Rigi Workshop 2026: Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Scientific discovery has always been driven by exploration, from early naturalists documenting life’s diversity to modern biologists uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind morphological and functional diversity. Rigi Workshop 2026 embraces this spirit of curiosity-driven research, bringing together early-career scientists to move beyond traditional model organisms and explore the vast phenotypic diversity across the tree of life.

Through a dynamic mix of expert talks, interactive workshops, and hands-on activities, the workshop will highlight how cutting-edge technologies, such as single-cell sequencing, advanced imaging, and evolutionary cell biology, are transforming research on non-model systems. Participants will engage with leading researchers in comparative cell and developmental biology, evolutionary genomics, and phenotypic diversity, learning how these approaches can shed new light on morphogenesis, adaptation, and evolution.

By bringing together a small, focused group of early-career researchers, this immersive workshop will provide a unique opportunity to network, collaborate, and generate new research ideas in an inspiring setting. Join us in discovering ‘endless forms most beautiful’ as we rethink the boundaries of cell biology, development, and evolution.

Where and when?

The 3-days course takes place in the Hotel Rigi Kulm on top of the Rigi Mountain, one of the most scenic places in Switzerland, from 25 to 27 January 2026.

Who can apply?

PhD students and Postdocs from all Swiss institutions of higher education are invited. The workshop is aimed at students from all domains of biology interested in this topic. MSc students‘ applications might also be considered.

Please contact your doctoral school for the accreditation of ECTS which we estimate between 1 and 1.5 ECTS.

Registration (it is no longer possible to apply, the deadline is over)

The registration fee is CHF 150 and includes meals and accomodation in a double room (or CHF 190 in a single room, depending on availability). Payment information will be sent after the selection of participants. Please apply online and submit an abstract of your current research (max. 1 page) and a letter of motivation (max. 1 page) by 15 October 2025. The organising committee will select up to 30 outstanding applicants.

Registration form.

Organisers:

Prof. Omaya Dudin, University of Geneva, Life Sciences Switzerland
Prof. Michael Raissig, University of Bern, Swiss Society of Plant Biology
Caroline Reymond, Swiss Academy of Sciences, Platform Biology

Speakers:

• Dr. Gautam Dey, Group Leader at EMBL (DE) - EMBO young investigator lecture
• Dr. Susana Coelho, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen (DE)
• Prof. Jan de Vries, University of Göttingen (DE), Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, Department of Applied Bioinformatics
• Prof. Lauren Saunders, Heidelberg University (DE), Centre for Organismal studies.
• Prof. Annika Guse, Ludwig-Maximillians University of Munich (DE), Centre for Organismic Adaptation.
• Dr. Edwige Moyroud, University of Cambridge (UK), Sainsbury Laboratory