COST Action PlantWallK

@plantwallk.org

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PlantWallK | COST Action CA24116 🇪🇺 Plant cell walls across scales Methods • Imaging • Data Network, training, STSMs & meetings www.plantwallk.com Cover: E. Tylová

Recruitment flyer for two postdoc-funded positions in Marie-CĂ©cile Caillaud's group (RDP laboratory, ENS de Lyon, France). Across the top run six scientific images: a line drawing of an Arabidopsis seedling with roots; a 3D digital reconstruction of a shoot apical meristem with orange and purple sectors marking cell lineages; a confocal microscopy image of plant tissue with green cell outlines and red/orange fluorescent nuclei; two paired 3D cell models in orange/green and yellow/purple showing division plane geometry; and a fluorescence microscopy image of a dividing cell with yellow microtubule-like structures and cyan nuclei on a dark background. Below, the title reads "Two Postdoc-funded positions" with an ERC logo, followed by "Deadline: 1st of Oct 2026" and "Starting date: Nov 2026 and onwards" in a bordered box. The body text is organised into sections: PROJECT (describing research into how plant cells orient their division, combining cell biology, molecular genetics, and multiscale mechanical modelling, with a link to the team website), CANDIDATE (looking for motivated candidates with a strong publication record, prior expertise in plant cell biology or biophysics as a plus, working language English), ENVIRONMENT (describing the ERC Consolidator project, the RDP laboratory hosted at ENS de Lyon, an international and gender-balanced working environment, and the city of Lyon), and RECENT PUBLICATIONS (three pinned references: Goldy et al. 2026 in Science Advances, Gascon et al. 2025 in Current Biology, and Lebecq et al. 2023 in Science Advances). An envelope icon box at the bottom right gives instructions to send a single PDF (cover letter, short summary of previous research, CV with publications, and contact details for two to three referees) to marie-cecile.caillaud@ens-lyon.fr.
Flyer for the PlantWallK WG2 Image and Data Analysis Webinar, COST Action CA24116, on a pale green background. Top left shows the grey COST Action "European Cooperation in Science and Technology" logo; top right shows the PlantWallK logo, a stylised green leaf built from geometric cell-wall-like facets, above the text "PlantWallK, COST Action 24116". Below, in green, "COST ACTION CA24116 – Advancing Plant Cell Wall Knowledge", followed by a dark green banner reading "WG2: Image & Data Analysis Webinar". Introductory text explains that the webinar offers an introduction to AI for image processing for action members. A shaded date bar reads "Friday, August 7th – 2:00 PM (CEST) | Duration: ~1h30". Under "WEBINAR PROGRAM", two white cards list the talks: "From Pixels to Patterns: Image Analysis Essentials in the World of AI" by Tereza Belinova (Imaging and Optics Facility, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, ISTA), and "AI4Life Highlights" by Beatriz Serrano-Solano (Euro-BioImaging ERIC Bio-Hub, EMBL Heidelberg). A pale yellow box notes that attendance is reserved for COST Action members, with the registration link to follow via COST channels, and that the session will be recorded for members. A final green-bordered box invites those not yet part of the PlantWallK network to join at www.plantwallk.org/#join.
Four PlantWallK COST Action members posing in front of the XVII Plant Cell Wall Meeting welcome banner at Fundação Cupertino de Miranda, Porto.
Daniele Coculo presenting at the XVII Plant Cell Wall Meeting in Porto. The acknowledgements slide is projected on screen, showing collaborators from Sapienza University of Rome, IPSP-CNR Bari, and Universidad de Málaga, along with funding logos including PlantWallK COST Action
Group photograph of EPCC satellite meeting participants, taken on 27 May 2026 in the entrance hall of a classical university building in Prague. Approximately forty attendees are arranged across several steps of a grand stone staircase, facing the camera. A small sign reading "EPCC — May 27.5.2026, Prague" is held at the front of the group.
A large group of approximately 80 researchers posing for a group photograph on the grand staircase of the Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague. The group spans six rows, with participants standing on the steps to give height to the back rows. People are dressed in smart-casual summer attire and most wear conference lanyards in red or blue with name badges. The crowd is diverse in age, gender, and background, ranging from early-career researchers to senior scientists. Two large white neoclassical columns frame the staircase on either side. To the upper left, a dark commemorative wall plaque bearing Czech text notes that Albert Einstein held a professorship in the building between 1911 and 1912. A clock is partially visible high on the back wall. The overall atmosphere is warm and collegial.
Kateřina Schwarzerová (yellow top) and Aline Voxeur stand at the front of the lecture hall at Charles University, Prague, leading the closing Action Planning Discussion. Words written on the whiteboard below the projected screen include “crosslinking”, “remodelling” and “live imaging” — traces of the scientific discussions from the meeting.
Projected title slide reading “Shape2Fate: a morphology-aware deep learning framework for tracking endocytic and exocytic carriers at nanoscale” by Adam Harmanec, supervised by Dr. Zuzana Kadlecova and Prof. Filip Sroubek. Logos of CIMR Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Charles University, Micron Oxford, UTIA and MUNI MED are visible. Adam Harmanec stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Cell wall microdomain remodeling: integrated microtechnique approaches” by Vincent Burlat, Plant Science Research Lab, Toulouse, France. Logos of University of Toulouse, CNRS, INP Agro Toulouse, ANR and INRAE are visible at the bottom. Vincent Burlat stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “What atomic force microscopy can tell us about plants” by Anna Fučíková, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Czech Republic. The slide shows an AFM instrument, a colourful stiffness map of plant tissue, photos of plant specimens, and a map showing the lab is a 7-minute walk away. Anna Fučíková stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Correlative TIRFM / A-ESEM approach for nanoscale analysis of plant plasma membrane protein organization” by Lenka Pálková and colleagues from the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University. Logos of both institutions alongside PlantWallK and Czech Academy of Sciences are visible. Lenka Pálková stands at the podium on the right.
Researchers at the first PlantWallK meeting gathered in a sun-drenched indoor courtyard of Charles University, Prague, discussing scientific posters mounted on cork boards. Tall trees reach toward the skylights above while participants chat in groups around the posters and at wooden tables.
Projected title slide reading “Reactive oxygen species and the cell wall fortification” by Ivan Kulich, Biology Centre CAS, Prague, 26 May 2026. The Biology Centre CAS logo is visible in the upper left corner. Ivan Kulich stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Dynamic Control of the Cellulose Synthase Complex: BIK1 Phosphorylates TTL3 to Stabilize Growth in High Salinity” by Miguel Angel Botella, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea La Mayora. A photo of the IHSM building is shown alongside CSIC and Spanish Ministry logos. Miguel Botella stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Cortical microtubules as cell wall architects: a modelling perspective” by Eva Deinum, Wageningen University & Research, Prague, 26 May 2026. A minimalist ink illustration of a surfer on a wave is visible on the slide. Eva Deinum stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Dynamic Remodeling of the Cell Wall Pectin Matrix Underpins Desiccation Tolerance in the Resurrection Plant Ramonda serbica” by Marija Vidović, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia. The PlantWallK logo is visible in the lower left. Marija Vidović stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Calcium deposition and cell wall integrity in persimmon abscission zones: evidence of cellular adaptation” by Julia Morales, Andrés Marzal, Ana Quiñones and Belén Martínez-Alcántara, Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research, Spain. The slide features a botanical illustration of a persimmon branch and a microscopy image of plant cells. Julia Morales stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Surface Chemical Characterization of Plant Cell Walls by XPS and Chemical Imaging” by Ayşegül Erdoğan, Ege University Application and Research Centre for Testing and Analysis, İzmir, Türkiye. The PlantWallK, COST and EGE MATAL logos are visible alongside an image of an XPS instrument and a microscopy image of plant cell surfaces. Ayşegül Erdoğan stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide titled “X-ray spectroscopy on biological samples — Typical process scheme from plant to publication with µXANES tomography” showing the workflow from plant growth to synchrotron analysis, with steps attributed to the biology PI group, synchrotron staff, or both. Hendrik Küpper stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide titled “MC e-votes” showing management committee voting items during the Management Committee meeting of the first #PlantWallK meeting. Kateřina Schwarzerová stands at the podium on the right.
Participants of the #PlantWallK meeting gathered in a university lecture hall at Charles University, Prague, for a Working Group 1 discussion. Work group leader Aline Voxeur stands at the front facing the seated group of around 25 researchers.
Projected slide titled “PlantWallK collaborative effort” listing four action points: isolate relevant glycans for immunization; identify colleagues who keep sharks and are interested in collaboration (highlighted in teal); screen and select antibodies; and characterise antibodies in glycan microarrays and microscopy. Peter Ulvskov stands in front of the screen.
Participants at the first #PlantWallK meeting gathered in a sunny courtyard of Charles University, Prague, discussing scientific posters mounted on cork boards. Groups of researchers engage in conversation around the posters while others chat at wooden tables surrounded by potted plants.
Projected slide titled “Glycan microarrays, opportunities and challenges” by Peter Ulvskov, outlining three topics: what is CoMPP and AMSA, CoMPP workflows, and probes and the future of CoMPP. Peter Ulvskov stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Designing synthetic fluorescent probes for plants — From trial and error to rational design” by Maarten Besten, Jan Willem Borst and Joris Sprakel, set against a striking fluorescence microscopy image of plant cells in green and pink. Maarten Besten stands at the podium on the right, gesturing animatedly.
Projected title slide on a grey-blue background reading “Brillouin Microscopy for Quantitative Analysis of Plant Cell Wall Mechanics Across Systems” by Laura Bacete, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Umeå University, Sweden. The Umeå University logo is visible at the top. Laura Bacete stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide reading “Flexible Pectin Nanopatterning Drives Cell Wall Organization in Plants” by Oskar Siemianowski and collaborators. The slide includes X-ray images of leaves, aerial and interior photos of the Brookhaven National Laboratory synchrotron facility, and logos of PennState, University of Warsaw, US Department of Energy, Brookhaven National Laboratory and CLSF. Oskar Siemianowski stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide on a dark background reading “AI for Comparative Experiments — A Vision for Adaptive Discovery in Biology” by Filip Šroubek. Logos of University of Cambridge, University of London, PSI Institut Curie, Czech Academy of Sciences, UTIA and BIOCEV are visible at the bottom. Filip Šroubek stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide background reading “From tissue reconstructions to mechanical models of plant cell walls” by Elsa Gascon, PostDoctorate at Stéphane Verger and Magnus Andersson groups, Umeå University. Logos of RDP, ENS de Lyon, Umeå Universitet and IceLab are visible at the bottom. Elsa Gascon stands at the podium on the right.
Projected title slide on a purple background reading “Multiscale modelling of cellulose microfibril formation: role of hemicelluloses in bundling and crystallisation” by Himanshu Shekhar, Postdoc at the Department of Physics and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The PlantWallK and University of Jyväskylä logos are visible. Himanshu Shekhar stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide with a playful design reading “ACCI — Cell by cell, building a greener future! With these masterminds,” featuring four informal photos of lab members. Grégory Mouille stands at the podium on the right pointing at the screen. Attendees are visible in the foreground.
Projected title slide reading “From elastic strain to growth strain in Chara corallina” by Etienne Couturier, CNRS, on a light blue background. Etienne Couturier stands smiling at the podium on the right, with attendees visible in the foreground.
Projected title slide reading “A model for force generation in Chara corallina and parameter estimation” by student Antonio Mosciatti, tutor Etienne Couturier, at the 1st PlantWallK meeting. Logos of MSC, Université Paris, CNRS and EDPIF are visible. Antonio Mosciatti stands at the podium on the right, with attendees visible in the foreground.
Projected title slide reading “From touch to strength: cell wall remodelling during wheat thigmomorphogenesis” by Annalene Hansen, John Doonan and Maurice Bosch, set against a golden wheat field photograph. Maurice Bosch stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide in a lecture hall reading “WG3 = interdisciplinary approach for multiscale modelling in cell wall research and data management.” The slide describes WG3 as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration addressing complex challenges in multiscale data-based modelling and data management tools. The PlantWallK logo is visible in the lower left corner. Dorota Kwiatkowska stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide titled “PlantWallK WG2 — Image and Data Analysis” with the COST logo. The slide features a colourful microscopy image of plant cells showing a network of polygonal cell shapes with nodes at their junctions, in shades of pink, purple, yellow and blue (credited to Cerutti et al., 2017). Below reads “Prague meeting 25/05/2026, WG2 Leader: Stéphane Verger.” Stéphane Verger stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide titled “Develop a comprehensive inventory of cell wall probes and standardized protocols.” The slide asks “What resources would be needed to build and maintain this inventory?” and answers “HUMAN RESOURCES!” It describes at least five sub-working groups, each led by a young researcher paired with an experienced mentor, with a call-to-action in red text: “Interested in leading a sub-group? Let us know!” Aline Voxeur stands at the podium on the right.
Projected slide in a lecture hall showing a timeline titled “Develop a comprehensive inventory of cell wall probes and standardized protocols — Why now?” Four milestones are shown: book covers from 1988 (“The Growing Plant Cell Wall” by Stephen Fry), 1996 (“Plant Cell Wall Analysis”), and 2011 (“The Plant Cell Wall: Methods and Protocols”), followed by the PlantWallK COST Action 24116 Inventory logo for 2026. Aline Voxeur is visible at the podium on the right.
Lecture hall at Charles University, Prague. A projected slide titled “Task 1: Survey” explains that a comprehensive questionnaire will help gain an overview of the cell wall research community. Bullet points list goals including identifying challenges, building knowledge infrastructure, and planning COST activities. Dr Jozef Mravec stands at the podium on the right, looking down at a laptop. Red flowers are visible in the foreground.
A lecture hall at Charles University, Prague. A large projection screen displays the opening slide reading “COST Action CA24116: Multidisciplinary consortium to accelerate plant cell wall knowledge (PlantWallK)”, with the PlantWallK and COST logos. A woman (Dr Kateřina Schwarzerová, Action Chair) stands at the podium on the right. A man (Dr Jozef Mravec, Action Vice-Chair) is seated smiling on the left. Red flowers are visible on a table in the foreground.
Panoramic view of Prague from Letná park on a sunny day. The Vltava river winds through the city with several bridges visible, framed by lush green trees in the foreground and a light blue sky above. Some birds fly in the middle distance above the historic rooftops.
Microscopy image of a pea root apex. The root tip shows a clear growth zone with orderly layers of cells arranged in files. Cell outlines form a regular, brick-like pattern that changes gradually from small, densely packed cells near the tip to larger, elongated cells further back. The tissue organisation of the root is visible as distinct regions with different cell sizes and orientations.
Cross section of a Brachypodium stem seen under the microscope. The stem forms a roughly circular ring of tissues. Some regions show thick, strongly stained cell walls forming supportive tissue, while other regions show thinner-walled cells. The contrast between thick- and thin-walled areas makes the functional zoning of the stem easy to see.
This image shows an Arabidopsis root tip, with cell walls highlighted by a pectin probe. Differences in signal across tissues reflect changes in wall composition and organisation as cells divide, expand, and differentiate. At this scale, mechanics, chemistry, and development meet. One of the goals of COST Action PlantWallK (CA24116) is to connect observations like this across species, methods, and scales. By sharing tools, data, and concepts, we aim to build a common framework for plant cell wall mechanobiology.