Yeasty memories, yeast genomes and beyond—from controversy to collaboration

Abstract We trace over 60 years of yeast genetics research, and conference history highlighting how Saccharomyces cerevisiae evolved from an obscure agent of organic fermentation, to one of the most, if not the most well studied eukaryotic organisms. It connects historical scientific milestones with the most recent (2020s) scientific advances and collaborative achievements in genetics, genomics, cell and synthetic biology. The review highlights how the collegiality of the yeast community led to achievements unimaginable in isolated labs or centers, setting examples for other scientific enterprises.