EMBL Seminars

At EMBL, experts from institutes throughout the world speak on a wide range of scientific and technical topics

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7 March 2025, 13:00

Decoding Molecular Plasticity in the Dark Proteome

7 March 20252025Hamburg SpeakerEMBL Hamburg

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Speaker(s): Edward Lemke, University of Mainz, Germany
Host: Matthias Wilmanns, EMBL Hamburg Unit

Place: Seminar Room 48e

Hamburg Speaker

EMBL Hamburg


11 March 2025, 11:00

Enlightening the metabolic secrets of anaerobic microbial key players of the carbon cycle.

11 March 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Grenoble

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Speaker(s): Tristan Wagner, IBS, France
Host: Kristina Djinovic-Carugo

Place: EMBL Grenoble Seminar Room

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Grenoble


17 March 2025, 11:00

Microbial ecology as a foundation for biological artificial intelligence

17 March 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Heidelberg

AbstractMy program develops computational and data science driven models deeply grounded in experimental and theoretical biology to uncover evolutionary and functional relationships between microbes and their ecosystems We are interested in microbial and viral communities as sensors of ecosystem health and we work to harness the information contained within microbial communities to monitor and... AbstractMy program develops computational and data science-driven models, deeply grounded in experimental and theoretical biology, to uncover evolutionary and functional relationships between microbes and their ecosystems. We are interested in microbial and viral communities as sensors of ecosystem health, and we work to harness the information contained within microbial communities to monitor and improve human and environmental health. Our recent work using protein language models to decipher viral protein function and expand our ability to see into previously obscured regions of viral sequence space speaks to the power of artificial intelligence (AI) methods to find hidden connections in biology. I will describe applications of this work to understand how phages impact human physiology in disease, and more broadly argue (1) biological AI may require non-standard approaches for data...

Speaker(s): Libusha Kelly, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Systems and Computational Biology, USA
Host: Nassos Typas

Place: Large Operon

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Heidelberg

Additional information

Abstract
My program develops computational and data science-driven models, deeply grounded in experimental and theoretical biology, to uncover evolutionary and functional relationships between microbes and their ecosystems. We are interested in microbial and viral communities as sensors of ecosystem health, and we work to harness the information contained within microbial communities to monitor and improve human and environmental health. Our recent work using protein language models to decipher viral protein function and expand our ability to see into previously obscured regions of viral sequence space speaks to the power of artificial intelligence (AI) methods to find hidden connections in biology. I will describe applications of this work to understand how phages impact human physiology in disease, and more broadly argue (1) biological AI may require non-standard approaches for data curation, different model architectures, and training protocols that represent the structure and complexity of biological data; (2) the extraordinary sequence diversity of microbial ecosystems enables better AI for biology.   

Connection details
Zoom*: https://embl-org.zoom.us/j/92966299608?pwd=wpPIIaelhRBWO12N1MbaSkBHQ9a7or.1 

Meeting ID: 929 6629 9608 
Passcode: 999646 

Please note that the talk will /not be recorded.
*For the FAQ section, as a zoom participant, please use either the chat function (the host will read out your question) or the “raise your hand” function and turn on your microphone.


21 March 2025, 11:00

2025 EMBL Careers webinars: Making the transition to a group leader role

21 March 20252025Career EventEMBL Heidelberg

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Speaker(s): Alexandre Almeida, Principal Investigator (MRC Career Development Fellow), University of Cambridge, United Kingdom | Lisa Maier, Professor Emmy-Noether Program at University of Tübingen, Germany | Beatriz Trastoy, Group Leader Ramón y Cajal and Ikerbasque Research Fellow at IIS Biobizkaia, Spain

Place: via Zoom VC (Join the VC)

Career Event

EMBL Heidelberg


3 April 2025, 14:30

Genotype-Environment Integration Across Generations: A Plant Case Study

3 April 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Heidelberg

AbstractDevelopmental plasticity in response to environmental conditions is a characteristic property of organisms that allows for substantial adaptive adjustment at the individual level Evolutionary biologists have generally accounted for such plasticity by assuming that the individual s responses to its environment are genetically pre programmed Studies of transgenerational plasticity in the... AbstractDevelopmental plasticity in response to environmental conditions is a characteristic property of organisms that allows for substantial adaptive adjustment at the individual level. Evolutionary biologists have generally accounted for such plasticity by assuming that the individual's responses to its environment are genetically pre-programmed. Studies of transgenerational plasticity in the annual plant Polygonum persicaria provide new insights that challenge this view. Experimental tests of contrasting parental light and soil moisture treatments show that parental and grandparental conditions influence the phenotypes expressed by progeny. Moreover, conditions during the parental generation affect how progeny respond developmentally to their own environments. Individual phenotypes thus reflect a complex developmental integration over time of current and ancestral...

Speaker(s): Sonia Sultan, Wesleyan University, USA
Host: Adriaan Meiborg

Place: Large Operon

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Heidelberg

Additional information

Abstract
Developmental plasticity in response to environmental conditions is a characteristic property of organisms that allows for substantial adaptive adjustment at the individual level. Evolutionary biologists have generally accounted for such plasticity by assuming that the individual's responses to its environment are genetically pre-programmed. Studies of transgenerational plasticity in the annual plant Polygonum persicaria provide new insights that challenge this view. Experimental tests of contrasting parental light and soil moisture treatments show that parental and grandparental conditions influence the phenotypes expressed by progeny. Moreover, conditions during the parental generation affect how progeny respond developmentally to their own environments. Individual phenotypes thus reflect a complex developmental integration over time of current and ancestral environmental signals. Because these developmental integration trajectories vary genetically (i.e., as multi-generation Genotype x Environment interactions), the integration process itself can potentially evolve.


4 April 2025, 13:00

Functional amyloids as catalysts: towards new paradigms in chemistry and biology?

4 April 20252025Hamburg SpeakerEMBL Hamburg

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Speaker(s): Raz Jelinek, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Host: Meytal Landau

Place: Seminar Room 48e

Hamburg Speaker

EMBL Hamburg


11 April 2025, 11:00

To be announced

11 April 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Rome

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Speaker(s): Kim Remans, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Host: Mathieu Boulard

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Rome


25 April 2025, 13:00

To be announced

25 April 20252025Hamburg SpeakerEMBL Hamburg

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Speaker(s): Roy Beck- Barkai, University of Tel Aviv, Israel
Host: Meytal Landau

Place: Seminar Room 48e

Hamburg Speaker

EMBL Hamburg


9 May 2025, 11:00

To be announced

9 May 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Rome

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Speaker(s): Daniel Kerschensteiner, Washington University School of Medicine, USA
Host: Santiago Rompani

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Rome


15 May 2025, 14:30

tba

15 May 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Heidelberg

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Speaker(s): Michel Milinkovitch, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Host: Aissam Ikmi

Place: Large Operon

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Heidelberg


13 June 2025, 13:00

To be announced

13 June 20252025Hamburg SpeakerEMBL Hamburg

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Speaker(s): Roland Riek, ETH Zurich Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Switzerland
Host: Meytal Landau

Place: Seminar Room 48e

Hamburg Speaker

EMBL Hamburg


16 June 2025, 12:10

Science & Society Conference "In Science We Trust?", 16-17 June 2025

16 June 20252025Science and SocietyEMBL Heidelberg

We live in an era of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs gene editing stem cell research AI driven discoveries and rapid vaccine development are revolutionizing our world Yet alongside these advancements misinformation ethical dilemmas and scientific scepticism have become more prominent raising crucial questions about trust in science How do we navigate a post truth society where... We live in an era of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs – gene editing, stem cell research, AI-driven discoveries, and rapid vaccine development are revolutionizing our world. Yet, alongside these advancements, misinformation, ethical dilemmas, and scientific scepticism have become more prominent, raising crucial questions about trust in science.How do we navigate a "post-truth" society where scientific credibility is constantly challenged? How can researchers, policymakers, and science communicators strengthen the bond between science and society?The 2025 Science & Society Conference "In Science We Trust?" is your opportunity to tackle these pressing issues head-on. Over two thought-provoking days, we’ll examine how public perception of science has evolved, explore the societal impact of trust in research, and discuss the role of scientists in fostering transparency and...

Speaker(s): Ralf Bartenschlager, Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany | Maura Hiney, University College Dublin, Ireland | Ulrike Beisiegel, University of Göttingen, Germany | Ben Bleasdale, Campaign for Science and Engineering, UK | Perihan Elif Ekmekci, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Turkey | Caitjan Gainty, King’s College London, UK | Margaret Gold, Leiden University, The Netherlands | Giorgia Guglielmi, Freelance Science Journalist, Switzerland | Andreas Kosmider, Falling Walls Foundation, Germany | Resham Kotecha, Open Data Institute, UK | Mihalis Kritikos, European Parliament, Belgium | Rebecca Lawrence, F1000, UK | Marcus Munafo, University of Bristol, UK | Henriikka Mustajoki, Open Science, Finland | Malvika Sharan, The Alan Turing Institute, UK | Veli Vural Uslu, TAP (The Awesome Potatoes) Science Theater, Heidelberg | Victoria Tianjing Yan, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany | Hub Zwart, Erasmus School of Philosophy, The Netherlands
Host: Bioethics Services Office

Place: ATC Auditorium (Join the VC)

Science and Society

EMBL Heidelberg

Additional information

We live in an era of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs – gene editing, stem cell research, AI-driven discoveries, and rapid vaccine development are revolutionizing our world. Yet, alongside these advancements, misinformation, ethical dilemmas, and scientific scepticism have become more prominent, raising crucial questions about trust in science.

How do we navigate a "post-truth" society where scientific credibility is constantly challenged? How can researchers, policymakers, and science communicators strengthen the bond between science and society?

The 2025 Science & Society Conference "In Science We Trust?" is your opportunity to tackle these pressing issues head-on. Over two thought-provoking days, we’ll examine how public perception of science has evolved, explore the societal impact of trust in research, and discuss the role of scientists in fostering transparency and engagement. Through inspiring keynote speeches, lively panel discussions, and poster sessions, you’ll gain insights from leading experts and discuss together about the future of trust in science.

The conference welcomes not only life science researchers and students, but also professionals from different fields who are dedicated to fostering a trustworthy relationship between science and society. Whether you are a science communicator, educator, policy-maker, ombudsman or ethicist, this event is sure to be of interest to you!

 


4 July 2025, 11:00

To be announced

4 July 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Rome

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Speaker(s): Jonathan Weissman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Rome


25 July 2025, 11:00

Decoding the transcription circuitry when the life begins

25 July 20252025EMBL Distinguished Visitor LectureEMBL Rome

AbstractDrastic epigenetic reprogramming occurs during mammalian early embryogenesis Deciphering the molecular events underlying these processes is crucial for understanding how epigenetic information is transmitted between generations and how life really begins Probing these questions was previously hindered by the scarce experimental materials that are available in early development By... AbstractDrastic epigenetic reprogramming occurs during mammalian early embryogenesis. Deciphering the molecular events underlying these processes is crucial for understanding how epigenetic information is transmitted between generations and how life really begins. Probing these questions was previously hindered by the scarce experimental materials that are available in early development. By developing a set of ultra-sensitive chromatin analysis technologies, we investigated chromatin reprogramming during early mouse development for chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and 3D architecture. These studies unveiled highly dynamic and non-canonical chromatin regulation during maternal-to-zygotic transition and zygotic genome activation (ZGA). However, how ZGA is kickstarted and how the early development program is progressively driven by transcription factors (TFs) remain...

Speaker(s): Wei Xie, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University,, China
Host: Ana Boskovic

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

EMBL Distinguished Visitor Lecture

EMBL Rome

Additional information

Abstract
Drastic epigenetic reprogramming occurs during mammalian early embryogenesis. Deciphering the molecular events underlying these processes is crucial for understanding how epigenetic information is transmitted between generations and how life really begins. Probing these questions was previously hindered by the scarce experimental materials that are available in early development. By developing a set of ultra-sensitive chromatin analysis technologies, we investigated chromatin reprogramming during early mouse development for chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and 3D architecture. These studies unveiled highly dynamic and non-canonical chromatin regulation during maternal-to-zygotic transition and zygotic genome activation (ZGA). However, how ZGA is kickstarted and how the early development program is progressively driven by transcription factors (TFs) remain enigmatic. Recently, we identified key TFs that act at the onset of ZGA, and those that connect ZGA to the first cell fate commitment. In this talk, I will discuss how TFs and epigenetic factors cooperatively establish embryonic program and restore the embryonic epigenomes when the life begins. 


24 October 2025, 11:00

Memory aids on the chromatin – Epigenetic mechanisms of memory encoding

24 October 20252025External Faculty SpeakerEMBL Rome

AbstractMemory formation relies on a bidirectional interplay between synaptic plasticity and nucleus templated transcriptional programs but how precisely this interplay is orchestrated by epigenetic mechanisms remains to a large extent unknown In this talk I will showcase our recent efforts to better understand this aspect from two angles First we have found that chromatin plasticity in the... AbstractMemory formation relies on a bidirectional interplay between synaptic plasticity and nucleus-templated transcriptional programs, but how precisely this interplay is orchestrated by epigenetic mechanisms remains to a large extent unknown. In this talk, I will showcase our recent efforts to better understand this aspect from two angles. First, we have found that chromatin plasticity in the mouse brain is a key determinant for memory allocation, the process by which neurons become recruited into the memory trace: When we increased chromatin plasticity by enzymatic overexpression of histone acetyl transferases (HATs), neurons with elevated histone acetylation were preferentially recruited into the encoding ensemble and memory retention was enhanced, while optogenetic silencing of the epigenetically altered neurons prevented memory expression. Second, we have found that after...

Speaker(s): Johannes Graff, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

External Faculty Speaker

EMBL Rome

Additional information

Abstract
Memory formation relies on a bidirectional interplay between synaptic plasticity and nucleus-templated transcriptional programs, but how precisely this interplay is orchestrated by epigenetic mechanisms remains to a large extent unknown. In this talk, I will showcase our recent efforts to better understand this aspect from two angles. First, we have found that chromatin plasticity in the mouse brain is a key determinant for memory allocation, the process by which neurons become recruited into the memory trace: When we increased chromatin plasticity by enzymatic overexpression of histone acetyl transferases (HATs), neurons with elevated histone acetylation were preferentially recruited into the encoding ensemble and memory retention was enhanced, while optogenetic silencing of the epigenetically altered neurons prevented memory expression. Second, we have found that after learning, the epigenetic make-up of a single locus in the encoding ensemble is necessary and sufficient to bidirectionally alter memory performance across different phases of memory consolidation. Together, these findings stipulate that before and after memory encoding, epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role as molecular memory aids. 


7 November 2025, 11:00

To be announced

7 November 20252025EMBL Distinguished Visitor LectureEMBL Rome

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Speaker(s): Stavros Lomvardas, Columbia University, USA

Place: Conf Room/Building 14

EMBL Distinguished Visitor Lecture

EMBL Rome