Research

From genomes to organisms, EMBL is exploring the secrets of life

EMBL’s diverse research programme is pushing the limits of biological knowledge, with our researchers developing innovative techniques and technologies as part of the process.

Research Units

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory is made up of many independent groups of research scientists, who work on a wide range of biological topics. EMBL categorises these groups by area of scientific interest into nine research units. This structure helps EMBL scientists working on similar scientific questions to leverage common tools and experimental apparatus.

EMBL Programme

Pushing boundaries in research, services, training and technology


Learn more about EMBL research

EMBL Faculty

Explore how EMBL research groups collaborate with partners

Publications

Explore EMBL’s full list of scientific publications and preprints which go back as far as 1979

Cross-cutting research topics

From exploring the molecular components inside a cell to studying whole populations and ecosystems, EMBL scientists will explore these different scales through research themes that foster collaborative, multidisciplinary research.

EMBL maintains close cooperative affiliations with organisations of comparable standard, vision and international orientation.

These institutional collaborations are based on shared goals and scientific synergy or complementarity. The aim is to create a network of institutions that enhance molecular life science in Europe and around the world.


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Microbiome Specialist

Technology in EMBL Heidelberg

EMBL is a world leader in scientific research and at the forefront in the development of cutting-edge technologies. Research at EMBL is supported by the development of enabling technologies that are made available to the scientific community in its core facilities, ten of which are currently located...

Closes on 2nd September. Posted 20th August 2026

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Marine and Aquatic Organisms Technician

Science, research and training in EMBL Heidelberg

Our Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) consist of several organizational units providing service to EMBLinvestigators.Working under supervision, you will be involved in the daily care, welfare checks and general husbandry of different mostly aquatic species and their environment. You will perform bas...

Closes on 16th September. Posted 25th August 2026

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Bioinformatician

Technology in EMBL-EBI Hinxton

​About the team We are seeking a Bioinformatician with expertise in data integration and experience in structural biology and molecular dynamics (MD) data to join the Velankar team at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI). The Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe) team develops essential mac...

Closes on 5th September. Posted 13th August 2026

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Bioinformatician

Technology in EMBL-EBI Hinxton

Role Summary / Context About the TeamWe are seeking a skilled bioinformatician who is enthusiastic about developing and maintaining high-quality genome resources for microbial research communities to join the Ensembl Microbes team.As part of the Ensembl project, Ensembl Microbes provides access to b...

Closes on 21st September. Posted 13th August 2026

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With support from more than 30 countries, laboratories at six sites across Europe and thousands of scientists and engineers working together, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a powerhouse of biological expertise. EMBL is an intergovernmental organisation, headquartered in Heidelberg, and was founded in 1974 with the mission of promoting molecular biology research in Europe, training young scientists, and developing new technologies.

EMBL currently employs more than 1800 people in Barcelona, ​​Grenoble, Hamburg, Heidelberg, EMBL-EBI Hinxton (near Cambridge), and Rome.

Publishing hundreds of research articles and hosting dozens of conferences every year, EMBL is driving visionary fundamental research and training Europe’s future scientific talent.

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