Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is pleased to virtually host the International Symposium on Plant Photobiology (ISPP), which is a biennial meeting bringing together the brightest minds discussing breakthroughs into how light perception shapes plant and microbe form, development, and communication. ISPP meetings began 30 years ago and are organized without the auspices of a specific scientific society. Instead, the organization relies on volunteer and enthusiastic plant photobiology laboratories and rotates among the Americas, Asia and Europe. The past edition of this meeting was held between June 3 and 8 of 2019 in the PRBB research park building in the city of Barcelona (Spain).

Thematically grounded in how photosynthetic organisms perceive different light wavelengths, from the ultraviolet to far-red, this meeting spans from the structural bases of light perception to how competition for sunlight in the field influences predator-prey relationships. The 2021 meeting will bring together researchers from North & South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia to present their latest research. Invited presentations include a new understanding of the role of photoreceptors as thermosensors, how photoperception is linked to plant competition, light and circadian clocks, and new optogenetic tools that use light to manipulate cellular signaling. We will also host speakers from the animal optogenetics community to discuss the adoption of discoveries in plant and microbial photoperception.

Each oral session will include invited speakers and speakers selected from submitted abstracts. For this reason, abstracts from both junior and senior investigators are warmly invited. The abstracts should focus on new and unpublished data. The organizers will select abstracts for oral, flash, and poster presentations.

We are eager to have as many young people as possible attend, and we have applied for funds from government and industry to partially support graduate students and postdocs. All questions pertaining to registration, fees, abstract submission, financial aid, or any other matters should be directed to Catie Carr.

Social Media:

The designated hashtag for this meeting is #ISPP2021. Note that you must obtain permission from an individual presenter before live-tweeting or discussing his/her talk, poster, or research results on social media. Click the Policies tab above to see our full Confidentiality & Reporting Policy.