Why should every plant biologist care about biological timing? Virtually all aspects of plant life are shaped by temporal regulation across many scales, including the cycles of day and night, and the seasons of the year. This Symposium brings together diverse topics in biological timing including environmental signalling, evolution, field biology, modelling, epigenomics, organismal interactions, and how circadian clocks and seasonal timing can be leveraged for crop breeding.
This Symposium will emphasise underlying principles and concepts that characterise these processes, whilst considering a wide range of species and approaches. There are numerous unanswered questions, such as how daily and seasonal timing shapes plant function in natural conditions, ecological processes, microbiome interactions, and the evolution of photoperiodism and circadian clocks. By combining laboratory and field research with molecular and ecological approaches, this multidisciplinary Symposium will cut across all sections of the New Phytologist readership, fostering creative new synergies.
Registration and abstract submission will open in Autumn 2026. Sign up to the events mailing list for future updates.
Organising committee:
Veronica Arana, CONICET, Argentina
Ant Dodd, John Innes Centre, UK
Josh Gendron, Yale, USA
Carlos Hotta, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Nathalie Verbruggen, Free University of Brussels, Belgium
Registration and abstract submission will open in the Autumn of 2026
The abstract submission deadline will be Monday 25 January 2027
Early bird student £300.00
Early bird regular £400.00
Student £350.00
Regular £450.00
Registration includes:
Access to all sessions, including poster sessions
Lunch and refreshment breaks as per the schedule
A place at the symposium dinner
Registration does not include accommodation.
The early bird rate is available until Monday 11 January 2027
Registration will open in the Autumn of 2026
Travel grants and registration fee waivers
PhD students and early career researchers with fewer than 5 years' experience since completing their PhD may request a travel grant and/or a registration fee waiver when submitting an abstract. This can be extended to researchers with more than 5 years' experience if they are based in a country that is classed as low- or middle-income by the World Bank, and would be unable to attend without a travel grant. We expect the process to be competitive.
Abstract submission
Delegates are encouraged to submit an abstract to be considered for an oral or poster presentation.
We have limited poster exhibition/programme space and expect the process to be competitive. Preference will be given to new unpublished, or recently published work.
Each presenting author is limited to one abstract submission, but there is no limit on how many times someone can be listed as co-author. Should an abstract be selected for inclusion the presenting author will need to register to attend before their inclusion in the programme is confirmed.
Abstract submission deadline: 25 January 2027
Abstract and travel grant decisions will be confirmed in late February 2027.
Abstract submission will open in Autumn 2026
Abstract guidelines
All abstract sections should be provided in English.
The main text should provide concise details of the background and objective(s) of the investigation, methods used, results and conclusion.
Abstract text should be no more than 200 words.
Abstract submissions are done on the Oxford Abstracts submission portal. If you do not already have an account, you will need to create a free account.
For details of using the submission portal please visit Oxford Abstracts' guidance for submitters page. You can also contact the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips for assistance.
Travel grants and registration fee waivers
We have a limited number of travel grants and registration fee waivers available. You must submit an abstract by 25 January 2027 to be considered.
PhD students and early career researchers with fewer than 5 years' experience since completing their PhD may request a travel grant and/or a registration fee waiver when submitting an abstract. This can be extended to researchers with more than 5 years' experience if they are based in a country that is classed as low- or middle-income by the World Bank, and would be unable to attend without a travel grant. We expect the process to be competitive.
Travel grants and registration fee waivers will be awarded based on the scientific merit of the abstract submitted. The financial need of the applicant will also be taken into account.
To apply for a travel grant and/or registration fee waiver, in addition to your abstract you must submit:
A brief (no more than 200 word) statement indicating your reasons for wishing to attend and how you hope the meeting will enhance your career/research.
A CV, which includes academic details, publication history, presentations given, awards and any other information to support your application.
A supporting letter from a scientist who has agreed to act as a reference for your application. This can also be emailed directly to np-events@lancaster.ac.uk by 25 January 2027. (If you are only applying for a registration fee waiver you do not need to provide a supporting letter.)
If you have any questions, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips
If you plan to attend the symposium regardless of whether you are awarded a travel grant and/or registration fee waiver, you should not to wait until the outcome of your travel grant application to register, as there are limited places at this event. To defer your registration fee payment, you can select the option to pay by invoice or send a payment link to another person (which can be yourself), and the payment can be delayed until after the travel grant applications are reviewed.
Should your application be successful, any registration fees paid will be refunded, or your registration fee can be added to your travel grant reimbursement.
Claiming a travel grant or travel contribution
When a travel grant, sometimes referred to as a travel contribution, has been awarded, the payment of the travel grant will not be issued until after the event.
The New Phytologist Foundation will have set a specific amount for the travel grant. No receipts are required to claim the travel grant. This allows the travel grant recipient to arrange their travel to best suit their needs.
Where possible, we encourage travel grant recipients to combine their travel to the event with other activities to make better use of the carbon footprint of attending the meeting.
The payment of a travel grant can be to the recipient's institution, or to their personal bank account, and will be made by a bank transfer. Travel grant recipients will receive a link to a secure form to provide their bank details to arrange the payment of the travel grant. Institutions may send an invoice for the amount of the travel grant to The New Phytologist Foundation. Please contact np-finance@lancaster.ac.uk with any questions about invoices.
If paying for their travel in advance will cause the attendee to experience a significant financial burden, or if the attendee will have difficulty in receiving a bank transfer from the UK, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager to discuss alternative options.
If the delegate is unable to attend the event, generally the travel grant will not be paid. Delegates are encouraged to take out travel insurance to cover them should they be unable to attend. Any request for a travel grant to be paid following non-attendance will need to be approved by the Executive Editor. We will request confirmation of travel expenses with receipts in these circumstances, as well as proof that the travel costs could not be refunded.
Please visit the dedicated programme page. This programme is subject to change.
Additional speakers will be selected from the submitted abstracts.
Invited speakers
Symposium venue
The symposium will take place at the John Innes Centre (JIC).
Address: The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/scientific-facilities/conference-centre/
Getting to the John Innes Centre
Please see further information on traveling to venue on the John Innes Centre website.
Travel to Norwich
By air
Norwich has a small international airport that has several direct flights a day from Amsterdam, allowing connections worldwide with KLM and Skyteam partner airlines.
Many international travellers will fly into a London airport and then take a train to Norwich. Here are some approximate travel times from various airports to Norwich train station
Stansted Airport: 2 hours
London City: 2 hours
London Heathrow: 2.5 hours
London Gatwick: 3 hours
Note from the organisers, Heathrow is often the simplest London airport to connect with Norwich. From Heathrow you can take the Elizabeth Line Underground directly to London Liverpool Street station for a connecting train to Norwich.
By Train
The nearest train station is Norwich, which has regular direct trains to London (London Liverpool Street) and Stansted Airport.
Note: trains to Norwich will depart from London Liverpool Street, not to be confused with trains to Liverpool the city
Full address: Bishopsgate, London, Greater London, EC2M 7PY
Please see nationalrail.co.uk for further information on trains to Norwich. This includes a journey planner to help plan your trip. Advance tickets are generally available 12 weeks in advance.
From Norwich train station a taxi will take about 25-35 minutes to the JIC or approximately 40 minutes by bus.
By bus
From the train station the 26 network bus is the most direct route from the train station to the JIC, and departs every 30 minutes during the day.
From the city centre the 26 network stops at "Red Lion Street". You can also take the 11A bus from the Castle Meadow stop in in the city centre.
Further information on buses around Norwich is available on the First Bus website
By car
If you plan to drive, there is parking at the JIC. Please indicate when registering if you will need a parking space, and we’ll provide further information in due course.
By taxi
There is a taxi rank at the train station, or you can pre-book a taxi. Uber also operates in the area. Please note that taxis can often be busy during the morning rush hour between 8am and 8.30am. We will provide a more detailed list of local taxis nearer the symposium.
VISAs and entry to the UK
It is the attendees responsibility to check the entry requirements for their nationality. You can check if you need a visa on the UK visa and immigration visa check page.
Applying for a visa
If you require a visa to enter the UK, we strongly suggest you apply three months prior to the start of the symposium.
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Foreign nationals not traveling on a visa may need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before their trip. For the full list of nationalities that can apply for an ETA, please visit: the UK Governments's ETA advice pages
ETA application process: Applications can be submitted through the 'UK ETA' app, available on the Google Play and Apple App Store, or via the official UK government website.
Caution: there are fraudulent sites, please make sure you are using the official UK government site, starting with gov.uk.
Cost and validity: An ETA costs £20 and is valid for two years or until the holder's passport expires, whichever comes first. It permits multiple visits to the UK, lasting up to six months.
Processing time: While most applications receive an automatic decision within minutes, it's advisable to apply at least three working days before your intended travel date to accommodate any additional processing time required.
Exemptions: British and Irish citizens and travellers with a valid UK visa do not require an ETA.
For comprehensive information or to apply for an ETA, please visit the official UK government website.
Visa invitation letters
Please ensure you have checked whether you require a visa to enter the UK (see 'Visas and entry to the UK'). The New Phytologist Foundation can supply a letter of invitation to support a visa application once the attendee has registered and paid their full registration fee or has been awarded a fee waiver.
You can request a visa invitation letter when registering, and you will then be sent a secure form to provide your passport information.
Visa letters are generally produced following the decision on submitted abstract, so that we can include if the attendee has been selected to present a poster or give an oral presentation.
Accommodation
Norwich has a number of options for accommodation. Please note that delegates, selected speakers and poster presenters should book their own accommodation. Only invited speakers and invited guests have accommodation provided as part of their registration, and these details will be confirmed with them when registering, or updated by contacting the Events and Promotions Manager at: np-events@lancaster.ac.uk
Accommodation for Invited speakers will be provided at Premier Inn, Norwich City Centre (Duke St), full address: Duke Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3AP. Please note this hotel is a 15-25 minute taxi from the John Innes Centre. Invited speakers should reference their invited speaker information document sent to them by the Events and Promotions Manager for further details on accommodation arrangements
Additional accommodation options:
The closest accommodation to the symposium venue is the Broadview hotel, run by the University of East Anglia, located approximately a 20-25 minute walk to the JIC.
Address: UEA Broadview Hotel, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
Delegates can use the code "NPS49" for a 10% discount on a room.
Please note that this hotel does not provide breakfast, and should there be a concert at the University, it may be noisy.
Annesley House Hotel
Address: 6 Newmarket Road, Norwich, NR2 2LA
A 10-15 minute drive to the JIC, or a 30-minute bus journey including walking time.
The George Hotel
Address: 10 Arlington Ln, Newmarket Rd, Norwich NR2 2DA, UK
A 10-15 minute drive to the JIC, or a 30-minute bus journey including walking time.
Dunston Hall
Address: Dunston Hall, Ipswich Rd, Norwich NR14 8PQ
A 13-15 minute drive to the JIC (note there is no public transport option)
Maids Head Hotel
Address: Maids Head Hotel, 20 Tombland, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 1LB
A 15-30 minute drive (traffic dependent), or a 30-45 minute bus journey including walking time.
Please note this hotel may have limited availability.
The Georgian Townhouse
Address: 30–34 Unthank Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2RB
A 15-25 minute drive (traffic dependent), or a 35-45 minute bus journey including walking time.
Scam accommodation emails
The New Phytologist Foundation is aware that third-party companies are targeting New Phytologist Symposium speakers and attendees with a fraudulent travel and hotel booking scheme.
Other organisations have also reported this scam, which targets conferences where the list of speakers/poster presenters is publicly available.
Please be aware that the New Phytologist Foundation does not work with any third-party accommodation partners to book accommodation or travel for delegates or speakers. We have not provided your details to any third-party, or authorised any third-party to contact you.
Any communication about the symposium will be done directly with delegates and speakers and the Events and Promotions Manager (Christine Phillips) or other Central Office staff, using np-events@lancaster.ac.uk, or np-finance@lancaster.ac.uk, or using our registration platform Oxford Abstracts, which will still have a reply email of np-events@lancaster.ac.uk.
Please be aware that any third-party contacting delegates about New Phytologist Symposia accommodation or travel is a scam designed to obtain your credit card information and/or make inflated charges to your credit card. Please exercise extreme caution if contacted by any third-party. We recommend that you do NOT give out your credit card number, personal information, or any details about your hotel reservation. We are aware that speakers and attendees that have given their credit card information have incurred substantial credit card charges (cancellation fees, service fees, etc).
If you receive a phone call or email from a company offering a hotel and travel booking service please forward the information to np-events@lancaster.ac.uk.
You can also report the email to your IT department as fraud and/or a phishing email. This may help to prevent further people being targeted at your institution.
If you are based in the UK, you can report scams and phishing emails to the UK National Cyber Security Centre.
If you are based in the EU, you can report fraud to the European Anti-Fraud Office.
If you are based in the USA, you can report Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Centre.
Invited speakers should refer to their invited speaker information document sent to them by the Events and Promotions Manager for additional details.
Timings for talks
Invited speakers have been allocated 20-25 minutes for their talk and 5-10 minutes for Q&A (30 minutes total).
Selected speakers have been allocated 10 minutes for their talk and 5 minutes for Q&A (15 minutes total).
The chairs will strictly keep to time, so please assist them by keeping your talk within the allocated time.
Presentation slides
To ensure things run smoothly we will be presenting all slides from a dedicated computer. You will have a clicker to advance your slides.
We suggest that for a 10-minute presentation, you should have around 10 slides, and for a 20-25 minute presentation you should have around 20-30 slides.
Please send your slides by Wednesday 19 May 2027
Please provide your slides as PowerPoint files with a 16:9 slide aspect ratio. If you cannot provide PowerPoint files, please let us know by 12 May 2027 so we can provide assistance in converting your slides. If you plan to use speaker notes within PowerPoint, we encourage you to bring a print-out as a back-up in case these do not display properly. If you have prepared your slides on a Mac, please advise us, as there can sometimes be formatting discrepancies that affect graphs and large images.
A template with a title slide and ending question slide will be provided in due course, to allow you to add your slides.
If your files are larger than 15 MB, please upload to OneDrive or send via an alternative file sharing service. Please note that if you have any video files in your presentation, you should send these as separate files as well as embedding them in your presentation.
We will provide a link to a OneDrive folder to upload your slides from approximately 1 month before the symposium.
Making last-minute changes to your presentation
Please note that all presentation files will be loaded into a central slide deck and presented from a central laptop for each session, to ensure things run smoothly. This means that making last-minute changes to your slides will be difficult. For any essential minor corrections, we can make emergency last-minute corrections up to the day before your presentation, please clearly state which slides need replacing.
These changes should be uploaded to OneDrive AND given in-person to the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips at the venue. Please check with Christine that they have been received and ideally be present to check your slide deck 10 minutes before your session starts, or at the end of the day before your talk.
AV information
Full details of the AV set-up are still being confirmed; however, speakers will need to ensure that they use the provided microphones during their talks.
Poster information
Delegates should bring their printed poster with them. Posters will be displayed from the first day of the Symposium and will remain up for the duration of the Symposium. There will be several dedicated poster sessions and each poster presenters will be allocated to one of the sessions. Sessions and poster numbers will be confirmed in due course. Please note that you do not need to include your poster number on your printed poster.
Want advice on creating a good poster? Watch a webinar with New Phytologist Editors on communicating your research.
Poster guidelines
Posters should be portrait, no larger than A0 (84cm by 119cm), or 3ft by 4ft (92cm by 122cm).
Good posters should present complex information in a clear and concise way. Posters that present information well will have graphics with large, clear fonts and images, and attractive backgrounds.
The text and figures should be readable from a distance of at least one metre. The text presented should be precise and structured with a logical flow to the information.
Posters should concentrate on focused problems, innovative solutions, rigorous methodologies, and should be significant contributions to the meeting.
One tip to make bringing your poster with you easier is that you can ask for your poster to be printed on fabric, which will allow for it to be folded into your luggage. We will have an iron available on-site.
Suggestions of places delegates can get their posters printed locally in advance will be provided in due course. Please note that if you are planning to get your poster printed locally, we recommend that you have send it to be printed at least 10 days prior to the symposium.
Poster competition
Prizes will be awarded for the best posters. All registered delegates can vote for the best poster, with a prize of £200 for the top poster and £100 for a runner up.
Travel contributions
The New Phytologist Foundation will provide a travel contribution/grant to invited speakers. Some selected speakers and poster presenters may also be awarded travel grants to assist in their attendance. The amount of your grant will be confirmed in your invitation letter/email or in your abstract acceptance email. Travel grant awardees should book their own travel or have their institution book it for them. We do not require receipts, and you are welcome to combine your trip to the UK with other travel plans to make the best use of your travel carbon footprint.
Following your attendance at the symposium, we will send you a secure online form to provide your bank details to be reimbursed. If your institution paid for your travel, they may invoice us for the amount of your travel grant. Please get in touch to request our invoice details. We aim to pay travel grants as soon as possible after the symposium, but payments may take 4 – 6 weeks to process following receipt of the recipient's bank details. If you require alternative travel contribution arrangements, please get in touch.
Catering
Lunch and refreshment breaks will be provided during the symposium as per the programme. When registering, you can advise us if you have any dietary requirements. Please ensure you advise us of any allergies or intolerances.
Symposium dinner
On the evening of Wednesday 26 May 2027, we will host a symposium dinner for all delegates at The Assembly House in the city centre. Further details will be provided in due course about the symposium dinner. Attendees will be asked to select a starter, main course and dessert nearer the time of the Symposium.
Address: The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1RQ.
On other nights of the symposium you are free to explore the many restaurants of Norwich. Visit Norwich has many suggestions of place to eat in the city centre.
Below we set out some frequent questions that participants have. If your question is not listed below, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager.
Please also ensure you have read The New Phytologist Foundation code of conduct for events
This will be updated with further information in due course.
The symposium will take place at the John Innes Centre (JIC)
Address: The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/scientific-facilities/conference-centre/
See the Venue and travel tab for full details on travel to the venue
Autumn 2026 – Abstract submission and registration to open
11 January 2027 – Early bird registration closes
25 January 2027 – Abstract and travel grant submission deadline
Early March 2027 – Abstract outcomes and travel grant decisions
19 May 2027 – Speaker PowerPoint slides due.
All attendees will need to register to attend the event. We limit registration to 150 participants, including speakers, and poster presenters. We expect the symposium to be popular, and that registration will reach capacity. You do not need to submit an abstract to attend, but we do encourage all attendees to submit an abstract. We reserve the right to refuse a registration and refund any registration fee paid should the attendee not demonstrate a suitable interest in the subject of the symposium.
You can opt to register as soon as you submit your abstract. We encourage this if you would plan to attend regardless of if your abstract is selected for an oral or poster presentation and/or a travel grant or registration fee waiver, please note the majority of abstract will be selected for a poster. You can register by the early bird deadline to take advantage of a reduced registration rate.
If you choose to wait to register until after abstract submissions are reviewed, we do hold back a number of registration places for accepted abstracts, including those that are awarded travel grants and fee waivers.
Due to limited registration places, once we reach capacity we will start a waiting list. Priority will be given to people who have submitted abstracts.
Yes - the Oxford Abstract system will allow you to save your submission, and then return to complete the form later. You should receive an email to confirm that an "incomplete" submissions has been saved, along with a link to return to edit it. If you do not receive this email, you may not have saved your submission. You can edit your incomplete submission up to the abstract submission deadline.
We include a final tick box to confirm your abstract submission is completed, and you should tick this box (as well as complete all other required fields), to complete your submission.
If you find that you need to amend your abstract at a later date, you can contact us at np-events@lancaster.ac.uk. We can either change the status of your abstract to "incomplete" to allow you to make any edits, or for minor updates we can manually make those edits for you.
If a registered attendee is no longer able to attend, they should inform Christine Phillips, Events and Promotions Manager, immediately. The attendee can opt to transfer their registration to another person, or request a refund. Refunds of registration fees will be provided where the registration place is able to be re-sold. If a delegate has paid via an offline payment invoice/bank transfer a £20 admin fee will be deducted from any refund. Please note that cancellations received with less than 21 days' notice are unlikely to be able to be resold.
Where an attendee is presenting a poster and has to cancel their attendance, they can request that a co-author present the poster on their behalf. The delegate place can be transferred to the co-author.
Should circumstances beyond our control force the cancellation of the symposium, the New Phytologist Foundation is unable to accept liability for any additional costs incurred, including travel costs, and delegates are strongly encouraged to take out appropriate travel insurance to cover them in the event of cancellation.
Prizes will be awarded for the best posters. All registered delegates can vote for the best poster, with a prize of £200 for the top poster and £100 for a runner up.
Please ensure you have checked whether you require a visa to enter the UK (see 'Visas and entry to the UK'). The New Phytologist Foundation can supply a letter of invitation to support a visa application once the delegate has registered and paid their full registration fee, or has been awarded a fee waiver.
You can request a visa invitation letter when registering, and you will then be sent a secure form to provide your passport information.
Visa letter are generally produced after abstract results, so that we can include if you have been selected to present a poster or give an oral presentation.
We have a limited number of travel grants and fee waivers available. You must submit an abstract by the deadline of 25 January 2027 to be considered.
See the Travel grants tab for full details.
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