Close-up view of green moss under a binocular microscope.

Flyers with information about different plant species.

Flasks containing different algal cultures arranged on top of each other.

A poster displaying plant magnets organized along a phylogenetic tree to show evolutionary relationships.

We had a great time taking part in Science Goes City in Göttingen on Sunday, in the beautiful St. Johannis Church. It was a joy to share our passion for #Plantsci & #Evolution with many curious people. Big thanks to Göttingen Marketing & @uni-goettingen.de for the organization. #Scicomm More below👇

Postdoc in Evolutionary Systems Biology - VIB About us The VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (PSB, www.psb.vib-ugent.be) is a world-leading plant science institute with the mission to unravel the biology of plants and use the in

The VIB-UGent Center is seeking a postdoc in evolutionary systems biology to study whole-genome duplication impacts on plant evolution. Apply here: jobs.vib.be/j/133506/postdoc-in-evol... #postdoc

The venue of the MAdLand Meeting 2026: The Alte Mensa in Göttingen, Germany

‼️ Registration for the Annual MAdLand Meeting 2026 is now open!
Join us in Göttingen from Sep 29–Oct 2, 2026 to discuss the latest trends in plant science & reconnect with an amazing #Plantsci community #MAdLand2026 #Evolution
🌱 Learn more and register here:
madland-meeting.de/2026/

📣 Job opportunity: ERC-funded position as a Five-Year Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome) in @jandevries.bsky.social lab in Göttingen, Germany. Find more info here:
www.uni-goettingen.de/de/644546.ht...
#plantsci

An unconventional Rubisco small subunit underpins the CO2-concentrating organelle in land plants In many algae, photosynthesis is boosted by biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanisms, which pack the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco into liquid-like organelles called pyrenoids. Engineering C3 crops with a...

Our work on #hornwort #pyrenoids is finally out in @science.org! 🎉 We uncovered how hornworts pack their Rubisco into pyrenoids and successfully recreated them in Arabidopsis. A key step toward engineering more efficient photosynthesis in crops @btiscience.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Highly repeatable phenotypic consequences of whole genome duplication in Spirodela polyrhiza www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01...

We wish everyone happy holidays and a healthy New Year 🎄💫 We are already looking forward to 2026 and the next MAdLand Meeting! 🌱

Given such dichotomy rooted in tremendous phylogenomic conflicts, the evolution of early land flora may be more complex than previously envisaged.

We demonstrate the overlooked algal outgroup effect on the inference of embryophyte deep divergence. Despite the pervasive phylogenomic discordance across genes and sites, the bryophyte monophyly stands, with or without algal outgroup.

Rooting the deep divergence of land plants Unravelling the deep phylogenetic structure of embryophytes is essential for understanding their evolutionary success on land. However, pronounced phylogenetic dispute remains: while recent phylogenom...

Delighted to share our latest work on the deep divergence of land plants! @jandevries.bsky.social
#Phylogenomics
#Embryophytes
#Terrestrialization
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Gene expression divergence following gene and genome duplications in spatially resolved plant transcriptomes After gene and genome duplications, expression divergence across cell types is not random, and it can be explained by a combination of gene age, gene funct

Our paper on the evolution (duplicated) gene expression divergence in spatially resolved plant transcriptomes is now out @theplantcell.bsky.social

w/ @yvdp.bsky.social

#PlantSci #Evolution

academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...

Fantastic conference and very nice to meet colleagues working on algae and land plants!

Resolving the stasis-dynamism paradox: Genome evolution in tree ferns Abstract. The paradox of evolutionary stasis and dynamism—how morphologically static lineages persist through deep geological periods despite environmental

Resolving the stasis-dynamism paradox: Genome evolution in tree ferns url: academic.oup.com/mbe/article/..., nice work from @52ying.bsky.social!

Free-to-read link @natgenet.nature.com: rdcu.be/eHzSP
News & Views: "The dawn of bryophyte genomics is here" rdcu.be/eHzS2

This has been great: #Phylogenomics unveil a recent origin of morphological complexity in Coleochaetophyceae. With @ikeririsarri.bsky.social @maaikebier.bsky.social Chuck, + more @uni-goettingen.de @watertoland.bsky.social #streptophytes #charophytes #evolution
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The subordinate role of pseudogenization to recombinative deletion following polyploidization in angiosperms Nature Communications - Extensive gene loss is a hallmark of rediploidization following polyploidization, but its molecular basis remains unclear. Examining pseudogenization from ancient...

My first paper is finally out! 🥳
We explored how genes get lost in the process of rediploidization following polyploidization and found out that this loss primarly occurs through DNA deletion, rather than pseudogenization. #polyploidy @yvdp.bsky.social @zhen-li.bsky.social

rdcu.be/evxBs

Many ferns images from the paper.

New Article: "Comparative transcriptomics in ferns reveals key innovations and divergent evolution of the secondary cell walls" rdcu.be/eiWNF

Fern transcriptomes reveal repeated whole-genome duplications, unique gene families and distinct lignocellulosic evolution... #PlantScience

Functional genomic perspectives on plant terrestrialization Plant evolutionary research has made leaps in exploring the deep evolutionary roots of embryophytes. A solid phylogenomic framework was established, a…

Our review on “Functional genomic perspectives on plant terrestrialization” in @cp-trendsgenetics.bsky.social is out now! Check it out here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#terrestrialization
#Algae
#Evolution
@watertoland.bsky.social
@jandevries.bsky.social

Polyploid - diploid coexistence in the greater duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza Polyploidy, resulting from whole-genome duplication (WGD), is widespread among plants and originates in sympatry with their lower-ploidy progenitors. New polyploids can only succeed when they overcome...

Polyploid success isn’t just about growing fast—it’s about outcompeting progenitors! 🌱
We had neopolyploid duckweed and their progenitor invade each other, testing how stress & frequency-dependent growth shape WGD success... or failure. @yvdp.bsky.social #polyploid #duckweed
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

The Rise of Polyploids During Environmental Catastrophes Polyploidy, or whole-genome duplication (WGD), both a strong evolutionary and ecological force and a potential pitfall, occurs extensively across the tree of life, particularly in angiosperms. While p...

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...