ARISE Programme Overview

Technology development, especially with the purpose of enriching service provision in the life sciences, is currently one of EMBL’s main strategic focuses. EMBL groups are developing technologies in imaging, chemical biology, computational modelling, microfluidics, robotics, X-ray optics, high-precision mechanics, data acquisition, automation, bioinformatics and software development, and integrated structural biology.

Each ARISE fellow will be hosted by one EMBL group or team at one of EMBL's six sites (Barcelona, Grenoble, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Hinxton, or Rome). Their group and team leaders all have a track record in developing new methods and technologies, providing these as a service, and applying them to answer novel scientific questions.

Supervision

Each fellow will have one supervisor at EMBL (selected from the ARISE group and team leaders), and will perform research in their supervisor’s group or team. Fellows will choose their supervisor during the application and selection process. Supervisors will provide scientific, professional, and career guidance to fellows and can be approached on a daily basis. Supervisors will also introduce fellows to the scientific network, ensure that they integrate well into the existing group or team, and ensure that they benefit from the expertise, knowledge, and tools present in the lab and at EMBL.

Mentorship

Each fellow will also choose a mentor from the other ARISE group and team leaders, who can bring in additional skills and knowledge. The mentor will participate in annual progress reviews of the fellow and will provide professional and career guidance.

Career development plan

Each fellow will develop a professional career development plan, with the support of an external career advisor and the fellow’s supervisor. This will identify the fellow’s training needs, and mechanisms to support development of the required skills.

Open science and open access to scientific publications and data are important principles for both EMBL and the Horizon 2020 programme.

ARISE fellows will receive training on open science and FAIR data management. All peer-reviewed scientific publications relating to the results of ARISE fellows should be made openly accessible. Datasets produced by ARISE Fellows are valuable for users of the technologies provided and should be shared in open access format and uploaded to appropriate public databases (e.g. those held by EMBL-EBI or by the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the US).

However, not all data can be open. Open access requirements do not imply an obligation to publish results and open access policy does not affect the decision to exploit research results commercially, e.g. through patenting. EMBL owns the technology transfer partner organisation EMBLEM, which is responsible for identifying, protecting, and commercialising intellectual property and associated technologies and materials developed in the EMBL world, and which is supporting EMBL researchers with all aspects of technology transfer and collaboration with industry.

All research activities at EMBL should be conducted in a scientifically and socially responsible and ethical manner. Ethical issues are likely to be particularly relevant for the research projects of the ARISE fellows (e.g. use of biological materials such as human or animal cell lines or models), and also apply to issues of scientific conduct and data protection.

At the time of applying for the fellowship, all applicants will need to perform an ethics self-check (the self-evaluation form will be provided to applicants). Applications will be evaluated by the ARISE programme management and – as needed – by the EMBL Bioethics Internal Advisory Committee. For the duration of the fellowship, fellows will annually repeat ethics self-checks for their current and planned activities.