News Release

Geneviève Almouzni to receive the 2013 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award

Grant and Award Announcement

EMBO

5 February 2013 – EMBO and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) announce Geneviève Almouzni, deputy director of the Institut Curie in Paris, France, as the winner of the 2013 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award.

Professor Almouzni has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to research in the area of histones and chromatin, her engagement in promoting epigenetics in Europe, and her active role in mentoring female scientists.

The FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award rewards the exceptional achievements of a female researcher in molecular biology over the previous five years. Winners of the award are role models who inspire future generations of women in science.

Almouzni has investigated the basic mechanisms involved in chromatin assembly from the nucleosome to higher order structures such as those found in heterochromatin domains. The dynamics of this organization in the context of cell cycle, development as well as genotoxic stresses have been central to her research. "Her work has greatly extended our understanding of chromatin assembly and DNA repair," said Sir John Gurdon, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, who worked with the award winner on examining aspects of nuclear reprogramming involving histone variants.

"It is a great honor for all scientists who work in the field of chromatin and epigenetics, particularly for all women in science," said the award winner upon hearing of her distinction.

The French scientist has been an inspiring mentor and motivator for other women in science throughout her career at the Institut Curie. She is also highly engaged with the European scientific community as the coordinator and member of international projects such as the FP6 Epigenome Network of Excellence and the FP7 European Network of Excellence EpiGeneSys. Her publishing record encompasses more than 160 papers and she sits on numerous committees and editorial boards including the advisory editorial board of The EMBO Journal. "Her capacity to succeed at all levels and still have the time and energy for others is admirable," stated her colleague Edith Heard, Research Unit director at the Institut Curie.

The 2013 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award of 10,000 euros will be presented to Geneviève Almouzni on 9 July at the FEBS Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she will give a special lecture. Nominations for the 2014 FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award close on 15 October 2013. For more information, please visit: http://www.embo.org/policy-and-society/women-in-science/women-in-science-award.html or http://www.febs.org/women-award.

Biosketch

Geneviève Almouzni studied biology at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. She completed her PhD at the University of Paris 6 and started her professional career in the laboratory of Marcel Méchali, where she managed to identify critical molecular mechanisms regulating DNA replication and chromatin assembly. After completing a CNRS research assistant position in 1991, she moved to the lab of Alan Wolffe, a scientist who turned the chromatin field into a mainstream research subject. In 1994, Geneviève Almouzni was awarded a junior investigator grant of the CNRS and started as a junior group leader at the Institut Curie.

She has held appointments as head of research unit and deputy director of the Institut Curie. The French scientist received the silver medal of the CNRS and became a member of the scientific advisory board of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Panel Member of the European Research Council (ERC). Recently, she received an ERC Advanced Investigator grant and obtained a Laboratory of Excellence grant from the French Ministry of Research. She has served as elected member of the EMBO Council since 2011.

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Contact Geneviève Almouzni

Céline Giustrant / Catherine Goupillon-Senghor
Press Office Institut Curie
Phone +33 (0) 156 245 523 / 524
service.presse@curie.fr

Contact EMBO

Barry Whyte, Head, EMBO Public Relations & Communications
Phone +49 (0) 6221 8891 108
communications@embo.org


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