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Two EMBL scientists become EMBO Members
Alexander Aulehla and Paul Flicek recognised by their peers for their outstanding contributions to the life sciences
The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) supports talented life science researchers in Europe and beyond. The organisation offers research fellowships, hosts a stable of scientific journals, helps shape science policy, and organises courses, workshops, and conferences. EMBO counts more than 1800 scientists among its members, and elects new members every year.
A leading research community
EMBO Membership honours distinguished life scientists across disciplines who have made exceptional contributions to their field. EMBO Members influence the direction of European life science by participating in EMBO’s initiatives. They serve on the organisation’s Council, committees, and editorial boards, contribute to the evaluation of applications for EMBO funding, and act as mentors to young scientists. This year, EMBO welcomes 63 new members, including Alexander Aulehla, Group Leader and Senior Scientist at EMBL Heidelberg, and Paul Flicek, Associate Director of EMBL-EBI Services, Senior Scientist, Group and Team Leader at EMBL-EBI.
Innovative research and data resources
Alexander Aulehla and his group combine quantitative experiments with theoretical approaches to tackle questions in developmental biology. Their goal is to manipulate and understand cellular rhythms – or oscillations – during the complex process of embryonic development.
“I strongly feel that EMBO Membership isn’t an individual award; it recognises the achievements of my group and collaborators as a whole, because we work together every day to further our field,” says Aulehla. “Being elected by my peers has a very special meaning to me, and I feel that this recognition highlights my role in the community.”
Aulehla’s delight matches that of Paul Flicek. “It’s an honour to become part of this group of brilliant scientists,” Flicek says. “The challenge of building long term online data resources has long been underappreciated, but biologists now recognise the role of high-quality computational resources in answering biological questions. EMBO Membership acknowledges this work in genomics and computational biology.”
Flicek’s contribution to open genomic resources has had a substantial impact on the global scientific community. He leads the team that created Ensembl, a genome browser and annotation resource that serves thousands of users daily.
Aulehla and Flicek join some 20 EMBL scientists and alumni whose work has been recognised by EMBO Membership.
