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
Oxidizing pollutants can disrupt nestmate recognition in ants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 123 (6), e2520139123 (2026)
Discovery of a plant pictet-spenglerase with R-stereoselectivity. bioRxiv: the preprint server for biology (2026)
Genetic and environmental regulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal responsiveness in petunia: Implications for breeding and trait selection. Plant Biology (2026)
Postdoctoral researcher honored for breakthrough research on plant-based medicines
As part of the “Noble Gespräche” lecture series, the chairman of the board of Beutenberg Campus Jena e.V., Prof. Dr. Christoph Englert, awarded the first honorary memberships to Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Boland and Prof. Dr. Hartmut Bartelt on October 23, 2025, at the Abbe Center Beutenberg.
The International Society of Chemical Ecology honored Bill Hansson for his lifetime achievements in the field of Chemical Ecology.