What a great experience to jointly organise and participate in Postdoc Appreciation Week 2026 with the session “Research road bumps: you are not alone!” along with IPPro and SFB1361 at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB).

We are specially grateful to the guest speakers Helen May-Simera, René Ketting and Susanne Gerber for openly sharing their own experiences and reminding us that a career in academic research is rarely a smooth ride. Whether it is getting a paper published, applying for funding (again and again), navigating personal challenges, juggling multiple projects, managing a team, meeting expectations—or simply dealing with the unexpected—researchers have been through it all and, time and again, found a way forward.

It is truly admirable and inspiring to witness the resilience, persistence, and dedication of those who devote their lives to research. Their experiences remind us that, while the path may be challenging and unpredictable, it can also be deeply rewarding

A wonderful way to honour the postdocs in our Labs, such as Dr. Cosimo Jann (postdoc at the Lemke Lab) and Dr. Carolin B. Wagner (postdoc at the Luke Lab), who led this session and engaged with both the group leaders and fellow postdocs in the audience! We look forward to watching you thrive in this winding yet deeply rewarding scientific journey. We are excited to see where it takes you!

Last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to our fellow colleagues and organisers: Dr Chiara Galante (IPPro) & Katarina Kruspig (SFB1361)

Check out all the activities available this week at the PAW2026 in Germany