1 December 2020

Julien Duxin and Nicholas Taylor join EMBO Young Investigator Programme

EMBO YIP

The prestigious EMBO Young Investigator Programme just accepted two of CPRs talented group leaders. They both look forward to exchanging ideas with other leading young researchers across Europe.

Nicholas Taylor and Julien Duxin
Nicholas Taylor (photo: Simon Skipper) and Julien Duxin (photo: Christian Aran)

Setting up your own lab and running a successful research group for the first time can be a daunting task for any young researcher. So getting recognition for the path you’ve chosen and receiving support to develop as a principal investigator is important. Julien Duxin and Nicholas Taylor have gotten just that as they have been selected as young investigators by the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). The programme supports some of the best young researchers in the life sciences.

Recognition of research relevance

For Julien Duxin it is a much appreciated recognition that his lab going in the right direction:

“Becoming an EMBO Young Investigator after four years of running the lab is the first hint that the lab is investigating relevant questions that will hopefully contribute to and impact the field,” he says. Duxin’s group works with protein extracts from the eggs of the African clawed frog to understand how DNA lesions induced by commonly used chemotherapeutics are repaired. They thereby hope to provide new opportunities to improve cancer treatment in the clinic.

Part of a strong European network

Nicholas Taylor’s group work in a different field of protein research studying how different molecules are transferred across the membranes of cells. For him the Young Investigator Programme is a great opportunity to stay connected across Europe:

“It is a great honour to be part of this prestigious programme. I have moved a lot between different European countries during my training, which helped my development on the scientific and personal level. It is nice to keep some of this spirit in the form of this membership, both for myself as well as for the members of my research group,” Nicholas Taylor says.

Both Julien Duxin and Nicholas Taylor agree that the Young Investigator Programme is a great chance for their groups to be part of a strong network of leading young researchers across Europe.

“Being part of this community will allow my group to communicate and exchange ideas with some of the best emerging laboratories in Europe. This will inevitably fine tune and direct our research in identifying the most relevant questions to tackle in the future,” Julien Duxin underlines.

About EMBO Young Investigator Programme

EMBO Young Investigators are under the age of 40, within their first four years of being principal investigators, and have a proven record of scientific excellence. They receive financial and practical support for a period of four years to help them develop skills and connections that will help them during this career stage.

Read more here.

Next generation of leading life scientists

Taylor and Duxin are 2 out of 30 elected young investigators. They will receive financial and practical support for a period of four years, starting in January 2021.

“We are delighted to welcome the new Young Investigators to the EMBO community and look forward to support them in leading and further developing their independent laboratories,” says EMBO Director Maria Leptin in a press release. “These 30 life scientists have demonstrated scientific excellence and are among the next generation of leading life scientists. Their participation in the EMBO Young Investigator Programme will help them in this critical phase of their careers.”