Three fantastic days with the BraunLab & KilchertLab in beautiful Bacharach in the Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site close to the Loreley. Great science, lively discussions, hiking, cooking—and plenty of new ideas. We mixed chalk talks and “odds & ends” with brainstorming about future research and how we can improve lab onboarding and mentoring.

A real highlight was the hands-on workshop on curating papers for PomBase, led by the one & only Valerie Wood. Huge thanks for joining us, Val! And it was wonderful to welcome back former lab members Ramon Ramos Barrales (University of Seville) and Ebru Aydin (IMB Mainz).

   

 

   

Cornelia, Val, and Sigurd during the PomBase workshop   •    Sigurd & Ramón    •    Dinner with Braun & Kilchert labs, Val, Ramón & Ebru (left front)

 

But retreats are about much more than science: spending time together, sharing meals, exploring the Rhine Valley, and reconnecting with lab alumni made this a wonderful opportunity to strengthen collaborations and team spirit—and, of course, spark plenty of new ideas along the way. Thanks to everyone who made these three days so enjoyable. Already looking forward to the next one!