European Molecular Biology Laboratory: An overview Stefan Fiedler

EMBL Member States Austria 1974 Denmark 1974 France 1974 Germany 1974 Israel 1974 Italy 1974 Netherlands 1974 Sweden 1974 Switzerland 1974 United Kingdom 1974 Finland 1984 Greece 1984 Norway 1985 Spain 1986 Belgium 1990 Portugal 1998 Ireland 2003 Iceland 2005 Croatia 2006 Luxembourg 2007 20(21) countries Australia 2008 (1st Associate Member) EMBL - an overview

The Five Sites of EMBL Heidelberg Hamburg Hinxton Molecular Biology Research Laboratory Central Administration Structural Biology European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) Grenoble Monterotondo 1450 Staff from 68 Nations (800 in Heidelberg) Structural Biology – using xray radiation from the synchrotron to examine small biological molecules such as proteins. Instead of using light in a light microscope, we use smaller wavelengthed light – xray to look at smaller things - proteins Structural Biology Mouse biology EMBL - an overview

EMBL’ Missions and Programme 2012-2016 1) Forefront life science research: setting trends and pushing the limits of technology 2) Providing world-class research infrastructure and services to the member states 3) Training and inspiring the next generation of leading scientists in molecular biology 4) Driving research, innovation and progress through technology development, interactions with industry and technology transfer 5) Taking a leading role in the integration of life science research in Europe European Integration 4 EMBL - an overview

EMBL human resources & budget (2011) EMBL: 70 nations, 1550 staff, 183MEukro budget EMBL - an overview

EMBL in a nutshell EMBL was founded in 1974 following the CERN model Sir John Kendrew was the first Director General; current Director General is Iain Mattaj To promote molecular biology across Europe To provide an attractive alternative to the United States as a workplace for Europe's leading young molecular biologists. Today is one of the world’s foremost life science institutions Many award winning scientists (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1962) Kendrew (Nobel prize for first atomic structures, Myoglobin) met Leo Szilard at CERN in 1962 who invited him to create EMBL Nuesslein worked on drosophila melongaster (fruit fly) studied influence of genes in embryonic development. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard and Eric Wieschaus Nobel Prize in Medicine 1995 EMBL - an overview 6

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