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UCL cancer researcher receives funding boost via EMBO Young Investigator scheme
17 December 2024
A UCL academic based at the Cancer Institute has been chosen as a European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Young Investigator, a programme that supports young science group leaders in Europe and beyond.
Dr Simone Zaccaria (UCL Cancer Institute) is one of 27 young scientists carrying out research across a wide range of life sciences topics from cell and computational biology to immunology and neuroscience. Dr Zaccaria was recognised for his work investigating metastatic cancer evolution at single-cell whole-genome resolution.
Starting in January, the new selectees will be a part of the programme for four years and join an international network of almost 800 current and former EMBO Young Investigators, Installation Grantees and Global Investigators.
Dr Zaccaria is group leader at the Computational Cancer Genomics Research Group within UCL’s Cancer Institute. His group primarily focuses on the development of computational methods to analyse tumour sequencing data for investigating different cancer evolutionary processes.
Networking opportunities for selectees and their lab members are a key part of the EMBO Young Investigators programme. Alongside this is an award of 15,000 euros, training in laboratory leadership and responsible conduct of research, access to core facilities at EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany, and mentoring by EMBO Members.
Dr Simone Zaccaria said: “As a new member of the EMBO Young Investigator Programme, I am thrilled to join a network of outstanding scientists pushing the boundaries of life sciences research. The programme’s support, from funding and training to networking opportunities, is invaluable for advancing innovative research and fostering meaningful collaborations across disciplines.
“This membership will provide crucial resources and connections to accelerate the development of our group’s research into computational approaches for understanding cancer evolution.”
Of the 27 new EMBO Young Investigators, 14 are female (52%) and 13 are male (48%). They are based in 10 member states of the EMBC, the intergovernmental organisation that funds the EMBO Programmes, and Japan. In total, the programme received 207 eligible applications, and the success rate was 13%
EMBO Director Fiona Watt said: “EMBO welcomes the new young investigators, a group of exceptional scientists who represent innovation and excellence in their fields. The multidisciplinary EMBO Young Investigator Network that they will join generates many opportunities for forming connections. We are delighted to support this next generation of scientific leaders and the collaborations they will form."