The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Alumni Chats Series
A series of in-depth conversations with members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Alumni Community. Alumni reflect on how EMBL shaped their careers, share memories of their time there, and tell inside stories behind major research breakthroughs. Contributors are part of the EMBL community, and their opinions are their own. The series is produced and edited by EMBL Alumni Relations, with interviews by Angus Lamond and Thomas Vaccari.
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41. Sebastian Glatt - Rewriting RNA and the Future of Molecular Medicine
Sebastian Glatt (Professor, University of Veternary Medicine, Vienna and former Staff Scientist, EMBL Heidelberg, 2008-15) chats with Jaqueline Dreyer-Lamm (Head of Operations, Anavo Therapeutics BV and former Head of External Courses, EMBL Heidelberg, 2009-18). Sebastian thinks back to his start at EMBL in 2008 as a postdoc and his involvement in the interdisciplinary postdoc program (EIPOD). Seb
40. David States - Documenting EMBL's early history and personalising science for the general public
EMBL's very first Communications Officer, David States reflects on the important project he undertook in 1994 of documenting EMBL's history for its 20th anniversary. David also speaks on the significance of clear and persuasive communication in science, emphasising the need for scientists to convey their ideas to non-experts. He reflects on EMBL's impact, importance of basic science, and personal
39. Gianni Cesareni - Postdoctoral training with Nobel laureates and transforming fundamental research into widely adopted technologies,
Gianni Cesareni (Professor Emeritus, University of Rome Tor Vergata and fromer Group Leader, EMBL Heidelberg, 1979-88) chats with Thomas Vaccari (Current Professor, University of Milan and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1999-2004). Gianni reflects on his unconventional journey from physics to molecular biology, his formative postdoctoral years alongside Nobel laureates in Cambridge,
38. Toby Gibson - The methodology of DNA sequencing and the origins of bioinformatics.
Toby Gibson (EMBL Group Leader, 1986-2023) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about the methodology of DNA sequencing, the origins of bioinformatics, the development of Clustal and the impact of AlphaFold. This interview was recorded in July 2023. Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. The opinions expressed are th
37. Daniela Marazziti - Painstaking early DNA sequencing and gene cloning.
Daniela Marazziti (Staff Scientist, Italian National Research Council and formerly a Postdoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1984-88) chats with Thomas Vaccari (Current Professor, University of Milan and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1999-2004). Daniela recalls pioneering molecular biology during her postdoc at EMBL, highlighting collaborative science, painstaking DNA sequencing, C9
36. Pavel Tomancak - The golden days of development biology and growing the life sciences community in Czechia.
Pavel Tomancak (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 1995-1999) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about being the first Eastern European PhD student at EMBL, the 'golden days' of developmental biology and his passion about supporting life sciences in his home country. Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. The opinions
35. Ilaria Ferlenghi - Early cryo-EM scepticism and resolving virus structures.
Ilaria Ferlenghi (Current Associate Director of Research & Senior Scientific Leader, GSK and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1994-1999) chats with Thomas Vaccari (Current Professor, University of Milan and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1999-2004). Ilaria discusses the scientific challenges of her PhD, particularly the skepticism towards cryo electron microscopy and t
34. Veli Vural Uslu - Plant development regulation, using theatre to communicate science and the power of failure in the lab.
Veli Vural Uslu (EMBL Postdoctoral Fellow, 2009-2015) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about Plant developmental regulation, environmental sensing, and new biotechnology techniques. He also explains his research into using RNA delivery for plant defense and agriculture, with a focus on a new method for delivering RNAs to plant cells.This interview was conducted in Ju
33. Angus Lamond & Thomas Vaccari - Differing EMBL journeys & the impact of basic research for society
Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) and Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) discuss their experiences at EMBL, emphasising the institution's role in fostering a supportive community and advancing scientific knowledge. Thomas reflects on the value of the PhD program in building a network of scientists and the need for inclusive environments. While Angus recalls the pressure
32) Graham Tebb - Following your instincts in research
Graham Tebb (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 1985-1988) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about the challenging yet collaborative environment in which he pursed his PhD in the 1980s. Graham also offers advice to young scientists about their career progression and the need for long-term thinking and trust in scientific research, despite short-term political pressures. This interview
31. Julius Brennecke - The bantam mystery and the power of genetic conflict
Julius Brennecke (Current Senior Scientist, IMBA, Vienna. and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 2006-2001) chats with Thomas Vaccari (Current Professor, University of Milan and former Predoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 2004-1999). Julius explains his fascination for how molecular pathways govern complex biological patterns in fruit flies. Before describing the risky decision to investi
30. Janet Thornton - A Life in Computational Biology
Former EMBL-EBI Director 1994-2023, Dame Janet Thornton reflects on her distinguished career in bioinformatics, the wonder of protein research and the vital role of accessible data services for life science research. She also speaks about AI's impact on protein structure prediction and the potential for AlphaFold to revolutionise the field.This interview was conducted by former EMBL Group Leader,
29. Alex Stark - The Evolution of Computational Genomics and Protein Structure Analysis
Alex Stark (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 2001-2005) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Alex describes the evolution of computational biology and its impact on understanding protein structures and gene regulation. He recounts early efforts to identify functional similarities between unrelated proteins before the advent of AlphaFold and serving as a member of one of the teams
28) Des Higgins - Early days of bioinformatics, Clustal and democratising sequence alignments
Des Higgins (EMBL-EBI Group Leader, 1990-1996) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about the "wild west" early days of bioinformatics, the establishment of EMBL-EBI and the collaboration which led to the Clustal programme. Des also reflects on the impact on his career of EBI co-founder Michael Ashburner This interview was conducted in July 2023. Alumni Chat contributo
27) Martin Hetzer - The Frontiers of Ageing and Europe's leadership role in AI adoption
In this interview, Martin Hetzer (Former Staff Scientist, EMBL Heidelberg, 1998-2003, currently President, ISTA, Vienna) chats with Angus Lamond (Former Group Leader, EMBL Heidelberg, 1995-1987, currently Professor, University of Dundee) about his professional journey from his early training in Vienna and the US to his current leadership role at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. Mar
26) Fatima Gebauer - Heavenly first impressions of EMBL and advice for young group leaders
Fátima Gebauer (EMBL Staff Scientist, 1995-2002) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about her experience at EMBL, including her initial impression of the lab as "heaven" and her subsequent project on sex-lethal protein. Fátima reflects on her role as Chair of the EMBL Alumni Association board and leadership styles and challenges in life sciences, sharing advice in particular f
25) Baubak Bajoghli - Visualising discovery through open access and the EMBL experience.
In this interview, Baubak Bajoghli (Former Postdoctoral Fellow. EMBL Heidelberg, 2012-2017, currently Director, Austrian BioImaging/CMI, Vienna) describes to Angus Lamond ( Former Group Leader, EMBL Heidelberg, 1987-1995, currently Professor, University of Dundee) about how the EMBL served as a vital catalyst for his research into immune cell development. By providing access to advanced imaging te
24) Ernst Stelzer. - A career of innovation in light microscopy
Ernst Stelzer ( EMBL Group Leader, 1983-2011) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about his career journey from EMBL Predoc to Group Leader, and his contributions to the field of microscopy including the development of confocal microscopyThis interview was recorded in July 2023Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. Th
23) Mark Green - Science administration at the coalface of groundbreaking research
Mark Green (Internal Auditor, EMBL Heidelberg, 1999-2003 , Head of EBI Administration, 2003-2018 ) discusses his career at EMBL with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995). While working for the Medical Research Council (MRC) in the UK, he was tasked with auditing the MRC Transition Fund for EMBL to move its data library to the nascent EBI.This began a connection with EMBL which would lead hi
22) Mary Holmes - Recounting EMBL's establishment and becoming its first Librarian
Mary Holmes (EMBL's first librarian, 1974-1998) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about the establishment of EMBL, the early days of the Szilárd library and the technological advances witnessed in over 20 years. Mary reflects on the impact of her husband, Ken Holmes, and his role in leading EMBL's first site in Hamburg. Ken was awarded the Lennart Philipson Award in 2
21) Sara Fahs - EMBL's interdisciplinary ethos and adapting to a career in industry
Sara Fahs (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 2014-2018) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Sara speaks about the excitement about the scale of EMBL upon arriving in the mid 2010s. She also talks about retaining the inter-disciplinary ethos she encountered at EMBL and adapting to a career in industry after leaving academia.This conversation was recorded in July 2025.Adobe Podcast
20) Sara Courtneidge - Memories of Lennart Philipson and research of the src structure
Sara Courtneidge (EMBL Group Leader, 1985-1994) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about her memories of former EMBL Director General Lennart Philipson, her research into the src structure and the importance of funding for basic research.This interview was conducted in 2022.Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. The
19) David Owen - Bridging Basic Research and Pharmaceutical Innovation
David Owen (EMBLEM Vice Chair, 2000-2021) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). David discusses his career phases from a PhD in pharmacology to eventually joining the pharmaceutical industry. He emphasises the challenges and rewards of transitioning from academia to industry and the impact of technology transfer on basic research. He also touches on his role in establishin
18) Giorgia Guglielmi - Using storytelling to combat scientific misinformation
Giorgia Guglielmi (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 2011-2016) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about her research on cell behaviour, her career move to science writing, the challenge of fake news in science communication and her pride at winning the John Kendrew Award. This interview was conducted in July 2022. Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular
17) George Simos - Asking fundamental questions and the joy of discovering new truths
George Simos (EMBL Postdoctoral Fellow 1990-95) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). George reflects on his first impressions upon joining EMBL in the early 90s, his return to Greece and efforts to bring back some of the culture and approach to research that he experienced in Heidelberg. He also explains his work on hypoxia and the thrill he gets when discovering somethin
16) Thomas Graf - The future of personalised cancer treatment and the role of basic research in the Covid19 response
Thomas Graf (EMBL Head of Unit, 1983-1998) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995) about the potential of personalised cancer treatment, the role of basic research in the Covid-19 response and advice for young scientists. This interview was recorded in July 2022 Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. The opinions expresse
15) Erin Tranfield - Lunar Dust, the electron microscopy toolbox and making science accessible for all.
In this interview, electron microscopy expert Erin Tranfield (EMBL Postdoc, 2009-2013) discusses her unconventional career path with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoc 1999-2004) which led from researching air pollution's impact on the heart to studying lunar dust toxicology at NASA. She explains that electron microscopy is a powerful tool because it uses electrons instead of photons to achieve a higher
14) Ilaria Piazza - Experiences of a new PI and the value of travel on scientific curiosity.
Ilaria Piazza (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 2009-2014) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about her career progression to becoming a group leader, the value of working in different countries for scientific curiosity and winning the John Kendrew Award. This interview was conducted in July 2022.Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory
13) Denis Duboule - Hox genes, finding joy in the process of discovery and memories of Fotis Kafatos
Denis Duboule (EMBL Group Leader 1988-1993) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Denis reflects on his arrival as a group leader at EMBL in the 1980s, and on how EMBL’s freedom and international spirit helped shape his identity as a European scientist. He also shares memories of working for Director General Fotis Kafatos and his pride in giving the inaugural Kafatos Lectu
12) Maria Tosches - Evo-Devo and the cerebral cortex of reptiles.
Maria Tosches (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 2007-2014) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral fellow, 1999-2004) about her first experiences of 'Evo-Devo' at EMBL, the challenges of working on non-established models and studying the cerebral cortex of reptiles. This interview was recorded in July 2022. Maria was the recipient of the 2022 John Kendrew Award. You can watch her award presentation h
11) Claire O'Donovan - Swiss-Prot and the impact of AI on Database Curation
Claire O'Donovan (Team Leader Protein Function & Head of Metabolomics, EMBL-EBI, 1994-2024), a pioneer in computational biology, discusses her career at EMBL-EBI with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995). She explains the evolution of Swiss Prot, a protein database, and its global impact. Claire highlighted the importance of open access data and collaborations and stressed the need for
10) Leo Burger - 40 years of building innovative and high quality equipment in the Mechanical Workshop at EMBL
Leo Burger (Head of Mechanical Workshop, EMBL Heidelberg, 1979-2023) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (Predoctoral fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1999-2004) and Angus Lamond (Group Leader, EMBL Heidelberg, 1987-1995). Leo reflects on over 40 years of building innovative and high quality equipment in the Mechanical Workshop at EMBL. This interview was conducted in March 2024. Alumni Chat contributors are membe
9) Sigrid Reinsch - From cell biology to outer space
Sigrid Reinsch (Postdoctoral Fellow, EMBL Heidelberg, 1992-1998) discusses her career journey from EMBL to NASA with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995). She details the challenges of transitioning from EMBL and explains NASA's focus on human space exploration and understanding life in extreme environments. She also discusses NASA's education programs and the need for continued funding. Th
8) Wieland Huttner - Establishing EMBL's PhD programme and co-founding MPI-Dresden
Wieland Huttner (Group Leader, EMBL Heidelberg, 1985-1990) speaks with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow, 1999-2004) about the establishment of EMBL's PhD programme and his co-founding of the Max Planck Institute in Dresden with other EMBL alumni. This interview was conducted in July 2024. Alumni Chat contributors are members of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) community. The
7) Eric Wieschaus - Groundbreaking research in Drospohila and staying grounded after Nobel success.
Eric Wieschaus (EMBL Group Leader 1978-81) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Eric looks back on his groundbreaking work on Drosophila genetics with Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard at EMBL—research that led to the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He also reflects on staying grounded amid recognition, his commitment to teaching, and what it means to “do science th
6) Jacqueline Dreyer-Lamm - Lab Builds to Sustaining Research Around the Globe
Jacqueline Dreyer-Lamm (Head of External Scientific Courses, 2009-2018) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Jacqueline discussed her role at EMBL, focusing on building and equipping labs, and developing new courses, as well as her efforts to support scientific research in underdeveloped countries through equipment transfers. Post-EMBL, she transitioned to a startup role,
5) Phil Avner - Mentors in Paris, Diabetes research and leading EMBL Rome.
Philip Avner (Head of EMBL Rome, 2012-2020) sets out his career trajectory in conversation with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995). From studying agricultural botany at the University of Newcastle to becoming head of EMBL Rome. He highlights his transition from biochemistry to genetics, influenced by mentors like Piotr Slonimsky and Francois Jacob. After a successful career in Paris, he j
4) Edith Heard - Basic Research, AI, Planetary Biology and the Future of Science
Edith Heard (EMBL Director General 2019-2025) discusses her legacy at EMBL with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995). Edith emphasises the crucial role of unexpected results in advancing scientific discovery and innovation, encouraging researchers to embrace surprising findings, as they often spark new insights and breakthroughs. Edith also provides the context to EMBL embracing the researc
3) Anne Ephrussi - Disproving hypotheses, taking risks and a life of researching the Oskar RNA
Anne Ephrussi (EMBL Group Leader, Senior Scientist and Director for the EMBL International Centre for Advanced Training 1992-2023) chats with Thomas Vaccari (EMBL Predoctoral Fellow 1999-2004). Anne explains the background to starting her lab at EMBL in the early 90s and the questions she sought to investigate. She encourages young researchers to take risks and also reflects on the future of Oskar
2) Rolf Apweiler - Big Data growth, from floppy disks to machine learning
Rolf Apweiler (EMBL-EBI Director 1987-2025) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader 1987-1995) about his start at EMBL as a student helper all the way to jointly leading the EBI. The huge growth of data in life sciences he witnessed and supported along the way and the importance of international collaboration, standardization, and cybersecurity. He reflects on the impact of AI on data curation
1) Moritz Gerstung - From Physics to Precision Medicine, Reflections on How AI is Transforming Cancer Genomics
Moritz Gerstung (EMBL-EBI Group Leader, 2015-2021) speaks with Angus Lamond (EMBL Group Leader, 1987-1995), discussing his transition from physics to computational biology, driven by the complexities of biological systems. He highlights his work at EMBL-EBI, which focused on cancer genomes and tumour dynamics using next-generation sequencing and AI tools. Moritz emphasised the importance of open d
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