Photo: Matthias Tunger Photodesign | Helmholtz Munich
9 September 2026 – EMBO and FEBS announce Eleftheria Zeggini as the recipient of the 2027 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award, which celebrates its 20th edition this year. Zeggini is recognised for her pioneering contributions to human genomics and the translation of large-scale genetic discoveries into biological and clinical insight, alongside her leadership in equality and inclusion in science.
“It is a tremendous honour to receive the FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award”, said Eleftheria Zeggini, Director of the Institute of Translational Genomics at Helmholtz Munich, in Germany. “It serves as an inspiration to pursue bold ideas and help shape the future of science.”
“Scientific excellence is ultimately about changing what we know and what becomes possible. Eleftheria Zeggini has done precisely that through research that has transformed the scale and scope of human genomics and brought genetic discovery closer to understanding and treating disease,” noted Miguel A. De la Rosa, Secretary General of FEBS. “Recognising women who are making contributions of this calibre is at the heart of this award, and FEBS is proud to celebrate Eleftheria as one of the scientists leading her field.”
“I warmly congratulate Eleftheria Zeggini on receiving the 2027 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award,” commented EMBO Director Fiona Watt. “Eleftheria embodies the values that EMBO is proud to champion. Her leadership in translational genomics shows what is possible when talented researchers are given the environment to pursue bold, high-quality science throughout their careers, and her contribution to shaping science policy reflects the kind of engagement we hope to see across our community. She is a truly inspiring role model for the next generation of scientists.”
Zeggini is internationally recognised for pioneering work in the genomics of complex human diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes, obesity and osteoarthritis. Her research has helped move the field from large-scale genetic discovery towards a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms and potential clinical applications, integrating population-scale genomics with multi-omics, advanced computational approaches and artificial intelligence. Through the Type 2 Diabetes Global Genetics Initiative, she has led efforts to integrate and analyse genetic data from more than four million individuals worldwide, while improving the diversity and transferability of genetic findings. In osteoarthritis, her work has expanded the number of robustly associated disease loci to more than 930 and helped identify potential therapeutic targets, including opportunities for drug repurposing.
Alongside her scientific achievements, Zeggini has made significant contributions to scientific leadership, mentoring, equality and inclusion. She founded the Institute of Translational Genomics at Helmholtz Munich and has led major interdisciplinary research programmes bringing together genomics, imaging, artificial intelligence and machine learning. She has supported scientists at all career stages and has been a longstanding advocate for greater equality and inclusion in research, including founding the Wellcome Genome Campus Equality in Science programme and organising the first Munich for Women in Science event. Her leadership also extends to science policy, governance and public engagement, where she has contributed to international discussions on responsible data sharing, research sustainability and the future of biomedical science.
“Eleftheria’s leadership is exceptional in its reach, far beyond her own outstanding research. By striving to build scientific environments in which others can grow and thrive, she reminds us of the responsibility we, as scientists, have towards the people and communities both near and far,” commented Anne Ephrussi, Chair of the FEBS Women in Science Working Group. “I hope that seeing women like Eleftheria recognised and visible in science will inspire and help other young researchers to be bold and creative, and to find their own individual ways to shape science.”
The award will be presented at the 51th FEBS Congress in Riga, Latvia, taking place from 3 to 7 July 2027. Zeggini will deliver a plenary award lecture and participate in a lunch event with junior scientists attending the Congress. She will also receive a bronze statuette, a commemorative certificate, and a prize of 10,000 euros.
The FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award is a joint initiative that recognises and celebrates outstanding female scientists working in Europe. It highlights both research excellence over the past five years and a commitment to supporting women in science through leadership, mentorship and public outreach.
About Eleftheria Zeggini
Eleftheria Zeggini obtained a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunogenetics of Juvenile Arthritis from the University of Manchester. Following a statistical genetics post doc at the Centre for Integrated Genomic and Medical Research in Manchester, she moved to the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford, where she was bestowed a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship to work on analytical and empirical approaches in large-scale association studies with a focus on type 2 diabetes. In 2008, she joined the Wellcome Sanger Institute Human Genetics Faculty where she built a programme of work to advance analytical genomics of complex traits. In 2018, she moved to Helmholtz Munich as founding Director of the Institute of Translational Genomics, and since 2020 holds the TUM Liesel Beckmann Distinguished Professorship at the Technical University Munich School of Medicine and Health. Her research leverages big biomedical data and aims to translate insights from genomics into mechanisms of disease development and progression, shortening the path to translation and empowering precision medicine.
About FEBS
The Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) is one of Europe’s largest organisations in the molecular life sciences, with over 35,000 members across its Constituent Societies. As a charitable organisation, FEBS is dedicated to advancing research and education in biochemistry, molecular biology, and related disciplines for the benefit of society. Its activities include organising international congresses, advanced courses and training opportunities, supporting young scientists through fellowships and travel grants, and publishing high-quality scientific journals. Through its journals and events, FEBS also contributes to the transition towards Open Science and fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange among scientists worldwide. For more information visit: febs.org
About EMBO
EMBO stands for excellence in life sciences.
EMBO is an organization of more than 2,200 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a research environment where scientists can achieve their best work.
EMBO helps young scientists to advance their research, promote their international reputation and ensure their mobility. Courses, workshops, lectures and EMBO Press publications disseminate the latest research and offer training in techniques to maintain high standards of excellence in research practice. EMBO helps to shape science policy by seeking input and feedback from our communities and by following closely the trends in science. For more information visit: embo.org
