On Friday 20 March 2026, the EMBL Alumni Relations team hosted the annual Retirees’ Afternoon, welcoming pensioners and retired alumni to Heidelberg and online for a special edition marking the 10th anniversary of the event.

Held as a hybrid gathering at the EMBL Imaging Centre and via Zoom, the afternoon provided an opportunity for former colleagues to reconnect, provide collective feedback, and celebrate their long-standing connection to EMBL and its community.

The programme began with an informal exchange among EMBL pensioners, followed by an open session bringing together retirees. Participants had the opportunity to meet EMBL’s new Chief Operating Officer, Michael Milne, who shared updates and perspectives on current developments and future plans at EMBL. Interim Head of the Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit Anna Kreshuk also briefly joined the meeting to highlight the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping research at EMBL.

As in previous years, the event created space for conversation and reflection over informal refreshments, allowing retirees to reconnect with former colleagues and exchange updates while revisiting shared experiences from their time at EMBL.

The annual Retirees’ Afternoon remains an important moment in the EMBL Alumni programme, celebrating the lasting contributions of EMBL staff and maintaining connections across generations of the EMBL community.

To stay informed about future events, visit the EMBL Alumni Events calendar and keep your details up to date.