives on the rapidly evolving field of phage biology.

Another highlight was the talk by mountaineer Helga Hengge, followed by a round-table discussion with female early-career researchers from SPP 2330. Drawing on her own experiences, Helga reflected on resilience, strategic decision-making, perseverance, teamwork, and the importance of taking progress one step at a time. Her insights offered an encouraging perspective on the challenges and opportunities of a scientific career, inspiring participants to pursue their own paths with confidence, determination, and trust in their abilities.

Poster prizes sponsored by FEMS microLife and PolyQuant GmbH were awarded to Lavisha Parab (LMU Munich, Germany), Gideon Cummings (Weizmann Institute, Israel), and James Hodgkinson-Bean (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) for their outstanding poster presentations.

We thank all speakers and poster presenters for their contributions and three wonderful days of outstanding science.