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2021

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22 December 2021 Scientific illustrations of MEG3, a very large RNA involved in cell proliferation. IAB and EMBL logos are located in the center of the illustration.

EMBL-IAB collaboration on the rise

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between EMBL and the Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB) a year ago has already catalysed new grants for joint research projects related to cancer and infection biology, thereby deepening collaborative activities.

CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS

2021

connectionslab-matters

21 December 2021 A model of the doughnut-shaped nuclear pore complex. Individual molecules are marked in various colours.

Observing the secret life of molecules inside the cell

EMBL Hamburg’s Kosinski Group, the Beck Laboratory at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, and colleagues at EMBL Heidelberg recorded the nuclear pore complex contracting in living cells. They visualised the movement with an unprecedented level of detail with help of new software called…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

20 December 2021 Concentric circles and lines in different colours, representing fingerprints. Text: "Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy."

Fostering diversity and equality

Showing a continued commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive organisation for conducting leading molecular biology research, EMBL has launched an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matters

20 December 2021 A detailed structure map shows two proteins interacting in the foreground, each shown in a different colour. The background shows small green dots marking bacteria

Solving molecular puzzles to find the perfect fit

Using cryo-EM and structural biology techniques, EMBL researchers have shown how two proteins of Legionella pneumophila interact. This finding sheds light on a mechanism critical to the infection process and could lead to the development of new drugs to treat pneumonia.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

15 December 2021 An outline of Earth, covered with depictions of bacteria. The image of Earth is within a the frame of a computer window. There is an “Upload file” button on the bottom left, and a mouse cursor on the right.

Connecting the dots between bacterial genes around the world

Bork Group at EMBL Heidelberg analysed a new global gene database to study how genes emerge and spread across various habitats on our planet. In the future, the group will expand the database and use it for studying microbial gene evolution and dispersal at a finer-grained scale.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

8 December 2021 An illustration of the human gut, with coloured shapes representing bacteria. Three different drugs and drug combinations are shown affecting the bacteria, represented by changes in colour

The impact of drugs on gut microbes is greater than we thought

Researchers studying a massive cohort of European patients have found that commonly prescribed drugs for cardiometabolic disorders can have long-term effects on the gut microbiome. Such effects can complicate the understanding of how disease affects the microbiome and must be taken into…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

7 December 2021 A cartoon image showing a person's arm and a needle with a vaccine being injected into it. The text on the left reads: "EMBL research: How structural biologists at EMBL Hamburg help to develop and improve RNA vaccines"

How structural biology helps to make RNA vaccines

RNA vaccines, such as the ones for COVID-19, represent a new approach in vaccine technology. Cy Jeffries, faculty staff scientist at EMBL Hamburg, explains the clever technology behind RNA vaccines, and how structural biology contributes to its development. EMBL Hamburg collaborated on several…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

29 November 2021 Male scientist in front of blurred woodland background

Welcome: Niccolò Banterle

Using gene editing and three types of microscopy, one of EMBL’s newest group leaders is deciphering the functions of one of the smallest molecules involved in cell division, motility, and signalling, known as a centriole.

LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

25 November 2021 Female scientist in front of a background of green plants

Welcome: Maria Zimmermann-Kogadeeva

Maria Zimmermann-Kogadeeva is one of EMBL’s newest group leaders and a computational biologist whose research group applies computational modelling to better understand the metabolism of gut bacteria and their potential to have far-reaching impacts on other organs.

LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

9 November 2021 students looking a computer monitor and microscope

New horizons for the EIPP

EMBL's PhD and postdoc programmes evolve to the more multidisciplinary way of doing great molecular biology research.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matters

5 November 2021 A headshot photo of Ken Holmes from July 2021

Ken Holmes

Ken Holmes, outstanding pioneer of structural biology and founder of EMBL´s Hamburg site, died on 2 November 2021 at the age of 87.

PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

alumnipeople-perspectives

5 November 2021 Three-dimensional rendering of sponge neuroid cells (coloured orange) and sponge digestive cells (coloured green).

More than a gut reaction

What can sponges tell us about the evolution of the brain? Sponges have the genes involved in neuronal function in higher animals. But if sponges don’t have brains, what is the role of these? EMBL scientists imaged the sponge digestive chamber to find out.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

25 October 2021 A collage of the visuals representing each of the three modules of the eSPC platform.

Biophysics analysis made easy with an online tool

EMBL Hamburg’s Sample Preparation and Characterisation (SPC) Facility has released eSPC, an online platform for analysing data from biophysical experiments. The platform enables the scientific community to analyse data from different experiments without the need to travel.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

15 October 2021 In the middle, there are two molecules of pUL21. One is blurred, to represent the molecule’s flexibility. In the background are two neuronal scenes. The one on the left is healthy and has a smooth surface. The one on the right is infected, which is represented by several green viral particles.

How herpes seizes proteins’ means of production

The Graham and Crump groups at the University of Cambridge and the Svergun Group at EMBL Hamburg have discovered a mechanism by which the herpes simplex virus takes control of the molecular machinery of human cells. Their work reveals how a dedicated viral protein hijacks key host proteins, forcing…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

13 October 2021 Illustration of a community of bacteria. Pills represent an antibiotic that can be used to treat an infection, and a second drug that could protect many gut bacteria from antibiotics.

Tackling the collateral damage from antibiotics

Researchers from EMBL’s Typas group and collaborators have analysed the effects of 144 antibiotics on the wellbeing of gut microbes. The study improves our understanding of antibiotics’ side effects and suggests a new approach to mitigating the adverse effects of antibiotics therapy on gut…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

5 October 2021 Illustration of a globe with colourful shapes and symbols superimposed.

A cellular atlas of an entire worm

EMBL scientists and colleagues have developed an interactive atlas of the entire marine worm Platynereis dumerilii in its larval stage. The PlatyBrowser resource combines high-resolution gene expression data with volume electron microscopy images.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

4 October 2021 Logos of University of Tartu and EMBL with text: “memorandum of understanding”. Illustrations of microorganisms in the background.

EMBL strengthens links with Estonia

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between EMBL and the University of Tartu, a leading centre of research and training. The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation between EMBL and the life science research community in Estonia.

CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS

2021

connectionslab-matters

1 October 2021 COVID-19 Data Portal logo on globe background

Case study: COVID-19 Data Platform supports pandemic research efforts

The scientific response to COVID-19 relied on rapid data sharing to understand the biology, epidemiology, transmission, and evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.  To meet this need, EMBL-EBI built the European COVID-19 Data Platform in conjunction with the European Commission, the European Open…

2021

technology-and-innovation

29 September 2021 Female scientist working at a biosafety cabinet, wearing a yellow protective gown and black gloves.

Transferable skills

In the lab, Diënty Hazenbrink works with microbes that live in our guts. In her free time, she enjoys wildlife photography. A shared set of skills facilitates both activities.

LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

23 September 2021 Pink and blue dominate a blurry image against a black background that is actually a global image of a 30-day-old Octopus vulgaris

The secret life of baby octopuses

Some of the most amazing creatures live in the deep blue sea. The Mesoscopic Imaging Facility (MIF) at EMBL Barcelona was recently involved in studying one unique feature of the octopus: the ephemeral structures on the surface of their skin called Kölliker’s organs.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

8 September 2021 Illustration of two halves of a pill, which releases chemical molecules that are taken up by gut bacteria in the vicinity.

Common medications accumulate in gut bacteria

A new collaborative study led by EMBL group leaders Kiran Patil, Nassos Typas, and Peer Bork has found that common medications accumulate in human gut bacteria. This process reduces drug effectiveness and affects the metabolism of common gut microbes, thereby altering the gut microbiome.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

7 September 2021 Close up of the interior of a light-sheet microscope, featuring optical equipment and a transparent cube.

A flip book for biological systems

In the Mesoscopic Imaging Facility (MIF) at EMBL Barcelona, researchers study the details of biological systems in the context of organs, body parts, or entire organisms. This image shows OPTiSPIM1, one of the custom light-sheet microscope setups available at the facility.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

3 August 2021 illustration of health care providers around a big heart

All heart

A community of scientists is looking at the estimated three billion heart muscle cells in a human heart to better understand heart disease.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

alumniscience-technology

13 July 2021 From right to left, Ilaria Piazza and Ken Holmes’ portraits are side by side in circles on a greenish background

EMBL Alumni Awards 2021

EMBL alumni Ilaria Piazza and Ken Holmes have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, and will receive their awards as part of the celebrations for EMBL World Alumni Day.

PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

alumnipeople-perspectives

8 July 2021 Two men stand outside in front of a building, holding a document and looking at it.

A hidden medal

We all like a story about rediscovering treasures, right? Well, that’s just what happened recently at EMBL Grenoble!

PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

alumnipeople-perspectives

29 June 2021

Planetary egg cells

As evocative as a constellation of planets, these egg cells within a mouse ovary are at different stages of maturity.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weeksciencescience-technology

23 June 2021 Bright blue oblong shape with white hairs on surface on black background.

Starlet sea anemone

EMBL PhD student Anniek Stokkermans captured this side view of a Nematostella vectensis larva during this transition, using instrumentation in the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility at EMBL Heidelberg.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

8 June 2021 Two scientists in lab coats working on an instrument in the lab.

EMBL external research community survey

EMBL is conducting an Impact Assessment of our experimental services to understand the value these services have for our external user community. If you have accessed EMBL experimental services at one or more of our facilities to support the conduct of your research, we would like to hear from you.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matters

8 June 2021 Purple, blue and yellow dots on a black background.

Dream team

At EMBL, we have many dream teams – groups of individuals who support each other, innovate, and work together. One of those dream teams bridges two core facilities at EMBL Rome.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

3 June 2021 Illustration of a rocky coastline with sailing boat, mountains, underwater organisms, bridge and factory in the background.

Living laboratories

Under the innovative Planetary Biology research theme, EMBL scientists aim to understand life in the context of its environment.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

1 June 2021 Two purple and white spheres against dark background.

Nuclear twins

Captured by EMBL postdoc Arina Rybina, these ‘nuclear twins’ are two daughter nuclei straight after division of a HeLa cell.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

25 May 2021 Microscope image of an engineered human blood vessel, featuring individual cells outlined in pink with blue nuclei.

Barriers against malaria

The Bernabeu Group aims to increase our knowledge of cerebral malaria, using in vitro engineered networks of human blood vessels and brain cells.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

21 May 2021 Image of a mosquito on a clear surface

EMBL scientists support malaria research

EMBL scientists support research on malaria by providing freely available data resources and using innovative experimental approaches. Our Course and Conference Office facilitates the exchange of knowledge in the field by hosting the annual BioMalPar conference.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

28 April 2021 Artistic representation of brain and DNA

Uniting strengths to expand research

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the Italian Institute of Technology have signed an agreement to expand the scope of their collaboration to include areas of mutual interest and in the context of EMBL’s 2022-2026 Programme “Molecules to Ecosystems”.

CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS

2021

connectionslab-matters

27 April 2021 Microscope image of liver cells, highlighted in various colours.

Painting liver cells

A page from a biologist’s colouring book? EMBL’s new interior wall design? Not quite – a bunch of liver cells, grown in the lab so that scientists can learn about fatty liver disease, or steatosis.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

20 April 2021 Black-and-white sphere with coronavirus spike protein structures and a two-layered ring of virus membrane superimposed.

Variations on a spike

What does coronavirus’s spike protein look like in 3D? EMBL scientists and colleagues used cryo-electron tomography and molecular dynamics simulations to find out.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

13 April 2021 EMBL Heidelberg's main building, the top of the façade lit up by sunlight.

Morning sun

Throwback to June 2014: While EMBL Heidelberg’s main entrance is still in the dark, the well-known EMBL logo is already lit by the morning sun.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matterspicture-of-the-week

6 April 2021 Sea anemone polyp seen through a microscope, cell nuclei and muscles highlighted.

A multifunctional mouth

This image of a young Nematostella vectensis polyp shows two of the characteristic tentacles as well as the gaping mouth of the animal.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

30 March 2021 A close-up photo of a shiny droplet of liquid that has been placed into one of the wells of a crystallisation plate.

Droplet beauty

Scientists at EMBL Hamburg use droplets of protein solution to grow protein crystals. By exposing the crystals to X-rays, they are able to determine the protein’s molecular structure.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

23 March 2021 Man pouring water in a glass bottle to make coffee.

Green coffee at EMBL

The cafeteria at EMBL Heidelberg now offers espresso and cappuccino with a more intense flavour and which are produced in a ‘green’ way.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matterspicture-of-the-week

16 March 2021 Pink blooming tree in front of functional building.

Italian Spring

EMBL’s site in Monterotondo has recently been blessed with blue skies and sunshine, leading to trees blooming early on campus.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matterspicture-of-the-week

9 March 2021 This photo shows the European Photon and Neutron (EPN) science campus on the peninsula at the confluence of the Isère and Drac rivers, where EMBL Grenoble is located.

Touch of springtime in Grenoble

This photo shows the European Photon and Neutron (EPN) science campus where EMBL Grenoble is located. A delightful spring breeze in the air melts the last remaining patches of snow in the mountains.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matterspicture-of-the-week

4 March 2021

Induced pluripotent stem cells reveal causes of disease

Scientists in the Stegle group and colleagues have studied induced pluripotent stem cells from around 1,000 donors to identify correlations between individual genetic variants and altered gene expression. They linked more than 4,000 of the genetic variants responsible for altered expression…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

2 March 2021

Sleeping beauty

Like caterpillars turning into beautiful butterflies, fruit fly larvae have to go through metamorphosis to finish their development. However, despite the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster being one of the best studied model organisms in biology, comparatively little attention has been given to this…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

26 February 2021 Woman with long brown hair stands in front of snow scene with arms crossed in front of her.

Welcome: Sinem Saka

As one of EMBL’s newest group leaders, Sinem Saka will combine multiple technologies, such as microscopy and single-cell omics, to solve biological puzzles.

LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

22 February 2021 A scientist (only their hand is visible) inserting a 96-well plate into a sample dispensing device in the Sample Preparation and Characterisation Facility in Hamburg.

SPC Facility in Hamburg supports a new pan-European consortium

The Sample Preparation and Characterisation (SPC) Facility at EMBL Hamburg is one of the founding members of the Molecular-Scale Biophysics Research Infrastructure (MOSBRI). Within this new European initiative, the SPC Facility will offer services related to membrane proteins, protein complexes,…

CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS

2021

connectionslab-matters

16 February 2021 Microscopy images of coronavirus-infected cells in blue and red, arranged on a clockface. Illustrations of virus particles.

Finding coronavirus’s helper proteins

A team of EMBL scientists and colleagues have analysed how the novel coronavirus affects proteins in human cells. They identified several human proteins as potential drug targets to prevent viral replication.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

16 February 2021 An assembly of proteins in an enzyme, presented in a cartoon style.

Cellular modern art

This week's Picture of the Week, which could also be a masterpiece of modern art, shows the enzyme RNA polymerase III, an assembly of 17 individual proteins combined into this complex structure.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

11 February 2021 Maria-Theresa Licka holding a smartphone displaying an app she developed. Vineyards, houses and hills in the background.

Coding between the vines

EMBL Teen Maria-Theresa Licka shares how female scientists guided & inspired her to develop an app to ID vine disease.

LAB MATTERS

2021

lab-matters

9 February 2021 Crystal cubes seen through a microscope

Purity, beauty, and perfection

The regular structures of crystals are a source of inspiration and fascination to us humans. While the crystals in this picture were not grown in nature, but instead by Petra Drncova from EMBL Grenoble, they share the same attributes as those found in nature.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

2 February 2021 A bacterial cell with the parts needed for information flow from DNA to messenger RNA to protein highlighted in different colours.

The central dogma of molecular biology

This colourful image shows biological information flow in action: It’s a supramolecular assembly of DNA, RNA and proteins, observed directly inside a bacterial cell while turning genetic information into protein.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

29 January 2021 Flags of EMBL, Italy and CNR

Strengthening collaborations in Italy

EMBL and CNR have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen scientific cooperation. The agreement will foster collaborative projects and integrate them within the European and global scientific landscape.

CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS

2021

connectionslab-matters

26 January 2021 Two X-ray mirrors installed in the macromolecular crystallography beamline P14 at EMBL Hamburg. The mirrors are visible in the photo as dark rectangular crystal blocks, with two metal holders supporting the crystals in a stress-free position. The mirrors are inserted into a vacuum-compatible stainless steel vessel.

Mirror, mirror

Engineers at EMBL Hamburg installed specially designed mirrors to reflect and focus X-ray beams onto tiny crystals made of proteins or other biological molecules.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

20 January 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage

A note on the coronavirus variant B.1.1.7, which has first been described in the U.K. and has spread to 57 countries. The note summarises epidemiological information about the spread of B.1.1.7 in the U.K. collated and in part conducted by researchers from EMBL-EBI.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

19 January 2021 3D rendering of a human cell, attacked by a virus.

Cell under attack

It’s almost a year since the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, affecting all our lives. While the virus continues its grip on the world, scientists are understanding it better and better, increasing our knowledge about it and opening up new ways to fight it.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

15 January 2021 young man with beard and mustache stands in front of window with blurry background

Welcome: Olivier Duss

One of EMBL’s newest group leaders, Olivier Duss, will explore how RNA folds into functional structures and how it works with proteins to control a diverse range of activities in the cell.

LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

14 January 2021 An electron microscopy photo shows two bacterial cells surrounded by several white fibrils of the amphibian peptide.

Toadlet peptide transforms into a deadly weapon against bacteria

Researchers at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and EMBL Hamburg, in collaboration with scientists in Israel and Spain, have discovered remarkable molecular properties of an antimicrobial peptide from the skin of the Australian toadlet. The discovery could inspire the development of…

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

sciencescience-technology

12 January 2021 A metallic tool.

Homage to a vital tool

Structural biologists want to study proteins at the atomic level. The device shown in this Picture of the Week is essential for this.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

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