20 March 2025 – “I strive to develop new ideas and understand biological mechanisms,” says Ilan Theurillat, a postdoctoral researcher and a former EMBO Postdoctoral Fellow at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Biology in Berlin, Germany.
Theurillat’s research focuses on triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of breast cancer in women and one with few treatment options due to the lack of hormonal or targeted therapies. He studies tumour evolution in mice from initiation to the metastatic stage. His goal is to develop treatments targeting the entire ecosystem to prevent the tumour from thriving.
“My experience with the fellowship has been very positive,” Theurillat says. “I had the opportunity to attend an EMBO event in Berlin in May 2024, where I met EMBO Director Fiona Watt and presented my research. The meeting allowed me to connect with more senior EMBO Members and grantees, which was great for networking.”
Theurillat strongly encourages early career researchers to consider applying for an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship. “We have more experience, more freedom, and more confidence in our projects than during a PhD. We’re not yet burdened with writing numerous funding applications or dealing with administrative issues. And although there are funding opportunities out there, with many projects calling for quick results and rapid medical applications, EMBO allows us to focus on more fundamental research.”
