Two Imperial scientists elected as EMBO members

Imperial’s Professor Faith Osier and Dr Julien Vermot have been elected as members of EMBO.

The Imperial scientists were among the 69 elected this year as members and associate members of EMBO, an organisation of leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond.

This year’s new members were recognised for contributions spanning the spectrum of life science research, including work that has demystified the immune system, advanced understanding of our senses and facilitated innovative approaches to vaccine development.

They join a community of more than 2,000 leading life science experts and take their place alongside 91 Nobel laureates who have been elected to EMBO Membership.

Fiona Watt, EMBO Director said: ‘These remarkable scientists have unravelled molecular secrets of life, deepened our understanding of health and disease, and are paving the way for further discoveries and innovations. Their achievements reinforce the critical role that life science research plays in the lives of citizens across Europe and the world.’

Professor Faith Osier

Professor Osier works within the Department of Life Sciences. Her vision is to “Make Malaria History” through vaccination. She has previously led two core teams of over 25 scientists across the KEMRI–Wellcome Trust Research Program in Kenya and Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany. The projects focused on creating highly effective malaria vaccines through vaccine candidate discovery, identifying immune correlates of protection and unravelling important mechanisms underlying antibody-dependent protection.

"What an absolute honour! I am so pleased to be elected as a Member of EMBO and to support its mission to promote excellence in the Life Sciences in Europe and beyond". Professor Faith Osier

Her team designed an innovative custom protein microarray KILchip©, a first of its kind in Africa. They also built a SMART network of partners that enabled the assembly of 10,000 samples from across Africa to probe KILchip, the largest study of this nature.

Professor Osier said: ‘What an absolute honour! I am so pleased to be elected as a Member of EMBO and to support its mission to promote excellence in the Life Sciences in Europe and beyond.  Science changes the world - science impacts lives. I am thrilled to be part of this outstanding community’.

Dr Julien Vermot

Dr Vermot, from the Department of Bioengineering, is a developmental biologist interested in the impact of mechanical forces in the process of morphogenesis. He is recognized in the field for his contributions in understanding how cells respond to mechanical forces during the processes of cardiogenesis. His work focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which physical forces regulate gene expression and cell shape in the developing cardiovascular system.

"Becoming an EMBO member is really special for me. EMBO has promoted developmental biology since it was created and has been instrumental in creating scientific bonds all over Europe". Dr Julien Vermot

The work is expected to provide key insights into the cellular and molecular processes leading to congenital cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Vermot said: ‘Becoming an EMBO member is really special for me. EMBO has promoted developmental biology since it was created and has been instrumental in creating scientific bonds all over Europe. With this membership, my goal will be to promote exchanges with other countries such as Japan and Australia. I also plan to work on increasing equality and diversity in our field of research’.