Edith Heard

Edith Heard is a Professor at Collège de France and Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) from January 2019 to April 2025. She holds a BA from the University of Cambridge (1986) and a PhD from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory (1990). Her career includes roles as a postdoctoral researcher and CNRS scientist at the Institut Pasteur, Group Leader and Director of the Genetics and Developmental Biology Unit at Institut Curie, and Group Leader at EMBL since 2019. She has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award and the CNRS Gold Medal. Her research focuses on epigenetic processes, X chromosome inactivation, and genome organization, particularly topological domains (TADs). She also explores epigenetic mechanisms in cancer.

• Education:
• BA, 1986, University of Cambridge, UK
• PhD, 1990, Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory, London, UK
• Awards:
• 2019 Hansen Family Award
• 2020 L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science International Award
• 2024 CNRS Gold Medal
• Research Themes:
• X Chromosome Inactivation
• Epigenetic Memory
• Genome Organization (TADs)
• Cancer Epigenetics
• Leadership Roles:
• Director General, EMBL (2019–2025)
• Chair of Epigenetics and Cellular Memory, Collège de France (2012–present)