In two sessions per year, the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) meets to review funding of EMBO programmes and activities. Contributions from the 27 EMBC Member States provide the majority of EMBO finances. More than 30 delegates and advisers from the member states met in Heidelberg on 19 November 2007 and were joined by EMBO management and representatives from EMBO Council.

Peter Weisbeek from the Department of Biology at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, was elected as EMBC President, effective January 2008. Krešimir Pavelic (Croatia) was re-elected Vice-President for a fourth year and Claudio Sunkel (Portugal) was elected Vice-President for the first time.

Isabella Beretta from Switzerland was re-appointed EMBC Secretary General. Other elections included Maria José Almeida (Portugal) and Paula Heppner (Germany) as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively of the Financial Advisory Committee and the Audit Committee.

Outgoing president, Marja Makarov, closed the meeting summarising her four-year term in office. She highlighted the three new member states during the period – Estonia, Luxembourg and Slovak Republic – and the introduction of EMBO Installation Grants that are funded by participating EMBC Member States. She congratulated the member states on the exemplary collaboration between the scientific and political delegates representing their countries.

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