A*STAR Scientist Wins EMBO Young Investigator Award

SINGAPORE, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Principal Investigator at the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Dr Florent Ginhoux, has been awarded the prestigious EMBO Young Investigator 2013 award. Dr Ginhoux is one of only three scientists outside of Europe to receive the EMBO YIP award since its launch in year 2000, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) said in a statement. Dr Ginhoux’s current research focuses on understanding the origin and functions of dendritic cells (DCs), a specialised group of white blood cells which are responsible for triggering immune responses. His research forms the basis of a conceptual framework that can be translated into useful clinical applications since all immune responses against infectious agents are activated and regulated by DCs. Dr Ginhoux’s study on DCs is highly significant in the design of clinical therapies, such as vaccines and immunotherapies for infections or auto-immune diseases. His excellence in the research won him the Best Paper Award at the 10th International Symposium on Dendritic Cells held in 2008. He also published several already well-cited papers in the prestigious Science and Immunity journals since he started his laboratory at SIgN in 2009. The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Young Investigator Programme (YIP) recognises young, promising researchers who are less than forty years of age and who have established their first laboratories in Europe and EMBO cooperation partner countries in the past four years. Dr Ginhoux is the second scientist in Singapore to receive the EMBO award. Dr Ginhoux will receive a financial award of 15,000 euros per year for his three years of membership. He will also receive extensive support from EMBO for networking opportunities. -- BERNAMA