7 to 12 August 2016, Maastricht
Prestigious photosynthesis congress in the Netherlands
Social impact
“Photosynthesis is a significant field of research which ranges from molecular insights into the way in which plants, algae and other organisms ‘capture’ light to the monitoring of plant and crop growth on a global scale,” says Van Amerongen, Professor in Biophysics at Wageningen University. “It involves thousands of scientists from around the world.”
Improving the production of crops to ensure sufficient food for the growing global population requires more insight. In addition, dealing with the consequences of climate change also demands a better understanding of photosynthesis. Another relevant issue is the development of a new energy sector, which involves anything from biomass production and algae to the development of artificial leaves.
Splitting water
The research has seen many breakthroughs in this field over recent years. “We now have insight into the structure of Photosystem II, a major player in photosynthesis,” Van Amerongen continues. “This has given a major stimulus to research into the biochemical splitting of water. The splitting of water is the Holy Grail of photosynthesis. Once we understand the process and are able to replicate it, we may have the key to solving a large part of the energy problem.”
Hotspots
While the hotspots for photosynthesis research in the Netherlands are Wageningen and Amsterdam, it was decided to organise the congress in Maastricht, based on the facilities and the international position of the city.
The programme of the 17th International Congress on Photosynthesis and options for registering are available on the congress website: www.ps2016.com.
Source: Wageningen UR
