The Role of European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) in European Molecular Biology (1970-1983)

THE ROLE OF EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY ORGANIZATION (EMBO) AND EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONFERENCE (EMBC) IN EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (1970-1983) J. TOOZE* A BriefHistory EMBO and the EMBC have an interesting history. In 1963, a group of European molecular biologists discussed the fact that not only the initiative in molecular biology but also many of Europe's most talented young molecular biologists were moving across the Atlantic to the United States. They established an association, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), which was registered in Geneva as a nonprofit organization under Article 60 of the Swiss Civil Code. EMBO's aim was simply to promote the development and evolution of molecular biology in Europe and so attempt to regain for Europe some of the impetus and initiative that it had been progressively losing to the United States. In the mid-1960s, the EMBO set itself a series of objectives, all but one ofwhich have since been realized. They were to establish (1) a program of shortand long-term exchange fellowships, (2) a program of training courses and workshops, (3) a European laboratory of molecular biology, and (4) a program of EMBO research grants. EMBO's founding fathers believed that it was essential that these complementary activities be developed at the European, international level to ensure that the pool of talent and resources in Europe was most efficiently and effectively mobilized. The hindrances of national boundaries and the restrictions to which national funds and resources are often subject had to be circumvented if Europe as a whole was not to fall further behind the United States. * Executive Secretary, European Molecular Biology Organization, Postfach 1022.40, 69 Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.© 1986 by The University of Chicago. AU rights reserved. 003 1-5982/86/2932/$0 1 .00 S38 I/. Tooze ¦ European Molecular Biology THE VOLKSWAGEN GRANT For EMBO, the breakthrough came on December 10, 1965, when the Volkswagen Foundation awarded a grant of DM 1,748,000 (US$687,000) to cover, for an initial period of 3 years, a program of short- and long-term fellowships for advanced training and collaborative research, a program of courses and workshops, and further studies and development of the laboratory project. The Volkswagen grant was expended in 1966, 1967, and 1968 very roughly in the ratio of 1:2:4 as the programs were started and grew quite rapidly. Fellowships accounted for 73 percent of the total funds; the courses and workshops, 14 percent; studies ofthe laboratory project, 3 percent; and all administrative overhead, 10 percent. A total of 46 long-term fellowships, 140 short-term fellowships, and six senior appointments were awarded. Seventeen courses and 16 workshops were sponsored, or cosponsored with such organizations as the Federation of European Biochemical Societies, the Royal Society of London, and the Max Planck Gesellschaft. While these programs were being executed in 1966-1969, further political and science policy discussions took place, and by 1969 13 European governments were reaching the decision to establish a full-fledged intergovernmental organization, the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), to provide substantial long-term governmental support for EMBO's program. By 1970, the conference agreement had been ratified or signed by 13 governments (Austria, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom); in addition, the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique of Belgium had agreed to contribute to the conference's program. Subsequently, Finland, Ireland , and Iceland joined. The conference's role was twofold; first, it provided a secure source of funds for the General Programme, the name given to the EMBO fellowships , courses, and workshops; second, it continued in close collaboration with the EMBO to make feasibility studies of the proposal for a European molecular biology laboratory. The EMBC General Program The EMBC agreement of 1970 assured that EMBO would have funds for the fellowships, courses, and workshops for at least 5 years. The conference itself established a pattern of meeting twice each year, and with its financial support the general program expanded. In 1973, the question of renewing the agreement beyond its expiration date of April 2, 1975, was satisfactorily resolved by a decision to prolong the conferPerspectives...