
Alexander Aulehla
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
EMBL Conference
This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg.
This special one-day symposium to celebrate the distinguished career and many achievements of one of our most esteemed colleagues, Anne Ephrussi.
From leading EMBL’s developmental biology research unit to setting new directions for the organisation’s training offerings, Anne has made an indelible mark on European life sciences.
Anne’s academic path began at Harvard University for her undergraduate studies followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she earned her PhD. After two postdocs – at Harvard University and the Whitehead Institute, MIT – she began her career at EMBL. In 1992, she launched her EMBL research group. Using the oskar gene as a paradigm, her team focused on understanding how RNA molecules are transported and their translation regulated in animal development, and how the germ plasm forms and induces germline formation.
Anne was actively involved in shaping EMBL’s training programmes, and in 2005, became Head of the newly created EMBL International Centre for Advanced Training (EICAT). In this role, she oversaw EMBL’s predoctoral and postdoctoral programmes, as well as EMBL’s courses and conferences. She served as Associate Dean and then Dean of the PhD Programme and was instrumental in developing what is now the EMBL Postdoctoral Programme. At the same time, she led EMBL’s Developmental Biology Unit from 2007 to 2021, whose focus she oriented towards organismal morphogenesis.
Anne’s formal accolades are numerous. She was elected to the French Académie des Sciences in 2008 and to the US Academy of Sciences in 2022. In 2023, Anne received the Society for Developmental Biology Lifetime Achievement Award, and a year later, the FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award.
We are thrilled to bring together many of Anne’s key scientific colleagues, collaborators, and friends, for a memorable day of talks and exchange to mark her formal retirement.
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
Institut de Biologie Valrose
France
Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
Germany
Collège de France
France
EPFL
Switzerland
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
MIT Department of Biology
USA
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
Germany
University of Massachusetts Amherst
USA
Max Planck Institute for Brain Research
Germany
Princeton University
USA
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
USA
The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge
UK
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Germany
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
Time (Europe/Berlin) | Speaker |
09:30 – 10:00 | Registration and light refreshments |
10:00 – 10:15 | Opening remarks |
10:15 – 10:35 | Speaker 1 |
10:35 – 10:55 | Speaker 2 |
10:55 – 11:15 | Speaker 3 |
11:15 – 11:45 | Coffee break |
11:45 – 12:05 | Speaker 4 |
12:05 – 12:25 | Speaker 5 |
12:25 – 12:45 | Speaker 6 |
12:45 – 14:15 | Lunch |
14:15 – 14:35 | Speaker 7 |
14:35 – 14:55 | Speaker 8 |
14:55 – 15:15 | Speaker 9 |
15:15 – 15:35 | Speaker 10 |
15:35 – 16:05 | Coffee break |
16:05 – 16:25 | Speaker 11 |
16:25 – 16:45 | Speaker 12 |
16:45 – 17:05 | Speaker 13 |
17:05 – 17:20 | Closing remarks |
17:20 – 18:00 | Pre dinner drinks |
18:00 – 21:00 | Dinner |
21:00 – 22:00 | After dinner drinks & farewell speeches |
On-site registration is open to EMBL staff and alumni and is free of charge to attend. Registration for the onsite symposium is on a first come, first served basis and capacity is limited.
There are two types of registration:
Virtual registration is not available for this event.
There will be no abstract submissions or posters for this symposium
Accommodation is not included in the symposium registration.
As changes to events are possible, you are advised to consider booking flights, trains and hotels with flexible options and favourable cancellation conditions.
For travel information, please see here.
If you are travelling to the conference within Germany then you are eligible for the Deutsche Bahn ‘Event Ticket’ (called the ‘Veranstaltungsticket’ in German). This will result in a lower ticket price if your travel distance to Heidelberg is more than 100 km. You need to provide proof of your event attendance when purchasing the ticket.
For more information in English see here or in German see here.
You can book your ticket here.
Address: EMBL, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
For more information about accommodation and travel, please refer to the FAQ page.
Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself.
No food or drinks are allowed in the auditorium.
There are lockers available next to the stairs leading down into the Auditorium. You will find some of those equipped with sockets to charge your smartphone/tablet etc.
In most places the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). An adaptor and a plug that fits the German socket may be needed for your appliances/laptop (i.e. American, Japanese, etc.). A USB charging station for electronic devices is available at the registration desk.
If you are interested in purchasing EMBL merchandise (products presented in the glass display in the registration area), please email the EMBL shop to place an order or get in contact with your Course Organiser.
Kindly note the EMBL shop is only open upon request and all purchases must be made in cash (Euros only).
Do not smoke in any EMBL building.
Eating and drinking is prohibited in the Auditorium and all laboratories.
Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless instructed to do so.
If first aid is required …
In case of fire …
Beyond first aid…
Please remember to bring your own medication, if needed, to the conference. Note that the next pharmacy is a 4-minute drive from the EMBL, but for many medications you will be required to see a doctor to get a prescription.
Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor while in Heidelberg. In any case, the EMBL Course and Conference Office will assist you to get to the pharmacy and a doctor of your choice if necessary.
Wi-Fi is available on campus using the EMBL-Events network and the event specific password, which will be provided on site. The eduroam network (secure, worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community) is also available.
‘’Lost and Found’’ items are kept at the registration desk until the end of the conference.
There are lockers available on-site to store your luggage, which require a 2 EURO coin to operate. There is another luggage room on level E0, which is free to use but remains unlocked during the conference.
There is a nursing room available in the ATC Rooftop Lounge on level A29.
During the conference, an EMBL Photographer may be taking photos. If you would not like to appear in these, please inform the photographer or a member of the Course and Conference Office.
We can help to print your boarding pass/train ticket. Please send it to events@embl.de and collect your print-outs at the registration desk.
There is a room for prayer, meditation and yoga located on level E0 behind the Auditorium. Please be respectful of others using the room.
A variety of activities in Heidelberg can be found on the website of Heidelberg Marketing.
There is the public bus 39A that serves the EMBL campus and taxis can be easily booked at any time. More detailed information on travelling to EMBL can be found on our Travel Information page.
Hello | Hallo |
Goodbye | Auf Wiedersehen (formal) Tschüss (informal) |
Good morning | Guten Morgen |
Good afternoon | Guten Tag |
Good evening | Guten Abend |
Good night | Gute Nacht |
I’m sorry | Es tut mir leid |
Excuse me… | Entschuldigen Sie |
How are you? | Wie gehts? |
I’m fine thanks. And you? | Mir geht es gut , danke. Und Dir/Ihnen? |
What is your name | Wie heißen Sie? (formal) Wie heißt Du? (informal) |
My name is | Ich heiße… |
Do you speak English | Sprechen Sie englisch? |
I don’t understand | Ich verstehe nicht |
Please speak more slowly | Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen |
Thank you | Dankeschön |
Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette? |
Please call me a taxi | Bitte rufen Sie mir ein Taxi |
How do I get to….? | Wie komme ich zum/zur…..? |
A beer/two beers please | Ein Bier/zwei Bier bitte |
A glass of red/white wine please | Ein Glas Rot/Weisswein bitte |
The menu, please | Die Speisekarte, bitte |
Is there a local speciality? | Gibt es eine Spezialität aus dieser Gegend? |
I’m vegetarian | Ich bin Vegetarier |
It was delicious | Es war hervorragend |
The bill, please | Die Rechnung, bitte |
I have a headache | Ich habe Kopfschmerzen |
I have a sore throat | Ich habe Halsschmerzen |
My stomach hurts | Ich habe Magenschmerzen |
I’m allergic to | Ich bin allergisch gegen |
I need a doctor who speaks English | Ich brauche einen Arzt, der englisch spricht |
Date: 30 - 30 Sep 2025
Location: EMBL Heidelberg
Deadline(s):
Registration: 30 Aug 2025
Organisers:
Contact: Chris Stocks