ENA launches Data Hubs Portal
The Data Hubs Portal is a new interface that enables users to setup and manage pre-release and/or public Data Hubs at the ENA.
2025
updates-from-data-resources
Knowledge exchange between continents supports infection biology research
African scientists awarded the 2024 EMBL-UNESCO residencies share their experience in bioinformatics and virology, emphasising the power of connections and knowledge exchange.
CONNECTIONSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES2025
connectionspeople-perspectives
Using Data Hubs to analyse SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogen sequences
The SARS-CoV-2 Data Hubs are a set of tools coupled with infrastructure that support four components: the submission, analysis, presentation and visualisation of SARS-CoV-2 raw read data, and its resulting analyses. What makes Data Hubs attractive is a unique set of features: A new publication in…
2024
updates-from-data-resources
‘X-ray vision’ for investigation of mRNA nanomedicines
EMBL Hamburg, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Postnova Analytics GmbH, and BioNTech SE have developed a new method to quantitatively investigate sizes of nanoparticles containing mRNA. It may become an important part of regular characterisation of mRNA nanomedicines in the future.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2023
sciencescience-technology
Extending the network of infectious disease data portals: developments in Sweden and The Netherlands
Two new data portals are set to support infectious disease monitoring and research across Europe; the Swedish Pathogens Data Portal and the Netherlands COVID-19 Data Portal.
2023
updates-from-data-resources
mRNA nanomedicines scoop Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Pioneers of the mRNA nanomedicines technology receive 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or medicine. EMBL is pleased to have supported the development of the application of the mRNA nanomedicine technology through our long-standing collaboration with BioNTech, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2023
sciencescience-technology
Facilitating drug discovery against COVID-19
A collaboration between EMBL Grenoble and EBRIS scientists led to the characterisation of a new compound with promising activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2023
sciencescience-technology
Pathogens Portal: The new gateway to public pathogen data
Enabling researchers worldwide to share and analyse pathogen data generated across the world
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2023
sciencescience-technologytechnology-and-innovation
MAPLE: a phylogenetic tool for pandemic-scale genome data
EMBL-EBI researchers have developed a new tool capable of performing state-of-the-art phylogenetic inference on larger datasets than previously thought possible.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2023
research-highlightssciencescience-technology
First linked dataset on Pathogens Portal
The first cohort study linking data across categories was recently added on the Pathogens Portal Cohort Browser and is also accessible from the BioSamples browser. This pilot study comes from Erasmus Medical Centre through the ReCoDID project, one of the COVID-19 Data Platform supporting…
2022
updates-from-data-resources
EMBL in Italy event held at GSK Vaccines in Siena
The GSK Vaccines site in Siena hosted the annual EMBL in Italy event. The hybrid meeting brought together industry leaders, representatives from biotech start-ups, data scientists, and researchers from academia.
CONNECTIONS2022
alumniconnections
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 & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
BY-COVID – a new EU project for pandemic preparedness
The BY-COVID project aims to make infectious disease data, including COVID-19, openly available to everyone.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Genomic tracking of the COVID-19 pandemic in England
Largest in-depth analysis of genomic data tracks the spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in England.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Six Ways to Protect the Planet Against Pandemics*
EMBL will host a conference to look at the state of the pandemic, lessons learned, and ways to improve pandemic preparedness. Here’s a sneak peek into what promises to be another interesting and informative EMBL conference.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
eventsscience-technology
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
MASSIF-1 beamline in Grenoble supports COVID-19 drug discovery
MASSIF-1, run jointly by EMBL Grenoble and the ESRF, is a beamline for macromolecular crystallography. It is used by the research community to study the 3D structure of proteins, which is important for drug development.
LAB MATTERSSCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
lab-mattersscience-technology
After the Lecture: Cultivating the information ecosystem
At an EMBL Science & Society lecture, science journalist Kai Kupferschmidt advocated for accurate, clear and contextual science communication.
PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES2021
eventspeople-perspectives
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in England
The largest in-depth analysis of genomic surveillance data mapping out the dynamics of 62 lineages of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Just the gist: Big data and pandemics in seven key points
EMBL’s most recent Science and Society seminar explored how best to harness big data to address multi-faceted issues of a pandemic.
CONNECTIONS2021
connectionsevents
How can we prepare for future pandemics?
Leading international experts gathered to showcase progress in the fight against COVID-19 and share lessons for the future.
CONNECTIONS2021
connectionsevents
EMBL provides key infrastructure for COVID-19 drug screening project
EMBL Hamburg’s integrated structural biology facility has contributed to the success of a large-scale SARS-CoV-2 study
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
SARS-CoV-2 curtails immune response in the gut
EMBL scientists, together with collaborators from Heidelberg University, have provided further evidence of the gut’s role in COVID-19.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Different immune responses identified in patients with COVID-19
Researchers identify differences in immune response in asymptomatic COVID-19 cases compared to those with severe symptoms
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Combating emerging infectious diseases: lessons from COVID-19
EMBL and Portugal are bringing together leading scientists to highlight the role of fundamental research in tackling infectious diseases.
CONNECTIONS2021
connectionsevents
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 & TECHNOLOGY2021
picture-of-the-weekscience-technology
The value of open data for Latin American science
Scientists from the CABANA project explore how open data is benefiting global research efforts.
CONNECTIONS2021
connectionsscience
Repurposing drugs to manage COVID-19 progression
Researchers use large-scale human genetic studies to identify drug targets important for managing COVID-19 in its early stages
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Coronavirus vaccine uses EMBL’s earliest virus research
EMBL alumnus Kai Simons did early work with Semliki Forest virus membranes, which is now central to a COVID-19 vaccine.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
alumniscience-technology
From mRNA researcher to BioNTech manager
EMBL alumnus Pawel Masiewicz has transferred skills and experience gained at EMBL to oversee starting materials for mRNA vaccine development.
PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES2021
alumnipeople-perspectives
After the lecture: Tracey Brown
Tracey Brown from Sense about Science shares her thoughts on the need to empower women to share and access scientific information.
LAB MATTERS2021
lab-matters
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 & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Show your support for open COVID-19 data
Open letter galvanises life science community in support of open COVID-19 data
EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTSLAB MATTERS2021
embl-announcementslab-matters
Insights into the new B.1.1.7 coronavirus lineage
A new lineage of coronavirus was first identified in the UK, but why is it spreading much more rapidly within the population?
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
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 & TECHNOLOGY2021
sciencescience-technology
Opinion: Scientific disagreements aren’t new to COVID
Understanding why disagreement is good for COVID science. EMBL Deputy Director General Ewan Birney offers tips for sorting through the discourse.
PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES2021
people-perspectivesscience
How EMBL alumni created a groundbreaking vaccine technology
The story of a life-long friendship and a professional partnership that sowed the seeds for a ground-breaking vaccine technology.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
alumniscience-technology
EMBL and the European Commission refresh longstanding collaboration
December has seen the start of a new chapter in the collaboration that has for years marked the relationship between the European Commission (EC) and EMBL.
CONNECTIONS2020
connectionsevents
EMBL facilities support development of RNA vaccines
Biotechnology company BioNTech and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz conduct collaborative research with EMBL scientists at the beamline P12 in Hamburg
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Repurposing bioinformatics tools to tackle the pandemic
Bioinformaticians at EMBL-EBI and beyond are adapting computational tools to investigate coronavirus genomes and proteins.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 in 3D
Researchers have studied SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells and obtained detailed insights into the alterations induced in infected cells. This information is essential to guide the development of urgently needed therapeutic strategies for suppressing viral replication and induced pathology.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Scientists identify synthetic mini-antibody to combat COVID-19
By screening hundreds of sybodies (synthetic mini-antibodies), scientists have identified one that might stop SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells. This work, which holds promise for treating COVID-19, was conducted by EMBL Hamburg and collaborators from the Centre for Structural Systems Biology…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Open data sharing accelerates COVID-19 research
Open access data benefits millions of scientists around the world and is essential for a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Repurposing drugs for a pan-coronavirus treatment
Scientists from the Beltrao Group at EMBL-EBI and collaborators identified drug targets common to SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and MERS-CoV, three pathogenic coronaviruses. They also found potential drugs that could be repurposed as COVID-19 treatments, and against emerging coronavirus strains in the…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Indirect impacts of a pandemic on women in science
The EMBL conference that explored direct and indirect impacts from the current pandemic on women in science allowed for information and story sharing both in the form of lectures but also via online platforms like Slack and social media that included Twitter.
LAB MATTERS2020
eventslab-matters
COVID-19’s indirect attack on women
More than 500 people have registered for an EMBL conference, "The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women in science: Challenges and solutions." Scheduled for 9 September, the conference is free and open to all. Pre-registration is still available and required to attend.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
eventsscience-technology
Flexible and protected – new findings on SARS-CoV-2 protein shed light on virus’s ability to infect cells
Researchers studied the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. With its spikes, the virus binds to human cells and infects them. The study gave surprising insights into the spike protein, including an unexpected freedom of movement and a protective coat to hide it from antibodies.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Europe PMC: unlocking the potential of COVID-19 preprints
Europe PMC has begun indexing full-text COVID-19 preprints along with the associated data. The project aims to accelerate research to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
What COVID-19 is teaching us
The virtual EMBL Conference ‘SARS-CoV-2: Towards a New Era in Infection Research’ explored the importance of fundamental research, collaboration, and data science in containing the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and discussed opportunities to improve our response to pandemics in the future.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
eventsscience-technology
Editing the mouse genome to study SARS-CoV-2 infection
To study how SARS-CoV-2 infects cells, the Gene Editing and Embryology Facility (GEEF) at EMBL Rome will generate mice that express a human version of a protein called ACE2. The mouse line will be shared with preclinical research collaborators carrying out vaccine and antibody trials, and with the…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Existing drugs can prevent SARS-CoV-2 from hijacking cells
Researchers evaluate how the new coronavirus rewires human proteins for its own replication, and identify several antiviral drugs ready for clinical trials
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Silencing the SARS-CoV-2 receptor with epigenetic modifications
EMBL scientists develop a new molecular tool to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice. This tool is able to cause targeted epigenetic modifications of specific genes in specific cell populations. They will use it in mice to target airway cells that express the ACE2 protein – the receptor that…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Investigating the structure and mechanisms of coronavirus biomolecules
While global research on coronaviruses has shed light on the function of many SARS-CoV-2 proteins, the role of some crucial components remains unknown. Researchers at EMBL Grenoble will use a range of structural biology methods to try to solve some of the puzzles of the molecular mechanics of…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 behaves in the gut
Scientists at EMBL and Heidelberg University Hospital are studying how the novel coronavirus behaves in the gut to try to better understand its epidemiology and prevent its spread. To do this, they are combining advanced imaging and sequencing technologies to study coronavirus in human intestinal…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Improving our response to emerging pandemics
The emergence of previously unknown pathogens, such as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, raises many questions. To explore these questions in an international scientific forum, EMBL will host the virtual conference ‘SARS-CoV-2: Towards a New Era in Infection Research’ on 3 July. Invited…
EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTS2020
embl-announcementsevents
Shining high-brilliance beams on coronavirus structure
EMBL researchers are studying COVID-19-related molecules by exposing them to high-brilliance X-ray beams. The Svergun group at EMBL Hamburg is using biological small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as part of a global effort by scientists to elucidate the structural organisation of SARS-CoV-2…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Facilitating COVID-19 structural biology research
EMBL and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) restart the activities of the Joint Structural Biology Group in Grenoble to support coronavirus-related projects. A new initiative will allow users to be granted access to the High-Throughput Crystallisation (HTX) lab at EMBL and to a…
CONNECTIONS2020
connectionsscience
Distinguishing coronavirus genome mutations from inadvertent errors
EMBL scientists have performed a large-scale analysis of over 4700 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences. They found that many of the most interesting changes in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that have been reported so far are likely to be technical artefacts, rather than biological mutations.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
The hunt for neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Scientists hope that a legacy of the novel coronavirus in recovered COVID-19 patients – antibodies in their blood – could lead to drugs to treat others. The Merten group at EMBL Heidelberg has pivoted its microfluidics platform to support the search for neutralising antibodies that could…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Understanding the role of our genes in SARS-CoV-2 infections
EMBL scientists will contribute to the new German COVID-19 OMICS Initiative to study the biological mechanisms contributing to coronavirus infections. EMBL group leaders Jan Korbel and Oliver Stegle, who is also affiliated with the DKFZ Heidelberg, will coordinate the set-up of IT infrastructures…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
EMBL SPC facility supports COVID-19 projects
The Sample Preparation and Characterisation Facility (SPC) at EMBL Hamburg reopens to support scientists working on Covid-19 research. The SPC Facility is one of the best equipped facilities in Europe is therefore in high demand from external users. Re-opening the facility also allows experts at…
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Responding to health threats posed by coronaviruses
By re-opening the High-Throughput Crystallisation (HTX) lab at EMBL Grenoble, EMBL is supporting structural biology projects to respond to the health threats posed by coronaviruses.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Remote access to EMBL structural biology pipelines to support research on SARS-CoV-2
The Marquez Team has restarted operations at the High-Throughput Crystallisation (HTX) lab at EMBL Grenoble. The team has developed a fully automated protein-to-structure pipeline, which can be operated remotely and provides virtual access to the facilities.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Taking a closer look at infected cells to better understand COVID-19
EMBL electron microscopy specialists collaborate with researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital to understand the changes occurring in cell structures upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Exploring synthetic antibodies to stop coronavirus
Scientists at EMBL Hamburg and Karolinska Institutet Stockholm aim to find synthetic antibodies – known as nanobodies – that bind a surface protein of the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Nanobodies could prevent the virus from entering human cells and causing COVID-19.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Helping researchers identify host proteins used by coronavirus
EMBL scientists working in the groups of Matthias Hentze and Wolfgang Huber have created RBPbase – a database of RNA-binding proteins – to assist the identification of proteins that interact with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Why share data during a pandemic?
In March 2020, planes were grounded, streets went quiet, and our lives changed forever. But while the world came to a halt, many scientists were ramping up their efforts to understand the new virus.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
EMBL-EBI launches COVID-19 Data Portal
The new collaborative space will help scientists, public health and healthcare professionals around the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Supporting international research on the structure of the coronavirus
EMBL Heidelberg reopens the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Service Platform to support coronavirus structural biology research.
CONNECTIONS2020
connectionsscience
Helping to scale up coronavirus testing
Scientists at EMBL Heidelberg are contributing their expertise in a community effort to develop large-scale testing methods for coronavirus. Their goal is to increase the capacity and speed of testing, which is crucial for containing the pandemic.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Identifying how potential COVID-19 drugs work
EMBL researchers are studying how drugs that have shown good results against COVID-19 work in living cells
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Producing proteins for coronavirus research
The Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility at EMBL Heidelberg will produce proteins for several coronavirus-related research projects, to assist the development of new strategies to fight the virus.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
Response to the resignation of ERC President Mauro Ferrari
EMBL Director General Edith Heard responds to the resignation of the President of the European Research Council (ERC)
EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTSLAB MATTERS2020
embl-announcementslab-matters
EMBL-EBI leads International collaboration to share COVID-19 research data
EMBL-EBI set to launch European COVID-19 Data Platform to help store, share, and analyse research data linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY2020
sciencescience-technology
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