We are EMBL: Mary Barlow on managing change
As Head of Major Initiatives at EMBL-EBI, Mary Barlow continues to support leadership in delivering the institute’s objectives
Mary Barlow has worked at EMBL-EBI for over a decade, during which both the institute and her role have constantly evolved. From procurement and project management to large-scale investment bids, impact assessment, campus operations, and organisational change, she has been at the heart of some of EMBL-EBI’s most important initiatives.
In her new role as Head of Major Initiatives, she supports the EMBL-EBI Director in the development and prioritisation of strategic activities across the institute.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in a large family in a rural and very beautiful part of the UK called Cumbria, which contains the Lake District. We were quite an unusual family, as we had no telephone or TV growing up. I studied maths and engineering, working as the first female electrical engineer at AEA Technology Sellafield, in between my studies. After university, I worked for the BBC for a while, as a broadcast engineer during its rapid transformation from analogue to digital broadcasting, finally getting my TV fix.
When I started a family, I moved to Cambridge to have a stronger support network. I assisted EMBL-EBI with its first large-scale, long-term UK Government investment, which enabled major technical transformation, as demanded by the rapid rise of biological data. I was initially contracted for three months as an external consultant to update IT procurement processes. More than a decade later, I’m still supporting the UK Government’s investment in EMBL-EBI’s technical transformation. During this time, both the scale of the data and the nature of my role in the organisation have changed a lot.
What do you do in your current role as Head of Major Initiatives?
I support the EMBL-EBI Director in developing, coordinating and prioritising strategic activities across the institute. The Major Initiatives Team is instrumental in supporting a variety of programmes through insights, project management, or coordinated reporting.
The team remit covers a lot of things, including directing EMBL-EBI’s long-term UK capital investment programme, supported by funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This is a crucial project to transform the way EMBL-EBI delivers its vast suite of open biological data resources, so it can continue to meet the needs of the global scientific community.
One constant in my work has been managing change and risk across new activities. Last year, we revitalised risk management with an institute-wide plan, and we have regular cross-institute meetings for monitoring risks, opportunities, barriers, and solutions.
As I have taken on this new role, I have handed over campus operations to Dan Trigg, who leads the amazing Facilities and Health and Safety teams, and who is now coordinating EMBL-EBI’s relationships with others on the Wellcome Genome Campus where the institute is based.
What are some of your proudest accomplishments at EMBL-EBI?
My role has always focused on new or underserved areas, and I have really enjoyed being part of a field with such growing importance. I love the diversity of challenges that being part of a constantly adapting organisation brings. The scale and impact of EMBL-EBI activities have grown so rapidly since I joined, it can feel quite unreal.
I feel really proud of tackling the early challenge of how to measure the impact of EMBL-EBI-hosted data resources, which are fully open and don’t require user registration. We developed internal and external methods, and the success and longevity of our independent economic assessments have been a real highlight.
Securing long-term capital funding is another area of pride for me, especially around bioimaging, where I was able to support the development of EMBL-EBI’s strategy, pilot and longer-term technical investment, and learn about a whole new research field. This work gave me an opportunity to participate in scientific papers, something I had never done before.
In all the areas I have worked, from procurement to risk, impact, project management, and campus operations, the real joy has been establishing dedicated teams who continue to deliver with expertise, dedication, and skill.
Taking on challenges, building new knowledge and relationships, and trying to establish new ways of working is where I have spent my efforts at EMBL-EBI. Seeing some of these thrive and go well beyond any levels I had envisaged feels really amazing.
What are your key priorities for 2025?
The big focus is on supporting the leadership transition, as Ewan Birney settles into his role as EMBL’s Interim Executive Director, and Jo McEntyre takes on the role of Interim EMBL-EBI Director. The Major Initiatives Team is offering project management support to ensure the institute continues to run smoothly during this time.
What do you enjoy most about working at EMBL-EBI?
I love seeing people in their element and being nosy about their expertise, understanding how the pieces fit together and where the efficiencies are. EMBL-EBI is a puzzle that is always changing, and that’s part of the challenge.
Do you have any unusual hobbies or interests?
Believe it or not, keeping up with a large family is my full-time hobby!
