Europe’s best young group leaders win EMBO support

Heidelberg, 6 November 2006 - The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) has singled out 21 young group leaders to receive the support of its prestigious Young Investigator Programme. Selection is a mark of the highest scientific excellence and the 2006 awardees were handpicked from a pool of over 150 excellent candidates across Europe.

EMBO Young Investigators carry an influential recommendation. Selected by EMBO Members for the high standard of their research, they join a network of some of Europe’s best young life scientists. The three-year programme offers a range of benefits designed to smooth the transition between setting up independently and establishing a reputation in the scientific community.

The aim is to raise the profile of the young investigators and help them to attract new collaborations and funding. Gerlind Wallon, manager of the programme, explains: “The EMBO Young Investigator Programme offers a level of support and distinction that is hard to find at this stage in a scientist’s career. It tells the scientific community and funding bodies that EMBO is convinced of the quality of your research and that’s an impressive credential.”

The EMBO Young Investigator Programme supports researchers who are within four years of establishing their first independent laboratories. Benefits include networking support through a mentorship programme, annual meeting and lab exchanges, as well as professional training and an annual award of 15,000 euro. The programme has been promoting outstanding young group leaders in Europe since 2000. Currently it supports a network of 70 life scientists.