Plantae Presents – Pathways to Impact: Translating Plant Science Research Into Real-world Applications

Plantae Presents – Pathways to Impact: Translating Plant Science Research Into Real-world Applications

Featuring MariCarmen Alamar, Anne Runkel and Katarzyna Retzer

 

When: Thursday, February 20, 2025, at
7:00 AM PST | 10:00 AM EST | 3:00 PM GMT | 11 PM Beijing

 

About this Webinar

This webinar will explore the journey from cutting-edge plant science research to tangible, real-world applications. This event brings together leading experts from both academia and industry to share insights, success stories, and challenges in bridging the gap between plant research and agriculture practice.

Whether you are a researcher, industry professional, or simply passionate about the future of plant science, this webinar will provide valuable perspectives on how your innovation can drive real-world impact.

Hosted by the 2025 Plantae Fellows.

 


SPEAKERS

MariCarmen Alamar

MariCarmen Alamar is an accomplished researcher in postharvest plant physiology, biochemistry, and technology. She has been with Cranfield University since 2010 and is leading research within the Postharvest Research Group that collaborates with breeders, growers, and retailers. With a long history of building relationships across many different industries, MariCarmen has delivered impact through developing postharvest technologies targeting food loss and waste, and through improving our fundamental understanding of processes such as potato and onion dormancy. As course director and supervisor, MariCarmen regularly guides students in academia-industry relationships during their MSc and PhD degrees and designed an application-focused curriculum as MSc course director and lecturer.

 

 

 


Anne Runkel

Dr. Anne Runkel is the Vice President of Product Innovation at The Mosaic Company. She leads a dedicated team of scientists and engineers focused on developing science-based solutions for agriculture. Before joining Mosaic, Dr. Runkel headed the Research & Development team at Plant Response, a startup acquired by The Mosaic Company.

Dr. Runkel began her career in the agricultural biologicals industry as a mode-of-action scientist at Koch Biological Solutions. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, where she made contributions to the field of plant cell and molecular biology. Throughout her career, Dr. Runkel has been part of exceptionally talented teams, developing technologies that address grower challenges with a focus on sustainable and agronomically relevant solutions.

 

 


Katarzyna Retzer

Katarzyna Retzer is a Principal Investigator at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, where she leads research in plant hormone signaling, root development, and plant-microbe interactions. As a Work Package Leader involved in the EU Horizon project BarleyMicroBreed, she and her team focus on developing resilient barley varieties through innovative approaches that integrate fundamental and applied research. Her expertise lies in establishing novel root phenotyping tools and studying auxin signaling pathways and their role in shaping root architecture, particularly in response to environmental challenges. Katarzyna is  collaborating with breeders and industry partners to advance sustainable agricultural practices. She is also dedicated to mentoring MSc and Ph.D. students, fostering interdisciplinary learning. Bluesky: @katarzynaretzer.bsky.social.

 

 

 


MODERATORS

Ciara O’Brien

Ciara is a postdoctoral researcher in the John Innes Centre (UK) working on starch metabolism in potato. Originally from Ireland, Ciara moved to the UK to study postharvest ripening at Cranfield University for their PhD, where they fell in love with science communication- from teaching to outreach! Bluesky: @ciara-obrien.bsky.social.

 

 

 

 

 

Carlos González Sanz

Carlos is a biotechnologist doing his PhD at the CBGP (Madrid, Spain). His research focuses on understanding the effects of high temperatures on plants, specifically their impact on fungal microbiota recruitment.  X: @carlosgonzsanz | Bluesky: @carlosgonzsanz.bsky.social.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katarina Kurtović

Katarina is a final-year PhD student at Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. During her Master’s in Croatia, she was studying plant hormone auxin from an agricultural perspective. Now, her research focuses on evolution of auxin transport and response in algal relatives of land plants. X: @kat_kurtovic | Bluesky: @katarinakurtovic.bsky.socials.