Anne Ephrussi

Anne Ephrussi is a distinguished researcher and leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), where she has served as Head of the Developmental Biology Unit since 2007. She also coordinated the EMBL International Center for Advanced Training (EICAT) starting in 2005 and previously served as Dean of Graduate Studies for the EMBL International PhD programme from 2005-2008. Her career at EMBL spans over three decades, beginning as a Group Leader in 1992 and progressing through increasingly significant leadership roles.

Dr. Ephrussi's educational background includes:

• PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1985)
• Postdoctoral work at Harvard University
• Postdoctoral fellowship at the Whitehead Institute, MIT

Her research focuses on fundamental mechanisms of developmental biology, particularly RNA transport and localized translation. She has made seminal contributions to understanding how mRNA localization controls embryonic patterning in Drosophila, with her work on the oskar gene representing landmark discoveries in the field. Her research integrates molecular, cellular, and genetic approaches to investigate how spatial regulation of gene expression establishes body patterns during development.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent contributions to understanding RNA localization mechanisms, with particular emphasis on Drosophila oogenesis and embryogenesis. Her work spans molecular characterization of RNA-protein interactions, cytoskeletal transport mechanisms, translational control, and the coupling of nuclear processing with cytoplasmic mRNA localization. The progression of her research shows increasing sophistication in methodology while maintaining focus on fundamental questions of developmental patterning.

Her distinguished career has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards:

• 2024 Member, German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina)
• 2015 Chevalier de la L\u00e9gion d'Honneur
• 2011 Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du M\u00e9rite
• 2010 Member of the Academia Europaea
• 2008 Elected member French Acad\u00e9mie des Sciences
• 2000 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, E.C. Slater Lecture
• 1995 Elected member European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO)

As Dean of Graduate Studies for the EMBL International PhD programme and through her leadership of the Developmental Biology Unit, Dr. Ephrussi has played a significant role in mentoring and training the next generation of scientists. Her laboratory has been consistently supported by competitive research funding, enabling her team to pursue innovative approaches to understanding developmental mechanisms. She has established EMBL as a major center for research in RNA biology and developmental genetics.

At EMBL Heidelberg, Dr. Ephrussi leads the Developmental Biology Unit, which investigates the origin, development, and evolution of organisms. Her laboratory has been instrumental in developing approaches to study mRNA localization and translational control in the context of developmental patterning, creating a vibrant research environment that attracts scientists from around the world.