image: The award recognizes her pioneering research on the mechanisms of dosage compensation and epigenetic regulation, and her commitment to gender equality in science
Credit: MPI of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg
30 July 2024 – EMBO and FEBS announce Asifa Akhtar as the recipient of the 2025 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award. She receives the award for her groundbreaking research on the mechanisms of dosage compensation of the male X chromosome in fruit flies and mammals, of chromosome-wide gene regulation by non-coding RNAs in Drosophila, and the protection of mammalian cells from damaged RNA. The award also acknowledges Akhtar’s commitment to gender equality and equal opportunities in science.
“Asifa Akhtar is an international leader and a pioneer in the field of epigenetic regulation. Research conducted in her lab over the last two decades has revealed principles governing how epigenetic mechanisms, especially histone acetylation and long non-coding RNAs, are able to fine-tune transcription to the specific needs of a particular cell,” comments EMBO Member Nikolaus Pfanner, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Freiburg, Germany. “Her dedication to both her scientific pursuits and her advocacy for greater inclusivity are truly inspiring,” he adds.
The FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award recognizes female scientists not only for major and recent achievements in the life sciences made in Europe, but also for being an inspiring role model for women in science. “I congratulate Asifa Akhtar on the award. It highlights her engagement in gender equality as the first female vice president of the Max Planck Society and as chair of the presidential committee on equal opportunity and diversity. Her public engagement in gender equality both in Germany and Pakistan is exceptional and underpinned by her successful mentorship of students and future group leaders,” says Caroline Dean, chair of the FEBS Women in Science working group.
The award will be presented to Akhtar at the 49th FEBS Congress in Istanbul, Türkiye, 5–9 July 2025, where she will give the award lecture.
Asifa Akhtar is Vice President of the Max Planck Society’s Biology and Medicine section, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, Germany, and an Honorary Professor at the Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg. She was a group leader at EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany, and a postdoctoral research scientist at the Adolf Butenandt Institute, Munich, Germany, and EMBL. She received her PhD from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK, and a Bachelor’s degree from University College London. Her honours include the International Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2023) and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2021). Asifa Akhtar is an elected member of the Leopoldina German National Academy of Sciences and EMBO.
About the FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award
The Women in Science Award is a joint initiative of FEBS and EMBO. It recognizes and highlights major contributions by female scientists working in Europe to life sciences research in the past five years. The awardee receives a prize of 10,000 euros as well as a bronze statuette and gives a plenary lecture at the FEBS Congress.
Nominations for the FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award 2026 close on 15 May 2025.
For more information:
www.embo.org/the-embo-communities/febsembo-women-in-science-awardees/
https://www.febs.org/other-activities/prizes/febs-embo-women-in-science-award/
About FEBS
The Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) is one of Europe’s largest organizations in the molecular life sciences, with over 30,000 members across 39 biochemistry and molecular biology societies (its 'Constituent Societies') in different countries of Europe and neighbouring regions. As a grass-roots organization FEBS thereby provides a voice to a large part of the academic research and teaching community in Europe and beyond.
As a charitable academic organization, FEBS promotes and supports biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, molecular biophysics and related research areas through its journals, congress, advanced courses, fellowships and other initiatives. There is an emphasis in many programmes on scientific exchange and cooperation between scientists working in different countries, and on promotion of the training of early-career scientists. For more information: www.febs.org
About EMBO
EMBO is an organization of more than 2,100 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a research environment where scientists can achieve their best work.
EMBO helps young scientists to advance their research, promote their international reputations and ensure their mobility. Courses, workshops, lectures and EMBO Press publications disseminate the latest research and offer training in techniques to maintain high standards of excellence in research practice. EMBO helps to shape science policy by seeking input and feedback from our communities and by following closely the trends in science. For more information: www.embo.org