An incredible week at EMBO Dendrites 2026 has come to an end! Hosting this amazing group of neuroscientists in Heraklion was an absolute pleasure. It was the perfect mix of excellent science, collegiality & fun, sparking exciting new collaborations. Thanks to everyone who joined us! 🧠✨

New insights into cancer therapy resistance: A News & Views article in @natcellbio.nature.com by Nektarios Tavernarakis highlights work by Hoslett et al. showing that cancer cells can evade PARP inhibitors by removing trapped PARP1 through nucleophagy.

This week, IMBB representatives joined the #EULIFE2026 meeting. Three days full of interesting discussions, interactions with working groups & exchanging ideas with colleagues from our partner institutes across Europe. Many thanks to @eu-life.bsky.social & our amazing hosts @nkinl.bsky.social.

That’s a wrap for #EULIFE2026 in Amsterdam 🌷 So much energy and openness across the EU-LIFE community leaves us inspired, aligned and ready for what’s next. A huge thanks to @nkinl.bsky.social for the warm hosting and to everyone who made this meeting special. Already excited for #EULIFE2027! 🚀

📍 The #EULIFE2026 Community Meeting is underway in Amsterdam! Hosted by @nkinl.bsky.social, we kicked off with welcomes from Thijn Brummelkamp and updates from EU-LIFE Chair Marta Miączyńska & Executive Director Marta Agostinho. Looking forward to inspiring exchanges!

📘 We are excited to announce that the new Biennial Report of IMBB is now available online! 🎉 Discover the latest highlights from IMBB. The report reflects IMBB’s continued commitment to excellence and impactful research in life sciences. 📖 Read the full report here: imbb.forth.gr/files/imbb/I...

👏 Congratulations to Amalia Anthousi for successfully defending her Ph.D. thesis: "Functional characterization of insecticide resistance mechanisms in agricultural pests and vectors of diseases using CRISPR/Cas9 genome modifications". She was supervised by John Vontas, Director of IMBB-FORTH.

Congrats 👏 to the team!

Nobel Laureate Svante Pääbo for the Kafatos Lecture 2026 IMBB, FORTH | October 9, 2026 The Kafatos Lecture returns in 2026 with a very special edition. Organized by EMBL, the Lecture honors the legacy of the distinguished Greek biologist Fotis Kafatos, founding Director of IMBB.

We are highlighting voices from EU-LIFE member institutes that embody the alliance's priorities. Today, we showcase #Cooperation with John Vontas, Director of @imbb-forth.bsky.social in #Crete ➡️ www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... #WeAreEULIFE

📢 What does it take to strengthen research excellence in Europe today? The EU-LIFE Annual Report 2025 shows how collaboration is part of the answer. A huge thanks to the +150 EU-LIFErs who make this community so active, generous and forward-looking! 📘 Read the full report here: bit.ly/3PKMeEp

👏 👏 Congratulations to Nektarios Tavernarakis, Professor of Medical School / University of Crete, Research Director at IMBB of @forth-ite.bsky.social and former President of the Board of Directors of FORTH for his election as a member of The Academy of Geroscience.

🔬 Researchers @forth-ite.bsky.social developed NEXT-FRET, a method that observes single proteins fold in near-native conditions and reveals short-lived states missed by conventional analyses for decades. The @pnas.org study unites IMBB, IESL and IACM expertise, supported by a FORTH Synergy Grant.

IMBB at @forth-ite.bsky.social is a proud member of the @eu-life.bsky.social alliance. This month, we are excited to see the story of our Director, John Vontas. His story underscores the importance of cooperation as a driving force behind meaningful scientific progress. #Cooperation #WeAreEULIFE

🚀 The first IMBB Data Analysis Workshop successfully wrapped up! Over two weeks, participants explored 🐍 Python, 📊 data analysis, and 🧬 computational biology through hands-on sessions on RNA-seq, single-cell analysis, ATAC-seq, and more — all in a beginner-friendly environment.

🌱🌍 International Day of Plant Health 🔬The Microbiology & Plant Biotechnology group at @imbb-forth.bsky.social, led by Prof. Panagiotis F.Sarris, promotes sustainable, non-chemical solutions to protect the “producers of our food”-plants. More 👉 bit.ly/4wnp1Zl #SustainableScience #ScienceForSociety

📝𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬 Nektarios Tavernarakis, Professor at the Medical School of the University of Crete, Research Director at @imbb-forth.bsky.social and Distinguished Member of FORTH, currently serves as President of the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC).

Malaria remains a major cause of mortality worldwide, with more than 610,000 deaths reported in 2024. 🔬 The Molecular Entomology & Pest Management Lab @imbb-forth.bsky.social (www.vontaslab.gr) contributes to malaria prevention by studying the mosquito that transmits the disease. 👉 bit.ly/4u9n4Oq

Interview of Nektarios Tavernarakis, current President of the European Molecular Biology Conference on building the conditions for excellence in life sciences.

🚀 EthoPy: a new open-source, high-throughput framework for behavioral neuroscience. Developed at IMBB-FORTH, EthoPy automates the full experimental workflow (task design,stimulus presentation, equipment control,data recording) making behavioral experiments more reproducible, scalable, & efficient.

We are highlighting voices from EU-LIFE member institutes that embody the alliance's priorities. Today, we showcase #Mission with Elisabeth Widén, Vice Director of @fimm-uh.bsky.social in #Helsinki ➡️ www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... #WeAreEULIFE

Honoring the legacy of Professor Fotis C. Kafatos 🧬 On the 86th anniversary of his birth in Crete, IMBB remembers its first Director, an internationally renowned scientist whose pioneering work advanced insect biology & malaria research. #FotisKafatos #IMBB #FORTH #ScientificLegacy #EMBL #ERC

🌸✨Happy Easter from IMMB FORTH✨

We are highlighting voices from EU-LIFE member institutes that embody the alliance's priorities. Today, we showcase #Excellence with Della David, Group Leader at the @babrahaminst.bsky.social in #Cambridge ⬇️ #WeAreEULIFE

🔬 X-linked protein SMC1A drives inflammatory gene activity in lupus monocytes—especially in women—shedding light on sex differences in SLE and pointing to new chromatin-based therapies. #SLE #Epigenetics #Immunology www.imbb.forth.gr/en/news/show...

👏Congrats to Sirago Spanou for successfully defending her Ph.D. thesis with the title "The Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein (PML) Regulates Neural Stem Cell Physiology and confers Neuroprotection in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology". #PhD, #phddefense, #Doctorate, #academia, #IMBB

We’re excited to welcome Dimitrios Tzeranis, Assistant Professor at the University of Crete, as a collaborating faculty member at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB). #IMBB #FORTH #Biomaterials #RegenerativeMedicine #Neurotechnology

Don't miss our new series of posts highlighting voices from @eu-life.bsky.social member institutes and showcasing how they embody the alliance's priorities. #WeAreEULIFE

🔬🧬 An interdisciplinary team of scientists from @imbb-forth.bsky.social (aDNA Lab IMBB-FORTH) in collaboration with experts from multiple scientific fields, has shed new light 🔍on one of antiquity’s most captivating chapters: Ancient Greek colonization. #AncientDNA 👉 www.forth.gr/en/news/show...

👏Warm congratulations to Ioannis Vontas, Professor at the Agricultural University of Athens, on his re-election as Director of @imbb-forth.bsky.social! Wishing him every success in this important new role and a highly productive term ahead! 🎉 👉 www.forth.gr/en/news/show...

Warm Congratulations 👏 to Prof.Nektarios Tavernarakis, Research Director @imbb-forth.bsky.social! 🏅FEBS Datta Medal is one of the 3 top awards conferred by FEBS to distinguished senior scientists,for outstanding achievements in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology or related sciences. ➡️ bit.ly/4bZlVTM

IMBB General Assembly & New Year’s cake cutting 🎉 Director G. Vontas presented the Institute’s achievements and goals for 2026, and L. Spanos was honored for his valuable contribution 👏 📅 Jan 27, 2026 #IMBB #GeneralAssembly #NewYearEvent #Goals2026 #HonoringExcellence

🔬👩‍🔬The research group headed by Prof.Ioanna Keklikoglou at @imbb-forth.bsky.social actively contributes towards the research development & promotion of scientific knowledge on #cancer. 👉 bit.ly/WorldCancerD... #CancerAwareness #CancerResearch #ScienceForSociety #MedicalResearch #HFRI #IMBB #UOC

📣 Kafatos Lecture 2026 | Heraklion, Crete 🎙️ Nobel Laureate Svante Pääbo (Physiology/Medicine 2022) 🧬 How Neanderthal DNA shapes modern human biology & health 📅 09/10/2026 | 📍 IMBB– @forth-ite.bsky.social 🔗 Info & registration: @embl.org #KafatosLecture #EMBL #SvantePaabo #Genomics #Evolution

IMBB hosted the INCLUDE consortium in Heraklion (14–15 Jan 2026) for a Study Visit on gender equality & intersectionality in biomedical research. #INCLUDE #GenderEquality #EuropeanResearch #INCLUDE #GenderEquality #Intersectionality #EuropeanResearch

Congratulations to the team ! 👏 @imbb-forth.bsky.social

🟢𝐓𝐰𝐨-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬: “𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬: 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡” @imbb-forth.bsky.social

We are highlighting voices from EU-LIFE member institutes that embody the alliance's priorities. Today, we showcase #Technology with Kateřina Hošková, Secretary for Research Infrastructure @ceitec.eu @masarykuniversity.bsky.social ⬇️ #WeAreEULIFE

🔬 Scientists @imbb-forth.bsky.social & the University of Crete, together with collaborators from Greece, Europe, the USA & India,have discovered a novel role of #albumin🧬 in protecting against a rare & often deadly fungal infection called mucormycosis. 🔗 bit.ly/newsforth @natureportfolio.nature.com

Congrats to the team!!

🔬 IMBB SAC Visit | 7–9 Jan 2026 The IMBB Science Advisory Committee visited for external evaluation, meeting with the Director, group leaders, students, and postdocs. Their report will guide future planning. #IMBB #LifeSciences #IMBB #ScienceAdvisoryCommittee #ResearchExcellence #AcademicLeaders

👏Congrats to the new Chair and Co-Chair of EU-LIFE!!

✨May the holiday season bring joy, warmth, and new opportunities. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year from IMBB-FORTH!” #IMBB, #Christmastime, #Wishes, #MerryChristmas #HappyHolidays, #SeasonGreetings, #HappyNewYear2026, #HolidaySeason, #NewBeginnings

📢 New #Publication🧬 We're excited to share our latest scientific contribution addressing one of today's most pressing environmental health challenges: #Tick_borne challenges in a changing climate – risks and mitigation strategies. 🔗Read more: tinyurl.com/2a96svsu @imbb-forth.bsky.social

🌟 The highlight of the 22nd #ChristmasMeeting_IN is the keynote lecture by Panayiota Poirazi @yiotapoirazi.bsky.social from @imbb-forth.bsky.social 🇬🇷. She presents groundbreaking research on learning with dendrites in brains and machines, bridging neuroscience and computation 👏

👏Congrats to the team!!!

EU-LIFE Strategy Meeting 2025 wrapped up in #Basel with strong support, constructive exchanges and a very positive atmosphere. A big thanks to the @fmiscience.bsky.social team for fostering a welcoming environment for productive, forward-looking discussions! Read more 🔗 eu-life.eu/newsroom/new...

Congrats to the team!!!

🎉 Congrats to Prof. Domna Karagogeos! 🎉 Awarded the First-Class Prize in Physical Sciences 2025 by the Academy of Athens for her groundbreaking work in Multiple Sclerosis, myelin, and glial cell research. 🧠✨ #Neuroscience #MSResearch #WomenInScience #AcademyOfAthens

🌟 Prestigious Recognition! On Nov 21, 2025, Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis received an honorary doctorate from Ionian University, marking his outstanding research and remarkable contributions to the academic and broader community. 🎓 @forth-ite.bsky.social