EMBO election career highlight for fly researcher

Irene Miguel-Aliaga has been elected as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) in recognition of her high quality research.

Professor Miguel-Aliaga is one of 65 new members who will join more than 1,700 of "the best researchers in Europe and around the world”, according to EMBO.

“This is a highlight of my career and I’m really pleased. It’s a community vote of recognition on my laboratory’s research from across the whole EMBO community,” said Professor Miguel-Aliaga, who was nominated by a fellow researcher then voted in by current members. “Everyone in my laboratory, past and present, should be proud because this represents all of their contributions throughout the years.” 

Professor Miguel-Aliaga leads the Gut Signalling and Metabolism group at Imperial's MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS). The group uses fruit flies to explore how our brains and guts communicate.

The group's research highlights to date include a study published in Nature on how organs in our body may have a sexual identity of their own. A second key study from the team focused on how the intestine grows and changes how it handles fat during reproduction, which could help to explain why women do not need to "eat for two" during pregnancy.

“Election to the EMBO Membership is recognition of research excellence, and I am pleased to welcome so many great scientists to our organisation,” says Professor Maria Leptin, Director of EMBO. “We received more nominations than ever before during this election cycle, which pays tribute to the strength and diversity of the European life sciences.”

A female fly stores fat (orange) and expands it gut (blue) to fuel its many eggs (pink) as they grow, shows research by Miguel-Aliaga and team. (Paola Cognigni, with MRC LMS)

In the latest batch of new members to EMBO, 40% were women. The average age of a new member is 50, making Professor Miguel-Aliaga one of the youngest elected. She explains how a laboratory can be like a "building site" and how she nurtures difference to improve her science, in an interview with Current Biology, published in May. 

The election builds on the support that Professor Miguel-Aliaga received earlier in her career when she was elected to the EMBO Young Investigators Programme. According to EMBO, this aims to help young scientists to advance their research, promote their reputation internationally and ensure their mobility. Professor Miguel-Aliaga will be formally welcomed as a member at the EMBO Members’ Meeting in Heidelberg, Germany in October.

This article is adapted from materials provided by the MRC LMS.