Just released – the FEBS News 2025 Annual Issue

FEBS News 2025 is here, bringing together the key achievements, milestones, and stories that shaped this year across the FEBS community.

In this special issue, explore major scientific events, strategic collaborations, fellowships, education initiatives, society activities, and the vibrant contributions of early-career researchers. From global partnerships to new programmes, from the FEBS Congress in Istanbul to the Advanced Courses, from FEBS Press highlights to the work of our Committees, this issue captures the energy and progress that defined 2025.

Discover what we achieved together – and what lies ahead for 2026.

We share below a message from the FEBS Secretary General, Prof. Miguel A. De la Rosa, expressing his appreciation to the Executive Committee members completing their terms this year.

As this year comes to an end, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the FEBS Executive Committee members who are completing their terms: Caroline Dean, Irene Díaz Moreno, Jerka Dumić, Manolis Fragkoulis, Alain Krol and Piotr Laidler.

Each of you has played an important role in strengthening FEBS. Your leadership has supported key areas of our mission, from promoting young scientists and advancing scientific excellence to fostering collaboration across societies, championing research integrity, advising on Congress matters and bringing visibility to important community issues.

I would also like to acknowledge Irene and Jerka, who will continue contributing to the Executive Committee in newly elected roles. Their ongoing engagement is invaluable as FEBS moves into its next phase.

Thanks to the dedication of all of you, many initiatives have progressed and the Federation is better positioned for the coming years. On behalf of FEBS, thank you for your commitment, your generosity of time and the perspective you have brought to our work.

We are profoundly grateful for your service and hope you will remain close to FEBS in the future.

With best regards,
Miguel

In addition, the departing members offer a brief reflection on their time serving the Federation and their contributions to its mission.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all the individuals serving on the FEBS Executive Committee. They make you feel part of the FEBS family who all work hard for the benefit of young biochemists/researchers. It was a privilege reading all the nominations for the FEBS/EMBO Woman in Science prize and introducing the winners at the Congress each summer. I look forward to seeing who wins this wonderful award in future years and wish the FEBS team the greatest success in the future." 

"It was truly a great honour and pleasure for me to serve FEBS for so many years, first as Vice President and President of the Council and then as Chairman of the S&S Committee.This is not only because I am the first Greek scientist who had the good fortune to represent FEBS in such positions but also because I had the opportunity to collaborate with distinguished personalities both within the framework of the EC as well as within the framework of the S&S Committee. I am very pleased to see that FEBS’ contribution to shaping European science policy has been significant, judging by the acceptance of important positions of FEBS science policy in the European Framework Programme 9 (FP9).
My wish is to see FEBS continue its upward trend, contributing substantially to the progress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Europe and the world and helping society to understand in the right way the impressive changes that have taken place in this scientific area in recent years."

"As Chair of the Excellence Awards and Fellowships Committee, I greatly enjoyed reading the applications submitted by talented and promising young scientists before sending them to the Committee members for review. It was an exciting task that allowed me to learn about recent developments in areas beyond my own field. It was also rewarding to see how dedicated the Excellence Awardees are when volunteering to participate in Excellence Awards Meetings and FEBS Congresses.

As a member of the Executive Committee, I very much appreciated the friendly, informal and creative atmosphere that characterised our meetings. Getting to know and work with scientists from across Europe and beyond, who became good friends, has been both exhilarating and a great privilege.

FEBS must continue to pursue their goals of advancing research and education in the molecular life sciences. With the strong commitment of all those who volunteer their time and the new initiatives developed in close collaboration with partner organisations worldwide, I am confident that FEBS will continue to thrive and further enhance their global visibility."

"What I have enjoyed most and found rewarding at the same time regarding my duty as the congress counsellor was working to put together various pieces of the puzzle named FEBS congress such as: choosing the right location – country, city, congress center, combined with a local site visit that always teaches and tests our own, often imperfect, views, opinions and preconceptions, and the scientific program – for me, always the most fascinating piece of work. Also, choosing places for participants’ accommodation and overseeing all the other pieces of this complex puzzle that is the annual FEBS congress. If it goes as imagined and successfully ends, it brings a great feeling and satisfaction.

I've been fortunate to witness the great and important changes that FEBS, a large and wonderful organization devoted to development of science and education, has undergone in recent years. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary General, Professor Miguel de la Rosa, for inviting me to collaborate and giving me the opportunity to participate in these not always easy tasks. I sincerely hope that all the actions taken and still being undertaken will help, in line with the desires of all of us at EC and beyond, to make FEBS the strongest international organization supporting the development of the broadly defined life sciences! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the success of all our efforts to fulfill our dreams."

Our best wishes for the holiday season

As we reach the end of the year, we would like to extend our warmest wishes to all members of the FEBS community. Thank you for your continued engagement, collaboration and support throughout 2025.

We hope you enjoy a restful and uplifting holiday period and start the new year with renewed energy and inspiration.

We look forward to continuing our work together in 20226