CIBSS continues its series of interviews with early career researchers focused on signalling research in Freiburg.
In our #NextGen Signalling Scientists series, we shine the spotlight on early career researchers who are shaping the future of signalling science at CIBSS.
In a three-question format, the next generation of signalling scientists offer insights into their research projects, how they navigate academia, and what motivates them to advance their research.
You can find previous interviews of this series here.
Rim Chaudhury studies how plants sense and respond to rain. Her research shows that a brief spray of water can “prime” plants to survive flooding better—almost like an internal weather forecast. Her curiosity led to an unexpected insight: plants “remember” rain, but only for a short while, conserving energy when the danger has passed. Now, Rim aims to rewire plant signalling so that each rain event boosts flood tolerance, a step toward more resilient crops in a changing climate.
Christoph Reiter studies mitophagy, the process by which cells recycle damaged mitochondria, balancing repair with controlled cell death. He compares his work to a recycling plant, where “manager” factors decide whether damaged components can be repaired or should trigger controlled cell death. He finds it particularly rewarding to not only consume knowledge but to actively contribute to it through new discoveries. Looking ahead, he aims to uncover how mitophagy and apoptosis communicate—knowledge that could guide future therapies to restore cellular balance in disease.
