Professor Dr. Virginijus Šikšnys of the Life Sciences Centre at Vilnius University has been elected Chair of the Council of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), one of Europe’s foremost international organisations in the life sciences. EMBL brings together member states to advance collaborative research in molecular biology and related disciplines.
The EMBL Council is the organisation’s highest governing body. It defines EMBL’s strategic direction, approves its budget, oversees the implementation of scientific programmes, and adopts key decisions concerning the institution’s activities. The Council is composed of representatives from all member states.
As Chair, Professor Šikšnys will preside over Council meetings, coordinate its work, and represent EMBL internationally. He succeeds Professor Peter B. Becker, who previously served as Council Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chairs are elected for one-year terms and may be re-elected for up to two consecutive terms.
About the scientist Professor Dr. Virginijus Šikšnys
Professor Virginijus Šikšnys is an internationally recognised biochemist whose research has fundamentally shaped modern genome editing. He was the first scientist to demonstrate that the CRISPR–Cas9 system can be harnessed as a programmable tool for precise DNA cutting. In early 2012, his team showed that the Cas9 enzyme, guided by RNA, can be directed to cleave specific DNA sequences, establishing the experimental foundation for contemporary genome-editing technologies. This discovery transformed a natural bacterial defence mechanism into a versatile tool that has revolutionised molecular biology, biotechnology, and medicine.
For this pioneering achievement, he shared the 2018 Kavli Prize and has received numerous other major international honours recognising his decisive contribution to the development of CRISPR-based genome editing.
Founded in 1974, EMBL operates as an intergovernmental organisation with research sites in several European countries and more than 30 member states. The organisation conducts fundamental research, develops cutting-edge scientific infrastructure, trains the next generation of scientists, and fosters international scientific collaboration.
