2015 Research at a Glance Research at a Glance 2015 Contents 2 Introduction 4 Research topics 6 About EMBL 8 Career opportunities EMBL Heidelberg, Germany 10 Directors’ Research 14 Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit 28 Developmental Biology Unit 38 Genome Biology Unit 50 Structural and Computational Biology Unit 66 Core Facilities EMBL-EBI, Hinxton, United Kingdom 76 European Bioinformatics Institute 92 Bioinformatics Services EMBL Grenoble, France 98 Structural Biology EMBL Hamburg, Germany 110 Structural Biology EMBL Monterotondo, Italy 120 Mouse Biology 130 Index I 1 2 I EMBL was established forty years ago to create a European centre of excellence for highly talented young scientists. Today, it is Europe’s leading institution in the molecular life sciences, and one of the highest-ranked research institutes in the world. In recognition of its unique value, EMBL – Europe’s only intergovernmental laboratory in the life sciences – enjoys continued support from its member states, which have now increased in number to twenty-one member states, two associate members outside of Europe, and three prospect member states that committed to joining EMBL in the next three years. EMBL pursues cutting-edge research across its five sites in systems by navigating across scales – from single molecules over Heidelberg, Grenoble, Hamburg, Hinxton and Monterotondo. The cells and tissues to entire organisms. What truly distinguishes Laboratory’s contribution to the European life sciences, however, EMBL, however, is its interdisciplinary and collaborative approach extends well beyond its research mission. EMBL is a major to science, whereby researchers with complementary expertise provider of research infrastructures and services for the life from different disciplines work together to tackle specific biological sciences, and offers training programmes for scientists, regularly problems. When researchers leave to assume key positions in used as a model of best practice by other research organisations. other institutes, the skills they have developed in the dynamic, EMBL is broadly engaged in technology development, and drives interdisciplinary and international EMBL environment are exported innovation through a successful technology transfer programme, to our member states. thereby allowing scientists and society at large to benefit from its The critical mass of expertise and resources concentrated at inventions and discoveries. Finally, EMBL contributes to shaping EMBL has produced many important achievements. The value of European science policy and strategy, and promotes the integration the laboratory’s pioneering work to the scientific community was of research activities in Europe and worldwide. illustrated in 2014 by a report published in the journal Nature The unique mix and seamless integration of these research-related on the 100 most highly cited papers of all time, which included activities at EMBL is complemented by a variety of successful three papers produced at EMBL. The impact of EMBL’s scientific organisational principles, such as international recruitment of output, its attractiveness to world-leading young scientists, and the most talented scientists, regular staff turnover, and rigorous the continuous support from our member states are a testimony peer review of the Laboratory’s activities. The resulting scientific to the Laboratory’s success, and indicate that we will remain at excellence, along with a culture that promotes intellectual the forefront of the life sciences and consolidate our leadership freedom and flexibility, create a vibrant environment, which offers position in the future European research landscape. unmatched opportunities to young creative scientists. In Research at a Glance, you will find a concise overview of the work of our research groups and core facilities, addressing some of the most challenging and pressing questions in the molecular life sciences. The overarching goal of the Laboratory’s research is to gain a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of biological Iain Mattaj EMBL Director General I 3 European Molecular Biology Laboratory Research topics p. 12–15 pages 16–29 pages 30–39 pages 40–51 pages 52–65 Peer Bork Peer Jonas Ries Jan Korbel Jan Maja Köhn Maja John Briggs Martin Beck Martin Péter Lénárt Péter Toby Gibson Toby Pierre Neveu Pierre Maria Leptin Maria Jan Ellenberg Jan Detlev Arendt Lars Hufnagel Lars François Spitz François Francesca Peri Francesca Eileen Furlong Anne Ephrussi Edward Lemke Edward Lars Steinmetz Lars Takashi Hiiragi Takashi Marcus Heisler Marcus Carsten Schultz Carsten Darren Gilmour Darren Orsolya Barabas Orsolya Kyung-Min Noh Kyung-Min Wolfgang Huber Wolfgang Yannick Schwab Yannick Matthias Hentze Matthias Christian Häring Marko Kaksonen Marko François Nédélec François Christoph Müller Jeroen Krijgsveld Jeroen Athanasios Typas Athanasios Stefano de Renzis Stefano Rainer Pepperkok Christoph Merten Alexander Aulehla Teresa Carlomagno Teresa Anne-Claude Gavin Theodore Alexandrov Alexandrov Theodore CellCell signalling and cellcell differentiationdifferentiation Cellular organisation and dynamics, and cell division ChemistrChemistry and chemical biology Computational genomics and metagenomics ComputaComputational modellingmodelling ofof biological systems and processeprocessess Disease mechanisms, pathogens, molecular medicine, stem cells EvolutionEvolution Functional genomics, genetics and gene networks GeneGene regulation,tion, transcription,transcription, chromatinchromatin and epigenetics Imaging and image analysis Macromolecular complexes,complexes, interactioninteraction networksnetworks Neurobiology PhysicsPhysics andand biophysicsbiophysics Plant biology ProteomicsProteomics RNA metabolism, transport and processing, ncRNAs and miRNAs RoboticsRobotics andand automation,automation, eengineeringngineering Software development and bioinformatics Tissue morphogenesis, cell polarity and migration X-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy 4 I Research Topics I EMBL HEIDELBERG pages 76–93 pages 100–109 pages 110–119 pages 120–129 Kiran Patil Kiran Paul Flicek Paul Imre Berger Imre Rob Meijers Philip Avner Oliver Stegle Oliver Rocio Sotillo Ewan Birney Ewan Alvis Brazma Daniel Panne Judith Zaugg Judith Pedro Beltrão Pedro John Marioni Ramesh Pillai Alex Bateman José Márquez Marco Marcia Marcia Marco Stefan Fiedler Stefan Christian Löw Anton Enright Victor Lamzin Nick Goldman Carsten Sachse Carsten Dmitri Svergun Dónal O’Carroll Janet Thornton Janet Stephen Cusack Cornelius Gross Cornelius Florent Cipriani Florent Gerard Kleywegt Gerard Paul Heppenstall Paul Sarah Teichmann Sarah Martin Jechlinger Martin Christoph Lancrin Andrew McCarthy Andrew Thomas Schneider Matthias Wilmanns Matthias Christoph Steinbeck Julio Saez-Rodriguez Julio Christiane Schaffitzel CellCell signalling and cellcell differentiationdifferentiation Cellular organisation and dynamics, and cell division ChemistrChemistry and chemical biologybiology Computational genomics and metagenomics ComputaComputationaltional modellingmodelling of biologicalbiological systems and processesprocesses Disease mechanisms, pathogens, molecular medicine, stem cells EvolutionEvolution Functional genomics, genetics and gene networks GeneGene regulation, transcription,transcription, chromatinchromatin and epigenetics Imaging and image analysis Macromolecular complexes,complexes, interaction networks Neurobiology PhysicsPhysics andand bibiophysicsophysics Plant biology ProteomicsProteomics RNA metabolism, transport and processing, ncRNAs and miRNAs RoboticsRobotics andand automation,automation, engineeringengineering Software development and bioinformatics Tissue morphogenesis, cellcell polarity and migration X-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy EMBL HEIDELBERG I Research Topics I 5 European Molecular Biology Laboratory About EMBL The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a world-class international research organisation, with some 85 independent groups covering the spectrum of molecular biology. Scientists represent disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics and computer science, working across the laboratory’s five sites. Europe’s flagship laboratory for the life sciences EMBL was founded in 1974 to create a central European laboratory in the emerging field of molecular biology. It remains the only intergovernmental research organisation in Europe that performs research in the molecular life sciences, and is directly supported by 21 member states, two associate members outside of Europe, and three prospect member states. EMBL’s goals are: t Undertaking outstanding life science research: The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) setting trends and pushing the limits of technology. is located on the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus t Providing world-class research infrastructure in Hinxton, near Cambridge. As a European hub for and services to the member states. biomolecular data, EMBL-EBI offers the scientific community access to a variety of bioinformatics t Training and inspiring the next generation services, alongside which a number of active of scientific leaders. research groups work in areas that complement and t Driving research, innovation and progress through extend these services. technology development, interactions with industry and technology transfer. t Taking a leading role in the integration of life science research in Europe. 6 I About EMBL EMBL Hamburg develops novel, innovative technologies in structural biology, such as high- throughput crystallisation and data interpretation