We’re back from the SPP2191 & SFB1551 joint retreat at Basecamp, Bonn — what an unforgettable experience! Staying in vintage campervans and authentic train compartments made for a truly unique setting to connect, reflect, and exchange ideas.

We are deeply grateful to Prof. Dr. Edward Lemke and Prof. Dr. Dorothee Dormann for their leadership and vision in initiating and launching this special event. Their efforts laid the foundation for an inspiring scientific exchange in the fields of biomolecular condensates and phase separation.

It was a true honor to welcome Prof. Dr. Sarah Shammas (Oxford University) and Prof. Dr. Florian Wilfling (MPI Biophysics) as keynote speakers. Their insightful talks on intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and autophagy sparked meaningful discussions and new perspectives. It’s always a pleasure to engage with passionate and talented researchers who generously share their science.

We also extend our sincere thanks to all the speakers from across the network for their engaging oral and poster presentations. Congratulations to Susanne Liese (PhD) for receiving the Best Talk Award and to Johann Fritzen for winning the Best Poster Award! A special shoutout to Elias de Lamo Peitz for his standout contribution to networking at the event — well done!

A highlight of the retreat was hosting Dr. Thiago Carvalho and Dr. David del Alamo from Fellowsherpa, who led a thought-provoking and interactive workshop on scientific integrity. Their session was a powerful reminder of the critical importance of maintaining rigorous scientific standards in all aspects of research.

We were also delighted to have Dr. Judith Houtmann (Science Manager, University of Bonn) and Dr. Vigneshwaran Namasivayam (Director of Computational Chemistry, Dewpoint Therapeutics) join our career panel, alongside Prof. Dr. Sarah Shammas, Dr. David del Alamo, and Dr. Thiago Carvalho. Their reflections on career paths, opportunities, and challenges provided valuable insights into the diversity of scientific careers and the many ways to navigate them.

It was a real pleasure to engage with such a dynamic and diverse group of young researchers. Thank you all for bringing scientific excellence, curiosity, and fantastic energy to this retreat!