Nora Papadima-Karanikou

Postdoc

1. What fascinates you most about plant science?

In an anthropocentric society plants are often overlooked as simple non-intelligent organisms, sometimes even equated to lifeless objects. Plant blindness strikes even some of the brightest biologists. I am grateful to have escaped this bias, I never considered working with plants when I studied biology, but having fallen into this world, a whole new spectrum of vision was uncovered for me. Once your eyes adapt to this new vision, you can’t stop noticing them and being astonished by their biology. Plants are everywhere, they have been around long before us and all other animals, shaping Earth as we know it today. What fascinates me as a developmental biologist is to explore the genetic basis that underlies their tremendous morphological diversity. I also think it’s incredible to see how plants share fundamental biological principles with us despite belonging to an entirely different kingdom of life.

2. Tell us briefly what scientific questions you are pursuing at MPIPZ.

How do different leaf shapes arise? What is the genetic basis underlying the tremendous diversity of the leaves around us? Which molecular pathways are conserved, and which differ between species with distinct leaf shapes? Finally, is this associated with the formation of specific cell-types that distinguish simple from complex leaves of evolutionary related species? Those are some of the questions that occupy my mind during my work at the MPIPZ.

3. Who has inspired you greatly in your career so far?

Apart from the pioneers who have shaped the field I work in, I’ve always found inspiration in the “everyday people” working around me. People who choose science as a career have a certain madness and inner drive that I really admire. Sometimes, when I lose motivation, I find it inspiring to look at those who are just embarking their journey in science — their fresh curiosity and excitement it reminds me where I started from and helps me continue.

4. What did you find most challenging in your career so far?

Embracing failure and the unknown. Coming from the structured environment of university, where answers are often neatly laid out in textbooks, to the academic world, where the process of creating those textbooks unfolds before you, was a significant challenge. It’s not as linear as I once thought. Learning to navigate this uncertainty and keep on moving forward took time. Yet, being part of this process is also mesmerizing. It’s a constant reminder to keep sight of the bigger picture and not get lost in the details.

5. How do you see your future in science and why?

I see myself in a close relationship with basic research for the rest of my life. However, having recently completed my PhD, the precise nature of this relationship is still evolving. Whether it will be through conducting research myself, supporting other scientists, teaching, or engaging in science communication—these are paths the future will reveal. What I do know is that no matter where life takes me, the curiosity of the scientist within me will always remain.