{"id":5598,"date":"2015-11-04T14:58:15","date_gmt":"2015-11-04T13:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.embl.de\/?p=5598"},"modified":"2024-04-19T15:58:31","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:58:31","slug":"1511-ladies-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/events\/1511-ladies-night\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaking hands with starfish"},"content":{"rendered":"

EMBL\u2019s Head of Resource Development Astrid von Soosten, welcomed guests to an evening of two premieres: the inaugural Ladies Night, and the award of the first Friends of EMBL honorary membership to Minister of Science for the State of Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg Theresia Bauer. The evening\u2019s activities complemented a half-day conference for local female business leaders, jointly organised by the local Association of German Women Entrepreneurs (VDU) and EMBL.<\/p>\n

Ailsa Mattaj, wife of EMBL Director General Iain Mattaj, presented Theresia Bauer with a certificate of lifetime honorary membership. \u201cWe at EMBL cannot overlook your relentless commitment to research and the freedom of science,\u201d said Mattaj, \u201cWe consider you, therefore, as a true friend of the EMBL.\u201d Accepting the award, Minister Bauer borrowed the words of Physics Nobel Laureate George Smoot to highlight the relevance of the Laboratory\u2019s research and activities: “People cannot foresee the future well enough to predict what\u2019s going to develop from basic research. If we only did applied research, we would still be making better spears.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was great to see researchers, politicians and local friends finding a common enthusiasm for the many features of model organisms<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Minister Bauer joined an audience of specially invited guests for four short presentations and discussions around the theme of model organisms. Noorie Karimbocus presented the different cells types studied at EMBL, followed by Johanna Bischof and her briny research companions: a sea urchin and starfish. Animal Technician Sabine G\u00f6rgens introduced the evening\u2019s first vertebrates \u2013 zebrafish \u2013 and Technical Officer Yvonne Petersen concluded by sharing her experience of working with mice, one of the most complex and valuable model organisms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was great to see researchers, politicians and local friends finding a common enthusiasm for the many features of model organisms and for the life sciences in general,\u201d said event organiser Julia Schaft.<\/p>\n

Photos from Friends of EMBL Ladies Night, 16 October 2015<\/h3>\n