The Babraham Institute receives strategic funding from the BBSRC
The Babraham Institute receives strategic funding from the BBSRC
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Dr Len Stephens has been elected to the membership of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), an honour recognising world-leading research and leadership in their field. EMBO Members represent a high-profile cross section of researchers in Europe from all fields of molecular life sciences ranging from developmental biology, genomics, molecular medicine, neuroscience and plant biology to systems biology.
“We welcome this illustrious group of researchers to EMBO membership. Their individual contributions have significantly advanced the molecular life sciences,” said Hermann Bujard, EMBO Director. “As EMBO Members, they will participate in the organisation’s numerous activities that foster talented scientists to contribute knowledge to address the challenges of a changing world.”
Dr Stephens is investigating how cells communicate, in particular intracellular signalling networks involving molecules called phosphoinositide 3OH-kinases (PI3Ks). PI3Ks are now recognised to be key regulators of several important and complex cell responses; they are one of the main control centres in the cell, directing messages and telling the cell to grow, divide, move, modulate its metabolism, or to kill an invading pathogen for example. PI3Ks catalyse the formation of one or more critical phospholipid ‘messenger molecules’, which signal information telling the cell what to do by binding to specific parts of target proteins.
Neutrophils are key players in the front line of our immune system, responsible primarily for recognising and destroying bacterial and fungal pathogens. However, they are also involved in the biochemistry behind various inflammatory pathologies like Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years, Len’s team have been increasingly focused on understanding the role of PI3Ks in the signalling mechanisms behind such immune responses, providing insights for new therapeutic strategies.
Dr Stephen’s research is supported by grants from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Wellcome Trust, the British Lung Foundation and the Medical Research Council.
Contact details:
Dr Claire Cockcroft
Head, External Relations
Email: claire.cockcroft@babraham.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496260
Fax: +44 (0)1223 496002
Mobile: +44 (0)7786 335978
The Babraham Institute
Babraham Research Campus
Cambridge, CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
http://www.babraham.ac.uk
Notes for Editors:
The Babraham Institute is a charitable organisation devoted to biomedical research and is an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The Institute’s research is focused on understanding the biological events that underlie the normal functions of cells and on how their failure or abnormality may lead to disease. As such, Institute scientists are striving to find cures for conditions where there is currently no treatment or where the existing treatment is not fully effective or causes serious side effects. The latest technologies are being used to study the basis of conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, birth defects, cancer and diseases of the immune and cardiovascular systems. With a strategic focus on ‘healthy ageing’, novel approaches for tackling chronic diseases and public health concerns like obesity are being discovered. The Institute’s innovative research is commercialised through Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT) Ltd, which also manages Babraham’s vibrant Bioincubator on the Babraham Research Campus, six miles south-east of Cambridge. Website: www.babraham.ac.uk
About EMBO:
The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) promotes excellence in molecular life sciences in Europe by recognising and fostering talented scientists. Since 1964, leading scientists are elected annually to become EMBO Members based on proven excellence in research. Members number more than 1300 today. Forty-eight scientists from the EMBO membership have received the Nobel Prize. More than half of the EMBO Members are involved in guiding the execution of the many EMBO initiatives offered to life scientists and significantly impact the direction of European life sciences. Membership is a life-long honour with new members nominated and elected annually by existing members.
EMBO funding, training and networking activities impact thousands of scientists every year, promoting collaboration in all areas of molecular biology – within its 27 member states, in Europe and neighbouring countries, and worldwide. EMBO is funded predominantly by the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), an intergovernmental organisation comprising 27 member states. Together with EMBO, EMBC promotes a strong pan-European approach to research and its membership includes most European Union states as well as some neighbouring countries.
For more information: www.embo.org
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