Eighth EpiSeedLink Newsletter
EpiSeedLink Newsletter 8 – February 2026 🌱
We are pleased to announce the release of the eighth edition of the EpiSeedLink Newsletter.
🥳🚀 EpiSeedLink is reaching an exciting milestone! In February 2026, we have hosted our first public international conference, bringing together the consortium and the broader scientific community to explore the latest advances in:
🌱 Seed‑to‑seedling transition
🌿 Environment & stress responses
🧬 Epigenetic memory & chromatin regulation
🌾 Crop breeding & priming strategies
In this 8th EpiSeedLink Newsletter, we introduce the eight invited speakers who have joined us at the conference:
▶️ Björn Usadel — Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, DE
▶️ Isabel Bäurle — University of Potsdam, DE
▶️ Julia Qüesta — Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, ES
▶️ Leonie Bentsink — Wageningen University, NL
▶️ Pablo Manavella — Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture, ES
▶️ Salma Balazadeh — University of Göttingen, DE
▶️ Stefan Scholten — University of Göttingen, DE
▶️ Steve Penfield — John Innes Centre, UK
The event has also featured poster sessions and presentations from our fellows, showcasing the results of three years of PhD research, along with contributions from external scientists. We welcomed more than 150 participants from the scientific community around the world.
📩 Discover more in the new EpiSeedLink Newsletter.
Read the full Newsletter 8 here
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue the journey of EpiSeedLink!
If you would like to receive the EpiSeedLink Newsletter directly, please contact us at episeedlink@cnb.csic.es.
Frontal Image designed Freepik (<a href=”https://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/papeles-blanco-paja-decorativa-mesa_3624218.htm”>Imagen de freepik</a>)
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_8
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos are posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
This series highlights the commitment of our fellows to making plant science accessible, engaging, and relevant to a broad audience. We invite you to follow the episodes as we continue showcasing the people and research behind EpiSeedLink.
Eighth Video Spotlight
🌱 A Day in the Life of a Marie Curie PhD Student🌱
We are pleased to announce the release of the eighth video in the EpiSeedLink (MSCA-DN-2021) science communication series. This new episode has been created by Nora Pasquali de Medici, PhD Fellow at the University of Galway, who offers an engaging and insightful look into the daily life of a Marie Curie doctoral researcher.
📹 Through a dynamic and entertaining format, Nora guides viewers through her routine as a young scientist working in plant molecular biology and epigenetics. From laboratory work to data analysis, she provides an authentic perspective on the challenges and motivations that shape the PhD experience.
Do you want to learn more about a normal day in the life of a Marie Curie PhD student?
If yes, click on this link and watch the video¡
The video was recorded in English.
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed by Freepik
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_7
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Seventh Video Spotlight
The seventh video features Paolo L. Prodrigues Silva, PhD student at the Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB_CSIC) in Madrid, who explains the secret memory of plants.
Plants carry a quiet kind of memory, etched not in words, but in the way they grow, adapt, and respond to the world around them. Every drought, every sunrise, every touch leaves a trace that shapes their future resilience. It’s a reminder that even the silent ones are always learning.
Do you want to learn more about the secret memory of the plants?
If yes, click on this link and watch the video¡
The video was recorded in Portuguese with subtitles in English.
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed by Freepik
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_6
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Sixth Video Spotlight
The sixth video features Stefania Paltrinieri PhD student at the Université Clermont-Auvergne, (UCA), who explores how plants decide the best moment to germinate and the molecular mechanisms involved.
Did you know why and how plants decide to germinate?
Learn about it by watching the video at this link
The video was recorded in Italian with subtitles in English.
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed by Freepik
EpiSeedLink – Marie Curie Voices: Episode 2_Podcast Series
️✨ We are very pleased to announce the launch of the Second Episode of our 5-episode series EpiSeedLink – Marie Curie Voices, a brand-new podcast series created by our talented Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows.
This podcast takes you behind the scenes of the MSCA experience, exploring the personal stories, challenges, and aspirations of young researchers who are shaping the future of science across Europe.
In this episode, “Advising the Future: Insights from an EpiSeedLink Mentor”, Nora Pasquali Medici and Maira Marins Dourado interview one of the project’s External Advisors, Alex Pecinka.
They discuss:
- his role within the EpiSeedLink Programme
- how EpiSeedLink fits into the broader research landscape and aligns with his own work
- the advice he offers to current Fellows
- his vision for the future of EpiSeedLink
Listen to Episode 2 on YouTube or Spotify
Why Listen?
This episode offers a concise look at how mentoring supports early‑career researchers in EpiSeedLink. Moreover, the Advisor’s perspective on the programme, the skills young scientists need, and his vision for the project’s future.
It’s an insightful listen for anyone interested in research training and the MSCA experience.
Stay tuned for the upcoming episodes to hear more¡
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_5
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Fifth Video Spotlight- The invisible power of epigenetics: Life rewritten
The fifth video features Martina Curci PhD student at the Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP), who explores epigenetics through practical examples, showing how DNA works beyond the genetic code alone.
Did you know that our choices and environment can influence how our genes are expressed?
Learn about it by watching the video at this link
The video was recorded in Italian language with subtitles in English
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed by Freepik
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_4
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Fourth Video Spotlight
The fourth video features Clarisse Zigue PhD student at the Sorbonne University, who explores light priming in dark-adapted seedlings. She is interested in triggering the memory of dark-grown seedlings to help them cope better with the transition to light.
To characterise the acquisition of light memory, she is focusing on identifying the genes and pathways involved in this process.
Watch the video at this link
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed by Freepik
Seventh EpiSeedLink Newsletter
EpiSeedLink Newsletter 7 – Out Now!
We are pleased to announce the release of the seventh edition of the EpiSeedLink Newsletter.
This new issue showcases how the EpiSeedLink network has worked to make plant science and epigenetics accessible to both academic and non‑academic audiences. From international conferences and cutting‑edge workshops to training sessions and collaborative outreach, our project continues to bridge science and society.
What’s inside Newsletter 7?
✅ Updates on online and in‑person courses completed after February 2024
✅ Insights into the secondments carried out by our Fellows during 2025
✅ The launch of the EpiSeedLink Podcast, now available online
✅ Latest scientific publications from the consortium
Our mission remains clear: to share what we do, why it matters, and how EpiSeedLink contributes to advancing science and society.
Read the full Newsletter 7 here
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue the journey of EpiSeedLink!
If you would like to receive the EpiSeedLink Newsletter directly, please contact us at episeedlink@cnb.csic.es.

Frontal Image designed Freepik (<a href=”https://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/papeles-blanco-paja-decorativa-mesa_3624218.htm”>Imagen de freepik</a>)
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_3
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project.
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Third Video Spotlight
The third video features Lei Li, PhD student at the University of Regensburg, who explores how environmental stress affects transcription elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. While transcription initiation has long been considered the key regulatory step, new evidence highlights elongation as a major control point.
The study focuses on transcript elongation factors (TEFs) and their dynamic association with RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) under stress conditions like heat and salinity. By analyzing changes in the composition of the transcription elongation complex (TEC), the project aims to uncover how plants adjust gene expression to enhance stress resilience.
Watch the video at this link
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed Freepik
Meet Our PhD Fellows: Sharing Their Passion for Science_2
Our EpiSeedLink PhD students are stepping in front of the camera to share their passion for science and give you a glimpse into their research within the project
Training in Science Communication
As part of their training in science communication and public engagement, our EpiSeedLink PhD students are creating short videos to present their research and key scientific topics from the project.
Video Series
These videos will be posted every two weeks on EpiSeedLink’s social media channels, giving the public a front-row view of the research questions and discoveries of the next generation of scientists.
Second Video Spotlight
The second video features Shannon Skye Sherman, PhD student at the University of Zurich, who explores how seed priming reprograms molecular and epigenetic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Seed priming, a pre-germination treatment, can enhance germination and tolerance to stresses such as drought.
By integrating transcriptomic and epigenetic changes associated with priming, she aims to identify mechanisms that may inform strategies for more resilient crops.
- Watch the video at this link
You can watch all videos in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@episeedlink2021/
Frontal Image designed Freepik













