Dr Sam Behjati selected as an EMBO Young Investigator

Congratulations to Sanger Institute cancer researcher, Dr Sam Behjati, who has been recognised for his work on the developmental origins of cancer

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To acknowledge Dr Behjati’s outstanding contribution to cancer research, he has been selected as one of 30 European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigators for 2020. He will join the existing network of 73 current and 384 former members of the programme. The new EMBO Young Investigators will receive financial and practical support for research and career development over a period of four years, starting in January 2021.

Dr Behjati’s work has focused on the basic cancer genomics of human sarcoma, helping to understand the genetic events that give rise to bone and cartilage diseases such as osteoblastoma, osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma.

EMBO is an international organisation of life scientists and directs funding from member states towards research fellowships, courses, workshops, conferences, and science policy initiatives. EMBO Young Investigators are under the age of 40, within their first four years of being principal investigators, and have a proven record of scientific excellence.

“I am honoured to be selected as one of this year’s EMBO Young Investigators. The support of the EMBO network will be a great asset as we continue our work into uncovering how and why cancers develop. I would also like to thank all of the fantastic colleagues and collaborators who have contributed to this field of research so far.”

Dr Sam BehjatiGroup Leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

“We are delighted to welcome the new Young Investigators to the EMBO community and look forward to supporting them in leading and further developing their independent laboratories. These 30 life scientists have demonstrated scientific excellence and are among the next generation of leading life scientists.”

Professor Maria Leptin EMBO Director

More information

The next application deadline is 1 April 2021. More information about the EMBO Young Investigators programme, including eligibility criteria and the application process, is available at: https://www.embo.org/funding-awards/global-investigators

Selected websites

  • About EMBO

    EMBO is an organization of more than 1800 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences in Europe and beyond. The major goals of the organization are to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a research environment where scientists can achieve their best work.

    EMBO helps young scientists to advance their research, promote their international reputations and ensure their mobility. Courses, workshops, conferences and scientific journals disseminate the latest research and offer training in techniques to maintain high standards of excellence in research practice. EMBO helps to shape science and research policy by seeking input and feedback from our community and by following closely the trends in science in Europe. For more information: www.embo.org

  • The Wellcome Sanger Institute

    The Wellcome Sanger Institute is a world leading genomics research centre. We undertake large-scale research that forms the foundations of knowledge in biology and medicine. We are open and collaborative; our data, results, tools and technologies are shared across the globe to advance science. Our ambition is vast – we take on projects that are not possible anywhere else. We use the power of genome sequencing to understand and harness the information in DNA. Funded by Wellcome, we have the freedom and support to push the boundaries of genomics. Our findings are used to improve health and to understand life on Earth. Find out more at www.sanger.ac.uk or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on our Blog.

  • About Wellcome

    Wellcome exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. We are a politically and financially independent foundation. https://wellcome.org/