“A short-term fellowship through a Scientific Exchange Grant is the perfect fit at my career stage right now”, says Cheng-Han Ho, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB) in Tokyo, Japan. With a childhood spent in Taiwan and New Zealand, and scientific training completed in Japan, Cheng-Han Ho’s stay at EMBL is his first international scientific experience. His first introduction to EMBO came through EMBO Press, when he gave a presentation at the first Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)| EMBO workshop in March 2024. “The participation to this workshop helped me connect with other researchers and gave me a first-hand, in-person exposure to science in an international setting.”
Cheng Han Ho specializes in cryo-electron microscopy to explore the fundamental structures of chromatin. “Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), an evolving method which works like a CT scan, capable of creating a full 3D volume,” he explains. This technique allows for a more detailed internal view of cells. Cheng-Han Ho is planning to master cryo-ET at EMBL in Heidelberg and then bring back the technique to his lab in Japan.
His experience at the JST | EMBO workshop encouraged him to apply for a Scientific Exchange Grant. “The process from proposal to acceptance was surprisingly fast”, notes Cheng-Han Ho. “I submitted my proposal in October 2024 and was already in Heidelberg in January 2025. I think this is a good, short-term commitment way to see if a place or technique fits. We, as researchers, also have family or personal imperatives, and long-term commitments sometimes do not align with other priorities in your personal life.”
Cheng-Han Ho finished his short-term exchange at EMBL in March 2025. He is now looking forward to reconnecting with his colleagues and share his newly learned state-of-the-art techniques in cryo-ET.
