EMERALD (European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Nencki Research Alliance for Life Discoveries) is a strategic project implemented by the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, commissioned by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. Its aim is to strengthen ties between the largest European organization conducting molecular biology research – EMBL – and the Polish biological sciences community, as well as to support new collaborations.

EMBL, or the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, often compared to the scientific equivalent of CERN in the field of molecular biology, is an international research organization comprising European countries. Its mission is to conduct fundamental research in molecular biology and to develop biomedical technologies and novel scientific methods. EMBL is a centre of excellence that shapes the future of life sciences in Europe and globally.

Through the Nencki Institute, the EMERALD project offers, among other things, scholarships for researchers working in Poland to visit EMBL research laboratories and core facilities for the purpose of conducting research or establishing collaborations. It also supports active participation in international conferences organized by EMBL and EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization). The project additionally funds grants for foreign EMBL scientists to collaborate with Polish institutions and provides opportunities for co-financing scientific symposia in Poland when EMBL researchers are among the speakers.

The overarching goal of the EMERALD project is to increase the participation of Polish scientists in the advancement of global research in molecular biology and biomedical sciences by deepening the exchange of experience and ideas within the European scientific community, thereby enhancing Europe’s potential to achieve ground-breaking discoveries in the life sciences.