{"id":66,"date":"2021-07-22T09:30:16","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T09:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/embl-council\/?page_id=66"},"modified":"2026-01-14T14:20:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T14:20:45","slug":"scientific-advisory-committee","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/embl-council\/scientific-advisory-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientific Advisory Committee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Scientific Advisory Committee <\/h1>\n

SAC<\/h2>\n \n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Council establishes the Scientific Advisory Committee, which gives advice to Council, in particular with regard to proposals from the Director General on the realisation of the programme of the Laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAC is composed of distinguished scientists appointed in their own right, not as representatives of member states. Membership of the committee is drawn from scientists in a wide range of relevant fields of science in order to cover as far as possible both the field of molecular biology and other appropriate scientific disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After due consultation with, in particular the EMBO Council and appropriate national institutions, the Director General and the Chair of EMBO Council propose to the Council a list of candidates which the Council considers in appointing the members of SAC.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Annual EMBL SAC Meeting 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAC members<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n \"\"

\n \n \n M. Madan Babu (Vice Chair)\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2024-2026)<\/p>\n

Director, Center of Excellence for Data Driven Discovery, Endowed Chair in Biological Data Sciences,\u00a0St Jude Children’s Research Hospital<\/a>, Memphis, TN (US)
\nResearch:<\/strong> GPCR Signaling, Regulation and Pharmacology, Intrinsically Disordered Proteins in Biology and Disease, Gene Expression, Gene Regulation, Protein Degradation and Protein Homeostasis, Methods for Biological Data Science, Systems Biology and Network Biology, Computational Biology and Structural Bioinformatics, Drug Discovery and Chemoinformatics, Human Genetics, Population Genetics and Cancer Genomics<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Nathalie Q. Balaban\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2023-2025, 2026-2028)
\nFull Professor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem<\/a> (IL)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Biophysical description of the responses of bacteria under antibiotic treatments, and their implications for understanding treatment failure and evolution of resistance.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Adrian Bird\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2022-2024, 2025-2027)
\nBuchanan Professor of Genetics, University of Edinburgh<\/a> (UK)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Studies how the genomic landscape of mammals influences gene expression. His laboratory identified CpG islands as gene markers and discovered proteins that read DNA methylation to influence chromatin structure. Mutations in one such protein, MeCP2, cause the neurological disorder Rett Syndrome, which he found to be reversible. His recent work indicates that DNA base composition can be read as a signal to influence cell fate.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Job Dekker\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2024-2026)
\nPrincipal Investigator, Professor, Departments of Systems Biology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology; Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA (US)<\/a>
\nResearch:<\/strong> Mechanisms of Chromosome Folding: Determining the pathways by which cells build mitotic chromosomes and segregate sister chromatids; Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which cells fold their genomes during the cell cycle; Mapping how genomic rearrangements in cancer cells rewire enhancer-promoter interactions; Analysing the impact of nuclear organisation on DNA damage repair outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Elina Ikonen\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2023-2025, 2026-2028)
\nProfessor, University of Helsinki<\/a> (FI)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Cell biology of cholesterol and related lipids, developing tools to visualize their distribution and trafficking in cells.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Frank J\u00fclicher *\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership term 2021-2023, 2024-2026)
\nDirector of the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems<\/a>\u00a0and Professor of Biophysics at the\u00a0Technical University of Dresden (DE)
\nResearch:<\/strong>\u00a0study of cellular oscillations, cellular signaling and the cytoskeletal dynamics during cell division and cell motility, the biophysical basis of hearing, the biophysical properties and dynamics of tissues and epithelia.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Ruth Lehmann\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2022-2024, 2025-2027)
\nDirector, Whitehead Institute and Professor of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology<\/a> (MIT) (US)<\/p>\n

Research:<\/strong> Using Drosophila melanogaster<\/em> as a model organism, the Lehmann lab studies how germ cells are set apart from somatic cells during embryogenesis, how early germ cells are guided to the gonad and how germ cell fate is maintained and protected throughout life in order to generate egg and sperm.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Prisca Liberali\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2024-2026)
\nProfessor, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel (CH)<\/a>
\nResearch:<\/strong> Aims to understand the collective properties of multi-cellular systems and their patterns, including how such properties arise from single-cell behaviour and organisation. Develops and applies experimental and theoretical frameworks to study cellular heterogeneity during collective cell behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Dianne K. Newman\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2022-2024, 2025-2027)
\nGordon M. Binder\/Amgen Professor of Biology and Geobiology; Executive Officer for Biology & Biological Engineering, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering<\/a>, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (US)<\/p>\n

Research:<\/strong> Bioenergetics and survival physiology of metabolically diverse, genetically-tractable bacteria involving redox-active metabolites. Biofilm biology principles and applications in the context of human chronic infections and crop rhizospheres.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n S\u00f8ren Riis Paludan\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2025-2027)
\nProfessor, Director for Center for Immunology of Viral Infections (CiViA)<\/a> (DK)
\nResearch:<\/strong> He is interested to understand innate immune responses to virus infections, with focus on recognition, antiviral effector mechanisms, and immune-mediated pathology. He has a particular focus on herpes simplex virus and infections in the CNS.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Lori Passmore\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2024-2026)
\nGroup Leader, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge (UK)<\/a>
\nResearch:<\/strong> Mechanisms of mRNA polyadenylation, deadenylation and DNA crosslink repair using an integrated approach combining structural, biochemical and functional studies.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Martin Polz\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2023-2025, 2026-2028)
\nProfessor, University of Vienna<\/a> (AT)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Structure-function relationships within microbial communities. Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of microbial population. In situ molecular approaches, environmental genomics, traditional physiological and genetic techniques and modeling.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Caroline Relton (Chair)\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2022-2024, 2025-2027)
\nPro Director, Research and Academic Development of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London<\/a>, Professor of Epigenetic Epidemiology, University of Bristol<\/a> (UK)
\nResearch:<\/strong> The application of molecular epidemiology to understand the causes and consequences of common complex diseases, including the development and application of causal inference methods in molecular epidemiology. The use of omic technologies in the prediction of exposures, disease incidence, prognosis and treatment response.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Sjors Scheres\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2025-2027)
\nProfessor, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology<\/a> (UK)
\nResearch: <\/strong>His laboratory develops methods for cryo-electron microscopy structure determination and apply these to solve the atomic structures of amyloid filaments from neurodegenerative disease.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Alexander Schier\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2025-2027)
\nProfessor, Biozentrum, University of Basel<\/a> (CH)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Studies the mechanisms underlying embryonic development and the regulation of sleep in vertebrates, applying single-cell methods to construct lineage trees that capture the major decisions made by cells as they differentiate, with the long-term goal of understanding the statistics of development.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Brenda Schulman\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2023-2025, 2026-2028)
\nDirector at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry<\/a>, Scientific Member of the Max Planck Society<\/a>
\nHonorary Professor, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich<\/a> (DE)
\nResearch:<\/strong> Biochemistry, structural biology, post-translational modifications, ubiquitin, protein degradation, cell cycle, autophagy.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Alexander Stark\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2026-2028)
\nSenior Group Leader, Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP)<\/a>, Vienna (AT)
\nResearch<\/strong>: The Stark group uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines functional genomics screening, biochemistry and bioinformatics\/machine learning to study transcription-regulatory elements and proteins.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Sarah Teichmann\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2026-2028)
\nProfessor in Stem Cell Medicine, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute<\/a>, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (UK)
\nResearch<\/strong>: The Teichmann Lab focuses on developing and applying cell atlas technologies to understand human tissue architecture, particularly examining how cellular diversity is generated in the immune system and during development.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

\n \"\"

\n \n \n Caroline Uhler\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2023-2025, 2026-2028)
\nAndrew (1956) and Erna Viterbi Professor of Engineering, MIT
\nDirector, Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center, Broad Institute<\/a>, MIT, Cambridge, MA (US)
\nResearch<\/strong>: The Uhler Lab develops machine learning foundations and methods for integrating different data modalities and inferring causal relationships from such data in an active fashion.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n Marian Walhout\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n\n

(Membership 2026-2028)
\nProfessor and Chair, UMass Chan Medical School<\/a>, Worcester, MA (US)
\nResearch<\/strong>: The Walhout Lab studies how metabolism is regulated by transcription, and how gene expression is regulated by metabolism using experimental systems-level, network approaches and computational modelling.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

* Turning over 31 December 202<\/em>6<\/p>\n\n\n

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<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

EMBL SAC Reviews and Meetings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2025<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Grenoble Unit Review – Grenoble (France) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 25 \u2013 Thursday 27 February<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL-EBI Research Review – Hinxton (United Kingdom) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 25 \u2013 Thursday 27 March<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit Review – Heidelberg (Germany) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Monday 05 \u2013 Wednesday 07 May<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Programme Review and Annual SAC Meeting – Heidelberg (Germany) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 08 \u2013 Friday 09 May<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For EMBL SAC Members and Invited Participants only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Heidelberg Core Facilities and Imaging Services Review – Heidelberg (Germany)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 24 \u2013 Thursday 26 February<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Training Review – Hinxton (United Kingdom) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 17 \u2013 Thursday 19 March<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Barcelona Review – Barcelona (Spain)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 14 \u2013 Thursday 16 April<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Molecular Systems Biology Unit Review – Heidelberg (Germany)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Monday 04 \u2013 Wednesday 06 May<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Annual SAC Meeting – Heidelberg (Germany) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 07 \u2013 Friday 08 May<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For EMBL SAC Members and Invited Participants only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2027<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

EMBL-EBI Services Review – Hinxton (United Kingdom)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 16 \u2013 Thursday 18 March<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developmental Biology Unit Review – Heidelberg (Germany)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 26 \u2013 Thursday 28 April<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Annual SAC Meeting – Heidelberg (Germany)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 29 \u2013 Friday 30 April<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For EMBL SAC Members and Invited Participants only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBL Hamburg Review – Hamburg (Germany)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Monday 05 \u2013 Wednesday 07 October<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Review Panel members and Observers only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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More about the SAC:<\/h3>\n