22 young group leaders recognized as European Molecular Biology Organization Young Investigators

EMBO announced today the selection of 22 young researchers as EMBO Young Investigators.

"EMBO Young Investigators gain financial, academic and practical support to advance their careers," says Gerlind Wallon, EMBO Deputy Director and Manager of the Young Investigator Programme. "The status of Young Investigator offers a level of recognition that brings immediate benefits to scientists at an early stage of their careers." The programme targets researchers under forty years of age who have established their first laboratories in the past four years.

In 2012, EMBO received 160 applications for the Young Investigator Programme. The successful candidates come from twelve countries and include the first scientist from Singapore to join the network. Scientists from Singapore can apply to EMBO programmes due to a cooperation agreement between both parties that started in 2011.

The selected young scientists join a network of nearly 300 current and former young investigators that encourages collaboration. The larger network also brings new opportunities for special meetings, which are organized by the young investigator community, such as those in systems biology and genomic instability that took place in Spain and France earlier this year. "The benefits of networking are becoming more apparent each year," states Wallon.

Eight women were selected as young investigators in 2012 and, as last year, the success rate of female researchers was slightly higher than that of male applicants.

The 22 successful candidates receive 15,000 euros per year for three years directly from the member state where their laboratories are located. The distinction of being an EMBO Young Investigator helps to raise the visibility of young researchers in the life science community. They also receive funding to attend conferences for themselves and their group members, practical training in laboratory management and access to core facilities at EMBL, among other benefits.

The next application deadline is 1 April 2013. More information can be found at www.embo.org/programmes/yip.html.

2012 EMBO YOUNG INVESTIGATORS:

Claus Maria Azzalin, Switzerland

Renata Basto, France

Andrew Carter, United Kingdom

Sonia Garel, France

George Garinis, Greece

Ilona Grunwald-Kadow, Germany

Jacob Hanna, Israel

Eva Hoffmann, United Kingdom

Jacqueline Jacobs, Netherlands

Gregory Jefferis, United Kingdom

David Keays, Austria

Massimo Lopes, Switzerland

Guillermina López-Bendito, Spain

Ron Milo, Israel

Bruno Reversade, Singapore

Thomas Richards, United Kingdom

Rickard Sandberg, Sweden

Melina Schuh, United Kingdom

Evanthia Soutoglou, France

Alexander Stark, Austria

Itai Yanai, Israel

Raz Zarivach, Israel

Provided by European Molecular Biology Organization