Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
We investigate how organisms interact with chemical signals.
We do research in the lab to better understand interactions at a molecular level.
Photo: Anna Schroll
We do research in the glasshouse and in the field to better understand interactions and signals in their natural environment.
Photo: Anna Schroll
We support the Initiative “Weltoffenes Thüringen”.
We are committed to ensuring that people from different backgrounds live and work together in a respectful manner.
Training and international collaborations are key features of our work.
We believe diversity and inclusion leads to the best science.
Research News
Current News and Announcements
Two purine permeases import vinblastine biosynthetic intermediates into idioblast cells in Catharanthus roseus. Molecular Plant (2026)
Evolutionary dynamics of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes reflects feeding ecology in weevils. Communications Biology 9, 1243 (2026)
Microbial signaling coordinates group oviposition and predator defense in migratory locusts. Cell 189, pp. 1 - 17 (2026)
Sarah O’Connor, our director and head of the Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, has been honored with the 2026 Otto Bayer Award for her transformative work unlocking nature’s chemical secrets.
Bill S. Hansson, the former director of the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, received the 2026 Chinese Government Friendship Award. He was recognized for his impact on global science and for strengthening Sino-German research collaborations.
Nature is flourishing on the Beutenberg Campus in Jena! Since 2024, the research institutes have focused on mowing less frequently, rotating mowing areas, and preserving untouched refuges. These changes have created a diverse habitat that benefits people, plants, and animals alike.