The First 100 Days

SPRING 2010

encounters Newsletter of the European Molecular Biology Organization

◗ I have now been in offi ce as the new director of EMBO activities like The EMBO Meeting. Turning the for three months. As expected, knowing EMBO from my journals into something completely different, previous involvement in committees and Council, I fi nd the with the risk of losing the income, is there- organization is going strong. Successful, long-established fore not an attractive option. We would like programmes, such as EMBO Fellowships and Courses & to offer ways of open-access and web-based Workshops, and newer ones, like Young Investigators, are all publication of scientifi c results, but mecha- running smoothly and delivering their services to the com- nisms for guaranteeing quality need to be munity. My predecessor, Hermann Bujard, negotiated an in- found, and the economics of such models crease to the budget for the next fi ve years, which, though need to be worked out. Together with the smaller than we had hoped, is a success given the current Head of EMBO Scientifi c Publications, Bernd economic situation and the cuts that have to be faced in Pulverer, and a newly established Scientifi c some national science budgets. So, I could happily sit back Publications Advisory Board (page 7), we and watch with pleasure as the organization does its work. will be discussing our options. I have no I do watch and also participate with pleasure, but science doubt EMBO will continue to come up with does not stand still, and nor can science politics and admin- interesting innovations, as it has in the past, istration stand still, so I do not plan to sit back comfortably. There are three areas where I feel EMBO should develop new activities and consolidate exist- The fi rst 100 days ing ones. We should look at what the scientifi c community needs in scientifi c publishing; we should extend the scientifi c spectrum of our commu- for example with the ‘transparent reviewing’ nity; and we should strengthen existing, and establish new, process, introduced to The EMBO Journal by HIGHLIGHTS contacts beyond the borders of Europe. Pernille Rørth. Scientists are irritated by many aspects of the way in Today, molecular biology is part of a Expect excellence which the culture of scientifi c publishing has developed in wide range of biological disciplines, perhaps by C. Otter the past decade: authors complain about the often excessive even of all of the life sciences. It does not Ingrid Grummt wins demands by referees for additional experiments, referees make sense to restrict membership of EMBO 2010 EMBO/FEBS 3 Women in Science Award about the burden of reviewing (for which nobody receives to the classical fi elds of core molecular biol- any true credit), and everyone – employers, scientists, even ogy, structural biology and cell and devel- the publishers – complains about the dominating role of opmental biology, from which the majority See you in Barcelona! the impact factor. Our careers and those of our postdocs of EMBO Members are drawn. We there- 10 good reasons to attend The EMBO Meeting 2010 5 and students are determined to a large extent by what we fore would like to strengthen our member- publish, and many of us feel that the way in which our ship outside these fi elds, and include more scientifi c output is judged and measured is not satisfactory. members working in areas such as evolu- The evolution of Since the role of EMBO is to serve the community of tion, neurobiology, basic medical research, scientifi c publishing by B. Pulverer scientists, but we also publish four journals, I feel that we and ecology. Since members can not only New directions and initiatives 7 cannot ignore these complaints and must think about how be recruited unless they are proposed, we for the EMBO publications we can contribute to developing new models for the publica- depend on the existing members to iden- tion of scientifi c data. This is not an easy task, as there are tify excellent candidates in these fi elds and Communicating science many different demands, and some of them contradict each propose them for election. The nomination by C. Otter other. The journals generate an income, which supplements form includes a fi eld in which the proposer Interview with evolutionary 9 our core funding received from the EMBC, the intergovern- can highlight special reasons for a candi- biologist Greger Larson mental body of EMBO. This is used to fi nance programmes date, and this should certainly be used to such as Young Investigators, and it allows us to pilot new fl ag candidates from under-represented ➞ ➞

➞ ➞ disciplines. At the same time, we will I therefore welcome the introduction of to monitor closely to assess the effi cacy of seek other means of interacting with and EMBO Global Exchange which has precisely the new measures that were introduced last including new communities. this aim. This initiative promotes lecture series year (see EMBOencounters, Issue 11). Another We all know that science is not a local of EMBO Members and Young Investigators area in which I intend to become active is the activity, and that our scientifi c interactions and running workshops in partner countries, interaction of EMBO with society and policy are global. While EMBO is fi nanced by the 27 and conversely, inviting leading scientists makers. I will write about these themes in the EMBC Member States to promote molecular from partner countries for lecture tours in future, and, as with all our activities, welcome biology in Europe, and the funds are mostly Europe. The aim is for the scientifi c communi- input from the community.● spent within Europe, this does not mean that ties in the countries to get to know each other our activities should be insular and restricted and their way of operating, and to dissemi- to Europe. Top-level performance of molecu- nate knowledge about the science being done lar biology within Europe absolutely requires in the countries. Ideally, this will eventually interactions beyond the borders of Europe. lead to an intensifi ed exchange especially of Maria Leptin We already bring our colleagues from other younger scientists. In the fi rst instance, the [email protected] continents to Europe through EMBO Courses target areas for this programme are India, & Workshops, and our annual conference The China, Taiwan and Africa, but others will be EMBO Meeting, but I feel we must establish included, and options for fruitful interactions closer ties with other nations on a broader outside this programme also exist. basis. This involves not only bringing scien- I am aware of some of the issues that tists from other nations to Europe, but also concern the EMBO membership. Issues such our showing a presence outside Europe. as the election procedures, we will continue

EMBC Delegates meet in Rome Approve funding for EMBO activities for 2010 to 2014

held in Heidelberg, 40 delegates and advisers 2010. Claudio Sunkel (Portugal) was re-elect- from the member states met in Rome on 23 ed Vice-President for a third year and Leszek November 2009 and were joined by EMBO Kaczmarek (Poland) was elected Vice- management and representatives from EMBO President for the fi rst time. Krešimir Pavelić Council. (Croatia) was re-appointed EMBC Secretary During the meeting, a small increase over General. existing funding was approved by the member Outgoing president, Peter Weisbeek (Nether- states for EMBO to deliver the EMBC General lands), closed the meeting.● Programme over the coming fi ve-year period from 2010 to 2014. http://embc.embo.org The scientifi c presentation at the November meeting was given by the Chair of EMBO Council and Nobel laureate Tim Hunt, titled Models, molecules and man: basic research and the conquest of disease. In support of EMBC Offi cers 2010 an application from Bulgaria to become a President member state of EMBC, Professor Diana Toivo Maimets EE Petkova from the Institute of Biophysics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences gave an over- Vice Presidents Toivo Maimets, EMBC President view of Bulgarian science. She listed access Claudio Sunkel PT ◗ In two sessions per year, the European Mo- to mobility, training and enhanced coop- Leszek Kaczmarek PL lecular Biology Conference (EMBC) – the eration with European scientists as benefi ts Secretary General intergovernmental funding body of EMBO for researchers from her country from the Krešimir Pavelic´ HR – meets to review EMBO programmes and proposed membership. activities. Contributions from the 27 EMBC Toivo Maimets from the Institute of Chair of Strategic Working Party Member States provide the majority of EMBO Molecular and Cell Biology, Estonia, was Toivo Maimets EE fi nances. Following on from the June meeting elected as EMBC President, effective January 3

life that if we could understand how transcrip- and encourage them to keep their eyes on Expect tion of these important genes is controlled in their goals. I think that integrating career and a normal cell, then we could understand what personal goals makes people happier and excellence was deregulated in cells that were unhealthy.’ more productive in the long run,’ she says. In 1979, Ingrid’s husband was offered a For young women starting their scientifi c by Charlotte Otter professorship at the University of Würzburg. careers, Ingrid has this to say: ‘Choose your Funded by a Heisenberg Fellowship, Ingrid lab carefully. Expose yourself to excellence ◗ The 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science joined him a year later. ‘I was a guest there not mediocrity. Choose your partner care- Award winner Ingrid Grummt believes that too, left alone to run my lab. However, I had fully; choose someone who will support you exposure to excellence is the way forward for a technician to help me and some graduate and share 50% of the childcare burden. And female scientists. students. It was a very productive time.’ above all, enjoy what you do!’ One experiment changed Ingrid Grummt’s After 12 years of surviving on stipends, Ingrid Grummt will receive her award life forever. In 1973, along with her husband Ingrid was offered her fi rst permanent posi- of 10,000 euro on 30 June at the 35th FEBS and their three-year-old daughter, Ingrid tion in 1985 – she was appointed as a profes- Congress in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she escaped from East Germany. The family head- sor at the University of Würzburg. And in will present a special lecture.● ed to Munich, taking only their passports and their experience as post-doc fellows at the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin. The 2010 ‘We knew one of the directors at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. He gave my FEBS/EMBO husband a job and said that if I could fi nd myself a stipend, I could work there too.’ Ingrid Women in wrote the fi rst of many grant applications and began her life’s work on the mechanism and Science Award regulation of ribosomal RNA synthesis. Ingrid Grummt has made seminal contri- ◗ The FEBS/EMBO Women in Science butions to the fi eld of transcriptional regula- Ingrid Award, now in its third year, recognizes tion throughout her career. Today the recipient Grummt and rewards the exceptional achieve- of the 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science © Charlotte Otter ments of a female researcher in molecu- Award, heads the Division of Molecular Cell 1990, after receiving Germany’s prestigious lar biology over the previous fi ve years. II at the German Cancer Research Centre Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize for her Winners of the award are role models (DKFZ). outstanding work, Ingrid took up her pres- who inspire future generations of women However, science was not Ingrid’s fi rst ent position at the DKFZ in Heidelberg. ‘We in science. choice when she left school. ‘I wanted to study are the world’s leading group in our fi eld of “Ingrid Grummt is an outstanding theatre science. Biology was only second on research,’ she smiles. ‘After all these years we scientist who has made seminal contri- the list.’ History prevented Ingrid from making are still fascinated by the sophisticated mech- butions in the fi eld of regulation of gene a career in the theatre: in 1961, the year before anisms the cell uses to adapt gene expression expression, including the very recent she left school, the Wall went up. The East to external signals that promote or inhibit cell discoveries that link ageing and some German goverment cancelled theatre science growth.’ inherited diseases with the silencing of as a university subject and Ingrid was offered Ingrid believes that the time has arrived for genes required for cell growth,” says a place at the Humboldt University in Berlin women in science. ‘Not only do we have the selection committee member Claudio to study biology. mentoring programmes and the quotas, but Sunkel, Director of the Institute of While doing their graduate studies and attitudes to women working are so different Molecular and Cellular Biology in Porto, fi rst post-doctoral research at the German from thirty years ago. Science is very fl exible, Portugal. Academy of Science, Ingrid and her husband in that we have the freedom to decide whether Gerlind Wallon, EMBO deputy direc- decided to leave. ‘Many people in East Berlin to do an experiment today or tomorrow. This tor, says what is exciting about Ingrid thought we had it good: an apartment, a child, kind of fl exibility supports a family life.’ Grummt’s work is that she has not rede- two jobs. But we weren’t yet 30, and we had However, she admits that gender is still an fi ned her sphere of research, but that in read most of the books we were allowed to issue, and will continue to be until the child- the last fi ve years she has continued to read, been to the countries we were allowed care bottleneck disappears. ‘I wish I could make seminal contributions in her fi eld. to visit – that was it.’ say gender is no longer an issue,’ says Ingrid, ‘We are also happy to recognise a The fi rst six years in West Germany ‘that I was receiving this award purely for senior scientist who has done exciting were tough, she admits. She had to fund excellence in science. But we haven’t reached work throughout her career and some- her research with grant applications. ‘I had equity yet, and so we have to keep working one whom we have long regarded as a no help, no mentoring, no advice. I had to towards it.’ role model for younger women in the learn everything by myself, mainly by my In accepting the 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women fi eld of science.’ mistakes.’ in Science Award, Ingrid is happy to be a role Ingrid explains that many colleagues ques- model for other women. ‘It is important to me www.embo.org/policy-and-society/ tioned her focus on genes that encode ribo- to inspire young women to face personal and women-in-science/women-in-science- somal RNA. ‘I believed then, as I do now, that professional challenges, to help them mobilize award.html these genes play such a central role in cells’ their strengths when in doubt and motivate

Disease, development and Telomeres and the DNA EMBO | EMBL SYMPOSIA EMBO Events 2010 stem cells in the pancreas damage response SE–Stockholm, 14–16 June FR–Marseille, Human variation: cause and consequence PRACTICAL COURSES Viral vectors in gene therapy: 14–17 September Chromosome segregation and DE–Heidelberg, 20–23 June applications and novel aneuploidy From functional genomics to Computational RNA biology production methods UK–Edinburgh, 19–23 June systems biology Structure and function of FR–Cargese, 26 April–1 May FI–Kuopio, DE–Heidelberg, neural circuits 26 August–4 September Development of cortical Computational molecular 13–16 November DE–Heidelberg, networks and neurological evolution Cryo-electron microscopy and 5–8 September GR–Heraklion (Crete), disorders CONFERENCE SERIES 3-D image analysis The non–coding genome 3–12 May DE–Heidelberg, NL–Amsterdam, 30 June–2 July (3rd in a series) DE–Heidelberg, 13–16 October 29 August–5 September Scientifi c programming Systems biology of Recombination and LABORATORY MANAGEMENT and data visualization for Computational aspects development connections to SUMO and CH–Ascona, 16–19 August COURSES structural biology of protein structure ubiquitin modifi cations determination and analysis: IT–Castelvecchio Pascoli DE–Heidelberg, 5–7 May Interface between the Open to all independent from data to structure to (Lucca), 17–21 May Ubiquitin family and the DNA group leaders: Lipid rafts: function damage response The molecular and methods for studying UK–Cambridge, 6–10 DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg) HR–Red Island, Rovinj, developmental biology of membrane organization September 12–15 October 1–5 September Drosophila DE–Dresden, 23–31 May Anatomy and embryology of GR–Kolymbari, 20–26 June UK–Ware (Hertfordshire) From fetomaternal tolerance Structural characterization of the mouse 2–5 November to immunomodulatory Molecular and cellular basis macromolecular complexes HR–Split, 11–19 September properties of placenta- of regeneration and tissue For postdocs: FR–Grenoble, 31 May–5 June Microscopy, modelling and derived cells in cell therapy repair DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg) The DT40 cell line as a model biophysical methods IT–Brescia, 3–6 October PT–Sesimbra, 14–16 June vertebrate genetic system DE–Heidelberg, 26–30 September 20 September–2 October RNA control of cell dynamics IE–Galway, 14–19 June IL–Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Cell biology meets DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg) 3-D developmental imaging 21–23 June Electron microscopy and 14–17 November microbiology PT–Oeiras, 1–9 October PL–Krakow, 9–14 October stereology in cell biology CONFERENCE SERIES DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg) NO–Oslo, 17–27 June Advanced analysis and (1st in a series) ESF-EMBO SYMPOSIA 5–7 October informatics of microarray Application of transient data Catalytic mechanisms by Antiviral applications of RNA OTHER EMBO EVENTS kinetic methods to biological UK–Hinxton, 18–23 October biological systems: at the interference macromolecules The EMBO Meeting 2010 – interface between chemistry ES–Sant Feliu de Guixols, Solution scattering from Advancing the life sciences UK–Canterbury, 27 June–3 July and biology biological macromolecules 30 May–4 June ES–Barcelona, 4–7 September DE–Hamburg, 5–7 May Biomolecular simulation DE–Hamburg, Emergent properties of the EMBO Global Exchange and FR–Paris, 27 June–4 July 25 October–1 November Microtubules: structure, cytoskeleton: molecules to the Wellcome Trust/DBT India regulation and functions cells High-throughput RNAi and WORKSHOPS Alliance Meeting: DE–Heidelberg, 2–5 June ES–Sant Feliu de Guixols, data analysis Life Science Research in India Proteolysis and 3–8 October DE–Heidelberg, 28 June–2 July C. elegans development and ES–Barcelona, 4 September neurodegeneration (5th gene expression Functional neurobiology Single-molecule manipulation INPROTEOLYS meeting) EMBO Fellows meeting DE–Heidelberg, 17–20 June in minibrains: from fl ies to and analysis of DNA–protein ES–Madrid, 4–7 May DE–Heidelberg, 17–20 June interactions robots and back again Viruses and innate immunity Gene transcription in ES–Sant Feliu de Guixols, 11th EMBL/EMBO Science FR–Paris, 11–25 July IE–Dublin, 5–7 May yeast: from mechanisms to 17–22 October functional genomics & Society Conference Marine animal models in 2010 EMBO Molecular The difference between ES–Sant Feliu de Guixols, 19–24 Molecular perspectives on evolution and development Medicine Workshop: Cell the sexes – from biology to June protein–protein interactions SE–Fiskebackskil, 12–23 July guidance signals in cancer behaviour ES–Sant Feliu de Guixols, 14–19 IT–Portofi no Vetta (Camogli), Chemical Biology 2010 DE–Heidelberg Animal models for physiology November 6–9 May DE–Heidelberg, 5–6 November and disease 22–25 September EMBO/FEBS UK–Sheffi eld, 19–30 July RNA quality control EMBO Young Investigator LECTURE COURSES AT–Vienna, 10–13 May Experimental approaches to Meeting Multi-level modelling of evolution and ecology using The cytoskeleton in DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg), morphogenesis Tumour suppressors yeast development and pathology 10–12 May UK–Norwich, 19–30 July ES–LHospitalet de Llobregat DE–Heidelberg, SE–Djurhamn, 19–24 June (Barcelona), 10–11 May EMBO Young Investigator Ubiquitin and SUMO 29 September–3 October Advanced light microscopy Host–microbes interactions PhD Course HR–Split, 29 July–4 August Towards a comprehensive techniques and their GR–Spetses, 1–9 September DE–Leimen (near Heidelberg), understanding of endoplasmic Multidimensional NMR in applications 20–25 September reticulum functions Molecular and cellular structural biology DE–Heidelberg, 18–21 May ES–Gerona, 3–8 October cognition For more information and a IT–Castelvecchio Pascoli Microscopy: from genome IT–Venice, 14–19 October list of all courses, workshops, (Lucca), 1–6 August scale to the single molecule CONFERENCE SERIES conferences and symposia (2nd in a series) EMBO Global Exchange Post-translational ZA–Pretoria, 31 May–12 June please go to: Lecture Courses modifi cations of proteins: Emerging themes in infection Cellular signaling and www.embo.org/events/ from discovery to functional biology molecular medicine Systems neuroscience of the calendar.html analysis FR–Nice, 1–4 June HR–Cavtat (Dubrovnik), Drosophila larva: genetic and SE–Uppsala, 22–24 August 21–26 May circuit bases of behavior Bi-annual application Genomic approaches to IN–Bangalore, 21–27 July deadlines for organizers to Protein expression, interactions between plant Replication/repair and apply for EMBO funds: purifi cation and viruses, their hosts and their segregation of chromosomes Molecular mechanism of crystallization (PEPC–7) vectors DE–Munzingen (Freiburg), protein transport 1 February DE–Hamburg, 23–31 August IT–Fenestrelle, 12–16 June 13–17 June IN–Bangalore, 5–13 December 1 August 5

scientiﬁ c exchange. This year marks the sec- ◗ Be part of the international life science See you in ond conference organized by EMBO, building community: last year more than 1300 scien- on long-standing traditions and expertise of tists from over 50 countries worldwide took Barcelona! our scientiﬁ c membership and staff. part.

10 reasons to attend Ten reasons to join us in Barcelona: ◗ Learn about the latest equipment and The EMBO Meeting 2010 ◗ Expose yourself to the latest science both technology: in the exhibition area, sponsor inside and outside your research focus; gain symposia and innovation forums, young start- new approaches and ideas from the exciting ups and research institutes spotlight their lat- range of science presented. Two EMBO Mem- est discoveries. bers developed the programme – Luis Serrano from the Center for Genomic Regulation in ◗ Save by bringing your colleagues and Barcelona and Denis Duboule from the Uni- friends! Group discounts are available for the versity of Geneva – together with The EMBO fi rst time this year: pay three full participant Meeting committee. rates and get the fourth place at student rate or pay three student rates and get the fourth ◗ Connect with researchers with similar and place at 90 euro. complementary interests; meet big names in research, potential collaborators, friends and ◗ The EMBO Meeting is open to everyone. colleagues. In 2009, participants rated ac- You don’t have to have received an EMBO Fel- cess to top names in research at the Meet the lowship or be part of the Young Investigator Speaker lunches as a conference highlight. network. You will benefi t from the expertise of more than 120 speakers and a programme ◗ Share your science in interactive stand-alone developed by scientists for scientists. poster sessions where you can converse with fellow scientists to discover joint research in- ◗ Visit a local research institute: the area is terests and possibilities for collaboration. home to more than 400 life science research groups and the conference venue is next door ◗ Brush up your career skills: Saturday is ca- to the University of Barcelona – you can make reer day featuring skill workshops to improve new contacts or say ‘hola’ to old friends! your communication and presentation skills, research project management and publica- ◗ Finally – the sights! Gaudi’s creations, the tion success. The Expanding Career Options old town, Barcelona FC, Las Ramblas, Pica- Lunch, with a range of speakers including sso Museum and the nightlife…you won’t be a science communicator, a chief scientifi c disappointed. See back cover for hot tips from offi cer and a researcher working for a non- Barcelona locals. governmental organization, will give you an ◗ The EMBO Meeting is Europe’s annual life insight into alternative career paths. The Aca- www.the-embo-meeting.org science conference, where life scientists gath- demic Career Mentoring Session, with advice er ideas, meet like-minded colleagues and from the conference speaker faculty, is also take part in a range of activities to stimulate popular.

EMBO Poster Prize competition Congratulations to the winners of the competitions held at recent EMBO-sponsored events:

Tibor Pastor Volodymyr Nazarko Alessandra Rogato Ana Hocevar International Centre for Genetic Institute of Cell Biology NAS of Ukraine, Equipe de Génomique fonctionnelle Department of Theoretical Physics, Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Lviv, Ukraine des diatomées / Diatom Functional Jozef Stefan Institute, Trieste, Italy Genomics, Laboratoire de Génomique des Ljubljana, Slovenia Atg34, a micropexophagy- Microorganismes, Paris, France Facilitation of intron processing speciﬁ c protein required for Geometry of bulk lipid vesicle by an Alu-derived intronic splicing efﬁ cient MIPA formation. RNA interference in marine aggregates. enhancer in ATM. diatom Phaeodactylum Presented at the EMBO Conference tricornutum. Presented at the EMBO Conference Presented at the EMBO Workshop Series Autophagy – cell biology, Series Physics of cells: from the Messenger RNA 3’ ends and physiology and pathology Presented at the EMBO Workshop edge to the heart (Physcell2009) gene expression Evo-Devo meets marine ecology: CH–Ascona, HR–Primosten (Split), new frontiers in ocean science UK–Oxford, 18–21 October 2009 6–13 September 2009 through integrative biology 16–20 September 2009 IT–Ischia (Napoli), 9 –11 October 2009

Editor Picks – EMBO Publications In each issue of EMBOencounters, the editors of The EMBO Journal, EMBO reports, Molecular Systems Biology and EMBO Molecular Medicine highlight particularly interesting papers.

THE EMBO EMBO Molecular JOURNAL Medicine

RESEARCH ARTICLES RESEARCH ARTICLES RESEARCH ARTICLES EDITORIAL

Myc-regulated microRNAs Mitochondrial dynamics regulate Systematic image-driven The promise and the challenge of attenuate embryonic stem cell the RIG-I-like receptor antiviral analysis of the spatial Drosophila modelling human disease in a dish. differentiation. pathway embryonic expression landscape. Fred Gage Lin CH, Jackson AL, Guo J, Linsley PS, Céline Castanier, Dominique Garcin, Frise E, Hammonds AS, Celniker SE. EMBO Mol Med 2(3): 77–78 Eisenman RN Aimé Vazquez & Damien Arnoult Mol Syst Biol 5: 345 EMBO J (2009) 28(20): 3157–3170 EMBO rep (2010), 11: 133–138 RESEARCH ARTICLES Different sets of QTLs infl uence SnoN functions as a tumour Mdm10 as a dynamic constituent fi tness variation in yeast. A systems biology approach to suppressor by inducing premature of the TOB/SAM complex directs Romano GH, Gurvich Y, Lavi O, understanding atherosclerosis. senescence. coordinated assembly of Tom40 Ulitsky I, Shamir R, Kupiec M. Stephen A. Ramsey, Elizabeth S. Pan D, Zhu Q, Luo K Koji Yamano, Sachiko Tanaka- Mol Syst Biol 6: 346 Gold, Alan Aderem EMBO J (2009) 28(22): 3500–3513 Yamano & Toshiya Endo EMBO Mol Med 2(3): 79–89 EMBO rep (2010), 11: 187–193 Feedback between p21 and The target of rapamycin complex reactive oxygen production is The role of ELOVL1 in very long- 2 controls dendritic tiling of REVIEWS necessary for cell senescence. chain fatty acid homeostasis and Drosophila sensory neurons Passos JF, Nelson G, Wang C, Richter X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. through the Tricornered kinase Ionotropic and metabotropic T, Simillion C, Proctor CJ, Miwa S, Rob Ofman, Inge M. E. Dijkstra, Carlo signalling pathway. mechanisms in chemoreception: Olijslagers S, Hallinan J, Wipat A, W. T. van Roermund, Nena Burger, Koike-Kumagai M, Yasunaga K, ‘chance or design’? Saretzki G, Rudolph KL, Kirkwood TB, Marjolein Turkenburg, Arno van Morikawa R, Kanamori T, Emoto K Ana Florencia Silbering, Richard von Zglinicki T. Cruchten, Catherine E. van Engen, EMBO J (2009) 28(24): 3879–3892 Benton Mol Syst Biol 6: 347 Ronald J. A. Wanders, Stephan Kemp EMBO rep (2010) 11: 173–179 EMBO Mol Med 2(3): 90–97 Antagonism of Beclin 1-dependent Synthesizing a novel genetic autophagy by BCL-2 at the Induced pluripotent stem cells and sequential logic circuit: a push-on Stat5 is indispensable for the endoplasmic reticulum requires senescence: learning the biology push-off switch. maintenance of bcr/abl-positive NAF-1. to improve the technology. Lou C, Liu X, Ni M, Huang Y, Huang Q, leukaemia. Chang NC, Nguyen M, Germain M, Ana Banito and Jesús Gil Huang L, Jiang L, Lu D, Wang M, Liu Andrea Hoelbl, Christian Schuster, Shore GC EMBO rep (AOP April 2010) C, Chen D, Chen C, Chen X, Yang L, Boris Kovacic, Bingmei Zhu, Mark Wickre, Maria A. Hoelzl, Sabine EMBO J (2010) 29(3): 606–618 SCIENCE & SOCIETY Ma H, Chen J, Ouyang Q. Mol Syst Biol 6: 350 Fajmann, Florian Grebien, Wolfgang A functional peptidyl-tRNA System crash Warsch, Gabriele Stengl, Lothar hydrolase, ICT1, has been Laurent Ségalat Zebrafi sh Pou5f1-dependent Hennighausen, Valeria Poli, Hartmut recruited into the human EMBO rep (2010), 11: 86-89 transcriptional networks in Beug, Richard Moriggl, Veronika Sexl mitochondrial ribosome. temporal control of early EMBO Mol Med 2(3): 98–110 Richter R, Rorbach J, Pajak A, The science of online dating development. Smith PM, Wessels HJ, Huynen Giovanni Frazzetto Onichtchouk D, Geier F, Polok B, MA, Smeitink JA, Lightowlers RN, EMBO rep (2010) 11: 25–27 Messerschmidt DM, Mössner R, Chrzanowska-Lightowlers ZM Wendik B, Song S, Taylor V, Timmer J, EMBO J 2010 29(6): 1116–1125 Driever W Mol Syst Biol 6: 354 Regulation of natural killer T-cell development by deubiquitinase CYLD Lee AJ, Zhou X, Chang M, Hunzeker J, Bonneau RH, Zhou D, Sun S-C EMBO J (AOP March 2010) doi:10.1038/emboj.2010.31 ✿ Next issue ✿ Yvonne Kaul, The next EMBOencounters issue – Autumn 2010 – will be dispatched in September/ editor of EMBO encounters October 2010. You can send your contributions/news to: [email protected] ✿ is on maternity leave. at any time. The deadline for the Autumn issue is 30 July 2010. Our congratulations to Yvonne and Felix on Acting editor: Suzanne Beveridge Charlotte Otter is a freelance writer and editor, the arrival of Contributing Editor: Charlotte Otter who specialises in writing for business and ✿ Proofreading: Meryl Schneider breathing life into tired copy. Her website is Print layout: Uta Mackensen www.charlotteotter.com Greta Hedi on Sunday 21 March. Web version: Sabine Rehberger-Schneider ✿ 7

◗ As the discipline of molecular biology has evolved, so has the EMBO family of journals The evolution of scientifi c (see sidebar). The EMBO publications quar- tet refl ects the blurring boundaries between publishing molecular, cellular and developmental biology, and the expansion of molecular biology Bernd Pulverer, Head of EMBO Scientifi c Publications, explains new from a traditionally ‘nucleocentric’ science to directions and initiatives for our four journals a spectrum of fi elds ranging from medical to environmental sciences. Like all families, each of our journals conscious that this process can on rare oc- has its own personality while relating to a casions be marred by abuse or superfi ciality. Three decades of common thread of molecular biology. An While all the evidence shows that referee ano- EMBO Scientifi c Publishing overriding theme associated with the initia- nymization is essential, The EMBO Journal tives described below is to provide the global remains the only journal publishing online When EMBO was founded 46 years ago, its molecular biology community with a means referee reports, author rebuttals and editorial remit was ‘the establishment of networking to disseminate scientifi c information in a form decisions in ‘peer review process fi les’. Since activities to enhance interactions between optimized for the internet age while maintain- May 2009, we have published over 200 such European laboratories’. The organization’s ing the EMBO qualities of fairness, expertise, fi les with less than 8% author opt outs and no second Director, John Tooze, rightly felt that effi ciency and transparency. Research papers decrease in review quality. the dissemination of validated scientifi c will evolve from being largely a record of This transparent review process will be data fell squarely within its scope and that research achievement to a fully-fl edged extended to all four titles, complemented by the EMBO community was well placed to research tool that others can directly build the publication of detailed editorial process produce a high quality scientifi c journal. upon. statistics. We will assess additional ways to Launched in 1982 and edited by John Tooze, enhance the peer review process in terms of Iain Mattaj, and later Pernille Rørth, The Scientifi c publications advisory board effi ciency, quality and the transfer of reports EMBO Journal quickly emerged as a leading ◗ To facilitate these developments, we are between journals, and we may add comment- molecular biology publication. happy to be able to call on a new publications ing. We aim to develop mechanism to afford In 2000, Frank Gannon founded EMBO reports. The emergence of systems biology advisory board of international scientifi c lead- appropiate credit to referees for their valuable over the last decade resulted in the launch of ers from the EMBO Membership and experts assistance. Molecular Systems Biology in 2005. Co-owned in funding and publishing (see box). Enhanced procedures allow detection of by Nature Publishing Group, Molecular plagiarism and image manipulation before Systems Biology has risen to become the EMBO Scientifi c Publications acceptance of papers. Advisory Board (current members) pre-eminent title in the fi eld. Last year, EMBO Molecular Medicine started publishing trans- Ivan Dikic Angela Nieto Platforms lational research to refl ect the increasingly Ernst Hafen Helen Saibil ◗ In the longer term, we will also consider prevalent application of molecular tech- Reinhard Jahn Alan Schafer providing platforms for high quality confi rma- niques to clinical research. Les Grivell, who Richard Losick Tadasugu Taniguchi tory, negative and refuting data. retired last November, managed the edito- Linda Miller The vast majority of EMBO papers are rial and publication processes of the jour- read online. A key development will be to nals for over fi ve years (see EMBOencounters, Scope and policies move from the current representation of print Issue 14). ◗ We are evaluating the scope of the four online (PDF format) to a dynamic layout The scope of The EMBO Journal has grown EMBO publications, with a particular empha- that facilitates navigation through an article apace with the development of the disci- sis on capturing new research areas in EMBO and that provides effi cient means to link out pline of molecular biology to encompass reports and EMBO Molecular Medicine where into supporting databases and the literature cell and developmental biology, although molecular biology techniques have an im- (augmented browsing). the common strand remains the molecu- pact. Conversely, it will be essential to make lar mechanistic understanding of biologi- More explicit editorial policies will be research papers machine readable, so that cal processes. EMBO reports specializes in introduced on authorship; on materials and information can be systematically extracted high quality, short-format papers reporting data sharing; on supplementary information and analyzed. singular outstanding advances in any aspect and data quality, such as statistical and image Further down the line, we will focus on of molecular and cellular biology. In addition, it contains reviews and conference reports, processing guidelines. A paper in an EMBO data: we aim to publish ‘real’ high-resolution as well as a unique science & society section, publication must meet the central tenet of the data, rather than author processed fl at repre- encompassing commentary and analysis by scientifi c process of reproducibility. sentations of data at low resolution. Molecular both academic and journalist authors. Systems Biology already publishes data under- EMBO scientifi c publications currently Editorial process lying graphs to allow re-plotting and analysis includes 16 professional editors, 12 senior ◗ In our view, the most effective means of by the reader. academic editors, 272 editorial advisory board selecting the best manuscripts is via inde- This is an exciting time for scientifi c members and fi ve administrative staff. pendent professional editors with academic publishing as online technologies mature credentials who are advised both by an edito- and scientifi c publishing models evolve. With rial board and a thorough, anonymous peer your help, we hope to play a leading role in be it anecdotal or systematic, critical or review process. Nevertheless, we are highly these developments and invite your feedback, complimentary.●

A frog and MIT’s a fl ower again charm school Nature images win by Carol Preston, The EMBO Journal’s a communications consultant 2010 Cover Contest based in Washington, DC for the second year in a row ◗ Brilliant technologists and scientists also need to be communicators. By communicating ideas effectively, scientists can reach beyond a peer-to-peer audience, disseminate their fi ndings more widely, enhance understanding and reach more research funding. Since © Martin Oeggerli 2009 2005, Boston’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has required un- Winner in the category Scientifi c Image dergraduates to take four writing and oral communications courses in order appeared in National Geographic, GEO, Focus, to learn how to explain their work to Nature Publishing Group, Cell and Reader’s others. Digest. For examples of his explorations of the microcosm surrounding us, see www.micro- Here are some of the communications naut.ch. The judges were enchanted by Badri tools MIT students learn: Nath Singh’s image of a green frog in a pond and awarded it “Best Non-Scientifi c Image”. ◗ Audience focus: Speakers learn to cre- Badri works at the Robert Wood Johnson ate a profi le to include audience inter- Medical School, New Jersey, USA, and you est; relationship to themselves; subject

© Badri Nath Singh 2009 can view his photography at www.fl ickr.com/ knowledge, education, gender, and age photos/bnsingh. ◗ Key audience questions: Speakers try Winner in the category Non-Scientifi c Image Given that the subject of last year’s to answer three key questions: ‘What’s winning image was a tree frog on a fl ower, the news?’, ‘Why should I care?’ and ◗ Two images from a record number of 1,453 the jury wishes to emphasize that there is no ‘What’s in it for me?’ excellent submissions leapt out at the jury pro-amphibian or pro-angiosperm bias in the in The EMBO Journal’s 2010 cover contest. selection process. Authors and readers should ◗ Translation: Speakers use their audi- These were Badri Nath Singh’s portrait of a keep submitting non-frog and non-fl ower ence profi le to drive their word choices. frog and Martin Oeggerli’s microscopic view pictures to the contest. The EMBO Journal will For a science audience, they use scien- of a fl ower. showcase some of 2010’s short-listed images tifi c language, while for a lay audience Martin, a researcher from Basel, Switzer- on forthcoming covers later in the year. The their language should be more consum- land, won the prize “Best Scientifi c Image” editors and the other members of the jury er-friendly. for his beautifully coloured scanning electron would like to thank all participants, whose ◗ Sticky messages: Have no more than microscopic picture of a daisy fl oret. He is enthusiasm continues to make this contest three core messages and keep them con- a renowned photographer whose work has such an enjoyable experience for everyone.● cise. By repeating the messages three to seven times during a presentation and by using examples, students ensure that their audience retains much more information. 15 May ◗ The messenger: Speakers should vary The EMBO Meeting their voice and body language to en- Abstract submission sure that their messages stick. Tone and Upcoming deadlines Early registration body language can enhance or dilute impact by 93%.

1 August 1 August 15 August

EMBO EMBO EMBO Courses & Workshops Global Exchange Long-Term Fellowships 9

Communicating science Evolutionary biologist Greger Larson talks to Charlotte Otter for EMBOencounters about taking part in a BBC Horizons programme and how he communicates science to a lay audience.

◗ In January this year, BBC Horizons screened an hour-long programme called The Secret Greger Larson Life of the Dog. It featured scientists around demonstrates the world who are researching modern and relationship ancient relationships between humans and between people dogs and whose work is changing the way and animals during we view our pets. The programme communi- fi lming of Primal cated new ideas about dogs’ intelligence, how Connections. they have evolved to be attuned to humans and how barking is a form of communication stop the camera and try again. Many scien- On the other hand, you can’t give one- not used by the dog’s wild cousin, the wolf. tists don’t realise this. word answers, so you really have to think One of the scientists interviewed in the pro- things through before you say them. gramme was former EMBO Fellow and evolu- How did the BBC’s interview process work? tionary biologist Greger Larson, whose DNA They came and spent all day with me in Do you have tips for scientists labs are based at Durham University in the the lab fi lming and asking a series of ques- communicating with the media? Archaeology Department. tions. They also interviewed my colleague, If it’s not live TV, don’t be afraid to make Peter Rowley-Conwy, a professor in the depart- mistakes. You can always go back and do it Greger, what led the BBC to you? ment of Archaeology. That was it, until they again. Knowing this takes the pressure off I’m working on domestication as a model emailed us to say when the programme would you. Before the TV crew arrives, have some for evolution, and I have been involved in air. idea of what they want from you and think several studies that use DNA to understand of a few points in advance. Remember they’re how domestic animals evolved. When the What did you think of the end product? interested in what you say, not in you. You’re programme was being planned, BBC research- I thought it was good TV. The produc- just a talking head. ers read some of my papers, and I simply tion values were high and it was professional received a phone call. They wanted me to talk and creative. They interviewed many people How should scientists face the challenge about my research on dog domestication and whose work I know, but I was interested to of communicating complex ideas in simple how that affected agriculture and civilization. hear about a couple of scientists whose work ways? Also, with our expertise in ancient DNA and I hadn’t heard of. For example, it was the fi rst They have to use broad strokes. I think molecular clocks, they wanted to hear how time I’d heard of the researcher identifying it’s the obligation of scientists to be able to DNA had contributed to answering the when barks as a form of communication. I liked explain what they are doing to a six-year-old. and how questions. the way they cut between researchers talk- They need to be enthusiastic, show that they ing about science and laypeople talking about are passionate about what they do and evoke Have you had any similar experience their dogs. those feelings in others. People are curious; with the media? they want to know about stuff and scientists Actually, yes. In 2008, I co-wrote and host- Are there any downsides to communicating should make the most of that. ed a pilot programme on the effect of food science via television? on human evolution and civilization. We TV is a very passive medium and you get a How would you explain what you do spent three weeks fi lming around the globe short space to explain complex ideas. There is to a layperson? and several months putting it together in little room for ambiguity or uncertainty. As a Now you’ve got me! I investigate the the studio. The Discovery Channel aired the result, you walk a delicate tightrope between patterns and processes of domestication using programme called Primal Connections in 2009. making it exciting and saying something modern and ancient DNA to understand It was an amazing experience that taught me outlandish. For example, the programme evolution and human civilization. a lot about TV. quoted me as saying, ‘Without dog domestication, there wouldn’t be civilization’. A few Do you have a dog? How do you feel about being in colleagues called me up afterwards to ask if No, unfortunately. With the amount I front of the camera? that was true. Having studied it, I can back travel, it wouldn’t be fair. But I grew up with Maybe I’m a bit unusual, but I enjoy it. it up, but when it’s out there as a sound bite dogs and I really hope to have one again. It’s Although I always get a little nervous, my without its supporting context, it can make a question of when, not if. natural inclination is to talk. However, in the you sound like you are going out on a limb. pilot, I realized that unless it’s live TV, you It’s a balance between keeping the interest of ◗ For more information about Greger Larson’s can always do another take or 20. If you say the viewers and also maintaining your scien- research, visit his lab’s website at something and it’s not quite right, you can tifi c integrity. www.dur.ac.uk/greger.larson

EVENTS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

advancing the life sciences EMBO Members EMBO Members

Gerrit van Meer and Harvard immunologist The Wolf Prize in Medicine Daniela Corda – together Klaus Rajewsky received 2010 was awarded with Karel Wirtz – are the Max Delbrück to Axel Ullrich for his organizing the FEBS Medal for his work on groundbreaking work in Workshop titled the development and cancer research. Eukaryotic lipids: function of B cells and his The President of Germany treasure of regulatory research on lymphoma presented Walter Gehring information on development, especially with the Great Order of 19 –24 June in Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Spetses, Greece. Merit from the Federal Detlef Weigel, Director at Republic of Germany on 4 TRANSITIONS the Max Planck Institute January 2010. for Developmental Biology Young Investigators BARCELONA EMBO Members in Tübingen, was awarded the Otto Bayer Prize 2010 Fotis Kafatos leaves the Óskar Fernandez- 4–7 September in honour of his work in presidency of the European Capetillo, head of the the fi eld of plant genetics Research Council to focus Genomic Instability that allow predictions on his malaria research at Group at the Spanish on how wild, as well as 2010 Imperial College, London. National Cancer Center agricultural plants, adapt Kafatos was a former (CNIO), received the to climate change. Director General of EMBL. Eppendorf Award for Young Investigators for Submit abstracts & register early The BINDER Innovation From January 2010, outstanding achievements Prize from the German by 15 May Alfonso Martinez Arias in biomedical research Society for Cell Biology was is the director of the based on molecular biology presented to Anne Spang, the-embo-meeting.org Center for the Physics of methods. The award is professor at Biozentrum in Medicine at the University presented in partnership Basel, on 10 March for her of Cambridge. The center with the scientifi c journal outstanding work in the WORKSHOPS is a new initiative aiming Nature. area of cell biology. Spang to bring together biology, Dynamics of chromosome organization was also an EMBO Young physics and engineering Susan Gasser | Wendy Bickmore investigator from 2003 to to work on problems of Cellular tomography 2005. SPECIAL Ohad Medalia | Achilleas Frangakis biomedical interest. LECTURES Stem cells & regeneration ERC Advanced Grants were awarded to Ivan Dikic, Frans De Waal JC Izpisúa Belmonte | Brigitte Galliot A GOOD READ – Richard Losick PUBLICATIONS FROM THE Regine Hengge, Jürgen Gene network Knoblich, Christof Niehrs. KEYNOTE Anne-Claude Gavin | Bart Deplancke EMBO COMMUNITY LECTURES Modelling biological patterns Books Titia de Lange was Cliff Tabin Edda Klipp | Olivier Pourquie awarded a fi ve-year grant Elizabeth Blackburn Springer will publish a new of $400,000 from the Austin Smith Metabolomics edition of the textbook American Cancer Society Michel Haïssaguerre Johan Auwerx | Juleen Zierath Microbial Biochemistry by and named an American PLENARY Dynamics of molecule ensembles in cells EMBO Member Georges Cancer Society Research LECTURES Philippe Bastiaens | Carsten Schultz Cohen in Spring 2010. Professor. Evolution of Cancer genomics & stem cells animal forms María Blasco | Mariano Barbacid Alejandro Sánchez Imprinting Alvarado Edith Heard | Azim Surani Detlev Arendt Marie-Anne Félix DNA repair, cancer & aging Feeding the world in times Shigeru Kuratani Jean-Marc Egly | Judith Campisi Next generation sequencing Systems biology & Thomas Lemberger of global changes functional genomics Two sessions presented by Marc Vidal Transdifferentiation ESOF 2010 EUROPEAN SCIENCE OPEN FORUM EMBO Science Edward (Eddy) Rubin Thomas Graf | Nadia Rosenthal TORINO | SUNDAY 4 JULY & Society Ron Weiss Cell contact & adhesion Olivier Voinnet Kathleen J Green | Marek Mlodzick Signalling in New insights in prokaryotes development Antoine Danchin | Nicholas Luscombe SESSION 1 | 09:00 – 10:15 SESSION 2 | 10:30 – 11:45 Matching food demand Can science and technology Irma Thesleff Metagenomics & cellular variation and food supply in a changing help find sustainable solutions Kathryn Anderson Peer Bork | Manolis Dermitzakis Christof Niehrs world – Global and European to feed 9 billion people? Synthetic biology Sarah E Millar perspectives Adam Arkin | Wendell Lim Pallab Ghosh CHAIR ORGANIZERS Long range gene regulation Pallab Ghosh CHAIR BBC, UK and President of the World Association of Science Journalists Denis Duboule Wouter De Laat | Veronica Van Heynigen BBC, UK and President of the World Luis Serrano Association of Science Journalists Sir David Baulcombe Infection & autophagy Prem Bindraban University of Cambridge, UK Ari Helenius | Sharon Tooze Administered by the Director of ISRIC World Soil Information, Salvatore Ceccarelli Gesellschaft zur Förderung Developmental neurobiology Wageningen University, The Netherlands der Lebenswissenschaften ICARDA, Syria Heidelberg GmbH James Briscoe | Alexandra Joyner Gianluca Brunori Susanne Benner PANELIST VAT Reg. No.: Department of Agronomy and Management DE264471047 Molecular systems neurobiology Head of Communication, BASF Plant Science, of Agro-ecosystems, University of Pisa, Italy Alexander Schier | Mario De Bono Germany Cellular signalling & cell division Andrea Ferrante PANELIST Pier Paolo Di Fiore | Isabelle Vernos President, Italian Association for Biological Agriculture 11

EMBO| EMBL Symposia Open for business EMBL’s new building to be nucleus for continuous training and scientiﬁ c exchange

Advanced Training Centre HEIDELBERG | GERMANY

Human Variation: Cause and Consequence 20–23 JUNE 2010

Gonçalo Abecasis Ewan Birney Andrew Wilkie German Registration Deadline: 15 April 2010 Minister for Education and Research, Annette Structure and Function of Schavan, speaks Neural Circuits at the open- ing of the new 5–8 SEPTEMBER 2010 EMBL Advanced Training Centre. Cori Bargmann Barry Dickson ◗ Registration Deadline: 13 June 2010 German Minister for Education and Re- prime hub for the international life scienc- search, Annette Schavan, opened EMBL’s Ad- es elite,” says Iain Mattaj, EMBL Director vanced Training Centre for the life sciences on General. the Heidelberg campus on 9 March. The archi- Financial support for the building project The Non-Coding tecture of the building is inspired by the struc- came from the German Ministry for Education Genome ture of the double helix that carries DNA. and Research (BMBF) that contributed 14 With a total space of around 17,000 square million Euro, the Klaus Tschira Foundation 13–16 OCTOBER 2010 metres, an auditorium for an audience of with 10 million Euro and the federal state of 450 people and a large display area for the Baden-Württemberg with one million Euro, David Bartel presentation of scientifi c posters, the EMBL complemented by the contribution of the Thomas Gingeras Advanced Training Centre offers unique condi- EMBL member states. Elisa Izaurralde tions for scientifi c conferences and events. “Scientists never really complete their Gerhart Wagner It also contains teaching laboratories and education; there are always new things to computer training rooms for the education of learn. This is why our foundation is espe- Registration Deadline: 18 July 2010 young scientists, teachers and students. cially concerned with training projects “This new centre in Heidelberg will form and the promotion of young talents,” says a central European platform where scien- Klaus Tschira, whose foundation supports tists from different countries, disciplines and the natural sciences, computer science and generations can meet to exchange ideas and mathematics. their best practices,” says Minister Schavan. The new building also houses 80 EMBL For more Information please go to “Up to 6,000 course and conference partic- staff members from administration and scien- www.embo-embl-symposia.org ipants will gather at the EMBL Advanced tifi c management. ● Training Centre annually and make it the

◗ Cosmopolitan Barcelona offers something for everyone: thriving restaurants, bars and shops; thrilling architec- ture and museums; world-famous landmarks such as the Sagrada Familia and panoramic vistas from Parc Güell or Montjuïc. To help you plan your stay, EMBOencounters asked some Barcelona insiders for their top tips. Christos Gekas, a post-doc fellow working on haematopoietic stem cells at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), says his favourite spot is right outside his ofﬁ ce: the beach. Boasting an average of seven hours of daily sunshine, the beach of Barceloneta bustles with activity all year round. ‘It’s the logical end- point to a hard day’s work,’ he smiles. Aaaron Alt Julia at Ocata beach, El Masnou Christos recommends a stroll down the beach prom- takes a break enade on Passeig Marítim de Barceloneta, a paella at one at Parc Güell of the many beachside restaurants or a fresh mojito in a chiringuito (beach bar). ‘Then head for one of the several nightclubs in front of the PRBB. Who knows, you may The insider’s just encounter your next future collaborator. See you in Barcelona!’ says the Greek-Swedish national. guide to The best thing to do in Barcelona is get lost, claims Aaron Alt, an Austrian-Israeli post doc at the Institute of Barcelona Biomedicine of Valencia. He suggests getting lost in the by Charlotte Otter Gothic Quarter (Barrio Gótico). ‘Walking around the little alleys late at night, when most of the tourists are asleep in their hotels, you feel transported back in time.’ For great food, he recommends Tapas 24 (Calle Diputacio, 269), a small bar serving traditional tapas with a modern twist at mid-price ranges. The chef, who worked at Spain’s famous El Bulli restaurant, also runs a Michelin-starred restaurant elsewhere in the city. ‘Get to Tapas 24 before 2pm to get a seat without waiting in line.’ Aaron says the food stalls at the Las Ramblas market serve the freshest seafood in the city. If you’re interested in Barcelona’s nightlife, you could try out Bosc de les Fades at the end of Las Ramblas. The bar is designed to look like an enchanted forest and enjoys the occasional thunder-storm. There are many other bars around the Catedral del Mar. After a night out, breakfast might be on your mind and Fyodor Kondrashov, a group leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation, says that the Bar Boqueria at the Boqueria market is a great place to eat and take in Barcelona’s culinary lifestyle.’ Another great thing to do is have a coffee on Ramble del Raval and climb Montjuïc (or take the funicular) to the castle for the best views of Barcelona. Julia von Blume outside MACBA Russian Fyodor also recommends Barcelona’s oldest restaurant, Culleretes (Carrer Quintana, 5), which has been serving up suckling pig at reasonable prices since 1786. His top art tip is the ‘grafﬁ ti art gallery’ at the abandoned factory on Central Tèrmica de Sant Adrià de Besòs on the Avenida Eduard Maristany. For great modern art, Julia von Blume, a German post doc at the Vivek Malhotra lab at the Centre for Genomic Regulation, recommends the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). ‘This architech- turally amazing modern building, designed by Richard Meier, is placed directly in the middle of the historical quarter Raval,’ she says. If you tire of the city, Fyodor and Julia suggest Christos Gekas hopping on a train for the beaches, such as Ocata at El enjoys sun and sand Masnou.’ These beach villages are the places to relax at Barceloneta and enjoy authentic Catalan culture,‘ Julia says.●

2010 Barcelona | 4 –7 September