EMBO is an association of leading molecular biologists which supports excellence in life sciences in general in Europe and beyond. The prestigious EMBO community already has more than two thousand members from all over the globe.
The Heidelberg-based organisation has elected Lumír Krejčí among 100 members and 20 associate members from 37 countries. EMBO has acknowledged the members’ achievements in a variety of life sciences and their research that has advanced the knowledge of infectious diseases and how they spread, as well as ocean cycles, cellular signalling networks, survival of plants in desert environments or the links between brain biology and emotions.
“The new members and associate members have significantly contributed to fundamental research in the area of life sciences; and in many cases, their work has paved the road for innovations that have improved lives and livelihoods all over the world. As EMBO is celebrating its 60th anniversary, we are also celebrating the role that EMBO membership plays in strengthening international research in life sciences and contributing to EMBO activities and programmes. My warmest congratulations to all new members,” said EMBO Director Fiona Watt.
Lumír Krejčí works at MU’s National Centre for Biomolecular Research within the Faculty of Science and is also head of research team at the Faculty of Medicine. The team specialises in the study of mechanisms of protection of replication of DNA during cell division. Mutations in these processes result in genome instability and they lead to a variety of illnesses, including cancer.
“EMBO membership is an acknowledgement of the work of the entire team and our contribution to the scientific community, especially through the open laboratory Bioskop and the prestigious Mendel Lectures,” Krejčí commented on his membership.
EMBO will formally welcome its new members at a meeting held in Heidelberg on from 29 October to 1 November 2024.
Eight EMBO members are members of the MUNI community: Mary O´Connell (since 2017), Štěpánka Vaňáčová and director of the CEITEC consortium Pavel Tomančák (since 2018), Karel Říha (since 2020), Jiří Fajkus (since 2021), Šárka Pospíšilová (since 2022) and Dalibor Blažek (since 2023). In total, eighteen EMBO members currently work in the Czech Republic.