Period of stay: from 02.07.2023 until 07.07.2023

Report

This July I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the 71st International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) in Dublin, Ireland, and to present my scientific work there in a poster session.  The congress was hosted by NatPro, the Trinity Centre for Natural Products Research, at Trinity College in Dublin.

The programme brimmed with inspiring plenary keynote lectures, short lecture sessions and poster sessions, offering plenty of opportunities for the exchange of scientific ideas, discussions and networking. It was great to meet scientists from as many as 53 different countries. I presented my work with a poster entitled “Streptomyces spp. from the rhizosphere of Leontopodium nivale subsp. alpinum – uncovering potential for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites” in the historical Trinity College exam hall. The local organisers did a wonderful job of making everyone feel welcome. Apart from the excellent scientific programme, the congress was accompanied by lively social events – a visit of the magnificent Long Room in the Trinity College Library and the opportunity to see the over 1000 years old Book of Kells, and a wonderful Irish night and dinner.

I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Sergey Zotchev for the opportunity to conduct my PhD research project in the Pharmaceutical Biotechnology laboratory within the Division of Pharmacognosy at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Vienna. Moreover, I am extending my gratitude to the Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences (PhaNuSpo) for the travel grant, that made my participation in the GA 2023 congress possible.