Fostering International Collaborations Announcing Life Science Alliance A

SPRING 2018

ISSUE 38

EMBO Courses & Workshops A look behind the scenes PAGES 12 – 13

New scientific journal Partnership with Chile Announcing Life Science Fostering international Alliance collaborations PAGE 3 PAGE 4

ERC Scientific Council in Heidelberg Facts & Figures “Every question begins with SUMO” Grants under discussion EMBO activities in 2017 at a glance Frauke Melchior receives FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award

PAGE 7 PAGES 10 – 11 PAGE 14

www.embo.org Table of contents

EMBO news Science policy

Preprint quality control Page 6

DORA relaunch: towards fair evaluation of researchers Page 7

EMBO PRESS

Announcing Life Science Alliance Page 3 EMBL Photolab Marietta Schupp, © Chilean researchers now eligible for EMBO Editorial support Page 4 et another journal?” Exchanging ideas in India Page 4 SCIENCE POLICY I would not be surprised if that “Ywas a question that went through Meet the latest Installation EMBL and EMBO host the ERC Scientific your mind when reading the announce- Grantees Page 5 ment of our newest journal, Life Science Council Page 7 Alliance (p3). It is a question we asked ourselves more than once when we first considered adding another publication to EMBO community the EMBO Press portfolio. We came to the conclusion that – Updates from across despite the already crowded journal market Europe Pages 15 – 16 and the development of alternative means of sharing scientific findings – there are good reasons to launch this particular Awards and publications publication. This is in fact not ‘just anoth- EMBO NEWS er journal’. Its raison d'être is to address Achievements and papers by members of some of the existing challenges in scientific Spotlight on the ASCB | EMBO publishing and the needs of the life science Meeting Pages 08 – 09 the EMBO community Page 17 community. We would like our authors to publish Looking back: 2017 at a glance their work as quickly and effortlessly as Pages 10 – 11 EMBO events possible. We would like our reviewers to be relieved of the additional reviewing burden Upcoming courses, workshops and associated with multiple submissions of Behind the scenes of EMBO events conferences Page 18 the same manuscript at different journals. Pages 12 – 13 And we would like our community to feel we are working towards sustainable ways of Open Access publishing that are not Fresh from EMBO press dominated by a small number of for-profit publishers. Some of EMBO’s latest publications at a These are our reasons for founding Life glance Page 19 Science Alliance. We are proud and excited to have Rockefeller University Press and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press as our partners, two other not-for-profit academic community publishers who share these values. EMBO NEWS I hope you agree that Life Science Frauke Melchior receives FEBS | EMBO Alliance is not simply an additional journal, and encourage you to participate as Women in Science Award Page 14 authors, reviewers or advisors in order to make it a success.

Maria Leptin Director, EMBO

Announcing Life Science Alliance About the journal Life Science Alliance is a new global, open-access, A new open-access, non-profit, community-driven journal peer-reviewed journal jointly published by three leading non-profit science organizations, he EMBO Press journal portfolio now General Physiology, Genes & Development and which have formed an alliance committed includes Life Science Alliance. The open- Genome Research. to rapid, fair, and transparent publication of Taccess journal is published in a partnership In addition to conceptually novel studies, papers of high value to the community across with Rockefeller University Press and Cold Spring the journal also explicitly welcomes submis- the full spectrum of the life sciences and Harbor Laboratory Press and will cover the full sion of resources, methods, as well as important biomedicine. spectrum of life science and biomedical research. confirmatory, negative or refuting data. Quality: Life Science Alliance meets Life Science Alliance is committed to the rapid, Before recommending a transfer, the editors the same high standards in its scientific fair and transparent publication of research at the alliance journal to which the manuscript assessment and editorial process as the other results. was initially submitted consult – with the authors’ journals published by the three partners. permission – with the Life Science Alliance Speed of publication: Authors can submit Reduced effort for authors editors to provide authors with a firm commit- directly to Life Science Alliance or will be "The aim of creating this new journal was to ment. For manuscripts invited for transfer to Life invited to transfer work that was deemed of reduce the time authors spend on getting their Science Alliance following peer review, commit- interest, but not suitable for the other journals papers published and to reduce the overall ment towards publication is based on the existing published by the three alliance partners. Life burden on reviewers without compromising referee reports and is accompanied by a clear set Science Alliance aims to publish every valuable scientific standards,” says Andrea Leibfried, the of minimal revision requirements for publication study of high quality submitted to any of the Executive Editor for Life Science Alliance. if neccessary. Each study is therefore reviewed by partner journals with minimal delay. Bernd Pulverer, Head of EMBO Scientific one set of reviewers only. Reduced effort for authors: Life Science Publications, adds: “The partnership will help To ensure a community-driven, academically- Alliance empowers authors to publish their us publish more high quality papers from a wide led editorial process, the Executive Editor works research with minimal delay by avoiding range of authors and subject areas. It is the first closely with four Academic Editors: Julia Cooper repetitive rounds of submission, peer-review, time that three renowned non-profit community (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, USA), and revision. Manuscripts are easy to submit. publishers jointly launch a journal. We hope that Florent Ginhoux (A*STAR, Singapore), Sebastian Any format is accepted. our union will help to balance the developing Jessberger (Brain Research Institute and Trustworthy editorial process: The dominance of a small number of for-profit University of Zurich, Switzerland) and Michael academic editors of Life Science Alliance are publishers.” Overholtzer (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer leaders in their fields. Center, New York, USA). A journal driven by community needs: Life Firm commitment for manuscript transfers Science Alliance is fully open access. It publishes An aspect essential to the journal’s concept is novel research findings, resources, methods life-science-alliance.org that, in addition to direct submissions, authors For the latest updates, follow the journal on Twitter as well as important confirmatory, negative are invited to transfer their manuscripts to Life @LSAjournal or refuting data. Life Science Alliance offers Science Alliance from nine journals published by ‘scooping protection’ from the day of submission the three alliance partners: The EMBO Journal, to Life Science Alliance or, for transfers, the day EMBO Reports, Molecular Systems Biology, EMBO of submission to alliance journals. The policy Molecular Medicine, Journal of Cell Biology, also extends to the date of preprint posting of a Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of manuscript.

EMBO support now available for Chilean researchers

Partnership with National science,” said EMBO Director Maria Leptin. “We help them to continue generating cutting-edge Commission for Scientific and are very pleased to form this partnership with knowledge and to interact with the most prestig- Technological Research in Chile CONICYT, which will enable us to encourage and ious researchers in this area.” launched facilitate stronger interactions between life scien- “Increased interaction between scientists in tists in Europe and those in Chile.” Chile and Europe will support the formation of The agreement – which took effect on 1 strong networks and collaborative activities,” n December 2017, EMBO announced a new January 2018 – is part of EMBO Global Activities adds Gerrit van Meer, President of the European cooperation partnership that will enable it aims to catalyze scientific exchange, support Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC). IChilean researchers to participate in its talented researchers, and strengthen the practice programmes and activities. of science across the globe. embo.org/about-embo/global-activities In order to strengthen scientific exchange and The President of CONICYT Council, Mario collaboration between Chile and Europe, EMBO, Hamuy, commented: “The study of the processes together with its intergovernmental funding at the molecular level has become very important body, EMBC, signed a cooperation agreement in the last decade. In this context, signing this with the National Commission for Scientific and agreement enabling Chilean researchers to access Technological Research in Chile (CONICYT). the programmes and activities offered by EMBO, “International collaboration beyond nation- such as fellowships, courses and workshops, is a al borders is a vital component of successful great opportunity for researchers in Chile. It will

Fellowships, Courses & Workshops and the Young Exchanging ideas in India Investigator Programme to more general topics such as career development and gender issues in EMBO Council Member Victor de Lorenzo reports on his Global Exchange science. Lecture Series “Indian researchers are determined to put their country on the map of frontline molecular t began with an invitation from Kolkata. The Investigators at institutes in non-European coun- biology,” adds de Lorenzo. “And in that sense, Bose Institute had invited EMBO Council tries and – in return – by prominent researchers it was a very productive and rewarding trip for IMember Victor de Lorenzo from the National based outside Europe at European institutes. me also. I met a lot of young, amazingly talented Center for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, people, raising smart questions and proposing Spain, to give a lecture as part of the institute’s Sharing information and making connections ideas – it was truly inspirational." 100th anniversary celebrations. Victor de Lorenzo received support for a “The institute had offered to pay my accommo- Global Exchange Lecture Series after he was EMBO Members and Young Investigators interested dation, so I was looking for other funding for the approached to give a second lecture in India. in giving lecture series in Chile, India, Singapore or travel”, explains de Lorenzo. “Fortunately, during Guhan Jayaraman and Himanshu Sinha at the Taiwan should get in touch with the Global Activities the discussions with Tapan Dutta, my host at Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai office at [email protected]. the institute, I remembered that EMBO provides invited him to speak as the inaugural lecturer in funds for its members to give lectures.” the new Systems Biology programme. In both More information: embo.org/funding-awards/ In addition to keynote lectures by EMBO locations he presented his own research but also lecture-grants/global-exchange-lecture-series Members and research lectures by Young talked about EMBO. Investigators, EMBO also finances the Global “I felt that both visits to Chennai and Kolkata Exchange Lecture Series scheme. As part of were very successful,” says de Lorenzo. In addi- its initiatives to promote interactions between tion to having lots of interaction with faculty, scientists worldwide, EMBO funds lecture he was able to speak with many students, who series presented by EMBO Members and Young were interested in a range of topics from EMBO

4 EMBOencounters | Spring 2018 | [email protected] ©2018 EMBO EMBO NEWS Establishing excellence across Europe In December 2017, EMBO awarded Installation Grants to eight life scientists setting up research groups in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal and Turkey. They join 94 group leaders who have so far been supported in establishing independent laboratories by EMBO Installation Grants. © Lisa LeJeune Photography ©

Bruno Costa-Silva Elif Firat-Karalar Zuzana Keckesova Ayse Koca Caydasi

Exosome populations associated Dissecting the function and Identification of cancer cell Regulation of mitotic exit with liver metastasis regulation of the centrosome vulnerabilities Istanbul, TR Lisbon, PT Istanbul, TR Prague, CZ

Elin Org Wojciech Pokrzywa Arto Pulk Agata Starosta

The interplay between gut Coordination of proteolytic quality Neuronal protein synthesis Ribosome specialization in microbiota and type 2 diabetes control networks regulation by RNA granules Bacillus subtilis Tartu, EE Warsaw, PL Tartu, EE Lublin, PL

hrough the Installation Grants scheme, we host country in addition to their regular institu- This gave us the idea to have separate grants encourage young researchers to return tional funding. They are also entitled to partici- for young group leaders that are paid directly by Tor move to countries that find it difficult pation in networking opportunities and practical these countries.” to compete with large well-funded centers of support through the EMBO Young Investigator Another factor that drove the decision was the research in some of the other European countries,” network. difficulty for researchers to set up independent says EMBO Director Maria Leptin. groups. Zylicz refers to it as “the problematic She adds: “We hope to improve the partici- A view from two participating countries stage”. pating countries’ competitiveness in European “The scheme was designed to help scientifically Both he and Sunkel believe that the science by helping talented scientists set up labo- less developed countries to gain an edge for their Installation Grants scheme has been a success ratories there.” young talents,” explains EMBO Council Member for their countries. Zylicz cites both the flexibility The EMBO Installation Grants scheme was and EMBC delegate Claudio Sunkel from the of the grant and the prestige associated with an launched in 2006. The scheme is based on and University of Porto, Portugal, who was elected as EMBO scheme as the main advantages. “Host replaced the EMBO/HHMI Startup Grants, which Chair of the Strategic Development Installation institutions in general have been extremely were funded via a grant from the Howard Hughes Grants Board at the meeting in Warsaw during receptive – the EMBO stamp of approval is very Medical Institute to EMBO for the support of which the decision to launch these grants was made. important for setting standards,” echoes Sunkel. scientists in Central European EMBC Member States. “These countries have good people,” adds “The most common experience [the grantees] The grants, which provide financial support Maciej ŻZylicz, International Institute of Molecular mention to is the ability to integrate within the for young group leaders establishing their inde- and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland and President EMBO network,” he continues. In his experience pendent laboratories, are funded by the Czech of the Polish Science Foundation, who served on Installation Grantees often “refer to the involve- Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal and Turkey, EMBO Council and as Polish EMBC delegate in ment with the European scientific community the five states of the EMBC that participate in this 2006. “But with the overall success rate of the and networks of excellence. What appears to project. Each Installation Grantee receives 50,000 EMBO Young Investigator Programme being rela- have lasted is indeed the sense of belonging to a euros annually for three to five years from their tively low, they don’t get into the programme. European scientific system.”

by quality checkers, be they editors, curators or Preprint quality control researchers, who are assisted by state-of-the art automation. If we want to share results in a reproducible and discoverable manner, both Screening for work that is meaningful and quality control and curation should become part of the preprint process, valuable to the community (points 2 and 3) will have to be done by knowledgeable experts. This argues EMBO Head of Scientific Publications, Bernd Pulverer. might in principle include the pool of senior academics who review papers. However, we ought he European Commission has taken the has in non-peer reviewed scientific work will be to tap into the pool of more junior researchers bold step to proclaim a Europe that is reinforced if preprints can be linked to each other to avoid exacerbating the peer review bottleneck. Tby 2020 to be ‘Open Innovation’, ‘Open and to published research papers via the experi- There is a vast and highly capable community of Science’ and ‘Open to the World’. It is crucial to mental results shown in figures. For example, the experienced postdocs who would be well placed face up to a key issue: the question of trust in EMBO SourceData platform turns figures and to carry out these tasks. A second group might be and quality of data shared through Open Science their legends into searchable machine-readable retired academics interested in staying engaged. mechanisms. metadata that describe the design of the reported Clearly, a 24/7 release of raw data by all labs experiments. Interlinking the data presented in Linking preprints and journals will rapidly clog up even the most well-resourced figures helps users to place a given preprint in Journals apply peer review and editorial repositories, while – in that form – providing the context of related data. assessment to submitted manuscripts. More only limited benefit to the community. Without At the same time, such carefully curated progressive journals have started to apply more the provision of stable, structured databases figures are directly discoverable by data-directed or less complex additional screening processes and repositories that are curated and quality- search technology. It will be crucial to enable to complement peer-review. It is imperative to controlled, we risk sinking in a swamp of data. researchers to interrogate the published literature avoid redundancy in such screening processes. Preprints ought to play a key part in any Open for specific experiments including the associated We therefore hope that the quality control and Science agenda as a bridge between data and data, materials and methods. curation exercise can be applied to preprints at research papers, and they are poised to be accepted the point of their intersection with journals, such as a community standard in the biosciences. Quality control: how and by whom? as the simultaneous submission for publication Now is the time to establish mechanisms that There are three aspects to the assessment of the when posting a preprint. ensure we select for rigorous results that are quality of preprints: But of course not all preprints need be destined associated with sufficient metadata to render 1. Are the experiments reported in a way that for journal publication, so ultimately the screens them reproducible and discoverable. allows their interpretation and replication? outlined here should be applied to all preprints Is the preprint marred by problems such as systematically. Once the issues of quality control, Curation is key to discoverability image manipulation or sub-par statistics? reproducibility and discoverability are addressed Key to the success of preprints is ease and speed of 2. Are the experiments carried out robustly, in preprints, they will also be applied to the submission. As their volume increases, we need allowing meaningful interpretation? published journal paper. In other words, a central to find scalable ways to integrate quality control 3. Are the experiments reported valuable to quality-controlled preprint server can play an steps that reinforce the rigor and utility of the the research community? Do they warrant important role in improving the journal literature. science shared, while posing minimal friction for preservation, curation and dissemination? Regardless of the mechanisms through which researchers. This is an opportunity to go beyond The current assessment of preprints does not curation and quality control will be applied to what the average scientific journal can muster cover any of these. We need to decide which of preprints, there will be a need for appropriate by fortifying new authoring tools with templated these assessments should be implemented, and resources to run such undertakings in a methods sections that allow the reporting of which would be desirable. Ideally, we would sustainable manner. materials and methods in a structured, machine- find a scalable way to systematically apply readable way. all three levels, but who would take on these The full version of this Commentary is available at The data presented in figures and tables responsibilities? asapbio.org/pulverer-qc represent the core of the scientific evidence in Curation and quality control of the data can a manuscript. The level of confidence a reader be executed optimally as an integrated workflow Towards fair evaluation of researchers Declaration on Research Assessment relaunched to bring about change

ive years ago, a small group of editors, However, much remains to be done to change for DORA. EMBO Head of Scientific Publications academic publishers, scientific societies and research assessment practices. Bernd Pulverer is part of the steering committee, Fheads of research institutions announced With this in mind, EMBO, together with and Helen Sitar from the EMBO Science Policy the San Francisco Declaration on Research the American Society for Cell Biology, Cancer Programme provides staff resource for the node’s Assessment (DORA), at the heart of which lies Research UK, the Company of Biologists, eLife, activities. the commitment to reduce and, where possible F1000, Hindawi, PLOS, and Wellcome, have “As well as raising DORA’s profile, a major abolish, the use the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) decided to relaunch DORA to intensify the efforts task will be to help individuals and institutions as a measure for scientific output and the success to bring about fair evaluation of researchers. bring about real change in research assessment of individuals. “With funding and in-kind support from practices,” he adds. “We need to encourage Since then, the declaration has been signed [these organizations] we have been able to hire people to think more broadly about assessment by thousands of individuals and hundreds of a Community Manager who will be dedicated to and provide them the tools to do so.” organizations (including major universities, coordinating efforts,” writes Chair of the newly funders and publishers, including, recently, all formed steering committee, Stephen Curry of UK Research Councils and the journal Nature). Imperial College London on the new DORA website. EMBO will act as the European node

Left to right: EMBO Young Investigator Annika Guse, Jonas Ries, Pedro Beltrao, Jill Rowe and EMBO Member Michael Boutros contributed to the debate on ERC grants during the panel discussion chaired by Maria Leptin. © Photos: EMBL Photolab / Marietta Schupp and Hugo Neves © ERC Scientific Council meets in Heidelberg EMBL and EMBO host panel discussion of ERC grants

MBL and EMBO hosted the European One of the areas for discussion he high- Research Council’s (ERC) Scientific lighted was the decline in the proportion ECouncil in Heidelberg between 28 of overall ERC funds allocated to the life February and 2 March. It was the Scientific sciences over the last four years. This is Council’s first plenary meeting in Germany the result of a change in 2014 that means since the launch of the ERC in Berlin in that funds are now allocated to the three 2007. domains, Life Sciences (LS), Physical More than 20 ERC Council members, Sciences and Engineering (PE) and Social including EMBO Members Eva Kondorosi, Sciences and Humanities (PH), in propor- Paola Bovolenta, Margaret Buckingham, tion to the overall budget applied for (which Giulio Superti-Furga, Nektarios Tavernarakis, is roughly proportional to the number of Janet Thornton and Isabelle Vernos, joined applications). ERC President, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, to “If you look at the evolution of applica- discuss topics of strategic importance for tions, one area where it has stayed the same the funding body. is the life sciences,” said Bourguignon in As part of the meeting, ERC Council reference to the proportional reduction in members had an opportunity to meet life science funds available. “I asked many with life scientists and ERC grantees from biologists and got many answers, but we Heidelberg and the surrounding areas at are still not sure what the reason behind a formal dinner. In addition, ERC repre- EMBO Director Maria Leptin and ERC President Jean-Pierre that is. We want to get insight from you sentatives took part in two roundtable Bourguignon at the formal evening reception in Heidelberg. how we can improve and counteract that discussions. trend in applications.” EMBO Director Maria Leptin and Director How can the ERC improve? of the EMBL-EBI Ewan Birney chaired the The European Commission and the ERC are grant application process and the available grant two panels. The topics discussed ranged from always seeking to improve in ways that make its formats, as seen from a life sciences perspective. dealing with interdisciplinary project proposals funding schemes most relevant and useful to the In his opening remarks, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon and the importance of mentoring from success- scientific community. To do so, they seek and commented on the importance of taking care of ful ERC grantees to the importance of having the offer opportunities for researchers to provide feed- the unique ERC set-up in which many decisions right people on evaluation panels and the differ- back as well as potential solutions. The topics the are left to the Scientific Council and the value the ences in application rates between panels. workshop in Heidelberg focused on were the ERC Council puts on having the community on its side.

Poster sessions stimulated numerous discussions (top). Andrea Leibfried, Life Science Alliance Executive Editor, introduced the new journal at the EMBO booth (bottom).

The ASCB | EMBO Meeting: a truly international endeavour

early 7,000 delegates gathered in Philadelphia, USA, at the first joint ASCB | EMBO Meeting that took place between 2 and 6 December 2017. The five-day meeting included Nposter sessions featuring more than 2,500 posters, six major symposia, 25 mini symposia and many other sessions. EMBO Member Laura Machesky from the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK, and Tobias Walther from the Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, represented EMBO and the ASCB, respectively, as programme chairs. On these pages, EMBO Encounters provides some impressions from this international meeting.

Laura Machesky, Beatson Institute for Cancer Computational Biology at the Chan Zuckerberg Open Science at the Research in Glasgow and scientific co-organizer Initiative. Many heads nodded in the room when ASCB | EMBO Meeting of the ASCB | EMBO Meeting, pointed out an he said that multiple labs were not only rein- interview-based study on the data flood in venting the same research, but were generating ow can the data produced in the biomedi- science and its implications for trust (doi: incompatible data sets. Freeman stressed that Hcal and life siences be turned into a readi- eLife.10825). The study found a decline in trust simultaneously addressing both social and policy ly discoverable and open resource? At the 2017 in the scientific enterprise, in large parts because aspects as well as technical aspects were crucial ASCB | EMBO Meeting, a session chaired by the quantity of new data exceeds the field's for achieving Open Science. “We need interven- Bernd Pulverer, Head of Scientific Publications ability to process it. This effect, termed overflow, tions which work on the ground,” he said. at EMBO, dealt with institutional, technical negatively impacted integrity in research and Michael Huerta, Associate Director of the US and cultural obstacles to Open Science and the its communication. “More science needs to be National Library of Medicine and Coordinator means to overcome these obstacles. reviewed than trusted scientists in a competitive of Data and Open Science Initiatives, reminded Jason Swedlow, co-founder of the Open environment can handle,” said Machesky. the audience of the ‘FAIR’ guiding principles for Microscopy Environment (OME), explained that Preprints and new technologies could help to scientific data management and stewardship: image data formats were particularly diverse, speed up dissemination of information, and post- the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and and that effective open tools were essential for publication peer-review might depressurize the reusability of data must be considered when establishing image data standards. However, system. improving the infrastructure supporting the progress in technologies rapidly made such Jessica Polka, ASAPbio Director, agreed reuse of scholarly data. Huerta advised that standards obsolete. Guidelines would thus be that preprints are most effective in making funders and publishers should focus on the value more useful, argued Swedlow. research results available immediately. Funders created for the relevant communities when Thomas Lemberger, EMBO SourceData project increasingly consider preprints as evidence taking decisions on data management resources. lead, discussed how SourceData bridges publish- for productivity in the selection of grantees. Nevertheless, there were more players than ing and Open Science by providing an open Preprints have even become a marketplace for funders and publishers. “Everyone can contribute. platform that improves the discoverability of journal editors to find papers to solicit for their It is best to start with domains in science where published data. He explained that the platform journals, and feedback on preprints may begin there is already an interest,” Huerta said. was designed to connect related data across to inform journal decisions, Polka said. She Bernd Pulverer closed the session with a papers and to provide applications that can be raised the question whether peer review should call for more systematic approaches in the way embedded in papers to make data directly acces- be moved into the open, too, in order to scale up science is communicated and for efficient access sible, inter-linked and browsable. “Ensuring data quality control. to all meaningful research outputs. “It is time to availability and quality should be a responsibility turn the tide.” distributed across researchers, institutions and Interventions that work on the ground journals,” he said. Jeremy Freeman released tools and data from his lab at the Janelia Farms HHMI campus Overflow impacts research integrity in real-time before he became Manager for

8 EMBOencounters | Spring 2018 | [email protected] ©2018 EMBO Left to right: Stanford University Professor Kang Sheng, EMBO Director Maria Leptin, Head of the Chan Zuckerberg Science Initiative Cori Bargmann, ASCB President Pietro de Camilli and ASCB Chief Executive Erika Shugart.

“Having programme chairs from both ASCB and EMBO has expanded the program committee’s scientific perspective and increased the geographic representation of speakers. The programming on career enhancement and policy topics, such as open science, has been enriched because we can share best practices and insights. Science is truly a global endeavour and this partnership reflects ASCB’s commitment to collaboration across borders. We look forward to continuing this Nearly 7,000 scientists gathered in Philadelphia successful partnership with EMBO,” for the meeting (top). Sam Krahl delivered a set of workshops based on said Shugart after the event. the EMBO Lab Leadership courses (right).

From cellular structure and interactions to metabolism and DNA biology - the scientific programme at the conference covered all angles of cellular and molecular biology. In addition to six symposia, participants had the choice between 25 mini symposia on specialist subjects. Poster sessions, career enhancement opportunities, exhibitor talks and special lectures such as the EMBO Gold Medal and Louis-Jeantet Prize lectures rounded off the programme.

in 2017 ➔➔ 492 group leaders have joined the Young

Through its programmes and activities, EMBO supports researchers Investigator Programme since its launch at all career stages, stimulates the exchange of scientific information, ➔➔ 8 Installation Grantees selected, who became and helps to build a European research environment where scien- part of the network tists can achieve their best work.

The organization’s Facts & Figures report, which is published each The Young Investigator Programme identifies and supports year, summarises the work carried out in all of these areas to promote, some of the best young group leaders in the life sciences. foster and recognize excellence in the life sciences. These pages illus- Installation Grants specifically support young group leaders in trate some of the highlights of EMBO’s activities throughout 2017. 28six participating EMBC Member States. 2

65 new members 91 courses and

➔➔ 21 countries in which new members reside workshops ➔➔ 1700+ scientists make up the ➔➔ 11,000+ attendees at these scientific events EMBO Membership ➔➔ 46 keynote lectures delivered by New members are nominated and elected by the membership EMBO Members annually. Election is recognition of research excellence in the life sciences. Through the Courses & Workshops Programme, EMBO supports and encourages the sharing of scientific knowledge 6591and skills. 4 475 new fellows 4 scientific

➔➔ 189 Long-Term Fellowships and publications 5 Advanced Fellowships ➔➔ 1 million article downloads across ➔➔ 281 Short-Term Fellowships EMBO Press EMBO Long-Term Fellowships fund postdoctoral research for ➔➔ ALPSP Award for Innovation in Publishing up to two years; Advanced Fellowships offer an additional for SourceData two years of funding. Short-Term Fellowships fund research exchanges of up to three months. EMBO Press publishes The EMBO Journal, EMBO Reports, EMBO Molecular Medicine and Molecular Systems Biology, and aims to 475 shape best practice in scientific publishing. 10 EMBOencounters | Spring 2018 | [email protected] 4 ©2018 EMBO 2 2 science policy 42 Lab Leadership workshops organised courses

➔➔ 40+ policy meetings attended by EMBO staff ➔➔ 4 types of courses offered ➔➔ 5 workshops on research integrity at ➔➔ 9 countries in which training was delivered institutes in EMBC Member States The EMBO subsidiary Gesellschaft zur Förderung der The Science Policy Programme provides informed analyses Lebenswissenschaften Heidelberg GmbH delivers training to to policymakers, administrators and scientists in the areas of life scientists worldwide on topics including leadership, self- research integrity, scientific publishing and biotechnology and leadership and negotiation. genomic2 technologies. 42

4 global cooperation 8 committees and agreements in place boards

➔➔ 1 new partnership with Chile’s ➔➔ 15 members on Council National Commission for Scientific and ➔➔ 76 members on boards and committees Technological Research ➔➔ 1 event marking the partnership with EMBO Council oversees the organization's activities and the Taiwanese Ministry of Science and directs its future development. Through serving on boards and Technology committees, EMBO Members deliver and guide the organization’s activities.

EMBO Global Activities help to establish long-lasting cooperation worldwide through scientific exchange and support4 for researchers. 8 2 awards 29 EMBC Member

➔➔ EMBO Gold Medal for Maya Schuldiner States ➔➔ FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award for ➔➔ 20 million euros budget for Ottoline Leyser EMBO Programmes The EMBO Gold Medal is awarded to young scientists for ➔➔ 60 EMBC delegates and advisers exceptional contributions to the life sciences in Europe. The FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award recognizes outstand- The EMBC is the intergovernmental body that funds EMBO. ing achievements of female life scientists. Each EMBC Member State typically appoints one delegate from a government ministry and one scientific adviser. In 2019, the EMBC will celebrate its 50th anniversary. ©2018 EMBO 2 29EMBOencounters | Spring 2018 | [email protected] 11 EMBO NEWS

Behind the scenes of EMBO events The EMBO Courses & Workshops Programme funds more than 90 EMBO Courses events with over 11,000 participants a year. But what is the best way & Workshops at a to put together an application, and what is it like to organize an EMBO glance event? ➔➔ EMBO funds Workshops, Practical Courses, Global Exchange Lecture By Kathy Weston Courses, EMBO | FEBS Lecture Courses, India | EMBO Symposia. ➔➔ A maximum of 37,000 euros is available ach year, the EMBO Courses & Workshops As a not-for-profit organization, EMBO funds per event. Committee considers around 170 proposals, meetings on the understanding that registra- ➔➔ and funds more than half of them, based tion fees will be capped; the aim is to enhance Meetings must be held in EMBO Member E or Associate Member States, or in on three overarching criteria: an exciting and European science and enable the best scientists timely topic that isn’t being covered elsewhere; to attend, rather than to make money. With the countries and territories covered by a 30% or more female speakers; and timetabling of final cost for practical courses often being higher co operation agreement extensive networking opportunities. If the appli- than the €37,000 euros funding limit, the regis- ➔➔ Organisers can be drawn from anywhere cation is for a repeat meeting, good participant tration fee cap means that organizers generally in the world. feedback is also important. have to find additional funding. However, most The meeting format is not standardized: “If organizers report little difficulty in finding other you have an idea for a meeting, get in touch, support, due to the prestige of being associ- easy to reformat and resubmit the application especially if it’s something a little out of the ated with a meeting carrying EMBO’s stamp of elsewhere. ordinary,” says Courses & Workshops Programme approval. Manager Gerlind Wallon. “We welcome people It is undeniably a lot of work to prepare an How applications are assessed calling in advance, and we pride ourselves on application, especially as one of the main require- The ten members of the Courses & Workshops being flexible if we need to be.” ments is that the majority of speakers must have Committee have the shared expertise to cover the accepted. “Anyone can 21 life science categories under which applica- put together a wish list,” tions can be submitted. Prior to committee meet- explains Wallon, “but ings, each proposal is assigned to two committee you need to be able to members for detailed review and scoring. Those guarantee most of the that score very well are only briefly discussed; speakers are going to those that score poorly can be rescued if a come.” Potential work- committee member makes a strong case for them. shop applicants put off Deciding which of the rest to fund forms the core by the possibility of activity of the meeting, and typically, this means rejection should note, discussing 50-60 applications. however, that in almost There is no quota for different types of three-quarters of cases, events, says Committee Chair Christian Lehner, those who are unsuc- University of Zürich, Switzerland. However, cessful manage to run applications for workshops have increased rela- their meetings anyway; tive to practical courses, which Lehner regrets. “I Networking at an EMBO conference the depth of advance hope it’s not a continuing trend,” he says, “as it’s planning means that it’s hard to get practical courses funded by any other

method than EMBO, and we want to continue to it looks as though you like the place more than there are for participants to meet speakers and spread novel methods rapidly around European the science!” each other, the better: “Poster sessions mustn’t labs.” The meeting must stand out in comparison be crammed into coffee breaks in tiny stuffy Although the committee takes great pains to to similar meetings: “If you want to propose a rooms,” he says. “And we definitely favour avoid subject area bias, incoming applications are cancer conference for example, you have to housing participants and invited speakers at the themselves biased towards certain fields. Lehner explain why there has to be yet another cancer same location – parceling people out between would like to see more submissions in plant conference,” Lehner says. “What is unique about many different hotels and making it hard to travel biology, immunology, ecology and evolution, your proposal?” to and from the conference centre is not good.” and particularly in molecular medicine: “EMBO The speaker list must adequately represent In the end, as long as the principal selec- welcomes proposals where medical research and the exciting work in the field: “You do need some tion criteria are met, what really helps to get molecular biology really meet,” he says. superstars but there should be good representation an application funded is attention to detail: “It of starting researchers as well,” comments Lehner, pays to start planning your application reason- What makes a strong application adding that the scientific logic of the programme ably early so you can get everything sorted out,” How can organizers make their application stand must also be clear: “It’s important to think about says Lehner. “If you can’t show you’re organized out? The topic is crucial, and it pays off to invest why you have particular sessions and how they enough to produce a decent application, you time in clearly explaining the science to convince come together as a cohesive whole.” probably won’t convince the committee you can everyone on the committee of its importance. It’s EMBO takes the value of the meeting to junior organize a meeting!” also important to put some thought into a good researchers very seriously, and this includes title: “Don’t call your meeting something like providing easy opportunities for them to interact embo.org/funding-awards/courses-workshops ‘The Corfu Conference on X’,” Lehner jokes, “as intensively with the invited speakers or teachers. Lehner underlines that the more opportunities

Tips and tricks from the organizers Carsten Janke, Institut Madalena Tarsounas, Fritjof Helmchen, University Curie, Paris, France, University of Oxford, UK, of Zürich, Switzerland, set up organizes the biennial and her co-organizers the EMBO Practical Course EMBO Conference Steve Jackson and Thanos ‘Two-photon imaging of ‘Microtubules: structure, Halazonetis have run the brain dynamics: Illuminating regulation and functions’, biennial EMBO Conference neuronal and glial function’ held in Heidelberg, ‘The DNA Damage Response with co-organizer Arthur since 2010. He has in Cell Physiology and Konnerth. also organized EMBO Disease’ since its inception meetings in India and Chile. in 2011.

What motivated you to start the microtubule Your meeting is held at a beautiful resort near Running this course must be a huge amount of conference? Athens – how did that come about? work; why do you do it? There was no conference where people who My co-organizers and I took a trip to Greece I see it as an opportunity to get to know the people worked on microtubules in different fields could and visited four different resorts. It was very who are pushing into the field and are excellent, come together – there were so many interesting important to go and see for ourselves and talk and perhaps to find some recruits for my lab. It’s aspects that never got discussed, so I thought it to the people at each place. We decided on the also beneficial for the people in our two labs who was worth a try. And it’s worked very well, partly Grecotel Cape Sounio and we’ve been going help run the practicals – it’s an opportunity to see because it’s run at the Advanced Training Centre there ever since. It’s only one hour away from how another lab does things, and it gives them at EMBL in Heidelberg, which is a great venue Athens international airport, but it’s isolated and visibility in the field. with extremely good support from the EMBL therefore ideal for networking – we take up the Course and Conference Office. entire resort with 150 participants, so everyone To be honest though, the main reason I do it is that you meet is a DNA damage person. And of course overall it’s a lot of fun! I like the networking and How do you keep the speaker list fresh? it’s an extraordinary location. social aspects, and actually running the course is We have a rule that we don’t invite people twice, Every year, the feedback is that this place makes almost like teaching yourself again and finding and we try to make some unexpected choices. My interactions very easy. People are friendlier and out whether you can convey both your knowledge co-organizers and I try to figure out who has an happier – it’s warm and sunny and the food and also the technology of the microscopes. interesting unpublished story and can give a great is excellent, and everyone relaxes and can be talk by searching the literature and asking around. themselves. We never have a problem with What is your top tip for organizers? We also have a lot of short talks selected from speakers leaving early, and we never have a Look after all your students. You’ll always have a abstracts and they’re always really exciting. problem with getting new speakers – everyone mix of people and those who are more reserved always says yes! may need to be approached and encouraged. And What is your top tip for organizers? you may have to do a little social engineering Don’t be afraid of proposing a conference around What is your top tip for organizers? during the course. You can group people together a more conceptual idea where you can invite Make sure you have a local organizer if you’re beforehand from the information in their people from completely diverse fields. And treat going somewhere off the beaten track; and learn applications, but if it doesn’t work you have to your speakers as you would like to be treated; to delegate, but remember that it’s often far less change it. don’t rely only on your administrators to send time consuming to do the complicated things emails – keep some personal contact if possible. yourself!

“Every question begins with SUMO” Frauke Melchior receives the 2018 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award on her work on the small ubiquitin-like modifier © Sabine Arndt ©

rauke Melchior has been awarded the FEBS postdoc to find out whether there are GTPases in with meeting organisers to let me speak instead | EMBO Women in Science Award 2018 for nucleo-cytoplasmic transport. of him. He was also extremely generous to let Fdiscovering a link between the small ubiq- Indeed, I found the GTPase Ran, and I initially me publish as last author and to take the SUMO uitin-like modifier (SUMO), oxidative stress and thought that this was what I could build an project with me to set up my own research group. DNA damage with implications for developing independent career on. But it turned out quickly cancer chemotherapeutic approaches. The award that there were many labs interested in it, and What do you think about formal mentoring also recognizes her generosity in guiding and there was no way I could have competed. schemes? mentoring young researchers and sharing proto- Luckily, I stumbled upon SUMOylation when I have, over the years, taken part in several cols and reagents with the scientific community. looking more closely at Ran and its regulator, the mentoring programmes, either dedicated Anne Dejean of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, Ran GTPase Activating Protein. And I just knew specifically to women in science or to young France, a research colleague in the SUMO field, that this was something I could take with me investigators. It’s something I enjoy doing, but I says: “Frauke Melchior is an exceptional scientist. and build my career on. I had time before the don’t think they should be mandatory. She discovered SUMOylation and promoted community realized how exciting, interesting and Instead it’s important that we all learn to ask the field through key findings, seminal reviews, widespread it is. for advice when we need it. I’ve been surprised methods development, dissemination of protocols SUMOylation is now at the centre of my lab’s how frequently both women and men are not and reagents, as well as teaching and mentoring work – every question begins with SUMO! But asking for advice at the right moment – and the next generation of scientists.” looking at different proteins and enzymes drags that’s a pity! I think we have to think of ways to Since discovering SUMOylation 20 years ago, us into many different corners. What I really love encourage and empower people to ask for advice. Melchior, who is a Professor of Molecular Biology about it is being able to follow the science where at the Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH) at it leads me. What does receiving the award mean to you? Heidelberg University, Germany, has shaped It is a wonderful honour and great motivation research on post-translational modification with The award also recognizes your mentoring to receive this award. I particularly value the SUMO. In the following interview she tells the activities. What advice do you like to share? combined recognition for my scientific discoveries story of how SUMO became the centre of her I strongly value listening to and reading about and my work in mentoring and supporting research and talks about sharing her experience science outside your immediate field. So I tell my younger scientists. with the next generation of scientists. students to go to all the seminars. In part this It can be a tough challenge to engage in all Frauke Melchior will present a plenary lecture has to do with my own discovery of SUMO. At the activities that are necessary and, at the same and receive the prize of 10,000 euros and a some point I noticed the very weak similarity time, to keep up the scientific standard. At this bronze statuette on 9 July 2018 at this year’s to ubiquitin, and I would not have realized the stage of my career it tells me that I have been FEBS Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. significance had I not known something about doing something right in trying to combine these what ubiquitin does and how to study it. different aspects into my work as a scientist. You received this award for your research on Career-wise I would also say that it’s very SUMO. How did it become the focus of your important to find a postdoctoral supervisor who embo.org/funding-awards/ work? is generous enough to let you grow beside him women-in-science-award I started out studying chemistry and changed or her. Because postdocs need to find a topic that research topics multiple times in my scientific life. they can take with them. Nominations for the 2019 award will be accepted During my first postdoc I worked on fission yeast My postdoc supervisor Larry Gerace (The until 1 October 2018. to discover a protein family that didn’t actually Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA) was exist. But this project got me interested in nucleo- incredibly supportive right from the start. He sent cytoplasmic trafficking. So I picked my second me to meetings on his behalf. He even fought

he research group around EMBO Member given the current efforts to improve the rigor of Josef Penninger at the Institute of scientific research." TMolecular Biotechnology (IMBA) at the The second resource is a comparative Vienna BioCenter, Austria has developed two new glycoproteomics platform that enables global resources for the life science community. insights into protein glycosylation and glycan The first, called Haplobank, is a biobank modifications in biological systems. It is called of revertible, mutant embryonic stem cells. It called SugarQb, for Sugar Quantitative Biology. contains over 100,000 mutated, conditional Penninger’s group developed mass- mouse embryonic stem cell lines, in which spectrometry methods and algorithms that enable approximately 70% of the protein-coding both the comprehensive identification of complex genome has been targeted. The team developed sugar structures and their mapping to sites within the resources with a view to addressing issues the corresponding proteins. The group has made of reproducibility, such as experiments with the resource freely available with the aim of the same cell line yielding different results in allowing researchers to study glycosylation at the © Izabella Kaminski © different laboratories. Because mutations can be proteome scale. repaired in single cells and at the whole genome scale, Haplobank aims to overcome issues arising More information from clonal variability. “Because gene knockouts can be repaired Haplobank: Doi: 10.1038/nature24027; haplobank. in our embryonic stem clones, this resource at/ecommerce/control/main Haplobank contains over 100,000 mutated, enables well-controlled, robust and reproducible SugarQb: Doi: 10.1038/nature24015; omictools. conditional mouse embryonic stem cell lines, validation experiments,” explains Penninger. com/sugarqb-tool targeting about 70% of the protein-coding “We feel this is a critical point and contribution, genome.

Italian members Celebrating John

contribute to ACCADEMIA NAZIONALE DEI LINCEI Kendrew’s 100th report on anniversary

vaccines Vaccines ohn Kendrew was one of the co-founders of EMBO and EMBL, and became EMBL’s A position paper by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei MBO Members Alberto Mantovani Jfirst Secretary General. In 2017, he would (Milan, Italy) and Lorenzo Moretta have celebrated his 100th birthday. To mark the Guido Forni (Linceo, University of Torino, Coordinator) (Rome, Italy) together with Guido Forni Alberto Mantovani (Linceo, Università Humanitas, Milano) occasion, EMBL organised a special symposium E Lorenzo Moretta (Linceo, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma) (Turin, Italy) and Giovanni Rezza (Rome, Italy) Giovanni Rezza (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma) that took place in Heidelberg on 16 and 17 are the authors of a report published by the November 2017. Italian Academy of Sciences titled ‘Vaccines – Titled “Revolutions in Structural Biology”

A position paper by the Accademia Nazionale ROMA - PALAZZO CORSINI the meeting brought together experts in many dei Lincei’. Via della Lungara 10 different aspects of structural biology techniques, www.lincei.it Vaccine coverage in Italy underwent a such as X-ray crystallography, electron steady decrease in the last few years, resulting microscopy and computational modeling. in the reappearance of infectious diseases Among the speakers, were Richard that were largely eradicated, explains Alberto Henderson, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Mantovani. “For example, last year we had The report was developed by a team Biology, Cambridge, UK, and Jacques Dubochet, approximately 5,000 cases of measles with 5 working in the fields of immunology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Both are deaths and 40% hospital admissions.” immunity and public health, under the also EMBO Members and had just been awarded With the House of Parliament having supervision of EMBO Member Maurizio the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, together with passed a legislation making vaccination Brunori. Joachim Frank from Columbia University, New mandatory and vaccines coming under fierce York, USA, for their development of cryo-elec- attack, the Accademia dei Lincei felt it was tron microscopy. An English language version of the report is its duty to provide the public and the Italian available online: administration with a digest of the current www.lincei.it/files/documenti/doc_vaccines_ state, explains Mantovani. “The aim was to EN_5dic2017.pdf provide the public debate with the knowledge tools based on science on vaccines.”

Establishing epigenetics research at KAUST

MBO Member Valerio Orlando heads 10,000 people are living on its modern campus. Irvine, USA, and KEEP. Further collaborations the KAUST Environmental Epigenetics The KEEP program strives to be at the forefront of link KEEP to the Salk Institute and New York EProgram (KEEP) at the King Abdullah epigenetics research. “With its multi-disciplinary University in the USA, RIKEN in Japan, and sever- University of Science and Technology (KAUST) resources and a collaborative environment, it is al institutions in Europe. So far, KEEP consists in Thuwal, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The scientists working to gather scientists who share concepts of six laboratories with senior and junior faculty, at KEEP investigate genome function in and technologies in a diverse manner, no matter who have arrived from scientific institutes across response to changes in the environment and what model systems – all driven by fundamental the world. effects on phenotypes, ranging from the local scientific questions,” Orlando says. cellular environment to demanding organismal Last year, the first KAUST research conference keep.kaust.edu.sa conditions. on environmental epigenetics marked a strategic The goals are ambitious: KAUST encompasses partnership between the Center for Epigenetics around 200 faculty members, and approximately and Metabolism of the University of California,

BOOK REVIEW The Personalized Diet

What if we told you that some of things you research to a broader audience,” explains Segal. believed about diets, healthy eating and weight “The book includes a practical component that loss were not categorically true? This is how we believe people can use in order to measure EMBO Members Eran Segal and Eran Elinav themselves and improve their diets and learn begin their book The Personalized Diet – Why what is personally healthy for them.” One-Size-Fits-All Diets Don’t Work. The book is aimed at a broad readership Using knowledge gained from their own with an interest, but not necessarily a back- research into how clinical parameters and the ground, in science and nutrition. It includes an microbiome influences people’s responses to introduction to diet, blood sugar and metabo- different foods, Segal and Elinav, who wrote the lism, a summary and explanation of Segal and The Personalized Diet – Why One-Size- book with support from writer Eve Adamson, Elinav’s findings, as well as a description of Fits-All Diets Don’t Work explain how people can create a personalized how anyone can measure their blood sugar to Eran Segal and Eran Elinav with Eve diet by looking at the way an individual’s blood understand their individual responses to differ- Adamson sugar levels respond to nutrition. ent foods. Grand Central Life & Style | 2017 “Our motivation was to bring the insights thepersonalizeddiet.com/ and results that arose from our six years of ISBN: 978-1478918806

16 EMBOencounters | Spring 2018 | [email protected] ©2018 EMBO AWARDS – GOOD READ Awards of Excellence EMBO MEMBERS Heinrich Wieland Prize achievements in the field of for the discoveries she has made Swedish Academy of Sciences and agricultural and life sciences. Inzé during the course of her career, funded by the Sjöberg Foundation. Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation has awarded the receives a prize of 50,000 US including her work on isolating ISCB Innovator Award Christer Betsholtz, Karolinska Heinrich Wieland Prize 2017 to dollars. oncogenes from retroviruses, the Institute and Uppsala Alexander Varshavsky from the understanding of diseases like The International Society for Mary Lyon Medal University, Sweden, and Antonio California Institute of Technology, cancer and AIDS, and her efforts Computational Biology (ISCB) Lanzavecchia, Institute for Pasadena, USA. Varshavsky Sarah Teichmann, Wellcome to communicate complex scien- has awarded its 2018 Innovator Research in Biomedicine and received the award for his Sanger Institute, Cambride, UK, tific facts to the general public. Award to M. Madan Babu of the University of Lugano, received discovery of the biology of the received the Genetics Society’s MRC Laboratory of Molecular the 2018 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Blavatnik Award ubiquitin system. The prize, which Mary Lyon Medal for her Biology in Cambridge, UK. The Medicine. Betsholtz receives the is endowed with 100,000 euros, outstanding research in under- M. Madan Babu, MRC Laboratory award is given to a leading award for the characterisation of honours outstanding research standing how the immune system of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, scientist who is within a decade pericytes and their role in vascular on biological molecules and works by using genomics and UK, has been named as the development and permeability. and half of receiving her or his systems in the fields of chemistry, bioinformatics approaches. The recipient of the Blavatnik Award Lanzavecchia is recognized for PhD degree, and has consistently biochemistry, and physiology. award was established in 2015 to for Young Scientists in the UK in his contributions to our under- made outstanding contributions honour scientists in the middle of the life science category. Awarded standing of the human immune to computational biology and UK New Year’s Honours their research career and includes by The New York Academy of response to infection and its continues to forge new directions. Two EMBO Members were an invitation to present an award Sciences, the award honours application to vaccinology. Each honoured in the British New lecture. outstanding young scientists receives 700,000 Swiss francs, Brain Prize Year’s Honours list. Robin under the age of 42. Babu has of which 625,000 Swiss francs Bart De Strooper, KU Leuven, Howard Lovell-Badge, Francis Genetics Society Medal been recognized for his research should be used to finance ongoing Belgium, and University College Crick Institute, London, UK, Michael Bevan of the John Innes into the structural biology and research. London, UK, Michel Goedert, became Commander of the Centre in Norwich, UK, has been molecular logic of proteins MRC Laboratory of Molecular L’ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Order of the British Empire for awarded the Genetics Society and protein motifs, including Biology, Cambridge, UK, Christian Science Award his services to genetics, stem cell Medal in recognition of outstand- G-protein coupled receptors. research and the public under- ing research contributions to Haass, German Center for Caroline Dean, John Innes Centre, standing of science. genetics. He has been invited to Sanofi-Institut Pasteur Neurodegenerative Diseases, Norwich, UK, has been named as International Award Munich, Germany, and John Margaret Frame, of the deliver a lecture at a Genetics one of five recipients of the 2018 Hardy, University College London, Edinburgh Cancer Research Society meeting, where the medal Antonio Lanzavecchia, Institute L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in UK, received the 2018 Brain Prize Science awards. She received the Centre, UK, was named Officer of will be awarded. for Research in Biomedicine, for their groundbreaking research honour for her groundbreaking the Order of the British Empire for University of Lugano, Switzerland, Mexico Prize for Science and on the genetic and molecular research on how plants adapt to services to cancer research. is one of three recipients of Technology basis of Alzheimer’s disease. The their surroundings and changes in the Sanofi-Institut Pasteur prize, which is awarded by the climate, which is leading to new Lelio Orci Award The Mexican government has International Awards for his ways for crop improvement. The The Lelio Orci Award 2017 has awarded the Mexico Prize for research on the role of human Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark, prize is endowed with 100,000 been awarded to Michael Hall, Science and Technology to monoclonal antibodies in the is worth one million euros and euros prize money. Biozentrum, University of Basel, Angela Nieto of the Institute of fight against malaria. recognises international scientists Switzerland, for outstanding Neuroscience in Alicante, Spain. who have made an outstanding HFSP Nakasone Award performance in fundamental Nieto received the silver medal Sjöberg Prize contribution to neuroscience. Svante Pääbo of the Max cell biology research. The award associated with the prize from the Anne Dejean, Institut Pasteur and EMBO YOUNG INVESTIGATORS Planck Institute for Evolutionary is endowed with 10,000 Swiss President of the United States of Inserm, Paris, France, and Hugues Mexico at an award ceremony in Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany francs. de Thé, Collège de France, Paris, Sanofi-Institut Pasteur National Mexico City. was awarded the 2018 Human France, together with Zhu Chen, Junior Award Frontier Science Program GCHERA World Agriculture Prize Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nakasone Award for his discovery Dirk Inzé, VIB-UGent Center for Officer's Cross of the Order of China, have been awarded the François Leulier from the of the extent to which hybrid- Plant Systems Biology, Belgium, Merit of the Federal Republic of Sjöberg Prize. They received Institute of Functional Genomics, ization with Neanderthals and receives the 2017 GCHERA World Germany recognition for the clarification of Lyon, France, received one of two Denisovans has shaped the Agriculture Prize. With this award Karin Moelling, Max Planck molecular mechanisms and the Sanofi-Institut Pasteur National evolution of modern humans, and the Global Confederation of Institute of Molecular Genetics, development of a revolutionary Junior Award. He was rewarded his development of techniques for Higher Education Associations Berlin, Germany, has received treatment for acute promyelo- with this honour for his research sequencing DNA from fossils. He for Agricultural and Life Sciences the Officer's Cross of the Order of cytic leukaemia. The prize, which on the positive impact that some will receive a research grant of (GCHERA) recognizes his excep- Merit of the Federal Republic of is endowed with 1 million US bacteria have on growth in situa- 10,000 US dollars and a medal. tional and significant lifetime Germany. She receives this honour dollars, is awarded by the Royal tions of chronic undernutrition.

Good Read – Publications from the EMBO community Induced-Pluripotent-Stem- A microtubule-organizing Nesprin-1α-Dependent Self-assembling peptide Pharmacogenomics of GPCR Cell-Derived Primitive center directing intracellular Microtubule Nucleation semiconductors Drug Targets Macrophages Provide a transport in the early mouse from the Nuclear Envelope Ehud Gazit (EMBO Member) and M. Madan Babu (EMBO Member) Platform for Modeling embryo via Akap450 Is Necessary for colleagues and colleagues Tissue-Resident Macrophage Nicholas Plachta (EMBO Young Nuclear Positioning in Muscle Science | 17 November 2017 Cell | 14 December 2017 Differentiation and Function Investigator) and colleagues Cells. Doi: 10.1126/science.aam9756 Doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.11.033 Florent Ginhoux (EMBO Young Science | 1 September 2017 Edgar Gomes (EMBO Installation Visualization of modifications Distinct SoxB1 networks are Investigator) and colleagues Doi: 10.1126/science.aam9335 Grantee) and colleagues in the human ribosome required for naïve and primed Immunity | 18 July 2017 Current Biology | 27 September 2017 Doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.06.017 Myofibril contraction and Doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.031 structure, a new feat for cryo pluripotency crosslinking drive nuclear electron microscopy Ian Chambers (EMBO Member) Constraints and consequences movement to the periphery of D-Alanylation of teichoic acids Bruno Klaholz (former EMBO and colleagues of the emergence of amino acid skeletal muscle contributes to Lactobacillus Young Investigator) and eLife | 19 December 2017 repeats in eukaryotic proteins Edgar Gomes (EMBO Installation plantarum-mediated colleagues Doi: 10.7554/eLife.27746 M. Madan Babu (EMBO Member) Grantee), Michael Way (EMBO Drosophila growth during Nature | 23 November 2017 Drosophila Perpetuates and colleagues Member) and colleagues chronic undernutrition Doi: 10.1038/nature24482 Nutritional Mutualism Nature Structural and Molecular Biology | Nature Cell Biology | 11 September 2017 François Leulier (EMBO Young Spatial reconstruction of by Promoting the Fitness 14 August 2017 Doi: 10.1038/ncb3605 Investigator) and colleagues Doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3441 immune niches by combining of Its Intestinal Symbiont Nature Microbiology | 9 October 2017 Pathogen-specific B cell Doi: 10.1038/s41564-017-0038-x photoactivatable reporters Lactobacillus plantarum Polylox barcoding reveals receptors drive chronic and scRNA-seq François Leulier (EMBO Young haematopoietic stem cell fates lymphocytic leukemia by The dynamics of molecular Matteo Iannacone, Ido Amit Investigator) and colleagues realized in vivo light chain-dependent cross- evolution over 60,000 (EMBO Young Investigators) and Cell Metabolism | 26 December 2017 Hans-Reimer Rodewald (EMBO reaction with autoantigens generations Doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.11.011 Member) and colleagues colleagues Nature | 16 August 2017 Matteo Iannacone (EMBO Young Richard Lenski (EMBO Associate Science | 7 December 2017 Doi: 10.1038/nature23653 Investigator) and colleagues Member) and colleagues Doi: 10.1126/science.aao4277 EMBO Molecular Medicine | 12 September Nature | 2 November 2017 2017 Doi: 10.1038/nature24287 Doi: 10.15252/emmm.201707732

Practical Courses PT-Porto | 29 October – 3 November ES-Costa d´En Blanes (Mallorca) | India | EMBO Symposia 2018 | F. Silva 17 – 20 June 2018 | O. Marín DK-Odense | 19 – 26 April 2018 | M.R. Biomolecular interaction analysis Cortical interneurons in health and IN-New Delhi | 28 – 30 March 2018 | G. Larsen 2018: From molecules to cells disease Medigeshi Characterisation of post-translational RNA viruses: Immunology, modifications in cellular signalling IT-Rome | 5 – 10 November 2018 | A. Via GR-Heraklion | 17 – 20 June 2018 | P. pathogenesis and translational Computational analysis of protein- Poirazi opportunities DE-Heidelberg | 23 – 30 April 2018 | J.E. protein interactions: Sequences, Dendrites 2018: Dendritic anatomy, González-Pastor networks and diseases molecules and function IN-Manesar | 15 – 18 October 2018 | Microbial metagenomics: A 360º S. Banerjee approach ES-Barcelona | 11 – 16 November 2018 PT-Lisbon | 20 – 23 June 2018 | J. Becker From synapses to memory: RNA | E. Sabidó New shores in land plant evolution based regulatory mechanisms GR-Heraklion | 6 – 17 May 2018 | A. Targeted proteomics: Experimental Stamatakis design and data analysis UK-Cambridge | 24 – 28 June 2018 | Computational molecular evolution Y. Modis DE-Hamburg | 19 – 26 November 2018 Membrane fusion in health and FR-Grenoble | 12 – 19 May 2018 | M. | D. Svergun disease EMBO | EMBL Symposia Marcia Solution scattering from biological DE-Heidelberg | 7 – 10 May 2018 | T. GR-Kolymbari | 24 – 30 June 2018 | Characterisation of macromolecular macromolecules Halazonetis S. Bray complexes by integrative structural DNA replication: From basic biology Molecular and developmental biology biology to disease of drosophila ES-Barcelona | 3 – 9 June 2018 | E. Workshops DE-Heidelberg | 14 – 17 May 2018 | ES-Girona | 28 June – 1 July 2018 | P. Bechara E. Lemke iCLIP: Genomic views of protein-RNA PT-Troia | 1 – 6 May 2018 | S. Boulton Bruhns interactions Telomere biology in health and Antibodies and complement: Effector Cellular mechanisms driven by liquid human disease functions, therapies and technologies phase separation DE-Würzburg | 12 – 22 June 2018 | C. DE-Heidelberg | 27 – 30 May 2018 | IT-Naples | 6 – 9 May 2018 | R. Ricci SE-Stockholm archipelago | 1 – 4 July Stigloher C. Janke Lysosomes and metabolism 2018 | G. Castelo-Branco Advanced electron microscopy for cell Microtubules: From atoms to biology RNA: Structure meets function GR-Heraklion | 8 – 12 May 2018 | E. complex systems Seiradake PL-Wrocław | 9 – 13 July 2018 | K. DE-Heidelberg | 17 – 22 June 2018 | J. DE-Heidelberg | 3 – 5 June 2018 | A. Molecular neurobiology Dabrowska Krijgsveld Aulehla Viruses of microbes 2018 Quantitative proteomics: Strategies Biological oscillators: Design, and tools to probe biology FR-Strasbourg | 15 – 19 May 2018 | L. Ryabova DE-Heidelberg | 24 – 27 July 2018 | T. mechanism, function Target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling in Hiiragi PT-Oeiras | 30 June – 8 July 2018 | G. DE-Heidelberg | 24 – 27 June 2018 | F. photosynthetic organisms Imaging mouse development Martins Randow 3D developmental imaging IT-Sardinia | 16 – 19 May 2018 | E. DE-Berlin | 26 – 28 July 2018 | P. Innate immunity in host-pathogen ES-Barcelona | 2 – 6 July 2018 | A. Zeqiraj Selenko interactions Pseudoenzymes 2018: From In-situ methods in cell biology and Bonvin DE-Heidelberg | 5 – 8 September 2018 molecular mechanisms to cell biology cellular biophysics Integrative modelling of biomolecular | C. Haering interactions SE-Svartsjö | 20 – 24 May 2018 | N.G. CH-Arolla | 20 – 24 August 2018 | S.G. Principles of chromosome structure DE-Dresden | 2 – 11 August 2018 | P. Larsson Martin and function Molecular biology of mitochondrial Cell and developmental systems Tomancak DE-Heidelberg | 10 – 13 September Light sheet microscopy gene expression IT-Siena | 25 – 29 August 2018 | C.T. 2018 | J. Knoblich DE-Heidelberg | 26 – 31 August 2018 | IT-Grosseto | 27 – 31 May 2018 | G. Baldari Organoids: Modelling organ H. Sapers Parigi Lymphocyte antigen receptor development and disease in 3D Molecular geobiology Challenges for magnetic resonance in signalling culture life sciences BE-Bruxelles | 2 – 7 September 2018 | DE-Heidelberg | 29 August – 1 DE-Heidelberg | 16 – 19 September D. Fontaneto DE-Gatersleben | 3 – 6 June 2018 | C. September 2018 | M. Köhn 2018 | P. Bork Microbial ecology: Hands-on training White Chemical biology 2018 The human microbiome in prokaryotic and eukaryotic Plant genome stability and change AT-Vienna | 3 – 5 September 2018 | C. DE-Heidelberg | 3 – 6 October 2018 | metagenomics (ICME-9) 2018 Schleper A. Ephrussi DE-Heidelberg | 2 – 10 September 2018 FR-Illkirch | 3 – 7 June 2018 | E. Molecular biology of archaea: From The complex life of RNA | C. Sachse Soutoglou mechanisms to ecology Cryo-electron microscopy and 3D Chromatin dynamics and nuclear UK-Harrogate | 3 – 7 September 2018 | image processing methods organization in genome maintenance R. Hawkins EMBO Laboratory DE-Hamburg | 10 – 18 September 2018 ES-Sant Feliu de Guixols | 9 – 14 June Physics of cells: From biochemical to Leadership Courses | C. Löw 2018 | F. Stutz mechanical (PhysCell 2018) Membrane PEPC1 (Membrane Gene transcription in yeast: From DE-Leimen, Various dates IN-Bangalore | 4 – 8 September 2018 Protein Expression Purification global analyses to single cells | J. Rink Characterization 1) CH-Ascona | 10 – 14 June 2018 | C. Size and shape UK-Bristol | 23 – 28 September 2018 | Dehio IT-Pavia | 9 – 12 September 2018 | A. P. Verkade Bacterial persistence and UPCOMING DEADLINES Mattevi Correlative light electron microscopy antimicrobial therapy Enzymes, biocatalysis and chemical Keynote Lectures PT-Faro | 24 – 29 September 2018 | T.M. ES-Barcelona | 13 – 17 June 2018 | S. biology: The new frontiers 1 June and 1 October Embley Van Den Heuvel GR-Kolymbari | 11 – 15 September 2018 Tree building: Advanced concepts and C. elegans development, cell biology Global Exchange Lecture Series | S. Mandrup practice of phylogenetic analysis and gene expression 1 June and 1 October Nuclear receptors and biological LU-Luxembourg | 4 – 10 October 2018 networks Courses & Workshops | R. Krause FR-Cargèse | 11 – 22 September 2018 | 1 August Phenotyping neurological syndromes M. Labouesse for systems genetics Editorial Physics of integrated biological For further information see: systems Coordinating editor www.embo.org/funding-awards/ Annika Grandison FR-Montpellier | 12 – 15 September courses-workshops 2018 | M. Simonelig Text Annika Grandison, Tilmann piRNAs and PIWI proteins For a complete and up-to- Kiessling, Bernd Pulverer, Katrin Weigmann, Kathy Weston HR-Cavtat | 14 – 18 September 2018 | date list of EMBO events M. Sibilia please go to events.embo.org Print & web layout Cellular signalling and cancer therapy Igor Jukic

magnetic resonance experiments, the researchers THE Revealing the invisible EMBO identified a pre-catalytic conformational state of JOURNAL The protein kinase PINK1 (PTEN induced putative ubiquitin that has its Ser65 loop extended and enables kinase 1) is an important player in mitochondrial more efficient PINK1 binding and phosphorylation. quality control. When PINK1 detects mitochondrial The researchers in the lab of EMBO Member David damage, it phosphorylates ubiquitin, which then marks Komander also identified point mutations that resulted mitochondrial membrane proteins for degradation. in ubiquitin more readily adopting the conformation The exact mechanism of ubiquitin phosphorylation that binds PINK1 more effectively. The results may by PINK1, however, has been a mystery, because the be of pathophysiological relevance, as defects in ubiquitin phosphorylation site, Ser65, is positioned in a mitochondrial degradation are linked to Parkinson’s pocket that is well protected by the three-dimensional disease. folding of the protein. An invisible ubiquitin conformation is required for efficient A new study by Gladkova et al., published in The phosphorylation by PINK1 Christina Gladkova et al. EMBO Journal, now sheds light on this matter. Read the paper: emboj.embopress.org/content/36/24/3555 Using chemical exchange saturation transfer nuclear

EMBO Molecular Medicine

A hedgehog’s guide to puberty Orchestrating lung Making sense of antisense Membranes stack up development Kallmann syndrome is a genetic Antisense transcription is Several membrane proteins conditions that manifests in Premature babies with widespread in eukaryotic genomes contribute to the intricate delayed or complete lack of underdeveloped lungs often but its functional implications and morphology of the endoplasmic puberty. The condition can be require mechanical ventilation. influence on sense transcription reticulum (ER). The lunapark caused by mutations in the WDR11 Yet this treatment can contribute have remained largely unexplored. (Lnp) protein localizes to three- (WD repeat domain 11) gene. A to neonatal chronic lung disease A study by Brown et al., published way junctions of the tubular ER. A study by Kim et al., published in (nCLD). A study by Oak et al., in Molecular Systems Biology, sheds study by Wang et al., published EMBO Reports, now sheds light published in EMBO Molecular light on the function of antisense in Life Science Alliance, addressed on the function of WDR11. It Medicine, has now uncovered a transcription and shows that it the precise role of Lnp in shaping links Kallmann syndrome with signalling pathway that underlies affects chromatin architecture and membrane networks. ciliopathies – a spectrum of sense transcript dynamics. the susceptibility to developing The scientists in the lab of diseases caused by defects in the nCLD and orchestrates the multiple The researchers around EMBO EMBO Member Tom Rapoport short, hairlike processes present on aspects of lung development. Member Jane Mellor show that purified Lnp and reconstituted almost all eukaryotic cells. nCLD is characterized by the yeast and human genes share a the protein with phospholipids. Cilia are required for fluid transport impaired development of the unique antisense transcription- Using other membrane proteins, and motility. In addition, they are alveoli and the small blood vessels associated chromatin signature. this procedure results in the a hub for the Hedgehog signalling that support them. The researchers Using quantitative RNA-FISH formation of vesicles. Lnp, however, pathway, which regulates cell fate found that point mutations in experiments together with a induced the formation of stacked and proliferation. The researchers the platelet-derived growth factor stochastic transcription model, the membrane discs, presumably due propose that WDR11 is required for receptor alpha (PDGFR-α) gene researchers show that this signature, to particularly strong interactions the correct formation of the cilia increase the risk of developing in turn, alters the transcription between Lnp proteins on and is involved in Hedgehog signal neonatal chronic lung disease. dynamics of the sense transcript: neighboring discs. transduction. One of the Hedgehog/ Antisense transcription has little This confirms previous research The researchers further determined WDR11 downstream targets is impact on the final sense transcript showing that PDGFR-α plays a that neighboring Lnp proteins gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, levels, but it does affect the time it role in alveolar development. interact via coiled-coil domains, an essential hormone for sexual takes to get there. This regulatory Using a unique mouse model of and that this interaction is development. The researchers feature may be advantageous in nCLD, the researchers now show abrogated by a phosphorylation further link WDR11 to obesity and certain environmental conditions. that PDGFR-α also impacts on event occurring during mitosis. holoprosencephaly. Their results vascular development by regulating Antisense transcription-dependent Abolished trans-interactions of Lnp suggest a new paradigm for the transcription growth factor-beta chromatin signature modulates sense transcript dynamics proteins during mitosis may allow diagnosis of these genetically (TGF-beta) and vascular endothelial Thomas Brown et al. membranes to undergo fusion. overlapping disorders. growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, Read the paper: msb.embopress.org/ The ER morphology-regulating lunapark WDR11-mediated Hedgehog signalling treatment with PDGF can restore content/14/2/e8007 protein induces the formation of stacked defects underlie a new ciliopathy related VEGF signalling in the newborn bilayer discs to Kallmann syndrome mouse lung. This is a first step Songyu Wang et al. Yeon-Joo Kim et al. Read the paper: life-science-alliance.org/ Read the paper: embor.embopress.org/ towards the development of new content/1/1/e201700014 content/19/2/269 treatment concepts. Attenuated PDGF signaling drives alveolar and microvascular defects in neonatal chronic lung disease Prajakta Oak et al. Read the paper: embomolmed.embopress. org/content/9/11/1504

Opening Speakers C

M event Karen Avraham Regine Kahmann Early registration Y Science and art Alberto Bardelli François Leulier and abstract CM Jacques Herzog Yinon Ben-Neriah Ruth Ley submission MY Paul Birch Ruslan Medzhitov CY 12 June CMY Keynote Melanie Blokesch Susan Michaelis Late abstract K speakers Jens Brüning Stephen O'Rahilly submission Judith Campisi Caroline Robert James Bradner 24 July Lucía Chávez Shimon Sakaguchi Late registration Jeffrey Engelman Gutiérrez Philippe Sansonetti Don Cleveland Eran Segal 15 August Louis-Jeantet Deniz Dalkara Manuel Serrano prize winners Nathalie Delzenne Stephen Simpson Antonio Di Pietro Christer Betsholtz Charles Swanton Caroline Dive Antonio Lanzavecchia Matthew Vander Helena Edlund Heiden Cayetano González Antonio Vidal-Puig Organisers Christian Haass Jörg Vogel Karen Avraham David Holden Tony Wyss-Coray René Bernards Clare Isacke Lars Zender Michael Hall David Julius

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