Martin Pilhofer, NOMIS Professor of Cryo-Electron Microscopy at ETH Zurich, has been elected member of EMBO, an organization of leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. EMBO members are recognized for their outstanding achievements in the life sciences.
Sixty new EMBO Members and nine EMBO Associate Members have been elected to the EMBO Membership in recognition of their outstanding achievements. They have demonstrated research excellence in their fields, ranging from RNA to plant biology, and from epidemiology to molecular medicine. Through this lifelong honour, new members become part of a community of more than 2,100 life scientists across Europe and around the world.
EMBO Director Fiona Watt says: “A major strength of EMBO lies in the excellence and dedication of its members. Science thrives on global collaboration, and the annual election of the new EMBO Members and Associate Members brings fresh energy and inspiration to our community. We are honoured to welcome this remarkable group of scientists to the EMBO Membership. Their ideas and contributions will enrich the organization and help advance the life sciences internationally.”
Martin Pilhofer
Microbes interact with other cells in most ecological settings. Martin Pilhofer and his lab study macromolecular machines mediating cell-cell interactions, with a focus on mechanism, structure and evolution. The group integrates information from the molecular to the cellular and intercellular scale, by combining cryo-electron tomography with other imaging methods and functional assays. The lab’s main topics are ‘Contractile Injection Systems’ and ‘Asgard archaea’.
EMBO
The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) was founded in 1964 and is a membership organization. Its members help shape the future direction of life sciences by actively participating in EMBO initiatives. They serve on EMBO Council and Committees, editorial boards of EMBO Press journals, and review funding applications. Each year, new members are selected through nomination and election by the existing EMBO Membership. The process ensures the representation of diverse research fields responds to emerging trends.
The 60 new EMBO Members in 2025 are based in 18 member states of the EMBC, the intergovernmental organization that funds the main EMBO Programmes and activities. The nine new EMBO Associate Members are based in six countries outside Europe. In total, 29 (42%) of the new members are women and 40 (58%) are men.
The new members will be formally welcomed at the next EMBO Members’ Meeting in Heidelberg, Germany, on 22-24 October 2025.
Read the EMBO release: Outstanding life scientists elected to the EMBO Membership
Read the ETH Zurich release: Wolf-Dietrich Hardt and Martin Pilhofer elected EMBO member
