The Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and the University of Heidelberg (Uni HD.
EMBO announced that the 58 new EMBO members are from 15 countries represented in the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), the intergovernmental organization that funds EMBO's major programs and activities.
"I am very pleased to receive this award and look forward to contributing to EMBO's activities to further strengthen the European research community in the field of molecular medicine," says Stefan Pfister, Director of the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Head of Department at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and pediatric oncologist at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD). Stefan Pfister's award-winning research in pediatric oncology has led to a better understanding of the classification and biology of brain tumors in children and has helped to improve diagnostics and therapy and thus, the life expectancy of these young patients.
One of the most significant findings of his research, with a direct impact on the treatment of children with cancer, is the new classification of brain tumors based on methyl groups on the DNA. This has now also been widely adopted in the World Health Organization (WHO) classifications of childhood brain tumors.
"The new EMBO Members and Associate Members are exceptional scientists conducting cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from cell biology and cancer to vaccine development and machine learning," states EMBO Director Fiona Watt. "I'm delighted to welcome them to EMBO, and I know they will enrich the life of the organization immensely."
As part of the EMBO bodies and committees, members can, for example, evaluate funding applications for research projects and review scientific publications as reviewers. Through their commitment, members contribute significantly to the promotion of modern biosciences in Europe and support young scientists in their careers. The new members are nominated and elected by the existing EMBO members. The nine new EMBO Associate Members are based in seven countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Singapore and the United States.
EMBO will officially welcome the new members at its Annual General Meeting in Heidelberg, Germany, October 26-28, 2022.
