13 May 2024 – On 7 May, the Berlin Museum of Medical History played host to a significant event co-organized by EMBO Member Markus Ralser, Charité, Berlin. This gathering, a part of the EMBO at 60 celebrations, aimed to disseminate information about EMBO Programmes and activities while fostering networking opportunities for early-career researchers with the EMBO community.
With a total of approximately 100 participants, including early-career researchers such as PhD students and postdocs from the Berlin area, the event provided a vibrant platform for exchange of ideas.
Among the attendees were 16 EMBO Members, Ilan Theurillat, an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellow from the Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Edda Schulz, an EMBO Young Investigator from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, and Markus Ralser, EMBO Member and Einstein Professor of Biochemistry at Charité University Hospital, Berlin, who served as the local host.
Reflecting on the event, Ralser emphasized the value of the interactions that transpired, noting that attendees of all career stages benefited from the discussions. “It stimulated interactions that would have unlikely happened without it,” remarked Ralser. “I could hear discussions about the existing EMBO Programmes – especially the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Young Investigator Programme – and chats that centred around publishing, career perspectives and also touched a little on science policy.”
The event also saw the participation of representatives of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), including German EMBC Delegate Barbara Ohnesorge. The overarching goals of the event included demonstrating the benefits of EMBO support for the life sciences in Germany, Europe and globally, as well as promoting the benefits of EMBO Programmes to potential future fellows and grantees.
The significance of such gatherings extends beyond mere networking opportunities; they serve as catalysts for collaboration, knowledge exchange and the nurturing of a vibrant scientific community.
