November 2, 2023: two guests arrived: Prof. Ana Maria de Oliveira and Prof. Enio Nazaré de Oliveira Junior from Brazil will be our guests for three months

Our 'sandwich' alumnus Prof. Enio de Oliveira and his wife Prof. Ana de Oliveira, both from the Federal University of São João del Rei in Ouro Branco in the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil, have arrived in Münster last weekend, and in our institute today. They brought with them ulvan samples which they have extracted from green algae Ulva species, and pectin samples which they have extracted from coconut mesocarp. They have already started analysing these samples back home. Now Ana, as a chemist, will further structurally analyse them using our techniques, supported by Dr. Stefan Cord-Landwehr. And Enio, as a biologist, will functionally analyse them for their potential antimicrobial and phytostimulatory activities, supported by Dr. Carolin Richter. Jointly, we will aim to deepen our understanding of molecular structure-function relationships of ulvans. This will also be a collaboration with our alumna Prof. Roberta Paulert at the Federal University of Paraná in Palotina, Brazil. During her PhD with us, Roberta had started our small research thread on ulvans, and we keep collaborating with her for field trials with our chitosan-based plant biostimulants. The collaboration with Ana and Enio will allow us to widen these trials to ulvans and pectins, and possibly their combinations with chitosans. Exciting prospects!