They are among 120 scientists from across Europe and beyond who have been elected to the EMBO Membership, an honour that celebrates research excellence and outstanding achievements in the life sciences.
David Adams is a member of our Fundamental Biology of Cancer Programme and is based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. His team investigates how genetic alterations contribute to cancer development and the genetic wiring of cancer cells using approaches such as CRISPR genome editing. This provides fundamental insights into how cancers develop and evolve and how genetic changes in cancer genomes may be used as targets for cancer therapy.
David said: "I am honoured to be elected to EMBO and very grateful to my colleagues and collaborators who have supported my work on cancer genetics and computational biology.
“I look forward to continuing the ongoing efforts to further the scientific understanding of cancer and exploring new strategies for targeted cancer therapy. I believe this work will help contribute to meaningful advances in improving patient outcomes.”
Emma Rawlins is a member of our Thoracic Cancer Programme and is based at the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute. Emma's lab works on lung stem and progenitor cell biology, combining innovative human organoid models with mouse genetics. She has a particular emphasis on control of lung cell fate and how this is altered in disease, including cancer.
The new EMBO Members and Associate Members have been recognised for accomplishments that cover the spectrum of life science research, including work that has advanced understanding of how infectious disease spreads, the intricacies of ocean nutrient cycles, the mysteries of cellular signalling networks, the secrets of how plants survive in desert environments, and the links between the biology of our brains and our emotions.
EMBO Director Fiona Watt said: “The new EMBO Members and Associate Members have made immense contributions to fundamental life science research, and, in many cases, their work has paved the way for innovations that have improved lives and livelihoods around the world. As EMBO marks its 60th anniversary, we celebrate the pivotal roles played by the EMBO Membership in strengthening international life science research and contributing to the EMBO Programmes and activities. I send my warmest congratulations to all those elected.”
To celebrate EMBO's 60th anniversary, EMBO Council invited the EMBO Membership to elect 100 new EMBO Members and 20 EMBO Associate Members this year. The newly elected Members and Associate Members reside in 37 countries/territories. The new EMBO Members are based in 24 Member States of the EMBC, the intergovernmental organisation that funds the main EMBO Programmes and activities. The 20 new Associate Members reside in 13 different countries/territories, including EMBO’s global cooperation partners.
The first EMBO Members were elected in 1964 – that initial group of 169 life scientists has now grown into a community of more than 2,100 EMBO Members and Associate Members. 92 Nobel laureates are amongst those who have previously been elected to the EMBO Membership.
EMBO Members guide the execution of the EMBO Programmes and activities, for example by evaluating funding applications, serving on EMBO Council and committees, and contributing to initiatives such as training, policy, outreach and mentorship. New members are nominated and elected by the existing EMBO Membership.
EMBO will formally welcome the new members at a meeting of the EMBO community between 29 October and 1 November 2024 in Heidelberg, Germany. An online directory listing all EMBO Members and Associate Members, their affiliations, and subject areas is available here.
