VU Researcher Dr. S. Knox Jones Wins EMBO Grant

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) announced ten 2024 EMBO laboratory development grants (eng. Installation Grant) winners. Among them - and Vilnius University Scientist of the Life Sciences Center dr. Stephen Knox Jones Jr. This EMBO funding scheme provides multi-year funding to researchers from program countries to establish and develop research groups.

Dr. S. Knox Jones was awarded a grant for a project related to the development of reliable and predictable gene editing tools.

"In line with my team's overall research direction, this project will focus on finding ways to improve gene editing technologies. This project will expand and improve our ability to program the molecular machines, including CRISPR-Cas enzymes. This includes finding ways to edit genes that we are unable to right now," explains Dr. S. Knox Jones.

According to the scientist, the advantage of this funding tool is not only monetary funds, but also the opportunity to participate in the EMBO young researchers network,which is full of leading young researchers from around the world. Activities and exchange within the Network supports career and scientific development for all Dr S. Knox Jones team members.

EMBO grants are awarded to research group leaders for three to five years. 50 thousand is allocated to the recipient per year. an amount reaching EUR 10, in addition, he can apply for additional financing. euros per year. Grant winners become part of the EMBO Young Investigator Network of over 600 current and former EMBO Young Investigators, installation grantees and global researchers. The EMBO grant therefore provides not only a financial advantage, but also networking, mentoring and training opportunities, as well as access to facilities at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany.

"Compared to many other sources of research funding, EMBO programs are more flexible. Therefore, I plan to use these funds to expand existing research and explore new directions. Depending on the acquired knowledge, we will be able to easily direct these finances to the most promising areas," says the recipient of the EMBO grant.

The grantees' new research spans a wide range of biological processes, from aging, tumor biology, the gut-brain axis connection, the microbiota, to gene editing tools. The new EMBO grant recipients will establish laboratories in various European countries. In addition to Lithuania, the scientists who won the grants will establish and improve laboratories in the Czech Republic, Estonia, in Poland, Portugal and Turkey.

"We are delighted that these outstanding scientists are supported by EMBO. We are promoting excellence in the life sciences across Europe and beyond, and we hope that the new grantees will contribute to this. Their research will undoubtedly enhance the life sciences in their respective countries and enrich our scientific community," says EMBO Director Fiona Watt.

This year's grant program is supported by the Lithuanian Science Council, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, the General Secretariat for Scientific Research and Innovation of Greece, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Polish Ministry of Education and Science, the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation and the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council. Greece and Hungary joined the EMBO establishment grant scheme in 2023.

The next application deadline is 2024. April 15 Find out more about EMBO Laboratory Development Grants, including eligibility criteria and application procedures here.

EMBO is an organization of more than 1900 scientists that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The goals of the organization are to support talented scientists at all stages of their careers, to promote the exchange of scientific information and to help create a research environment that enables the best scientific results. EMBO supports young researchers in developing their research, promotes their international visibility and ensures their mobility. Courses, seminars, conferences and scientific journals disseminate information on the latest research and offer learning methods to help maintain high standards of research practice. EMBO helps shape science and research policy through community feedback and close monitoring of scientific trends in Europe. More information: www.embo.org