EMBL Grenoble 50th Anniversary Symposium

4 July 2025

2025 marks EMBL Grenoble’s 50th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, EMBL Grenoble will hold a symposium for its staff and alumni who made the history of the institute, partners and representatives in France.

Overview

EMBL Grenoble turns 50 and is looking forward to celebrating this milestone with staff and partners!

EMBL Grenoble invites its staff and partners to gather for political addresses and a scientific symposium celebrating EMBL’s 50th  and EMBL Grenoble’s 50th anniversary.

This event will be a chance for everyone to celebrate the significant milestones and the individuals who have shaped the identity of EMBL Grenoble as it is today. Our Head of Site, Kristina Djinovic-Carugo, will also express a vision for the future, helping to structure the coming years and exciting projects to come.

The evening will conclude with a celebration party, offering everyone a chance to connect and share.

Speakers

Antoine Petit
Chairman and CEO, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pairs

Catherine Seguin
Préfète de l’Isère

Christoph Müller
Group Leader and Former Head of Unit, EMBL Heidelberg

Daniel Panne
Professor (Chair) at the University of Leicester and former EMBL Group Leader, England

Edith Heard
EMBL Director General, 2019-2025

Erika Pellegrini
Former research scientist, Cusack Group, EMBL, Grenoble

Eva Kowalinski
Group Leader, Grenoble

Ewan Birney
Interim Executive Director of EMBL

Francesco Sette
Former Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble

Hervé Courtois
Vice-President for steering support, projects and assets

Iain Mattaj
Conseiller régional, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpe

Jean Daillant
Director General of European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble

Katia Bacher
Delegated municipal councilor, Grenoble

Ken Andersen
Director of Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), Grenoble

Kristina Djinovic-Carugo
Group Leader and Head of EMBL Grenoble

Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
Research Director, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM U1209, UGA, Grenoble

Peer Bork
Interim Director General of EMBL

Philippe Paliard
Conseiller régional, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Stephen Cusack
Emeritus, former head of EMBL Grenoble

Winfried Weissenhorn
Director of Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS)

Programme

Time (CET)
12:00 – 12:30Arrival – Registration & Cocktail
12:30Institutional addresses
12:30-12:40Peer Bork (Interim Director General of EMBL) & Ewan Birney (Interim Executive Director of EMBL)
12:40-12:50Catherine Séguin (Préfète de l’Isère)
12:50-13:00Philippe Paliard (Conseiller régional, région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)
13:00-13:05Katia Bacher (Conseillère municipale déléguée au réseau des villes en transition, Grenoble)
13:05-13-15Antoine Petit (Chairman and CEO of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
13:15-13:25Jean Daillant (Director General of European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ), Ken Andersen (Director of Institut Laue Langevin), Winfried Weissenhorn (Director of Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS)), Hervé Courtois (Vice-President for steering support, projects and assets of Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA))
13:25-13:30Kristina Djinović-Carugo (Head of EMBL Grenoble)
13:30-14:45Visit of the Château de Sassenage
14:45Scientific Symposium
14:45-14:50Kristina Djinović-Carugo (Head of EMBL Grenoble)
14:50-14:55Video Recording
Andrew Miller (First Head of EMBL Grenoble)
14:55-15:05Iain Mattaj (former Director General of EMBL, 2005-2018), Edith Heard (former Director General of EMBL, 2019-2025)
15:05-15:25Stephen Cusack (EMBL Emeritus, former Head of EMBL Grenoble)
15:25-15:45Erika Pellegrini (ALPX)
15:45-16:05Daniel Panne (Chair at the University of Leicester and former EMBL Group Leader)
16:05-16:25Eva Kowalinski (Group leader, EMBL Grenoble)
16:25-16:55Cake cutting & coffee
16:55-17:15Christoph Müller (Group Leader, former Head of SCB Unit, EMBL Heidelberg)
17:15-17:35Francesco Sette (Former Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF))
17:35-18:10KEYNOTE
Mohammed-Ali Hakimi (Research Director, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM U1209, UGA)
18:10-18:25Looking to the future
Kristina Djinović-Carugo
(Head of EMBL Grenoble)
18:25Cocktail Apéritif
19:00-21:00Dinner
20:45-21:30Live music & DJ set
Monsieur Machango
21:00Party

Information for participants

Travel to EMBL Grenoble

Accommodation near EMBL Grenoble

The celebration will be held at the Château de Sassenage.

Located at: Allée du Château, 38360 Sassenage

Coaches have been reserved for your convenience. Please complete this form to book your preferred bus times.

City Center > Chateau de Sassenage

Victor Hugo square City Center11:1513:0014:00
EPN Campus11:3013:1514:15
Chateau de Sassenage11:4513:3014:30

Chateau de Sassenage > City Center

Chateau de Sassenage21:0023:0000:30
EPN Campus21:1523:1500:45
Victor Hugo Square City Center21:3023:301:00

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any further information.

Date: 4 July 2025

Location: Château de Sassenage


Organisers

Mylène André, EMBL Grenoble

Tracey Culloty, EMBL Grenoble

Kristina Djinovic Carugo, EMBL Grenoble

Maureen Thierry, EMBL Grenoble

Nathalie Jay, EMBL Grenoble

Eva Kowalinski, EMBL Grenoble

Rossana De Lorenzi, EMBL Rome

Sruthi Unni, EMBL Grenoble

Jules Van Der Walt, EMBL Grenoble

Nicolas Fortunato, EMBL Grenoble

Andre Graca, EMBL Grenoble

Sagar Bhogaraju, EMBL Grenoble

José Antonio Marquez, EMBL Grenoble

Kim Nalin, EMBL Grenoble


Contact: events@embl.fr


Edit