Project News

Explore the potential of sprayable RNAs in sustainable agriculture and learn how RNA-based technologies are shaping the future of crop protection.

Experts are invited to share their insights and help shape future priorities for the surveillance, management and research of viroid diseases by April 2027.

MSCA Fellow João Colaço reflects on his first ViroiDoc secondment at the Poznań Science and Technology Park, Innosil, and the University of Life Sciences in Poznań, Poland.

 This autumn, ViroiDoc introduced viroid research to diverse audiences in Cambridge and Heidelberg through science festivals and public engagement activities.

ViroiDoc joined the European Researchers' Night 2026 with public engagement activities in Slovenia, Italy, and Greece, showcasing research careers, plant health, and the science of viroids.

On 25 September researchers and institutions across Europe will open their doors to the public. Join us in celebrating research, innovation, and the people behind the discoveries that shape our future.

In September 2026, ViroiDoc doctoral candidates strengthened their skills in advanced statistical methods for analysing complex bioscience data.

What are viroids, how do new plant diseases emerge, and why can they pose such a serious threat to agriculture?

This hybrid training in September 2026 is aimed for bioscience and biomedicine PhD students.

Discover ViroiDoc DCs' latest research achievements, publications, and secondment activities across Europe.

In July 2026, ViroiDoc organised a hybrid training on R Programming and Data Manipulation, strengthening researchers’ transferable skills in data analysis.

New ViroiDoc preprint published on bioRxiv.

From 15–19 June 2026, consortium members gathered in Strasbourg for specialised training, scientific exchange, and collaborative planning. 

ViroiDoc project partners visited the European Parliament on that very historic day.

ViroiDoc presented its latest research on viroid-like RNAs, strengthening the project's scientific visibility and dissemination.

This hybrid training in July and September 2026 is aimed for bioscience and biomedicine PhD students. Registration is limited.

ViroiDoc supervisors and doctoral candidates met in Valencia to discuss research progress and future plans.

This is among the highest scientific honours in Spain. Congratulations!

MSCA Fellow Judith López on her second ViroiDoc secondment at the University La Plata - IBBM Institute, UNLP (Argentina).

Following ViroiDoc MSCA Doctoral Candidates as they explore viroids across laboratories and continents.

A strong scientific paper begins with a clear narrative, strategic planning, and a structured approach to writing and publication, as outlined by Prof. Sophien Kamoun.

The project partners are due to meet in France for a project activity in June 2026. Events.

What are viroids? Are they viruses? Bacteria? Or something else entirely? And why should anyone other than a biologist even care about something so small that it doesn’t have a single protein-coding gene?

A new project led by IHPS, in collaboration with BF UL and IJS, which aims to improve the impact on plant health.

The transferable skills online training on 2 April 2026 by Sophien Kamoun. This event is open to the public free of charge. Registration has limited places.

ViroiDoc MSCA Fellow Lara Palatinus is aiming to understand how viroids interact with their host plants at a molecular level.

MSCA Fellow Judith López on her first ViroiDoc secondment in Greece at the University of Crete (IMBB).

Save the date: The transferable skills online training on 2 April 2026 by Sophien Kamoun. This event is open to the public free of charge. Registration will open soon.

To mark the anniversary, ViroiDoc invites its doctoral candidates to share their mobility experiences in a blog series on the project website in 2026.

ViroiDoc MSCA Fellow Vjeko Hrabar aims to expand knowledge of the diversity of viroid-like RNAs in fungi. What if the key to protecting our food crops from destructive fungi lies not in chemicals, but in the fungi’s own viruses? 

Celebrating Women and Girls in science on 11 February. ViroiDoc is raising awareness through a promotional video campaign to be available on YouTube.

Effective visualizations improve understanding. Resources like Data to Viz, Exploratory, and Visual Vocabulary support better chart choices and visual communication.

With the first year of implementation now behind us, ViroiDoc has successfully laid the foundations for a vibrant international doctoral network.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture by Prof. Ying Wang, University of Florida, on fundamentals of RNA nucleotides, the RNA base-pair catalog, and examine the fascinating structures of viroid RNA.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture on how NGS-enabled transcriptomic insights into plant–viroid interactions and discovery of viroid and viroid-like species by Prof. Jernej Jakše from the Biotechnical Faculty UL.

ViroiDoc MSCA Fellow Lara Palatinus reports on the opportunity to learn more about viroid research in hop plants during her study visit in October 2025 to the University of Hohenheim.

10 new MSCA Doctoral Fellows will join the international effort to unravel how viroids - the smallest known infectious agents - cause diseases in plants and threaten agricultural production worldwide.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture on how plants defend themselves against pathogens and pests by Professor Purificación Lisón from the Valencia Polytechnic University.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture by Professor Kriton Kalantidis from the University of Crete.

The names of selected MSCA fellows for PhD positions in the participating countries will be announced soon.

The event not only advanced the MSCA fellows’ scientific training but also laid the groundwork for sustained collaboration and engagement across the project network.

ViroiDoc is currently in the final stage of evaluating all applications. The evaluation will be completed in October.

The project partners are due to meet in Italy for a project activity in September 2025. Events.

Applicants to be notified regarding the outcome of their submissions by the end of October 2025 at the latest.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture by senior researcher Beatriz Navarro Ramirez.

Visit the ViroiDoc YouTube channel to watch a featured video lecture by Professor José-Antonio Daròs.

Deadline for applications: 5 September 2025.

ViroidDoc is a consortium of leading EU research laboratories and academic partners from Argentina and the USA. 

Call for two positions in Italy to be open this summer.

ViroiDoc selected DCs for positions in France, Germany, Greece, Slovenia and Spain. Call for two positions in Italy to be open this summer.

International conference in Bari, Italy, from 22 to 24 September 2025 about most updated knowledge on viroids and viroid-like RNAs. Events.

ViroiDoc is currently in the final stage of evaluating all applications. When positions in Italy become available you will be invited to apply.

We are currently experiencing technical issues preventing access to our LinkedIn profile.

ViroiDoc is currently in the process of evaluating all applications. The first applicants for positions DC2, DC5, DC6 and DC9 have been informed of the results. When positions in Italy become available you will be invited to apply.

Applicants to be notified regarding the outcome of their submissions by the end of May 2025 at the latest. When positions in Italy become available you will be invited to apply.

Join the ViroiDoc Project Community for an engaging online event dedicated to exploring the fascinating world of viroids and viroid-like RNAs. Registration open.

In Bari, Italy, from 22 to 24 September 2025 about most updated knowledge on viroids and viroid-like RNAs. Events.

ViroiDoc Network is seeking for 10 Doctoral Candidates to join research laboratories in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain. Application deadline: 25 April 2025.

The ViroiDoc Doctoral Network is looking for 10 highly motivated Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to join research laboratories in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain. 

On 8 April 2025, the University of Hohenheim (DE) invites you to an online workshop to exchange knowledge and explore strategies to mitigate viroid risks in hop production. In English, free of charge.

In Bari (Italy) from 22 to 24 September 2025 about most updated knowledge on viroids and viroid-like RNAs. Events.

About obelisks that have colonized and gone unnoticed in human and global microbiomes. Recommended reading.

About the smallest infectious pathogens discovered to date. Recommended reading.