EMBL 50th Anniversary

Europe’s life science laboratory celebrates 50 years of excellence

Europe's life sciences laboratory hits a big milestone in 2024.

The occasion not only offers us an opportunity to share stories from past achievements, but more importantly, serves as a reminder to keep moving forward by pursuing tough scientific questions, pushing the frontiers of molecular biology, and further integrating with other disciplines to have real-world impact.

Join us in celebrating and reflecting on EMBL’s traditions and looking forward as it takes European life sciences to new heights.

Science illustration representing research on organoids, organs-on-chip, and human health. The abstract composition shows several elements representing research into organoids and microphysiological systems, and their intertwined role in understanding health and disease. — In the early 1980s, EMBL Heidelberg Group Leader Jacques Dubochet and technician Alasdair McDowall discovered that flash-freezing proteins in liquid ethane could preserve their structure during microscopy – a process called vitrification. Credit: Alexander Mahmoud. ©Nobel Media AB 2017

Important anniversary news & links

Anniversary Events

EMBL is gearing up for its 50th anniversary with plans to recognise this milestone via a two-day exciting scientific symposium, as well as other stakeholder-engagement events. Throughout the year, as more and more events unfold, we’ll announce them here, so watch this space!

EMBL Grenoble 50th Anniversary

EMBL’s French site was officially founded in 1975 to focus on structural biology research, services, and instrumentation development. It will commemorate the important milestone on 4 July 2025 with a celebration with partners and a scientific symposium.

EMBL Rome 25th Anniversary

EMBL’s Italian site was officially founded in 1999, and today it focuses on the interdisciplinary investigation of epigenetics and neurobiology. EMBL Rome will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a scientific symposium on 25 October.

EMBL’s 50th Anniversary celebration in Barcelona

EMBL Barcelona celebrates EMBL’s 50 years of excellence. At EMBL Barcelona we build tissues to understand them, both in vitro and in silico. In this one-day event, we will showcase the latest breakthroughs in tissue biology and disease modeling. We’ll also take a moment to reflect on the pivotal achievements that have shaped our work over the decades.

Looking Forward

EMBL’s current research programme expands EMBL’s scope to study the molecular basis of life in the context of changing environments, transforming our understanding of life on earth and informing potential solutions for some of society’s biggest challenges, such as biodiversity loss, antimicrobial resistance, pollution, climate change, food security, and emergent pathogens.

EMBL History

Since 1974, EMBL has been leading the way in European life sciences. Today, with support from more than 30 countries, EMBL researchers continue to expand this scientific frontier in Barcelona, Grenoble, Hamburg, Heidelberg, EMBL-EBI Hinxton, and Rome.

Get Involved

EMBL is a community, and we value each member of that community. We hope you can join us in some fashion as we celebrate our first 50 years and look forward to the next 50 and beyond! Here are a few ideas to show your EMBL spirit and support during this milestone year.

EMBL birthday reflections

“For me, EMBL was the place where nothing was impossible, the place enabling groundbreaking ideas to be tested and transformed into scientific innovations.”

— Maiwen Caudron-Herger, Predoctoral Fellow EIPP, 2001-2005, now a Team Leader, German Cancer Research Center

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“I always wanted to do impactful science, and with my science, help humanity. In this dream EMBL was the place that helped me to move towards my goals. I am so much thankful for all that I could learn and experience at EMBL! Ultimately, this was the best “training” a scientist could wish for!”

— Matyas Gorjanacz, Postdoctoral Fellow, 2003-2013, now Head of Laboratory, Bayer AG, Berlin

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“…happy birthday #EMBL50 you are one of a kind and always will be. Your lineage is incredible and more is to come judging from the junior researcher talks….”

— Tweet from Aimée Zuniga, Predoctoral Fellow, 1990-1994, now Research Group Leader, University of Basel Department of Biomedicine

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“EMBL is a leading institution in Life Sciences, known for its diversity, openness, curiosity, and excellence. For decades, it has brought together brilliant minds to explore and understand the secrets of life. Being part of this environment is a unique privilege, reflecting the dedication and hard work that characterise EMBL.”