1. European Molecular Biology Laboratory: An overview
Stefan Fiedler

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. Thank you for listening!
EMBL - an overview