GELIFES 10th Anniversary Symposium - Decoding Life’s Diversity
When: | Th 26-06-2025 09:30 - 23:59 |
Where: | EM2, Suikerlaan 6, 9743 DA Groningen |

On Thursday 26 June, GELIFES will celebrate the launch of our institute 10 years ago with a special lustrum symposium at EM2 in Groningen. More information on our keynote speakers, the venue, and registration can be found on the symposium website.
Programme:
09:30 | Walk-in & registration |
10:00 | Opening remarks by Scientific Director |
Session 1 | |
10:10 |
Helmut Hillebrand (University of Oldenburg, Germany) Beyond alpha – The multiple dimensions of biodiversity change |
10:50 |
Klemens Eriksson
Uncover a data deficient Wadden Sea |
11:10 |
Pablo Tittonell
Agroecology - Towards resilient food systems and landscapes for people and nature |
11:30 | Tea/coffee break |
Session 2 | |
11:50 |
Eric Schranz (Wageningen University & Research) Maroon rice from Suriname - Genomic diversity reflects 350 years of colonial history |
12:30 |
Jean-Christophe Billeter
How to integrate evolutionary and mechanistic approaches using Drosophila |
12:50 |
Joana Falcao Salles
Ecological powerhouses - Leveraging the microbiome for climate change resilience and sustainable production |
13:10 | Lunch |
Session 3 | |
14:10 |
Niels Rattenborg (MPI Biological Intelligence, Germany) A bird's-eye view of sleep |
14:50 |
Sanne Moorman
How perception affects action - Studying neural integration of auditory feedback in birdsong and speech |
15:10 |
Lukas van de Oudenhove (KU Leuven, Belgium) Small molecules, big impact? - Short-chain fatty acids as microbiota-gut-brain axis mediators of human psychophysiology |
Session 4 | |
15:50 | Posters & drinks |
Session 5 | |
16:50 |
Hanna Kokko (Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany) Shades of grey in the context of death |
17:30 |
Ido Pen
Maternal manipulation of offspring size can trigger the evolution of eusociality in promiscuous species |
17:50 |
Maurine Dietz
Microbiomes in avian ecology |
18:10 | Poster prizes |
18:20 | Closing remarks |
18:30 | Dinner |

Social and disco with DJ 20:00-00:00 |
