European Molecular Biology Laboratory Research at a Glance 2013 European Molecular Biology Laboratory Research at a Glance 2013 www.embl.org Research at a Glance 2013 Contents Introduction 4 Research topics 6 About EMBL 8 Career opportunities 10 EMBL Heidelberg, Germany Directors’ Research 12 Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit 16 Developmental Biology Unit 30 Genome Biology Unit 40 Structural and Computational Biology Unit 50 Core Facilities 64 EMBL-EBI, Hinxton, United Kingdom European Bioinformatics Institute 74 Bioinformatics Services 92 EMBL Grenoble, France Structural Biology 100 EMBL Hamburg, Germany Structural Biology 112 EMBL Monterotondo, Italy Mouse Biology 120 Index 130 | 3 4 | Introduction e vision of the nations that founded the European Molecular Biology Laboratory was to create a centre of excellence where Europe’s best brains would come together to conduct basic research in molecular biology and related elds. During almost four decades, EMBL has grown further and informs the public about the impact and developed substantially, and its member that modern biology has on our lives. states now number 21, including one associate In Research at a Glance you will nd a concise member state, Australia. Over the years, EMBL overview of the work of our research groups and has become the agship of European molecular core facilities. Science at EMBL covers themes biology and has been continuously ranked as ranging from studies of single molecules to an one of the top research institutes worldwide. understanding of how they work together in Both junior and senior researchers have received complex systems to organise cells and organisms. some of the most prestigious European grants Our research is loosely structured under thematic and awards. units, giving scientists the intellectual freedom to EMBL is Europe’s only intergovernmental labora- pursue the topics that most interest them while tory in the life sciences and as such its missions drawing on the diverse techniques and expertise extend beyond performing cutting-edge research available in the institute. But what really distin- in molecular biology. It also oers services to guishes EMBL is the large number of inter-unit European scientists, most notably in the areas of collaborations, bringing people with common bioinformatics and structural biology, provides interests but distinct skills together to tackle am- advanced training to researchers at all levels, bitious projects. Increasingly, our young scien- develops new technologies and instrumenta- tists come with physics, chemistry, engineering, tion, and actively engages in technology transfer mathematics, and computer science backgrounds, for the benet of scientists and society. EMBL contributing new perspectives and the comple- is also heavily engaged in discussions of science mentary expertise required to unravel the com- policy and strategy at the European level, where plexity of living systems. is spirit of working it coordinates multiple activities. It is the synergy together is also reected in the numerous external between these diverse missions and the stringent, collaborations and partnerships. external quality control to which we submit all EMBL combines a critical mass of expertise and our activities regularly, that allows EMBL to stay resources with organisational exibility, enabling at the forefront and achieve world-class standards. us to keep pace with today’s biology. e impact In research, the ve EMBL sites (a central labora- of the laboratory’s scientic work, the quality tory in Heidelberg, with outstations in Grenoble, of its services, and its continued attractiveness Hamburg, Hinxton, and Monterotondo) put to world-leading young scientists are testimony strong emphasis on interdisciplinarity and col- to EMBL’s success, and show that we are well- laboration. EMBL’s xed-term contract system equipped for the future. means that when researchers leave to assume key positions in the member states, they export their unique experience of working in a very energetic, interdisciplinary and international environment. Freedom, exibility and a regular turnover of sta Iain Mattaj allow EMBL to pursue the most exciting themes EMBL Director General in molecular biology as they arise. Our long- standing tradition of organising excellent courses, conferences and workshops and an extensive out- reach programme ensure that know-how spreads Introduction | 5 Research at a Glance 2013 Research topics p. 12–15 pages 16–29 pages 30–39 pages 40–49 pages 50–63 Peer Bork Peer Jonas Ries Jonas Jan Korbel Jan Kiran Patil Kiran Maja Köhn Maja John Briggs John Péter Lénárt Péter Martin BeckMartin Toby Gibson Gibson Toby Pierre Neveu Pierre Maria Leptin Maria Jan Ellenberg Jan François Spitz François Lars Hufnagel Detlev Arendt Francesca Peri Francesca Eileen Furlong Lars Steinmetz Anne Ephrussi Ephrussi Anne Carsten Sachse Carsten Edward Lemke Edward Marcus Heisler Marcus Takashi Hiiragi Takashi Carsten Schultz Yannick Schwab Yannick Orsolya Barabas Orsolya Darren Gilmour Darren Matthias Hentze Matthias Wolfgang Huber Wolfgang Christian Häring François Nédélec François Jeroen Krijgsveld Jeroen Marko Kaksonen Marko Athanasios Typas Athanasios Christoph Müller Christoph Stefano de Renzis Stefano Rainer Pepperkok Christoph Merten Christoph Alexander Aulehla Alexander Teresa Carlomagno Teresa Anne-Claude Gavin Anne-Claude Cell signalling and cell differentiation Cellular organisation and dynamics, and cell division Chemistry and chemical biology Computational genomics and metagenomics Computational modelling of biological systems and processes Disease mechanisms, pathogens, molecular medicine, stem cells Evolution Functional genomics, genetics and gene networks Gene regulation, transcription, chromatin and epigenetics Imaging and image analysis Macromolecular complexes, interaction networks Neurobiology Physics and biophysics Plant biology Proteomics RNA metabolism, transport and processing, ncRNAs and miRNAs Robotics and automation, engineering Software development and bioinformatics Tissue morphogenesis, cell polarity and migration X-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy 6 | Research topics pages 74–91 pages 100–111 pages 112–119 pages 120–129 Peer Bork Peer Kiran Patil Kiran Paul Flicek Paul John Briggs John Imre Berger Imre Rob Meijers Rob Darren Hart Martin BeckMartin Philip Avner Philip Oliver Stegle Oliver Ewan Birney Ewan Toby Gibson Gibson Toby Paul Bertone Paul Rocio Sotillo Alvis Brazma Alvis Daniel Panne Daniel John Marioni John José Márquez José Ramesh Pillai Pedro Beltrão Pedro Stefan Fiedler Stefan Alex Bateman Victor Lamzin Victor Anton Enright Anton Nick Goldman Nick Carsten Sachse Carsten Edward Lemke Edward Janet ornton ornton Janet Dmitri Svergun Dmitri Stephen Cusack Stephen Dónal O’Carroll Dónal Florent Cipriani Florent Cornelius Gross Cornelius Orsolya Barabas Orsolya John Overington John Paul Heppenstall Paul Sarah Teichmann Sarah Christoph Müller Christoph Martin Jechlinger Martin omas Schneider omas Christoph Lancrin Christoph Andrew McCarthy Andrew Teresa Carlomagno Teresa Matthias Wilmanns Matthias Anne-Claude Gavin Anne-Claude Christoph Steinbeck Christoph Julio Saez-RodriguezJulio Christiane Schatzel Christiane Cell signalling and cell differentiation Cellular organisation and dynamics, and cell division Chemistry and chemical biology Computational genomics and metagenomics Computational modelling of biological systems and processes Disease mechanisms, pathogens, molecular medicine, stem cells Evolution Functional genomics, genetics and gene networks Gene regulation, transcription, chromatin and epigenetics Imaging and image analysis Macromolecular complexes, interaction networks Neurobiology Physics and biophysics Plant biology Proteomics RNA metabolism, transport and processing, ncRNAs and miRNAs Robotics and automation, engineering Software development and bioinformatics Tissue morphogenesis, cell polarity and migration X-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy Research topics | 7 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 organisa- tion in Europe that performs research in the molecular The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL- life sciences, and is directly supported by 20 member EBI) is located on the Wellcome Trust Genome states and one associate member, Australia. EMBL’s Campus in Hinxton, near Cambridge. As a goals are: European hub for biomolecular data, EMBL-EBI offers the scientific community access to a variety of bioinformatics services, alongside which a • Undertaking outstanding life science research: number of active research groups work in areas setting trends and pushing the limits of technology. that complement and extend these services. • Providing world-class research infrastructure and services to the member states. • Training and inspiring the next generation of scientific leaders. • Driving research, innovation and progress through technology development, interac- tions with industry and technology transfer. • Taking a leading role in the integration of life science research in