image: Dr. José Lino Salvador Barañao, Argentina's Minister of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (left) and Prof. Iain Mattaj, EMBL Director General, sign Argentina up as EMBL associate member state. view more
Credit: MINCYT
At a signing ceremony in Buenos Aires yesterday, Argentina joins the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) as an associate member state. The move strengthens the ties between the European and Latin American life science communities. It grants Argentinian scientists access to EMBL's world-class facilities and programs, and stimulates mutually beneficial collaborations.
"Ever since its inception, fostering excellent life science research and promoting its internationalisation have been at the core of EMBL's mission," says EMBL Director General Iain Mattaj "The burgeoning Argentinian scientific community, with its strong tradition of biomedical and agroindustrial research, is an excellent partner to expand upon that legacy."
As an associate member state, Argentina will have observer status in EMBL's governing body – the EMBL Council. Argentinian scientists will be able to access EMBL's state-of-the-art facilities and services, and the country's early career researchers will be eligible for scholarships in EMBL's highly reputed PhD and Postdoctoral programmes. Additionally, the Argentinian scientific community will be able to draw on experience and expertise regarding EMBL's organisational model, recruitment strategies and partnership programme.
"This agreement is very significant as part of a strategic project for Argentina," said Dr. José Lino Salvador Barañao, Argentina's Minister of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation. "Associate membership of EMBL means the ability to access research centers and laboratories of the highest level, knowledge exchange among researchers, but essentially it means that Argentina will be the hub to articulate between Latin America and Europe in scientific and technological matters."
The ceremony is followed by a two-day symposium which brings together experts from EMBL and Argentina to explore synergies and opportunities.