Bringing together the Nordic Developmental Biology communities in Bergen

Taking place at Media City Bergen on May 28-31, the meeting was organized jointly by the Michael Sars Centre at the University of Bergen, the Swedish Developmental Biology Organisation (SWEDBO), and the Finnish Society for Developmental Biology (FSDB). It attracted 184 participants from 13 different countries, who gathered in Bergen to attend more than 30 talks on a wide range of topics within developmental and stem cell biology. The University of Bergen was well represented amongst the attendees, with 105 participants and five invited and selected speakers.

Creating new connections within the Nordics

As she opened the meeting, the rector of the University of Bergen, Margareth Hagen, stressed the importance of collaboration within the Nordics. “The collaborative spirit that characterizes our region has been instrumental in advancing developmental biology”, she said. “By working together, sharing resources, and building networks, we enhance our collective ability to innovate and contribute meaningfully to science and society.”

The collaborative spirit that characterizes our region has been instrumental in advancing developmental biology. By working together, sharing resources, and building networks, we enhance our collective ability to innovate and contribute meaningfully to science and society.
- UiB Rector Margareth Hagen

The Michael Sars Symposium, organized yearly since 2022 by the Michael Sars Centre, is a one-day event featuring local and international invited speakers working on a wide range of marine organisms. The suggestion to integrate the Symposium with the Nordic Societies for Developmental Biology Meeting, initiated by Nordic Societies co-organizers Prof. Fabian Rentzsch (Department of Biological Sciences, UiB) and Luiza Ghila (Department of Clinical Science, UiB), was met with enthusiasm by Michael Sars Symposium organizers Marios Chatzigeorgiou and Patrick Steinmetz. “From the Michael Sars Centre’s perspective, we saw this as an invaluable opportunity to leverage the international network of the Nordic Societies to enhance the visibility of the Centre's excellence in Scandinavia and beyond”, Patrick explained.

A diversity of research themes and model organisms

Foto/ill.:

Melanie Burford

From basic developmental biology, to stem cell and biomedical research, the program covered a wide range of research topics and model organisms. “The meetings of the Nordic Developmental Biology Societies usually focus on model systems and biological processes with implications for human health”, Fabian said. “The Joint Meeting was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the relevance of developmental biology for understanding other fundamental questions. I think that after this meeting, we are even more excited about our research field and many of us are taking home new ideas for projects and collaborations.”

The breadth in topics and systems was enthusiastically received by participants. “It was really the diversity of biological approaches and models that made this meeting an absolute treat”, shared invited speaker Maximilian Fürthauer, Research Group Leader at the Institut de Biologie Valrose in Nice, France. Kirsty Wan, Associate Professor at the University of Exeter, agreed, adding, “The organizers should be congratulated for putting together such a fascinating and diverse program which no doubt reflects the unique nature of the scientific research being conducted in Bergen”.

Poster prizes to UiB

The meeting also offered a platform for early career researchers to share their work through flash talks and a poster session. A committee of invited speakers from the Nordics Societies awarded the conference’s two poster prizes to Michael Sars Centre PhD candidates Inés Fournon Berodia and Noah Bruderer. “The best advertisement for the Michael Sars Centre and UiB certainly came from the Centre’s PhD students and postdocs who won poster prizes or were selected to present their work to the Nordic research community”, said Patrick.

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Kathrin Garschall

Highlighting the importance of marine diversity in research

In parallel to the event, participants were invited to discover the marine organisms studied at the Michael Sars Centre in a pop-up installation. Comb jellies, sea squirts, marine worms, and more were displayed in aquariums and under the microscope, highlighting the local marine diversity and the importance of non-traditional marine species for research.

Michael Sars Symposium speakers took part in a visit to the Centre’s animal facilities, sparking engaging discussions and plans for future collaborations. “I also very much appreciated the memorable guided tour of the facility where each group took the time to introduce their model species to us”, Kirsty added. “Being able to develop some of the more ‘exotic’ marine organisms into exciting emerging model systems opens up many new avenues of inquiry, and this is clearly a strength of the Centre.”

Foto/ill.:

Melanie Burford

Next year’s event

Inspired by this year’s success, the Michael Sars Symposium organizers are already looking forward to next year’s event, which will take place on June 5, 2025. The Symposium will continue to foster connections within the local marine research community and the rest of the world. “Bergen is definitively a very special place, both scientifically speaking, as well as the places we visited in the city, with a wonderful young atmosphere and tremendous views”, said invited speaker Cristian Cañestro, group leader at the University of Barcelona. Another compelling reason to attend the meeting in the future!