Solving the Tax Conundrum Scooping Protection Extended To

SPRING 2017

ISSUE 35

EMBO Laboratory Management Courses Exploring individual leadership styles PAGES 6 – 7

Protected as soon as you unveil your masterpiece Long-Term Fellowships Scooping protection Solving the tax extended to preprints conundrum PAGE 3 PAGE 9

Installation Grants Researcher, mother, advocate Beyond scientific discussions Lithuania part of the scheme for the first time Ottoline Leyser receives FEBS | EMBO EMBO Science Policy Lecture Grants Women in Science Award explained

PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 8

www.embo.org Table of contents

EMBO news Bridging the gap: interview with EMBO Molecular Medicine’s new Chief Editor Page 13

Science story

EMBO NEWS

EMBO Press scooping protection policy EMBL Photolab Marietta Schupp, © extended to preprints Page 3 Editorial Lithuania joins the Installation Grants

scheme Page 4 SCIENCE STORY nternational exchange and cross-border mobility are central to EMBO’s mission Ottoline Leyser receives FEBS | EMBO Where membranes kiss: membrane Iof supporting the life science commu- Women in Science Award Page 5 contact sites in the spotlight nity. That is why we created the Science Pages 10 – 11 Solidarity list in response to the U.S. government’s travel ban (page 5). Using Science Solidarity list: a show of unity and EMBO’s strength in bringing people togeth- support Page 5 er, we felt that connecting scientists need- Science policy ing help with those offering it was some- India | EMBO Symposia launch Page 5 thing that we could, and should, do. Sparking science policy discussions Other political developments, though through EMBO lecture grants Page 12 less widely publicized, also affect EMBO’s work. For example, the situation for Announcing the 5th World Conference on postdoctoral fellowships in Europe has changed, with several national govern- Research Integrity Page 12 ments in Europe no longer accepting non- taxable fellowships and insisting on full social security payments. The result: in EMBO community some cases fellows have suffered unacceptable net reductions in their fellowship, in EMBO NEWS Updates from across others the host institute or research group Honing research leadership skills at Europe Pages 14 – 15 has had to supplement their stipends. On page 9, we present some of the EMBO Laboratory Management Courses comments, questions and feedback we Pages 6 – 7 Sir Raymond Kenelm Appleyard have received from EMBO Long-Term (1922 – 2017) Page 17 Fellows. And we look at the challenges and Connecting European and Taiwanese opportunities that this change in the situ- scientists Page 8 ation in Europe brings. Is there any future Awards and publications for tax-free fellowships? What consequenc- es would a transition to contracts have? Achievements and papers by members of And what else needs to change? These are the types of questions we are explor- the EMBO community Page 16 ing to make sure the EMBO Fellowship Programme retains its place as the most respected and effective postdoctoral fund- EMBO events ing programme in Europe.

Upcoming courses, workshops and Maria Leptin conferences Page 18 Director, EMBO EMBO NEWS

EMBO Fellowships: trying to solve the tax conundrum Page 9 Fresh from EMBO Press Some of EMBO’s latest publications at a glance Page 19

Protected as soon as you unveil your masterpiece EMBO Press scooping protection policy extended to preprints VIDEO

n December 2016 the four EMBO Press jour- on a recognized preprint server, if it is submit- nals announced the extension of their “scoop- ted to an EMBO Press journal in a similar form Iing protection” to preprints to help and within four months of posting. encourage scientists to share their research find- “Preprints are one important step towards ings in a timely manner. an Open Science future and allow sharing of Scooping protection is a key characteristic of research findings with minimal delay,” explains Watch the video: EMBO Press – A different way to publish the Transparent Process that EMBO Press uses for Bernd Pulverer, Head of Scientific Publications its four publications – The EMBO Journal, EMBO at EMBO. Preprints afford scientists and journals https://youtu.be/6iFa3AOOOmA Reports, EMBO Molecular Medicine and Molecular the time necessary to publish reproducible, reliable research findings. Depressurizing the publication process in this way will encourage thorough EMBO Director Maria Leptin says: “We peer review, prepublication quality control and understand the time pressure young researchers How EMBO supports data curation processes, as well as proper revi- face, and therefore made the decision to accept sion time. preprints as part of a Long-Term Fellowship appli- preprints Pulverer continues: “We hope that extending cant’s publication record. Although preprints the scooping protection policy of our journals to cannot replace peer-reviewed publications, they ➔➔ authors encouraged to post preprints preprints will encourage preprint posting without offer applicants an additional opportunity to before or coincidental with submission the concern of losing priority to a competitor’s demonstrate the way they approach scientific to an EMBO publication publication. It is now up to funders and institu- questions and interpret experimental data.” ➔➔ citation of preprints encouraged tions to encourage preprint posting by making As a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration ➔➔ scooping protection extended to them count for research assessment.” on Research Assement (DORA), EMBO aims to preprints EMBO has already taken this step, and accepts use alternatives to journal metrics for research preprints as evidence for research achievements assessment and does not accept papers submit- ➔➔ preprints accepted as part of publication as part of the Long-Term Fellowship applications. ted for publication as part of an application for record for EMBO Long-Term Fellowship Young scientists looking to take the next step in funding. Through its support for preprints, EMBO application their careers do not always have time to wait for is further encouraging a move away from journal publication of their research in a peer reviewed metrics. journal, which can take anywhere between six Systems Biology. Under this policy, similar find- months and two years, before having to apply for More information ings published by other researchers during peer- postdoctoral fellowships. Preprints allow them embopress.org review or revision of a manuscript are not used to formally document their research before the emboj.embopress.org/content/35/24/2617 as a criterion for rejection. Now, scooping protec- completion of peer review, making it publicly tion applies from the day a manuscript is posted available for assessment in a funding application.

Establishing talent across Europe EMBO Installation Grants scheme continues to expand

n December 2016, eight life scientists were accepted into the Installation Grants scheme by participating countries. These grants are awarded annually to early-career life scientists Iestablishing new independent research groups in the countries taking part in the scheme. Each of the award holders receives annual funding of 50,000 euros for three to five years while they establish their laboratory in the host country. In addition to financial support, they benefit from networking opportunities, mentorship and access to research leadership training by becoming part of the EMBO Young Investigator Network.

Jaan-Olle Andressoo Claus Maria Azzalin Murat Alper Cevher Rafal Ciosk

Gene knock-up to treat Telomeres, cancer and aging Mediator-estrogen receptor Cell fate plasticity in development Parkinson’s disease Lisbon, PT interaction and tissue homeostasis Tallinn, EE Ankara, TR Poznan, PL

Catarina Homem Abdullah Kahraman Vladimír Varga Piotr Ziolkowski

Temporal and metabolic Non-coding cancer driver Construction of the eukaryotic Crossover control in plants regulation of stem cells mutations in isoform networks flagellum Poznan, PL Lisbon, PT Istanbul, TR Prague, CZ

Lithuania joins Installation Grants scheme

he eight scientists awarded EMBO Installation of skills and knowledge from more established opportunities for young researchers to establish TGrants in 2016 are the eleventh cohort to research communities to the participating coun- research facilities in Lithuania. The ability to receive funding through the scheme. Initiated in tries,” says Programme Manager Gerlind Wallon. compete with larger economies to attract the 2006, EMBO Installation Grants are designed to In 2017, the Installation Grant scheme includ- finest researchers will help the continued growth counter the “brain drain” of scientists to coun- ed Lithuania for the first time. The country joined of life sciences in our country.” tries with large economies and established scien- the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal tific facilities. and Turkey as hosts for EMBO Installation embo.org/funding-awards/installation-grants “EMBO Installation Grants encourage talented Grantees. Virginijus Siksnys, Lithuania’s repre- young group leaders to establish laboratories in sentative at the European Molecular Biology countries which might otherwise lose their top Conference (EMBC), comments on the positive scientists abroad. They also support the transfer effects for Lithuania: “It is a pleasure to see new

lant biologist Ottoline Leyser is the recipi- Ottoline Leyser is also an outstanding role ent of the tenth FEBS | EMBO Women in model for future generations of researchers, PScience Award for her work on the evolu- having successfully combined academic research, tionary, developmental and biochemical mecha- parenthood and other activities. In addition to nisms that enable plants to respond and adapt to acting on various boards and committees, dedi- environmental changes. cating time to mentoring and public outreach, She describes receiving the award as a great and providing evidence to the UK Parliament, she honour, explaining that “it’s both a joy and a is a strong advocate for women in science. privilege to work in research science, especially in “Ottoline has shown us how to be a first- molecular biology, where technological advances rate scientist and a first-rate parent at the same are currently opening up so many opportunities time: manage your time well to accomplish for discovery.” Leyser, who is Director of the both,” comments former EMBO Council Chair Sainsbury Laboratory at Cambridge University, Detlef Weigel from the Max Planck Institute for Ottoline Leyser © Ottoline Leyser © UK, continues: “To make the most of these oppor- Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany. tunities science needs diversity, and initiatives “Many of the real challenges – as Ottoline doesn’t Researcher, like this award have an important part to play in tire to remind us – are not gender, but parent opening the doors of the laboratory to everyone." issues.” Leyser’s focus on understanding how plants The award of 10,000 euros will be presented mother, respond to their environment led to her discovery at the FEBS Congress in Jerusalem in September of the mechanism of action of the plant hormone 2017, where Leyser will present a plenary lecture. advocate auxin and the identification of a second group Nominations for the 2018 award will be accepted of plant hormones known as strigolactones. She until 1 October. OTTOLINE LEYSER receives the has formulated a model of how the two hormone systems interact to regulate plant development. 2017 FEBS | EMBO Women in embo.org/funding-awards/ In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms Science Award women-in-science-award she has added computational modelling to the more traditional array of techniques.

A show of unity India | EMBO and support Symposia More than 1,000 life scientists offered help for their peers impacted launch by White House order The EMBO partners with Wellcome Trust and DBT India ithin hours of US President Donald Science Trump signing an order to ban citi- Wzens of seven predominantly Muslim Solidarity MBO announced a new partnership countries from entering the United States, some with the Wellcome Trust/DBT India European researchers had heard about first cases EAlliance. Together, they will fund up to of scientists who were affected by it. Researchers List three life science meetings per year in India. were being restrained from boarding planes, got The meetings will address discovery and inno- stuck at airports while trying to return from a vation across disciplines, focusing on global conference, or had their visa revoked. Some of challenges in the context of the life sciences. the first life scientists who decided to protest “India has a thriving scientific community. against the ban used Twitter to make a call for This new partnership is to strengthen the inter- spontaneous help. actions”, said Maria Leptin, EMBO Director. EMBO magnified this initial initiative by support,” someone stated on Twitter, when the Each scientific meeting will include lead- setting up the web-based “Science Solidarity List” list had reached more than 1,000 life scientists ing scientists, allowing early- to mid-career in order to bundle offers of help from scientists offering help. life scientists to interact with leading interna- across the globe. Within 48 hours, more than 700 tional experts. researchers from over 30 countries contributed to Shahid Jameel, Chief Executive Officer, embo.org/science-solidarity the list, offering temporary lab or desktop space, Twitter: #scienceshelters, #sciencesolidarity Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance added: access to computers, libraries, and even accom- “We hope this partnership will catalyze a high modation in their private homes. Media reported level of discussion and identify new areas of on the initiative, and news about the list rippled interdisciplinary life science research for India.” across social media for several days. The next application deadline for India | EMBO did not track how many offers were EMBO Symposia in 2018 is 15 July 2017. accepted by scientists affected by the travel ban. embo.org/funding-awards/ But the global signal that the scientific commu- courses-workshops/india-embo-symposia nity sent was clear. “What a show of unity and

Exploring Photos: Andreas Henn © individual Scientists not only dedicate time to advancing Participants learn about leadership through leadership scientific knowledge. They also face the pressures group discussions, working in pairs and of tight budgets, having to obtain grants, publish- individual reflection. ing papers and managing staff. In addition to their styles talent, scientific skills and hard work, training in EMBO Laboratory Management leadership can help them to further increase the research performance of their laboratories. responsible conduct and publication of research. Courses hone research EMBO provides its Research Leadership The aim for the EMBO Laboratory Management leadership skills course to help young group leaders and postdocs courses on Research Leadership and other topics develop their leadership and management skills. is to continue to contribute to the skills, produc- What began over 10 years ago as a programme for tivity, well-being and fulfillment of those who EMBO Young Investigators has grown to a series dedicate their lives to science. went home feeling more prepared to face of some 35 courses for scientists run each year the academic future.” This is how Leonardo in Heidelberg, Germany, with additional courses Leadership that fosters development “I Valdivia, who will set up his own lab in held throughout the world at universities and “Leadership is the art of guiding people to achieve Chile this year, described the value of the EMBO research institutes that request them (see box). a common vision, while taking care of their Laboratory Management Course on Research To deliver broader training, EMBO is also explor- needs and fostering their development,” explains Leadership (see box). ing the provision of other courses relating to the course leader CJ Fitzsimons. It is the ‘while’

What are EMBO Laboratory Management Courses? The EMBO Laboratory Management Course, the continued awareness of the importance of now in its second decade, is administrated good leadership and other ‘soft’ skills in science – by EMBO’s not-for-profit daughter compa- both for the training and well-being of scien- ny, GFLW (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der tists, and for the quality and excellence of their Lebenswissenschaften Heidelberg GmbH). research and its communication. Three- and four-day courses for group leaders EMBO and GFLW are open to suggestions and postdocs take place throughout the year from the community for additional training or near Heidelberg, Germany. The course can also support needed to promote the responsible and be delivered locally at institutes and universities efficient conduct of excellent research. worldwide. “Leadership is the art of guiding In addition to the original course – which has For information on how to attend a course been renamed “Research Leadership” to better or organize one at a local institute, visit people to achieve a common describe the content, value and aim of the course – lab-management.embo.org vision, while taking care of GFLW offers EMBO courses on “Negotiation” and “Self-Leadership”. Together, they aim to address their needs and fostering their development.” CJ Fitzsimons

in this statement that is key to the Research Leadership course philosophy. DelegationMany leaders and managers can find delegat- How you delegate a specific task will depend Developing staff along the road to achieving tasks difficult. Relying on your staff to do on both the nature of the task and the skills, expe- ing a vision means that increasingly ambitious a good job takes trust, skill, care and patience. rience and qualities of the person to whom you goals can be set as lab members gain skills and Nevertheless, delegation is important for both delegate. There are four approaches to delega- develop qualities. At the same time, supporting efficiency and team development, ensuring tion – according to Hershey & Blanchard’s situ- scientists to become well-rounded individuals increased flexibility and performance. ational leadership, adapted from Landsberg who can contribute as leaders within or outside (1997) – that depend on a staff member’s skill of research is critical to the future of science itself. for the task and willingness to do it (see Skill-Will The Research Leadership course is focused matrix below): on people, teams, and the skills needed to lead and manage them. The course does not provide Guide a set ‘recipe’ for making identical leaders. Rather, Use for: Staff who are enthusiastic about a task, but lack the skills or experience participants explore their own leadership role(s) needed. and personality to determine for themselves what Approach: Assign the task, but help Classic delegation kind of leader they want to be. The course then ‘George’ take small steps. Check his results equips participants with ideas, models and tools and give him feedback to help him develop. Use for: Staff members who are highly skilled in and willing to take on a task. with which to observe, analyse and influence As he gains competence, you can start to release control. Approach: Discuss the goal, set a deadline their own and other people’s behaviour. Tip: Be sure that the task is neither too and leave ‘Paul’ to it. His skill is sufcient challenging nor too easy; you are aiming to and he is willing and able to do it. grow your staff member’s skills, not Tip: Do not micromanage staff; let them “The course was delivered in a overwhelm them. complete the task their way using their skill and judgment. perfect mix of theory and practice, and using personal experiences for WILL role-plays made it very realistic. I Classic Guide feel much more confident now in delegation facing the career challenges that

lie ahead of me.” Kerstin Kinkelin

Previous participant Liming Sun, who start- ed her lab at the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology in Shanghai, China, two years ago, described her experience: “The course picked up George Paul very practical topics, then led us to dig into our own personalities to discover the internal building blocks of leadership. Pair and group discussions empowered me to have a clearer idea of how to develop more productive interpersonal communications.” Direct Excite The course is delivered in a workshop style by experienced trainers from two partner consultan- cy firms. Each workshop is tailored directly to the experience and professional needs of the postdocs or group leaders who attend it, with examples, experiences, ideas and questions from the participants captured and integrated into the course. An example of one module, on ‘delegation’, is shown Ringo John on the right. Kerstin Kinkelin, who is establishing a training and career development programme for postdocs at the Francis Crick Institute in London, says: “The course was delivered in a perfect mix SKILL of theory and practice, and using personal experi- Direct ences for role-plays made it very realistic. I feel Excite much more confident now in facing the career Use for: Staff lacking both the skill and will to take on a task. Use for: Staff who have the required skills, challenges that lie ahead of me.” but are unwilling to take the task on. Approach: First work out why ‘Ringo’ is unwilling. Fear or lack of condence is often Approach: You need to identify why ‘John’ a factor. Address this by breaking the task is unwilling. Does he have too much to do? down and showing him he can do it. Once Does he feel the task is beneath him? You he is willing, use the Guide approach to need to nd a way to excite him about the increase his skill. need for the task, or perhaps compensate him in kind for doing it. Tip: You need to take small steps. In the long run, this investment is worthwhile, as Tip: As leader, it is your prerogative and you develop a qualied member of staff. responsibility to delegate tasks; you do not have to take ‘no’ for an answer, but you will gain in the long run if you can persuade rather than demand. ©2017 EMBO EMBO NEWS © Yuki Nakamura Yuki © Bertrand Jordan © Pai Tsung-Pin © Chi-Huey Wong © Yuki Nakamura Bertrand Jordan Tsung-Pin Pai Chi-Huey Wong

Far Eastern connections Cooperation agreement fosters exchange with Taiwanese scientists

y friends and colleagues in Europe found forming connections with other research- aspects. This is different from the Taiwanese lab I told me it’s a competitive but excel- ers especially valuable. “Because Taiwan is was in, which had a very solid central topic. The “M lent programme, so I decided to apply,” geographically distant from Europe, interacting diversity and collaboration opened my mind and says Yuki Nakamura, who was selected to carry with colleagues is costly. Thanks to travel support, changed my view of science.” out research on lipid diversity in plant growth I can visit Europe more often for scientific discus- and development at the Academia Sinica in Taipei sions and collaborations. Exchange at scientific meetings and included in the EMBO Young Investigator “Giving invited lectures at major European As part of the cooperation agreements, EMBO Programme in 2015. “Being part of the EMBO universities and conferences has greatly increased also funds scientific events in Taiwan, such as Young Investigator Programme has definitely my networks. I have established new collabora- the EMBO Conference on “Neural Development” helped my career.” tions with scientists in Europe and connected or the Global Exchange Lecture Course on Nakamura was eligible to apply to the with a few EMBO Members with a common “Structural and biophysical methods for biologi- programme because of a cooperation agreement research interest.” cal macromolecules in solution”, both of which that EMBO and the Taiwanese Ministry of Science took place in Taipei in 2015. In addition, EMBO and Technology and Academia Sinica signed A different way of thinking encourages scientific exchange by providing more than four years ago. In addition to young Tsung-Pin Pai received an EMBO Long-Term funding for the attendance of scientists from group leaders like Nakamura, the agreement Fellowship to carry out postdoctoral research in Taiwanese institutions at EMBO events and for allows postdocs and established scientists to Josef Penninger’s lab at the Institute of Molecular EMBO Members and Young Investigators speak- benefit from EMBO funding and training oppor- Biotechnology in Vienna. Like Nakamura, he ing at scientific meetings in Taiwan. tunities. The cooperation was established as part values the networking opportunities this has Associate EMBO Member Chi-Huey Wong, of EMBO Global Activities in order to support offered him. Through his work in Penninger’s lab, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, found that “after sign- global exchange and researcher mobility between Pai has "established collaborations with PIs from ing the cooperation agreement, more scientists Europe and the rest of the world Australia, France, USA and Taiwan. [Thanks to from Europe visited Taiwan to give lectures the fellowship] I connected more with scientists and participate in scientific meetings, and more Becoming part of a network from the rest of the world.” Taiwanese researchers and faculty members visit- EMBO Member Bertrand Jordan, from Marseille, Talking about how he benefited from the EMBO ed Europe to advance their study and work.” France, was an early advocate for strengthen- Fellowship, Pai also describes another aspect of Bertrand Jordan confirms that the cooperation ing the ties between European and Taiwanese personal and professional development. Moving agreement has led to an increase in the number researchers. Talking about his experience of inter- to Vienna was a culture shock that helped him of contacts between Taiwanese and European acting with scientists in Taiwan at the time, he to approach his research in a completely different researchers. Drawing on his own experience, he says: “Taiwan has a dynamic and well-funded life way. “It was like I reset myself,” he explains. “It continues to encourage forming these connec- sciences establishment, in a number of universi- felt like I had never touched a pipet before and tions: “The Taiwanese life sciences sector is ties but also in the Academia Sinica. There was had to learn from the very beginning. Living dynamic and offers excellent facilities. Making a definite wish to extend contacts and collabo- abroad changed my perspective and helped a lot – use of EMBO’s support, any scientist should rations beyond the USA, where many scientists I learnt a new way of thinking and managing my consider it as a target for collaborations.” trained.” experiments and my time. Scientists based in Taiwan can apply for “The approach to work is different here – in embo.org/about-embo/global-activities EMBO Long- and Short-Term Fellowships or, like addition to working hard, working smart is Nakamura, to the Young Investigator programme. important. Josef [Penninger] allows me to build After studying and working in Japan, Singapore, up my own theory to establish the concept of my Germany and Taiwan, Nakamura became aware project. And people in the lab come from more of the programme through Academica Sinica. He than ten countries and are experts in different

adopting contracts would give EMBO Fellowships the boost they need: “A raise in social benefits would increase the status of the fellowships and increase the visibility of EMBO as it wants to be perceived: top of the bill!” There are other possible changes to consider, such as the duration of the fellowship, as Gerrit acknowledges: “Two years is a short time, because it means you must start looking for a new position after one year. This hardly gives you time to make enough progress to prove that your The tax conundrum postdoc is running successfully.” The pilot EMBO EMBO Long-Term Fellowships must evolve to stay Advanced Fellowships, where existing fellows in European labs have the chance to apply for at the forefront of postdoctoral funding a further two years’ money, have, so far, been a By Kathy Weston success, suggesting a potential way forward. EMBO remains committed to helping the best early career researchers do transnational science, n 1981, Gerrit van Meer, a newly fledged option for working part time, and a private something of particular importance in the current Dutch PhD student, arrived at the European pension scheme. Fellows become part of a political climate. Gerrit van Meer is clear on this: IMolecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in community, and the scientific contacts they make “Science is an international activity,” he says. Heidelberg to start a postdoc with Kai Simons. can lay a solid foundation for the rest of their “Let’s try to keep it that way.” And Paul Nurse, His funding came from a familiar source: an careers. EMBO Fellowships are still coveted and EMBO Secretary General, could not agree more: EMBO Long-Term Fellowship. As he says, “there highly competitive, with only 11 to 16% of appli- “Long-Term Fellowships have been at the heart of were not many alternatives in those days. The cants in the past five years passing the rigorous EMBO’s mission to foster transnational science fellowship gave me the status of independence, selection procedure, which includes an interview since EMBO began in the 1960s. The scheme has just as it does to today’s fellows.” Gerrit’s post- with an EMBO Member. evolved over the years and we need to continue to doctoral period turned out to be successful: “I However, all is not perfect. It is becom- be adaptable and receptive to new ideas that will got a paper out after one year, and stayed on for, ing increasingly harder to ensure a level play- keep it relevant and attractive to the best young in the end, another four years,” he recalls. “In ing field for all EMBO Fellows, due to changes researchers. The EMBO community as a whole those five years, I produced a series of papers that in employment and tax law in many countries. will help in maintaining this highly successful established me as an independent scientist and Maria Leptin, EMBO Director, outlines the prob- and effective fellowship scheme.” supported me for the rest of my scientific career.” lem: “An increasing number of national govern- Today, as President of the European Molecular ments no longer accept non-taxable fellowships Biology Conference (EMBC), the body that funds and insist on full social security payments,” she all of EMBO’s Programmes and activities, Gerrit says. “This has led to situations where the fellows A challenge for still has the EMBO Long-Term Fellowship at the either suffer unacceptable net reductions in their front of his mind. Set up in the 1960s as a way fellowship, or else the host institute or research EMBO Fellows of sending young European postdocs to the best group has to supplement the fellowship – in some labs across national borders, the fellowships have cases with a supplement that almost matches the “I was able to prove that my fellowship does contributed to the training of thousands of scien- fellowship itself. Not all research groups and not constitute a contract of employment tists, many of whom have gone on to become institutes can afford this, and some therefore between myself and EMBO. They neverthe- some of the world’s most influential research- cannot host EMBO Fellows.” less decided to consider the income taxable” ers. Offering a two-year tax-free stipend, EMBO Such considerations have led to a re-evalua- Fellowships were an invaluable stepping stone to tion of the programme, to ensure that EMBO’s “Unfortunately and although I sent the local an independent scientific career, at a time when support of early-career researchers continues to tax office a copy of my EMBO contract, I just the average postdoctoral period lasted some- be an important part of the European research got a letter asking me to pay ~30% of my where between two and five years. landscape. Today, many other programmes fund fellowship as tax.” postdoctoral fellowships – a conservative esti- “Postdocs are worried” mate indicates there are some 120 other schemes “The bank did not seem to understand that But times have changed from those early days. for molecular life sciences alone – many of which EMBO Fellowships should be tax-exempt and The boom in biomedical science and molecu- pay for national taxation and social security enti- therefore they have to report my income to lar biology has resulted in many more postdocs tlements. So what can EMBO do? the taxation bureau directly.” being trained than can rapidly achieve academic independence, leading to a situation where Continuing to support transnational science “I hope you can help me, because I am feeling postdoc jobs are less of a short training period, One possibility to continue to provide fund- a little worried about the money. We are and more a way of life, sometimes lasting up to ing for postdoctoral researchers across Europe surviving [because] I also spend a lot of my a decade. David del Álamo Rodríguez, EMBO is a switch from paying stipends to negotiating savings.” Fellowship Programme Manager, sums up the contracts for EMBO Fellows with host institu- problem: “Postdocs are now worried – they may tions. This would not only ensure that fellows have a couple of kids and they’re married, and in every country have a comparable net income, it’s not fair they have to live on a stipend,” he and receive the benefits they’re entitled to, but says. “They need stability.” it also opens the door to securing extra fund- EMBO Fellowships have evolved to meet this ing for the EMBO Fellowship Programme: the challenge. Bolted on to the modern stipend are European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie benefits such as allowances for children, child COFUND scheme will not co-fund stipend- care and travel, as well as parental leave, the based programmes. Gerrit van Meer thinks that

Where membranes kiss © http://emboj.embopress.org/content/34/14/1848 © Membrane contact sites were the topic of discussion at two recent EMBO Workshops. Some of the organisers and speakers explain why these sites are increasingly becoming the centre of attention. questions in cell biology that are this wide open,” says Prinz. He and his colleagues discovered that lipid By Katrin Weigmann transfer at contact sites also plays a crucial role in stress resistance. They found a mechanism that allows the cell to shuffle ceramides from the ER to the Golgi complex to prevent toxic ceramide extbooks usually depict organelles as bilayers critically defines its function, and some accumulation in the ER. “When the ER is stressed, independent units floating through the organelles depend on lipids produced in others. many more contacts form between ER and the Tcytoplasm. But research is showing that Crosstalk between organelles can be accom- Golgi and we think this is the condition in which these pictures couldn’t be further from the truth: plished via vesicles. But mitochondria, for exam- Instead of existing and operating as independ- ple, are not connected to the vesicular transport ent units, organelles are tethered to each other system and depend on contact sites with other through numerous contact sites, and these also organelles to receive lipids. function as platforms for molecular exchange. Other membranes also use contact sites for Membrane contact sites are, in fact, not a local lipid exchange, as it is faster and more recent discovery. They were first described more precise than vesicle transport. For example, than 60 years ago, albeit in a very specialized lipid trafficking between the ER and the plasma context. They were shown to exist between the membrane plays an important role in signal plasma membrane and the sarcoplasmic reticu- transduction. Work from Pietro De Camilli at lum in muscle cells, where they function in the Yale University School of Medicine in New calcium release during muscle contraction. Only Haven, Connecticut, showed that lipid trans- recently have scientists explored their abundance port from the ER is required to replenish phos- and diversity more generally: Membrane contacts phatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the plasma seem to exist between virtually any two orga- membrane when it is hydrolysed during signal nelles, and they do much more than just calcium transduction. Moreover, its metabolites, second signalling. “People are now suddenly realizing messengers diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid, that membrane contacts could have a much are removed from the plasma membrane via ER broader application,” says William Prinz of the contact sites to end the signal. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and “The work from De Camilli showing that

Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. proteins that move lipids are actually involved of California, Davis Samantha C. Lewis, University © in signalling made people realize how ubiqui- Adding precision to lipid exchange tous this process may be,” says Prinz. Such work A single confocal plane of mitochondria (blue), One function of contact sites that has been inves- helped to shift the field from niche existence to endoplasmic reticulum (red) and replicating tigated in some detail is lipid trafficking. The central stage. “People feel there is the potential mtDNA (green) in a living human cell. chemical composition of each organelle’s lipid for something really new. There are not so many

non-vesicular transport actually becomes impor- mitochondrial division occurs only at contact things that are affected in Alzheimer’s disease tant,” explains Prinz. sites near replicating nucleotides. and that the current models cannot account for,” Researchers are now discovering an increas- Microscopy has been crucial in these discov- says Schon. ing number of contact sites and proteins that are eries and, according to Nunnari, it has played a According to Area-Gomez, neurons might be required for their maintenance and act as tethers. central role in the advancement of the field alto- particularly sensitive to defects in ER – mitochon- Prinz continues: “For most contacts there are a gether. “Live cell high-resolution imaging has drial contacts. “Calcium homeostasis and lipid tremendous number of tethers. I think many of moved the field from something that is purely regulation are the main pillars of neuronal func- them will have to do with stress and handling biochemical to something we can see. And tion. This is why we believe that dysfunction of signalling.” people love that – me included,” she comments. ER – mitochondrial contact sites affects the brain the most.” Indeed, there are indications that alter- Helping mitochondria to divide Affecting neuronal function ations in ER – mitochondrial contacts are involved According to Jodi Nunnari, University of Many neurodegenerative diseases are linked to in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases, California, Davis, contact sites play a central role mitochondrial dysfunction, and according to including Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic later- in organizing the cell’s dynamics and morphol- recent research from Estela Area-Gomez and Eric al sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and Friedreich's ogy. “The cell has a certain organization and we Schon at Columbia University, New York, contact ataxia. study all its aspects separately,” she says. But in sites between mitochondria and the ER are “The next few years will see an explosion of the end, these different parts need to coordinate involved in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. people discovering new contacts and proteins their actions, and Nunnari thinks that contact The researchers joined the field when they were enriched in these contacts,” predicts Prinz. “The

A focus on membranes at EMBO Courses & Workshops

ntracellular membrane contact sites were Intracellular contact sites were part of the Iamong the topics discussed at two recent discussions. EMBO Workshops. Back in September 2016, the workshop “Organelle contact sites – Future events with a focus on membrane Intracellular communication and role in biology disease” was organised by Jodi Nunnari, EMBO Member Luca Scorrano, VIMM, Padova, ➔➔ EMBO Workshop: Signalling and Italy, and The EMBO Journal Editor Andrea endomembranes, 8 – 12 May 2017, Santa Leibfried. The meeting focused specifically Margherita di Pula, Italy on different aspects of membrane contact site ➔➔ EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Molecular and architecture and their function in immune Cell Biology of Membranes, 21 – 23 May responses, apoptosis, organelle dynamics and 2017, Heidelberg, Germany calcium- and lipid homeostasis. ➔➔ EMBO Conference: Cell polarity and In January 2017, researchers came together membrane dynamics, 4 – 9 June, San Feliu in Goldegg am See in Austria at the EMBO de Guixols, Spain Workshop “Emerging concepts in cell organization”, which was co-organized by EMBO ➔➔ EMBO | FEBS Lecture Course: Molecular of California, Davis Jodi Nunnari, University © Members Marino Zerial, Max Planck Institute architecture, dynamics and function of Endoplasmic reticulum (green) and of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, biomembranes, Cargèse, France mitochondria (red) in a human U2OS cell. Dresden, Germany and Catherine Rabouille, Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands, as embo.org/events well as Gabriele Seethaler, Radstadt, Austria.

sites may do just that – in particular those involv- looking at presenilins – proteases involved in the next big problem is going to be figuring out their ing the ER. “The ER is so outspread, it could be generation of amyloid plaques observed in the function, how they all work together and cooper- a system regulator much like the cytoskeleton,” brains of Alzheimer patients – and found them to ate.” It is already becoming clear that membrane she suggests. be localized at ER – mitochondrial contacts. contact sites form the basis for some very funda- Research from Nunnari’s laboratory recently Mutations in presenilin genes cause a familial mental processes, so it might be expected that showed how the ER coordinates mitochondrial form of Alzheimer’s disease, whereas individuals many discoveries in the field will have medical division. It had long been a mystery how mito- harbouring a specific allele of apolipoprotein E relevance. chondrial DNA replication is spatially controlled (ApoE4) are at higher risk of developing a sporad- and how the cell makes sure it is equally distrib- ic form. Area-Gomez and Schon found that both uted when mitochondria divide. Nunnari and mutations lead to a failure to maintain proper ER – her colleagues found the solution in an intricate mitochondrial contact sites. crosstalk between the ER – mitochondrial contact “This told us that the functional underpinning site and the mitochondrial nucleoids. of Alzheimer’s disease is presumably a problem “We think that contact sites nucleate the in ER – mitochondrial connectivity. These contact assembly of a replication platform,” says sites are involves in calcium signalling, lipid Nunnari. Moreover, the researchers found that homeostasis and mitochondrial function – all

Announcing the 5th World Conference on Research Integrity EMBO will lead panel on responsible research conduct in day-to-day work

s part of EMBO’s work on responsible research conduct, the organi- Asation supports the biennial World Conference on Reseach Integrity (WCRI), a global forum for discussing the topic of integrity in scientific research. This year’s 5th WCRI will take place in Amsterdam from 28 – 31 May 2017 and will focus on transparency and accountability in science. EMBO Science Policy Programme Manager Michele Garfinkel is the organ- izer of a session on assuring responsible Beyond scientific discussions conduct in researchers’ day-to-day work. One of the speakers will be Bernd Pulverer, EMBO Science Policy Lecture Scheme brings policy topics Head of the EMBO Scientific Publications. to scientific events He will illustrate the steps EMBO Press is taking to encourage transparency in report-

© Photos by Maarten Photos by Schuth © ing research. In addition, EMBO Member Claudio Sunkel will address the roles of researchers and administrators in assuring applied for a Science Policy Lecture Grant Course “The New Microbiology” in August 2016, research integrity. because I think it is important to give students she invited Rino Rappuoli, Chief Scientist at GSK The biennial global conference brings “I attending a [scientific] course a wider idea of Vaccines & Diagnostics in Siena, Italy, to present together those researching integrity, science, and that includes science policy,” says a critical insight into vaccine development in the administrators, funders, editors, policy- Pascale Cossart. The microbiologist, who heads last 35 years. Using the meningitis B vaccine as makers, representatives of academies of the Bacteria – Cell Interactions Unit at the Institut example, he described how new technologies, sciences and other scholars. “We would Pasteur in Paris, France, captures the essence of together with effective European policies, can like to encourage more members of the the EMBO Science Policy Lecture Scheme. reduce disease occurrence and transmission. scientific research community to take part All too often, policy discussions take place in “The topic of vaccination was particularly in the conference,” says Michele Garfinkel, non-scientific settings. By providing funding for relevant, because vaccinations are sometimes EMBO Science Policy Programme Manager. meeting organisers to include a science policy seen negatively by people although they are so “Individual scientists have responsibili- lecture, EMBO encourages scientists to explore beneficial,” explains Cossart. “Rino Rappuoli ties and obligations for research integrity, the position of research in society. The aim is to gave an outstanding presentation which covered so it is important to make sure that their expose all researchers attending a conference to any possible issue dealing with vaccinations. He views and experiences are included in the science policy topics and to discuss policy in a evoked a lot of discussions among both students discussions.” scientific setting more routinely. and lecturers.” For anyone interested in contributing The topics for EMBO Science Policy Lectures Applications for lecture grants from organizers to the discussions on research integrity can range from the ethical, legal, social, safety of a scientific event are accepted throughout the or finding out more about the challenges and economic issues arising from scientific year. The funding is intended to cover the speak- the scientific community faces, registration research and the use of biotechnologies, to discus- er’s travel and accommodation expenses. The remains open until 20 May 2017. sions about developments in scientific publish- lecturer may be a scientist, policy expert, sociolo- ing, responsible conduct of research, issues in gist, journalist or any other expert on the topic, research funding, scientific advice to policymak- and the lecture must be an integral part of the ers and concerns at the interface between science main scientific programme. and politics. Pascale Cossart has included EMBO-funded www.wcri2017.org embo.org/funding-awards/lecture-grants/ science policy lectures at several events in the science-policy past. As one of the organisers of the EMBO | FEBS

the case of infectious disease, as we need new antibiotics. They are not just going to appear by chance. We need an exhaustive exploration of the microbiological world, because this is where sources of new antibiotics are probably located and from there optimize leads through molecular techniques. Thirdly, vaccines and immunotherapies are an essential issue; in particular neoadjuvants are a burning issue for vaccine efficiency. There is a permanent state of transition towards a zero risk vaccine, new drugs and new tests.

Do you see a challenge in bridging basic and translational or clinical science?

Bridging Philippe Sansonetti © In many ways, things have been bridged between these disciplines, but it’s a permanently moving the gap target. Things change, so new discoveries at the basic scientific level offer opportunities to be EMBO Molecular Medicine’s translated. I think we need to make sure that publica- new Chief Editor on the need to tions like EMBO Molecular Medicine permanently continue connecting basic and reevaluate the situation and constantly focus on translational science bridging the two communities. This exercise is point is that we really need to not only select the difficult: it’s not like having a purely clinical jour- best possible articles and contributions in terms nal or a purely basic science journal. But that’s its of their technical quality, but we also need to charm and power of attraction. hilippe Sansonetti, Director of the Molecular figure out the golden nuggets – the studies that Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory at the really move the field forward. PInstitut Pasteur in Paris, France, has been This is true in my own disciplines and others, part of EMBO Molecular Medicine from the and I hope that we, the editorial team, can About EMBO very beginning. After having initial discussions achieve that collectively. We need to keep our with past EMBO Director Frank Gannon on how selective attitude but, at the same time, to try to Molecular Medicine EMBO could engage more strongly with clinical open up to new areas. researchers and medical professionals and molec- and EMBO Press ular medicine, he joined the journal’s editorial Talking about new scientific areas, are there team as Senior Editor when it launched in 2011. subjects you intend to focus on specifically? EMBO Molecular Medicine is a peer-reviewed, At the beginning of the year, he took over The journal is already covering a large area of online Open Access journal dedicated to as Chief Editor from cardiovascular biolo- research in different disciplines of molecular research at the interface of clinical research gist Stephanie Dimmeler from the University medicine, and we want to continue this broad and basic biology. It offers those working in of Frankfurt. He talked with EMBO’s Head of scope. Of course, there are some gaps, or maybe this area the opportunity to publish their best Scientific Publications Bernd Pulverer about why lack of visibility of the journal, in certain commu- work in a broadly distributed and highly visi- taking on this role felt like the natural next step nities. For example, in my experience my own ble forum, thereby helping to forge new links and his vision for the journal. scientific community doesn’t see the journal between clinicians and molecular biologists. enough. EMBO Press stands for publishing high What attracted you to the role as Chief Editor? Of course, as Chief Editor I don’t want to look quality and reliable research across the I feel like I have always been part of the process, at just my own discipline, but I feel that EMBO biosciences in its four journals, The EMBO from being at the meeting that kicked off the idea Molecular Medicine needs to gain visibility in Journal, EMBO Reports, Molecular Systems to becoming Senior Editor. I’m part of the family. the fields of infectious diseases, immunology Biology and EMBO Molecular Medicine. The research that is published in EMBO and microbiology, and that is something I would EMBO Press pioneered the transparent Molecular Medicine is of the highest standard as like to work on. Because these subjects are also editorial process in order to provide a rapid, all papers go through a very serious and dedi- very much part of the adventure of molecular fair and efficient publication process. Through cated review process. I was excited by the idea to medicine. developing and employing source data tools, build on that success. EMBO Press works towards improving data What strikes me as very positive is the percep- Are there areas in molecular medicine that transparency, reuse and discoverability. tion that the community has of the quality and particularly excite you? What do you consider Through dedicated data integrity checks, it the fairness of the review process at EMBO Press. the top three areas with the potential to ensures the publication of reliable data. All There is a sense that [papers are] very profession- explode in the future? submitted manuscripts are subject to scoop- ally handled, but that [the journal] still belongs to One is diagnostics. We need to improve diagnosing protection, which extends to manuscripts the scientific community in a way. This is not just tic tools for infectious diseases; we need to have published on preprint servers. As a co-signa- the case for EMBO Molecular Medicine but also this novel point of care testing. This is the only tory of the San Francisco Declaration for for the other EMBO publications. way to get good diagnostics on the spot, start Research Assessment, EMBO Press is an advo- treatment and start isolation, if necessary, in the cate for moving away from impact factors as a What contributes to the success of broad scope case of an emerging disease. There is a lot that mechanism for research assessment. journals like EMBO Molecular Medicine? can be done that needs molecular tools. embomolmed.embopress.org I think being selective, whether we like it or not, Secondly, we need new drugs – this is true is the secret for the success of a journal. But the for all disciplines, but particularly urgent in

HOW THE HUMAN CELL ATLAS COULD Putting human cells on the map TRANSFORM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE

he idea had been bubbling,” says to turn the initial idea into a concrete scientific Healthy liver Fatty liver Liver cancer EMBO Member Sarah Teichmann from approach. “Tthe Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, “The cell is the key to understanding the biol- Cambridge, UK, about the Human Cell Atlas, a ogy of health and disease, but we are currently new initiative she has just launched together limited in our understanding of how cells differ

with other scientists. “I had talked with someone across each organ, or even how many cell types knowledge Current about this four years ago. At the time, it seemed there are in the body,” explains Teichmann. “The a bit crazy. Even now, it seems crazy – but also Human Cell Atlas initiative is the beginning of more feasible.” a new era of cellular understanding, as we will The aim of the Human Cell Atlas initiative is discover new cell types, find how cells change

to create comprehensive reference maps of all across time, during development and disease, Human Cell Atlas human cells as a basis for understanding health and gain a better understanding of biology.” Healthy cells Diseased cells and diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease. In a first step towards achieving this goal inter- www.humancellatlas.org national scientists and clinicians from many different disciplines met at a kick-off meeting in

London on 13 and 14 October 2016. At the meet- Diagnostics | Drug targets | Treatments ing, they established the framework required outcomes Translation

Würzburg graduate students tackle ubiquitin he University of Würzburg has launched a new graduate school with a focus on studying the mechanisms Emmanuelle Charpentier “cutting” T controlling ubiquitylation and the contri- a symbolic DNA double helix at the

© IMP/pov © bution of ubiquitin machinery to different opening ceremony. diseases. The graduate school, which is represented by spokesperson Alexander Buchberger, Biocenter, Würzburg, brings together 11 principal investigators from IMP Vienna moves to new building different scientific areas, including biochemistry, molecular and structural biology. ack in 1988, when the newly founded building to encourage personal encounters, adapt Former EMBO Young Investigator Almut Research Institute of Molecular Pathology to changing needs, and use resources efficiently.” Schulze from the University of Würzburg is B(IMP) moved to its premises on the On 1 March, friends and dignitaries joined a member of the Executive Board oversee- outskirts of Vienna, the scientists might have felt IMP researchers and staff to celebrate the offi- ing the graduate school. She says: “This is a bit isolated. They had been recruited by found- cial opening of the new building. EMBO Member an exciting initiative that provides us with ing director Max Birnstiel, who, at the time, was Emmanuelle Charpentier, Max Planck Institute of the opportunity to investigate a biological EMBO Council Chair and Editor-in-Chief of The Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany, marked the problem from multiple different angles.” EMBO Journal. Birnstiel had a vision: to plant a inauguration by using a large pair of scissors to The graduate school enables PhD seed of excellence in a remote area and turn it “cut” a symbolic DNA double helix in reference to students to apply a wide spectrum of state- into a hub for the molecular sciences. the CRISPR-Cas9 system she investigated at the of-the-art and emerging methods in ubiqui- For almost 30 years, the IMP building served Vienna Biocenter. tin research to questions spanning cancer, this purpose and became the nucleus of the “The IMP provided a lot of inspiration for me neurodegenerative disorders and infectious Vienna Biocenter, a thriving life science campus. during my time at the Vienna Biocenter”, says diseases, explains Schulze. “But the focus However, with the old building structure oppos- Charpentier. ”Although the people are the most is not just on research,” she says. “We also ing modern infrastructure, the IMP’s main spon- valuable asset of an institution, the architecture offer our students outstanding training sor, Boehringer Ingelheim, decided to re-build the also plays an important role.” opportunities, including joint lab seminars, institute. The new building was officially opened Between 4 and 6 October, the IMP will addi- student conferences and technology train- on 1 March 2017. tionally mark the occasion with an opening ing programmes.” The IMP’s Scientific Director and EMBO conference. Member Jan-Michael Peters says: “Three aspects were particularly important: communication, www.imp.ac.at/news/imp-opening-conference flexibility and sustainability. We wanted our new

Expanding Oxford’s computational Connecting biology network bench and of Computational Biology and other computational bedside groups throughout Oxford, which will help to build a MBO Members Hans Clevers and network of skills, expertise Frank Holstege are involved in and academic excellence in Esetting up a new research and clini- the field. cal treatment facility in the Netherlands. He said: "The new centre The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric will provide an opportunity Oncology in Utrecht will bring together for collaboration between research and care for all Dutch children From left to right: Doug Higgs with Sir David Weatherall, WIMM, a wide range of research diagnosed with cancer to achieve its Sir John Savill and Alastair Buchan, University of Oxford, at the opening groups. Importantly, we mission of developing treatments and alle- aim to provide high quality viating therapeutic side effects.

© MRC Weatherall Institute Of Molecular Medicine MRC Weatherall © of the Centre for Computational Biology. specialist training in compu- Scientific excellence is an important tational biology for students, prerequisite, explains Scientific Director n December last year, Sir John Savill, Chief post-docs and clinical training fellows." Hans Clevers. “We are interested in the Executive of the Medical Research Council, The centre houses the Computational Biology entire spectrum from fundamental to clini- Iopened the new Centre for Computational Research Group, the Computational Genomics cal research, and there is funding for new Biology, a purpose-built facility at the MRC Analysis and Training group and independent research groups.” Frank Holstege adds: “It’s Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (MRC research groups working on genome biology a very exciting environment with opportuni- WIMM). and quantitative biology of cell fate and tissue ties to achieve a great long-term goal.” At the opening ceremony, EMBO Member dynamics. and Director of the MRC WIMM Doug Higgs www.prinsesmaximacentrum.com www.imm.ox.ac.uk/mrc-computation-centre highlighted the strong links between the Centre

Living Systems Institute opens with international symposium

he University of Exeter announces the mathematicians, cell biologists, molecular geneti- opening of its new Living Systems Institute cists and a whole string of other disciplines.” T(LSI), an interdisciplinary research facil- The University of Exeter will celebrate the ity with the aim of generating new insights into opening of the new building with an internation- human and plant diseases contributing to today’s al scientific symposium on 5 and 6 July 2017. The societal challenges. event will be hosted by EMBO Member and LSI EMBO Member Nick Talbot from the Director Philip Ingham. EMBO Secretary General University of Exeter explains the concept behind Paul Nurse, EMBO Director Maria Leptin and the institute: “The Living Systems Institute will EMBO Member Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard are take a holistic view of how cells, tissues and among the speakers. whole organisms operate and, importantly, what The new Living Systems happens to them when they succumb to diseases. www.exeter.ac.uk/livingsystems/opening/ Institute at the University It is a truly interdisciplinary endeavour which will symposium of Exeter.

The centre will bring together scientists Focus on brain disorders at from multiple disciplines. They will work at the interface of fundamental and clinical research, explains Marín, with a focus on three large King’s College London groups of disorders that are thought to be caused by abnormal brain development: epilepsy, autism ing’s College London has secured “Advances in genetics are starting to give us a spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. funding for the new MRC Centre for reasonable idea about what puts people at risk The funding of three million British pounds KNeurodevelopmental Disorders, which of developing brain disorders such as epilepsy, will be used to provide training opportunities for will be led by EMBO Member Oscar Marín. The autism or schizophrenia,” explains Marín. “We young researchers through a new PhD programme aim of the centre, which is funded by the UK’s ignore, however, how these genetic changes in neurodevelopmental disorders and six-month Medical Research Council, is to turn detailed modify the developing brain to cause disease. In placements for clinical specialist trainees. understanding of the mechanism underlying the new centre we will work collectively to solve www.devneuro.org/cndd brain disorders into clinical advances. this problem.”

Awards of Excellence EMBO MEMBERS expand and support their research used to fund future research) with whose research has had excep- distinguished members who have for a period of up to seven years. co-recipient James P. Allison, The tional impact and is endowed demonstrated sustained scientific UK New Year’s Honours University of Texas MD Anderson with 10,000 New Israeli Sheqel. excellence. Vogel receives the prize for his Several EMBO Members were Cancer Center, Houston, USA. contributions to our understand- recognized in the UK New Year’s Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei ERC Scientific Council ing of regulatory RNA molecules Honours list. René Turpin Prize in Cancerology presidencies Paola Bovolenta, Autonomous in infection biology. Hopfner is The French Académie des Sciences The Accademia Nazionale University of Madrid, and Sir Alec Jeffreys, University of honoured for his work in the field de l’Institut de France has named dei Lincei of Italy has elected Giulio Superti-Furga, Medical Leicester, UK, became a Member of DNA repair and the cellular Daniel Metzger, Institute of Maurizio Brunori, Emeritus University of Vienna and CeMM of the Order of the Companions of detection of foreign nucleic acids. Genetics and Molecular and professor at the University of Research Centre for Molecular Honour for his services to medical Christian B. Anfinsen Award Cellular Biology (IGBMC), Illkirch, Rome la Sapienza as President of Medicine of the Austrian Academy research and society. France, as the recipient of the the Class of physics mathematics of Sciences, have been appointed Andreas Plueckthun from the Shankar Balasubramanian, René Turpin Prize in Cancerology. and natural sciences and Vice- as two of four new members University of Zurich, Switzerland, University of Cambridge, UK, The prize is endowed with 15,000 President of the Academy. of the Scientific Council of the was named as the recipient of and James Smith, Francis Crick euros. European Research Council by the the Christian B. Anfinsen Award. UK Genome Stability Network Institute, UK, were knighted European Commission. Sponsored by the Protein Society, Lifetime Achievement Award Medal for services to science and the award recognizes excellence The International Society Steve Jackson from The Gurdon EMBO YOUNG INVESTIGATORS medicine and services to medical and outstanding achievements research and science education, of Photosynthesis Research Institute, Cambridge, UK was Walther Flemming Medal in the multidisciplinary field honoured Jean-David Rochaix, awarded the UK Genome Stability respectively. Kikuë Tachibana-Konwalski of protein science. Plueckthun Emeritus Professor at the Network Medal for the realisa- received the Walther Flemming Amanda Fisher, Imperial College receives the award for his contri- University of Geneva, Switzerland tion of the therapeutic potential medal for her outstanding London, UK, and Ottoline butions to developing the first with its Lifetime Achievement of targeting the DNA-damage research achievements. The prize, Leyser, University of Cambridge, fully synthetic antibody library. Award. Rochaix received the response. The medal has been which is awarded by the German UK, received damehoods for award for his contributions to awarded since 2008 in recogni- Order of Merit of Germany Society for Cell Biology, recognizes services to medical research the understanding of chloroplast tion of contributions to genome young scientists up to 38 years and the public understanding Michael Brand, founding director biogenesis and photosynthesis. stability. of age for outstanding scientific of science and services to plant of the Centre for Regenerative achievements from all areas of science, science in society and Therapies, Technical University Kuwait Prize for Applied Science Helmholtz International Fellow cell biology. It is endowed with a equality and diversity in science, Dresden (CRTD), Germany, in Food and Agriculture Award prize money of 2,000 euros. respectively. has been honoured with the Sophien Kamoun, The Sainsbury Sarah Teichmann from the Order of Merit of Germany Laboratory, UK, has been awarded Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Anne Willis, MRC Toxicology EMBO INSTALLATION (Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse) the 2016 Kuwait Prize for Applied UK, is one of five scientists to Unit, Leicester, UK, was named GRANTEES for his extraordinary scientific Science in Food Agriculture for receive this year's Helmholtz as Officer of the Order of the work in the fields of stem cell his research on plant pathogens. International Fellow Award. In L’Oréal-UNESCO International British Empire for her services to research and developmental The award has been presented addition to receiving a prize of Rising Talents award biomedical science and promoting genetics. by the Kuwait Foundation for 20,000 euros, Teichmann will be Joanna Sułkowska from the the careers of women in science. Advancement of Science since invited to a research stay at the University of Warsaw, Poland, Sjöberg Prize 1979. Helmholtz Zentrum München - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize was named as one of the 2017 The inaugural Sjöberg Prize has German Research Center for L’Oréal-UNESCO International The German Research Foundation been awarded to Tony Hunter, ILANIT-Ephraim Katzir Prize Environmental Health. Rising Talents. The grants (DFG) has named Jörg Vogel, Salk Institute for Biological Hermona Soreq, The Hebrew were established by L’Oréal- University of Würzburg, Germany, Studies, La Jolla, USA, for his stud- University of Jerusalem, received Fellow of the Biophysical Society UNESCO For Women in Science and Karl-Peter Hopfner, ies of cellular processes that have the ILANIT-Ephraim Katzir Prize Award programme to highlight and University of Munich, Germany, as led to the development of cancer for her outstanding research Jonathon Howard, Yale University, support the achievements of two of ten recipients of the 2017 drugs. He shares the prize fund of achievements in the life sciences. USA, has been elected as Fellow women in the early stages of their Leibniz Prize. Each researcher one million US dollars (of which The award is awarded every three of the Biophysical Society. The scientific careers from countries in will receive 2.5 million euros to 900,000 US dollars should be years to a senior Israeli scientist, award honours the Society's each region of the world.

Good Read – Publications from the EMBO community Two EMBO Members honoured with Superantigens hyperinduce An ensemble of regulatory In Vivo Cleavage Map Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine inflammatory cytokines by elements controls Runx3 Illuminates the Central Role enhancing the B7-2/CD28 spatiotemporal expression in of RNase E in Coding and Silvia Arber and Caetano Reis e Sousa are the 2017 recipi- costimulatory receptor subsets of dorsal root ganglia Non-coding RNA Pathways ents of the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine. Neurobiologist interaction proprioceptive neurons Jörg Vogel (EMBO Member) and Raymond Kaempfer (EMBO Yoram Groner (EMBO Member) colleagues Arber, University of Basel and Friedrich Miescher Institute, Member) and colleagues and colleagues Molecular Cell | 5 January 2017 Switzerland, receives the honour for the elucidation of the PNAS | 18 October 2016 Genes & Development | 15 December 2016 Doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.002 neuronal circuits that control movement in mammals, and Doi: 10.1073/pnas.1603321113 Doi: 10.1101/gad.291484.116 Gene Architectures that immunologist Reis e Sousa, The Francis Crick Institute, UK, for Bicarbonate-induced redox Phosphatidylserine Minimize Cost of Gene the role that dendritic cells play in sensing pathogen invasion tuning in Photosystem II for Ameliorates Expression and tissue damage. regulation and protection Neurodegenerative Symptoms Yitzhak Pilpel (EMBO Member) Bill Rutherford (EMBO Member) and Enhances Axonal Transport and colleagues The annual prize recognizes exceptional biomedical in a Mouse Model of Familial and colleagues Molecular Cell | 5 January 2017 research in Europe. Each recipient receives 700,000 Swiss Dysautonomia Doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.007 PNAS | 25 October 2016 francs, of which 625,000 Swiss francs should be used to Doi: 10.1073/pnas.1608862113 Gil Ast (EMBO Member) and Generation of genome-scale colleagues finance ongoing research. The two researchers will receive Robust, universal biomarker metabolic reconstructions for PLoS Genetics | 20 December 2016 the prize at an award ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, on assay to detect senescent cells Doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006486 773 members of the human gut in biological specimens microbiota 26 April 2017. Vassilis Gorgoulis (EMBO Coupling phenotypic Ines Thiele (EMBO Young Since 2010, EMBO has promoted the research of the prize persistence to DNA damage Member) and colleagues Investigator) and colleagues winners together with the Louis-Jeantet Foundation. As part Aging Cell | 17 November 2016 increases genetic diversity in Nature Biotechnology | 28 November 2016 Doi: 10.1111/acel.12545 severe stress Doi: 10.1038/nbt.3703 of this partnership, EMBO Molecular Medicine featured two Naama Barkai (EMBO Member) special articles written by the recipients. Communication between and colleagues viruses guides lysis-lysogeny Nature Ecology & Evolution | 4 January decisions 2017 To read the articles, visit: Doi: 10.1038/s41559-016-0016 Rotem Sorek (former EMBO embomolmed.embopress.org/content/early/2017/01/24/ Young Investigator) and colleagues emmm.201607226 Nature | 26 January 2017 embomolmed.embopress.org/content/early/2017/01/24/ Doi: 10.1038/nature21049 emmm.201607227

Sir Raymond Kenelm Appleyard (1922 – 2017) EMBO’s first Executive Secretary

By Georgina Ferry © EMBL Photolab ©

MBO began as an idea enthusiastically In his first Euratom five-year report, he Appleyard also provided administrative endorsed by leading scientists from across wrote: “Real coherence needs to start from the support to the European Molecular Biology EEurope, but with no funding and no central roots. In a Europe in which, because of linguis- Conference (EMBC) once it was established administration. By offering to run it as a part-time tic, national, institutional or other boundaries far in 1969, working alongside John Kendrew. He job, Raymond Appleyard enabled it to become too few people talk to each other, this means a helped to draft the document recommending that established while senior figures in the organisa- continuous series of discussions, at the level of the German science ministry choose Heidelberg tion set about obtaining the inter-governmental the individual research worker, between those over Munich for the location of EMBL. The agreement that would secure its long-term future. who … face the same technical problems.” This same year, 1973, on the UK’s admission into the Appleyard, who died aged 94 on 22 January was exactly the credo that was being developed European Economic Community, he was promot- 2017, was born in Birtley, County Durham, UK, on by EMBO’s founders. Appleyard was drawn into ed to Director General, Scientific and Technical 5 October 1922, the only child of Kenelm Charles their circle by Adriano Buzzati-Traverso, an Information and Information Management at the Appleyard, an officer in the Royal Engineers (he influential Italian geneticist who worked on the European Commission. It was no longer practical rose to the rank of Major General), and his wife effects of radiation. Appleyard was invited to for him to run EMBO, and he was succeeded as Monica Mary (née Louis). Bright and ambitious, the founding meeting at Ravello in September EMBO Executive Secretary by John Tooze. Appleyard won a scholarship to Trinity College, 1963, but was unable to attend: instead he sent a On his retirement from the European Cambridge to read natural sciences, graduating memo outlining his views on the proposals for a Commission in 1986 Appleyard received a knight- with a first in physics. After wartime service federal organisation (in favour) and a laboratory hood, and settled in East Sussex. His wife Joan in the Royal Signals, he returned to Cambridge (against). died in 2015. He is survived by his children to complete his PhD. In 1947 he married Joan In December 1963, Appleyard hosted and Carol Geldart, Catherine Appleyard and Mark Greenwood, a biochemist working on prostate paid for the first meeting of EMBO’s Federal Appleyard. cancer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Organisation subcommittee at Euratom’s offices. In 1949 he crossed the Atlantic for a two-year Jeffries Wyman, EMBO’s first Secretary General, REFERENCES postdoc in biophysics at Yale, after which he and reported to Max Perutz, its first Chairman, that Appleyard, R. K. (1953), Segregation of lambda lysogenicity Joan drove from New Haven to Pasadena with Appleyard was “an extremely nice person whom during bacterial recombination in E.coli K. 12. their six-week-old daughter to join the pioneering I believe we can count on to help us in any way Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 18, 95 Ferry, G. (2014) EMBO in Perspective: A half-century in the group of molecular biologists at Caltech led by he can through Euratom.” Two years later, after life sciences, Max Delbrück. There he was the first to demon- Perutz and others had secured a grant from the EMBO, pp. 18–19 strate that when phage lambda entered a bacte- Volkswagen Foundation, Appleyard was formally Wyman, J. to Perutz, M., 18 December 1963, rium, it became integrated into the host chromo- appointed Executive Secretary of EMBO. Bodleian Library MS Eng. c. 2418, NCUACS F.9 some. He briefly took his expertise in working As a family man, he felt he could not give up Ferry, G. (2014) EMBO in Perspective: A half-century in the with lambda to the genetics group at the Chalk a permanent post to take on something that only life sciences, River Nuclear Laboratories in Ontario, Canada. had three years’ funding. So with the European EMBO, p. 37 Appleyard found his métier in scientific admin- Commission’s blessing, he kept his post at istration when, in 1956, he was unexpectedly Euratom and ran EMBO extremely efficiently as invited to become secretary of the new United a part-time job. “I called my key staff together,” Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of he remembered, “and said… I would like to take Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) in New York. He it, but it means you all doing a bit more work, loved the UN, which he saw as a ‘beacon of hope’, are you willing? And they all said yes.” Appleyard but like all staff had to move on after four years. and his team did all the administration of EMBO’s In 1961 he moved to Brussels as Director, Biology fellowships, courses and discussion meetings, Services in the directorate responsible for train- reporting to the Chair or other EMBO Council ing at the European Atomic Energy Community members. (Euratom).

Practical Courses Workshops ES-Sant Feliu de Guixols | 14 – 19 May Mechanisms of neurodegeneration 2017 | A. Bertolotti DE-Cologne | 26 March – 7 April 2017 | CL-Puerto Varas | 2 – 6 April 2017 | Protein quality control: Success and DE-Heidelberg | 27 – 30 June 2017 | P. Schulze-Lefert C. Gonzalez-Billault failure in health and disease P. Cossart Plant microbiota Emerging concepts of the neuronal New approaches and concepts in cytoskeleton DE-Heidelberg | 23 – 26 May 2017 | microbiology DE-Heidelberg | 2 – 8 April 2017 | D. O'Carroll E. Kerkhoff DE-Dresden | 23 – 26 April 2017 | Advances in stem cells and DE-Heidelberg | 12 – 15 July 2017 | Mechanisms of actin-dependent N. Vastenhouw regenerative medicine B. Thompson force generation Awakening of the genome: Mechanical forces in biology The maternal to zygotic transition ES-San Feliu de Guixols | 4 – 9 June DK-Odense | 20 – 27 April 2017 | 2017 | F. Martín-Belmonte DE-Heidelberg | 13 – 16 September M.R. Larsen ES-Palma de Mallorca | 23 – 26 April Cell polarity and membrane dynamics 2017 | E. Izaurralde Characterization of post- 2017 | E.F. Wagner The non-coding genome translational modifications in cellular Metabolic disorders and liver cancer FR-Paris | 13 – 16 June 2017 | M. Yaniv DE-Heidelberg | 3 – 7 October 2017 | signalling Hijacking host signalling and IT-Santa Margherita di Pula | 8 – 12 May epigenetic mimicry during infections J. Ellenberg PT-Faro | 24 – 29 April 2017 | 2017 | F. Bard Seeing is believing: Imaging the T.M. Embley Signalling and endomembranes UK-Oxford | 10 – 13 July 2017 | processes of life Tree building: Advanced concepts and C. Norbury practice of phylogenetic analysis ES-Sitges | 24 – 27 May 2017 | S. Herzig Eukaryotic RNA turnover Brown adipose tissue DE-Heidelberg | 24 – 30 April 2017 | RU-Moscow | 16 – 23 July 2017 | EMBO | FEBS Lecture Q. Deng ES-Salamanca | 28 – 31 May 2017 | V. Belousov Courses Single cell omics M. Del Val Redox biology Antigen processing and presentation IT-Sicily | 14 – 20 May 2017 | IT-Napoli | 18 – 26 May 2017 | IT-Barga | 23 – 27 July 2017 | P. Tammaro V. Colonna UK-Edinburgh | 6 – 9 June 2017 | A. Ephrussi Biophysics and medicine of channels Population genomics: J. Welburn RNA localisation and local translation and transporters: Electrifying new Background and tools Dynamic kinetochore insights FR-Paris | 23 – 28 July 2017 | A. Castro GR-Thessalonica | 5 – 17 June 2017 | CN-Xi'an | 2 – 5 July 2017 | Q. Chen Europhosphatase 2017: Phosphatases FR-Cargèse | 12 – 22 June 2017 | C. Ouzounis Mitochondrial quality control in cell fates and decisions E. Breukink Bioinformatics and genome analyses Molecular architecture, dynamics and DE-Berlin | 10 – 15 July 2017 | DE-Bad Staffelstein | 23 – 28 July 2017 | function of biomembranes DE-Heidelberg | 13 – 23 June 2017 | C. Faulkner D. Klostermeier P. Ronchi Intercellular communication in Helicases and nucleic acid-based GR-Spetses | 24 September – 1 October Advanced electron microscopy for cell development and disease machines: Structure, mechanism 2017 | D. Otzen biology and regulation and roles in human Proteins and organized complexity DE-Planegg-Martinsried | disease UK-London | 18 June – 1 July 2017 | 6 – 8 September 2017 | S. Hake C. Kiecker Histone variants: Molecular functions GR-Kolymbari | 24 – 28 July 2017 | in health and disease Developmental neurobiology: G. Christophides EMBO Global Exchange From worms to mammals Molecular and population biology IT-Turin | 8 – 10 September 2017 | of mosquitoes and other disease Lecture Course UK-Canterbury | 25 – 30 June 2017 | Z.H. Gumus vectors: Vector and disease control M. Geeves Integrating genomics and biophysics SG-Singapore | 6 – 14 December 2017 | The application of kinetic methods to to comprehend functional genetic HR-Hvar | 27 August – 1 September D. Svergun dynamic biological systems variation 2017 | I. Tolić Structural and biophysical methods Meiosis for biological macromolecules in FI-Helsinki | 2 – 9 July 2017 | E. Ikonen ES-Girona | 10 – 14 September 2017 | solution Protein – lipid interactions: C. Mauri DE-Heidelberg | 30 August – Advanced experimental and To-B or not to-B: B-cells in health and 1 September 2017 | A. Flaus computational tools disease The nucleosome: From atoms to genomes EMBO Lecture Courses SE-Fistkebäckskill | 2 – 15 July 2017 | IT-Naples | 13 – 15 September 2017 | D. Arendt G. Bernardi UK-Newcastle upon Tyne | 31 August – IN-Bangalore | 23 April – 6 May 2017 | Marine Animal Models in Evolution Evolution in the time of genome 3 September 2017 | R. Hirt D. Koester and Development: Single-cell architecture Anaerobic protists: Integrating Experimental and theoretical parasitology with mucosal microbiota approaches and genome editing in SI-Bled | 16 – 18 September 2017 | approaches to cell mechanics marine neurobiology and immunology B. Turk IT-Erice | 2–11 June 2017 | E.Y. Jones UK-Didcot | 6 – 14 July 2017 | Mitochondria, apoptosis and cancer DE-Heidelberg | 6 – 9 September 2017 | Integrative structural biology N. Burgess-Brown F. Gebauer Hernández High-throughput protein production Protein synthesis and translational control and crystallization Conferences DE-Dresden | 10 – 20 July 2017 | ES-Alicante | 7 – 10 September 2017 | EMBO Laboratory DE-Heidelberg | 3 – 6 May 2017 | A. M. Sarov V. Tiwari Management Courses Akhtar Mouse genome engineering Gene regulatory mechanisms in Chromatin and epigenetics neural fate decisions DE-Leimen, Various dates UK-Norwich | 16 – 28 July 2017 | GR-Heraklion | 7 – 10 May 2017 | C. S. Marée Hoogenraad Multi-level modelling of Cell biology of the neuron: morphogenesis EMBO | EMBL Symposia Polarity, plasticity and regeneration ORGANIZERS: NL-Wageningen | 24 – 28 July 2017 | DE-Heidelberg | 11 – 13 May 2017 | APPLY NOW FOR: C. Welte T. Alexandrov Breathless microbes: Techniques and Metabolism in time and space: theory in anaerobic microbiology Emerging links to cellular and 2018 funding for courses, developmental programmes workshops and conferences by CH-Basel | 5 – 12 August 2017 | Editorial 1 August 2017 G. Stephan DE-Heidelberg | 14 – 17 May 2017 | Structure, dynamics and function of Coordinating editor R. Benton Keynote lectures given by EMBO biological macromolecules by NMR Annika Grandison Neural circuits in the past, present and future members at major international Text Sandra Bendiscioli, scientific meetings in 2018 by Sam Caddick, Georgina Ferry, DE-Heidelberg | 21 – 23 May 2017 | 1 June and 1 October 2017 Annika Grandison, Tilmann B. Brügger For a complete and up-to- Kiessling, Stephen Pewter, Molecular and cell biology of membranes For further information see: date list of EMBO events Katrin Weigmann, Kathy Weston www.embo.org/funding-awards/ DE-Heidelberg | 14 – 17 June 2017 | courses-workshops please go to events.embo.org Print & web layout C. Haas Sandra Krahl

THE EMBO EMBO JOURNAL Molecular Medicine

P Conventional mouse Pollen No antibiotics MST1/2 Firmicutes Dysbiosis

Dysbiotic P Bacteroidetes microbiota LATS1/2 NLK transplantation Increased intestinal 4-3-3 Ser Ser permeability 1 127 128 Microbiota and microbiome change Ear (female) P P Wild type NLD 238 P PRR PAMPs P Patatin YAP plasm 1 36 428 Cyto Cytokines leus Premature Nuc P P Mutant NLD STOP P Metabolic (haploid inducer) stop codon (HFD-protection) YAP P endotoxaemia & Fasting glycaemia Patatin TEAD Increased G6Pase and PEPCK 1 380 399 inﬂammation Adiposity

RESEARCH ARTICLE SCIENTIFIC REPORT RESEARCH ARTICLE

How plants become Bypassing a Hippo Protective “obese” microbiota ‘Not Like Dad’ Increased In healthy development, all formation of CNV The intestine is populated by A common strategy to create high- organs grow to the correct size a plethora of microorganisms yielding plants is hybrid breeding – and maintain this size throughout collectively called gut microbiota. crossing two different inbred lines life. The Hippo signalling pathway An unhealthy diet changes the RESEARCH ARTICLE to obtain characteristics that are controls organ size by regulating composition of the gut microbiota cell division and cell death. More superior to each parent. Creating When the gut affects vision and it is generally assumed that inbred lines can be achieved precisely: Hippo inhibits the this maladaptation, called dysbiosis, by self-crossing for numerous activity of YAP, which in turn drives Age-related macular degeneration triggers disease. A study by Nicolas generations. In maize, the use of growth-promoting transcription. (AMD) is the leading cause of et al., published in Molecular so-called haploid inducers provides Two publications in EMBO Reports blindness in people above the age Systems Biology, challenges this a shortcut to this time-consuming have now shown that a previously of 60. Obesity is a well-known risk view. The researchers show that procedure. Pollination of female unknown regulator of YAP can factor for the development of AMD, transplanting dysbiotic (“obese”) flowers with pollen of an inducer override Hippo activity. As loss but until recently the mechanisms microbiota into healthy individuals strain generates haploid offspring of organ size control is linked to behind this connection were could protect against metabolic carrying solely the mother’s cancer and degenerative diseases, ill-defined. A study by Andriessen diseases. chromosomes. Treating these these discoveries may pave the way et al., published in EMBO Molecular The impact of gut microbiota haploid plants with colchicine for future therapeutic strategies. Medicine sheds light on this issue. on disease development has causes chromosome doubling and According to previous models, The researchers show that a previously been investigated using will lead to homozygous diploid Hippo activity indirectly leads change in the intestinal flora, mostly axenic mice that have no plants – the desired product of to the phosphorylation of YAP induced by high-fat diet, is the gut microbiota, a dysfunctional inbreeding – in just one generation. on Serine residue 127 (Ser127), driving force behind disease gut barrier and immune system. A study by Gilles et al., published keeping YAP out of the nucleus progression. Changes in the Colonizing the gut of axenic mice in The EMBO Journal, sheds light and inactive. The papers by bacterial composition of the gut with microbiota from obese mice on the genetics behind haploid Moon et al. and Hong et al. now can cause long-term low-grade causes weight gain and obesity- induction. The researchers challenge this dogma. They show, inflammation in the whole body, related phenotypes. However, when identified the gene that causes the through different approaches, which is reflected by an increase Nicolas et al. transplanted dysbiotic phenomenon and termed it Not that Nemo-like-kinase (NLP) can of pro-inflammatory cytokines. microbiota to normal, healthy mice Like Dad because its dysfunction phosphorylate YAP on Ser128, This, in turn, triggers an immune instead they observed beneficial induces embryos without genetic promoting YAP to enter the nucleus response in the retina that leads effects on metabolism. This contribution from the father. and thus overriding Hippo activity. to increased neovascularization, a suggests that – as long as the gut Understanding the genetics Phosphorylation by NLK inhibits YAP-14- characteristic feature of late-stage is healthy and the immune system behind haploid induction will help 3-3-interactions and induces its nuclear AMD. The study suggests that functional – dysbiotic microbiota localization translate this powerful breeding Sungho Moon, Wantae Kim, Soyoung Kim, modifying the gut microbiome, can protect from metabolic dys- tool to other species. Youngeun Kim, Yonghee Song, Oleksii either through diet or by other functions induced by a high fat diet. Bilousov, Jiyoung Kim, Taebok Lee, Boksik means, could be a potential new Loss of pollen-specific phospholipase Cha, Minseong Kim, Hanjun Kim, Vladimir Transfer of Dysbiotic Gut Microbiota Not Like Dad (NLD) triggers gynogenesis L Katanaev, Eek-hoon Jho therapeutic strategy for AMD Acutely Decreases Hepatic PEPCK in maize Read the paper: embor.embopress.org/ patients. and G6Pase Activity and Prevents Laurine M Gilles, Abdelsabour Khaled, content/18/1/61 HFD-impaired Glucose Metabolism Jean-Baptiste Laffaire, Sandrine Chaignon, Gut microbiota influences pathological Simon Nicolas, Vincent Blasco-Baque, Ghislaine Gendrot, Jérôme Laplaige, Osmotic stress-induced phosphorylation angiogenesis in obesity-driven choroidal Audren Fournel, Jerome Gilleron, Pascale Hélène Bergès, Genséric Beydon, Vincent by NLK at Ser128 activates YAP neovascularization Klopp, Aurelie Waget, Franck Ceppo, Alysson Bayle, Pierre Barret, Jordi Comadran, Audrey W Hong, Zhipeng Meng, Hai-Xin Elisabeth MMA Andriessen, Ariel M Wilson, Marlin, Roshan Padmanabhan, Jason S Jean-Pierre Martinant, Peter M. Rogowsky, Yuan, Steven W Plouffe, Sungho Moon, Gaelle Mawambo, Agnieszka Dejda, Khalil Iacovoni, François Tercé, Patrice D Cani, Thomas Widiez Wantae Kim, Eek-hoon Jho, Kun-Liang Miloudi, Florian Sennlaub, Przemyslaw Jean-François Tanti, Remy Burcelin, Claude Read the paper: emboj.embopress. Guan Sapieha Knauf, Mireille Cormont, Matteo Serino org/content/early/2017/02/22/ Read the paper: embor.embopress.org/ Read the paper: embomolmed.embopress. Read the paper: msb.embopress.org/ embj.201796603 content/18/1/72 org/content/8/12/1366 content/13/3/921

Early registration 31 May and medicine Late registration 15 August Abstract submission 3 July

Opening Speakers Louis-Jeantet lecture include prize winners Paul Nurse Peer Bork Silvia Arber Pascale Cossart Caetano Reis e Sousa Keynote Patrick Cramer speakers Denis Duboule Titia de Lange Jennifer Doudna John Hardy Svante Pääbo Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz Joan Steitz

basellife.org/embo #EMBOatBaselLife