The EMBO Council met for their annual meeting at EMBO in Heidelberg, Germany, on 11–13 May. The governing body of EMBO consists of 15 EMBO Members, elected and co-opted for a term of three years, with the option of one additional three-year term, by the EMBO Membership and Council respectively.
As of 1 January 2026, the EMBO Council Chair is Marta Miączyńska, Director of the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Poland. Vice Chair is Ivan Đikić, Director of the Institute of Biochemistry II at the Goethe University Frankfurt. Observers to the meeting included the Secretary General of EMBO, Paul Nurse, and the EMBC President, Nektarios Tavernarakis.
EMBO reports to the Council
EMBO Director Fiona Watt opened the meeting by providing an overview of EMBO activities over the past year. Further updates and analyses were presented by EMBO staff on programmes and organizational functions, as well as new initiatives to support life scientists.
Reports on initiatives included the policy workshop on Responsible Research Assessment – Revisiting the EMBO Evaluation Criteria which took place in January 2026, the Maria Leptin | EMBO Science Journalism Fellowships, and SPARKHub, the innovative open access resource and certification platform for sustainable research practices, initiated by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and currently under development with the support of EMBO and other international funders.
“This meeting was both productive and forward-looking”, said Miączyńska. “Alongside our core responsibilities — reviewing EMBO programmes, selecting the EMBO Gold Medallist, approving the election of new EMBO Members and Associate Members, and budget for 2027 — we had particularly rich discussions on EMBO’s strategic directions. These conversations reflected a strong awareness that the way science is conducted and supported is changing, and that EMBO must continue to evolve in response while staying true to its core mission.”
“Council meetings provide us with unique opportunities to assess our ongoing activities and align on future directions, always inspired by the shared goal of serving the scientific community and maximizing our impact”, said Fiona Watt.
Official announcements on the 2026 EMBO Gold Medal and Membership election will follow in the coming weeks.
New Council membership and leadership
On 11 May the Council welcomed three new members: Ole Kiehn (Denmark), Gioacchino Natoli (Italy) and Dominique Soldati-Favre (Switzerland), and thanked the members whose term would end in December 2026: David Baulcombe (United Kingdom), Deborah Bourc’his (France) and Chair Marta Miączyńska (Poland).
“It is a wonderful experience to chair a Council composed of such distinguished and engaged scientists from across Europe”, said Marta Miączyńska. “Serving as Council Chair has highlighted for me how essential this collective, multilateral approach is”, continued Miączyńska. “The Council plays a key role in ensuring continuity, quality, and ambition across all EMBO’s activities. It has been a privilege to contribute to this work alongside such dedicated colleagues.”
During the meeting, the Council elected the new Chair and Vice Chair whose mandates will start in January 2027. The next Chair of Council will be Ivan Đikić and the next Vice Chair will be Johanna Ivaska, University of Turku, Finland.
“From my postdoctoral days onward, every stage of my career has been supported and nurtured by EMBO. It is a fantastic organisation and a unique opportunity to promote European science, scientists, and the value of basic research”, says Ivaska. “It is a great honour to serve EMBO as Council Vice Chair, and to work together with Ivan and our insightful and dedicated Council to help guide EMBO for the benefit of scientists across Europe and our global partners at all career stages.”
“At a time when science faces growing global challenges, organizations such as EMBO are more important than ever in fostering international collaboration, scientific excellence, and the open exchange of ideas. It has been a real pleasure working closely with Marta Miączyńska and Johanna Ivaska, whose dedication and vision have been inspiring”, says Đikić. “As I prepare to take on the role of Council Chair, I look forward to helping guide EMBO in supporting outstanding scientists at all career stages and responding thoughtfully to the evolving needs of the scientific community. In particular, I believe EMBO has a vital role in advocating for stronger support of basic research, increasing investment in science, and promoting international cooperation during a time of increasing global uncertainty.” The Council will convene later in the year for a brief meeting focused on strategy.
The next annual meeting of the EMBO Council will take place in May 2027.
