@laurabacete
Assist Prof, UmeΓ₯ Plant Science Centre πΈπͺ| Project leader, NTNU π³π΄. Researching plant cell wall dynamics, interested on how living tissues adjust their physical state. Talking science, worries, and opinions (my own). De Las PedroΓ±eras, como el buen ajo
Take any of those away and I'm not sure I'd be writing this. There are kids right now with the same dream I had at 17 and much less of what I had around me. I think about that a lot. Enhorabuena chiqueta, lo lograste. Ahora a luchar para que otras lo logren.
My parents believed in me even without fully understanding what I was doing. We definitely weren't rich but I could just... study, without having to worry about much else. Public, high-quality university meant no debt. And there was a scholarship the year living costs in the city got tight.
But I got here. And I've been thinking about why, because I don't think it was just me.
I didn't think becoming a scientist would be hard because of the studies themselves. I thought it would be hard because "it is not a common job". I had no idea how people got there. I asked my teachers, the school's social worker. Nobody really knew either.
MY DREAM JOB I am going to talk about my dream job. When I was a child I wanted to be a journalist but I changed my mind and now I would like to work as a scientist, but it is very difficult. Firstly, I have to study a lot because I must have very good marks for study at iversity Biotechnology, because there are not many seats in Spain. Even if I could study it, it would be difficult to work as a scientist because it is not a common job. In conclusion, I will try to get my dream job, but I know it will be difficult.
Diving into my old hard drive, I found this English homework from when I was 17. Village girl from Spain writing about her dream job. A few thoughts.π§΅π
The Royal Palace of Brussels at sunset, a grand neoclassical façade with tall windows and ornate stone details, seen through bare tree branches. The sky fades from pale blue to warm orange above a quiet cobblestone square with a few distant figures walking.
A woman (the co-chair of the young academy of Belgium β Flanders) stands at a podium in a wood-paneled auditorium, speaking beside a large projection screen displaying a pink spiral logo and the text βyoung academy of Belgium β Flanders.β A few empty chairs and a potted plant are visible on the stage.
Enjoying the sunset of a sunny day in Brussels at the Palace of the Academies after a very interesting day with the Young Academy of Sweden πΈπͺπ§πͺ β grateful to the Young Academy of Belgium β Flanders for the invitation and inspiring discussions on academic freedom and critical voices in research.
π± Exciting news for plant #CellWall researchers! The First PlantWallK Meeting is happening in Prague, May 25β26, 2026 β bringing together members of COST Action CA24116 for the first time.
π Abstract submission is open! Deadline: April 15
Register: plantwallk.org/prague-regis...
#PlantScience
Bluesky is the new science Twitter, new study by @whysharksmatter.bsky.social and Julia Wester concludes!
"Results show that for every reported professional benefit that scientists once gained from Twitter, scientists can now gain that benefit more effectively on Bluesky than on Twitter."
We asked Demetrio and Bastien, the first authors of our recent study on RLKs in green algae, about the motivation, bioinformatic advances, and open questions behind the workβand what this means for algal sensing and evolution. Read more in our blog post: www.cellwalldynamics.com/new-paper-re...
The Murphy Lab did our annual retreat this week. This year's theme was using AI (what it's good and bad for). I wanted to be open-minded to make sure we are not missing something we should be using it for, so we did a few exercises to test, and had presentations.
π§ͺπΎPAPER - When did cell wall sensing developed?π§¬
The groups of @laurabacete.bsky.social and Christiane Funk showed that key cell wall integrity sensing components already exist in green algae, revealing deep evolutionary roots of extracellular surveillance.
Read more in @pplplantarum.bsky.socialπ
β° Last call β apply by 11 Jan!
Are you finishing your PhD or recently graduated in plant science?π§ͺπΎ
Applications for the UPSC Symposium for Early Career Plant Scientists (28β29 Apr 2026, UmeΓ₯, Sweden) are closing soon!
π www.upsc.se/about-upsc/e...
Thanks, Peter! And happy new year, I hope you guys are doing great in Saudi Arabia!
Starting 2026 with great news! Thanks to my co-authors Demetrio MarcianΓ², Bastien Dauphin, Fabian Basso, and Christiane Funk. If you want to know what weβve been up to, have a look at the thread below β¬οΈ #PlantScience #CellWall
And thatβs all for 2025! I havenβt decided on my goals for 2026 yet but hopefully Iβll have one as fun as this one!
I also proved to myself that I can reduce flying for parts of my travel, even from northern Sweden. So many times sustainability is a conscious decision.
It felt meaningful to move across borders so easily and feel a shared space. The EU is safe to travel in, rich in culture, and shaped by both what is unique in each place and what we share. Being able to move, meet, and learn from each other is genuinely enriching πͺπΊ. Very proud of being part of it.
And some reflections:
I tried to make this less about ticking boxes and more about paying attention. I left many places feeling grateful for the welcome, the food (idk I just love food haha) and the everyday life I got to see.
Warsaw, Poland β High view from the Varso Tower over central Warsaw at dusk, with the Palace of Culture and Science lit up above the city streets and buildings.
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria (Rila Monastery courtyard) β Striped arches covered in frescoes in front of the domed monastery church, with mountains rising behind the complex. There were many cats living there (probably more than monks!) so I made a fluffy friend which Iβm petting in the picture.
πΈ Warsaw β Poland
Arrived and left: βοΈ (stopover on the way to Bulgaria)
πΈ Rila β Bulgaria
Arrived and left: βοΈ
Paphos, Cyprus (Tombs of the Kings Archaeological Park) β Weathered limestone rock-cut tombs and cliffs, with a fig tree rooted in a crevice and spreading over the stone under a partly cloudy blue sky. I ate a fig from the tree and was absolutely delicious.
Valletta, Malta (harbour view) β Ferry crossing the harbour with Vallettaβs skyline behind, including domes and spires under dramatic, sunlit clouds.
πΈ Paphos β Cyprus
Arrived and left: βοΈ
πΈ La Valletta β Malta
Arrived and left: βοΈ
Riga, Latvia (Old Town, Town Hall Square) β Large βRIGAβ letters at night with the House of the Blackheads brightly illuminated behind.
Tallinn, Estonia (Viru Gate, Old Town) β Cobblestone street leading through the twin medieval towers of Viru Gate into Tallinn Old Town, lined with shops and stone buildings.
Helsinki, Finland (Helsinki Cathedral / Tuomiokirkko) β White neoclassical cathedral with green domes and gilded crosses, seen from the steps by Senate Square.
πΈ Riga β Latvia
Arrived: βοΈ
Left: π
πΈ Tallinn β Estonia
Arrived: π
Left: π³οΈ
πΈ Helsinki β Finland
Arrived: π³οΈ
Left: ππ³οΈ
(All these in the same trip)
TimiΘoara, Romania (Victory Square / PiaΕ£a Victoriei) β View down the pedestrian boulevard towards the Metropolitan Cathedral, with clock pillars, trimmed hedges, pigeons, and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
Budapest, Hungary (Liberty Bridge / SzabadsΓ‘g hΓd) β The green steel Liberty Bridge crossing the Danube, seen from the riverside walkway on a clear, sunny day.
Zagreb, Croatia (Kaptol) β The Marian (plague) column in Kaptol square: a tall stone pillar topped with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary, with gilded angels at the base, surrounded by historic buildings under a pale winter sky.
Ljubljana, Slovenia (Ljubljana Castle clock tower) β Ljubljana Castleβs clock tower and stone walls at twilight, with Ljubljanaβs green city flag and the Slovenian flag flying above.
πΈ TimiΘoara β Romania
Arrived: βοΈ
Left: π
πΈ Budapest β Hungary
Arrived: π
Left: π
πΈ Zagreb β Croatia
Arrived and left: π
πΈ Ljubljana β Slovenia
Arrived: π
Left: ππ
(All these in the same trip)
One of my 2025 goals was visit every EU country I had not been to yet. I also tried to do it as sustainably as I could from a remote corner of Sweden. I had other personal and work resolutions too (some met, some not), but this one I can close today with a full tick. π§΅π
βΌοΈIf you are finishing (or have just finished) your PhD and are exploring postdoc options, this is a great chance to meet people, share ideas, and build links. Come to northern Sweden βοΈπΈπͺ and connect with the community
Message me if you have any questions π©
Winter forest scene with snow-covered trees and a small stream, sunlight shining through the trees. The image includes the text βHappy Holidays!β and the logo of UmeΓ₯ Plant Science Centre, with logos of UmeΓ₯ University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) at the bottom.
πβ¨ Seasonβs greetings from UPSC!
Looking ahead to the new year - are you an early career plant scientist interested in new research ideas and collaborations?
πΎApply for the UPSC Early Career Symposium, April 2026!π§ͺ
π Deadline: 11 January 2026
π www.upsc.se/early-career...
Cheap imported Christmas presents under the tree hurt consumers, companies and customs.
But an EU answer is years away.
New paper in PSPB on the benefits of giving positive feedback to students, especially from underrepresented groups. Although not the norm in STEM, giving positive feedback boosts self-efficacy and belonging, which increases STEM performance, attitudes, interest
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Really enjoyed being part of this #AcademicFreedom workshop. I learnt so much, and it finally filled in the global perspective that was kind of missing. Here is a summary for anyone interested.
sverigesungaakademi.se/en/internati...
Last weekend we celebrated the winter holidays with a Christmas Potluck. From shared experiments to shared meals, gratitude for the teamwork that binds us, and hope for discoveries ahead. Grateful for our team in UmeΓ₯ and Trondheim ππ¬
Our blog entry: www.cellwalldynamics.com/a-christmas-...