FEBS is celebrating its  60th anniversary in 2024 with some special activities.  We warmly invite you to join in, and look forward to your contributions.

Useful links:

• Introduction to the anniversary year (Jan 2024): ‘FEBS: 60 years strengthening the biomolecular sciences community‘
• Update on activities, with photos (Sep 2024): ‘FEBS 60th anniversary celebrations in full swing‘
• Introductory FEBS videos produced for the anniversary year, on YouTube:
  • FEBS: 60 years in 60 seconds
  • Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS)

FEBS LETTERS WRITING CONTEST: Blueprints for the scientific society of tomorrow

FEBS Letters is celebrating the 60th anniversary of FEBS with a writing competition. FEBS has been bringing together diverse national learned Societies in biochemistry and molecular biology in Europe and surrounding regions for six decades, and itself supports many activities in research and education, including journals, meetings and fellowships.  But FEBS Letters asked to hear from scientists about their blueprints for the scientific Society of tomorrow. What is the utopian scientific Society like 60 years from now? What are the needs of future molecular life scientists? How can they be sustainably met by a scientific Society? More details are given on the FEBS Letters website announcement here.

31 October 2024 update: The contest closed on 30 September 2024. FEBS Letters has announced Yussuf Ali (Jagiellonian University, Poland) as the winner, for an excellent essay that will be published as an article in The Scientists’ Forum in the December issue of FEBS Letters.

 Bio-Art Image Contest: “The beauty behind biological sciences”

As part of the FEBS 60th anniversary celebrations, submissions of photographs taken with the use of bio-imaging tools (microscopes of any type) in the course of scientific work were invited for an exhibition at the 2024 FEBS Congress in Milano. Entry was open until 1 June 2024 to registrants of the 48th FEBS Congress or members of a FEBS Constituent Society.

The judges selected ten images for display there, based on scientific significance, originality and artistic and/or visual impact. From these ten, five prizes were then awarded after voting by participants of the FEBS Congress.

Post-Congress update: Congratulations to the five prizewinners: 1st prize, Román Martí Díaz; 2nd prize, Jesús Soldán Hidalgo; 3rd prize, Anna Richert; Distinction prizes, Anna Pilatone and Alessandra Lo Cicero. For full details on the results and to browse the winning entries, see the FEBS website’s news post FEBS 60th Anniversary Bio-Art Image Contest: Results and read this FEBS Network post from winner Román Martí Díaz.

The contest was organized by FEBS in collaboration with the Polish Biochemical Society and the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Contest guidelines pdf can be found here. Contest poster design: © Mirosław Pawlowski

FEBS 60th anniversary activities involving the member Societies of FEBS

FEBS Constituent Society outreach events

In this special year, FEBS has offered grants of up to €1,300 to its Constituent Societies to support interesting events or activities that highlight the impact and contributions of molecular life sciences, following a call for proposals earlier in 2024. The events/activities are taking various forms, and we look forward to their contribution to a memorable and impactful FEBS 60th anniversary year. Please contact the relevant organizing Society for more information.

Armenia (AAB): ‘Life Science Fest’
An Open Society day about AAB with a public lecture, followed by a Science Film Festival day featuring video contributions on life science topics from middle- and high-school students; planned for October 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

Croatia (HDBMB): ‘The secret life of biomolecules’
Artwork (image or video) competition for life science undergraduates at Croatian universities; competition planned for summer 2024 with awards at FEBS3+ meeting in in Pula, Croatia in September 2024.

Cyprus (βιος-SBSCy): ‘BioQuest: The Lyceum Biology Challenge’
A team competition day for high-school students with rounds of multiple-choice, short answer and problem-solving questions on molecular life sciences; planned for November 2024.

Finland (Biobio Society): ‘Career heterogeneity in life sciences’
Inspiration and an overview for Master’s students, PhD students and postdocs on career directions for molecular bioscientists; planned for October 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

Georgia (AGB): ‘Journey into the Molecules of Life for Healthy Future’
A 2-day workshop for high-school students introducing biochemistry through interactive lectures and practical workshops; planned for December 2024.

Lithuania (LBD): ‘Biochem Visions: Exploring Science through Everyday Signs’
An artwork and photography competition and exhibition for high-school students, with keynote talks and prizes; planned for November 2024.

Norway (NBS): ‘FEBS 60th Anniversary Celebration Symposium’
An event at the University of Bergen comprising a keynote lecture, mini talks from young researchers, and posters. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

Romania (RSBMB) : ‘Demystifying the secrets of the food we eat’
Workshops for primary school children including DNA extraction from and sugar levels in fruit; planned for October to December 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

Slovakia (SSBMB): ’60 Years of Biomolecules’
An event with lectures and discussion indoors and out, commemorating the development of life sciences in (Czecho)Slovakia over the past 60 years; planned for October 2024.

Slovenia (SBD): ‘The Day of Biomolecular Sciences’
Talks and discussion on ‘Future Foods’ bringing together high-school students, undergraduate and graduate students; planned for September 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

Turkish Biochemical Society (TBS): ‘MolBio Geeks Facing Off’
A team quiz event on molecular biology and biotechnology for students and early-career researchers at the MolBiyoKon 24 event; planned for September 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

United Kingdom (Biochemical Society): ‘Supporting Equitable and Inclusive Participation in STEM: Insights from the ASPIRES research’
A webinar about the insights from the ASPIRES project, a study of the factors shaping young people’s STEM trajectories; on 24 October 2024. Get an overview of the event on this FEBS Network post.

A celebration of FEBS Constituent Societies at the 2024 FEBS Congress

As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of FEBS, and with the goal of fostering connections and networking, FEBS invited its Constituent Societies to showcase their unique history, accomplishments, current initiatives and future aspirations through poster presentations at the 48th FEBS Congress in Milano. The Society posters were on display throughout the Congress, and delegates were able to meet Member Society Representatives at the posters at certain times.

August 2024 news: Not at the Congress or want to revisit this initiative? You can read more about it and now browse the posters on the FEBS Network site here.

The Israel Pecht Award – FEBS Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Molecular Biosciences Community

This new award introduced at the milestone of the 60th anniversary of FEBS aims to honour individuals whose remarkable efforts and dedication have greatly enhanced the activities of their respective FEBS Constituent Societies and fostered impactful collaboration with FEBS. Every FEBS Constituent Society was invited to nominate one individual who has significantly influenced and enhanced the activities of their Society, for consideration for the award. The recipients of The Israel Pecht Award represent the spirit of collaboration, leadership and innovation. Their efforts extend beyond individual accomplishments, contributing to the success of both their Societies and FEBS as a whole, and fostering a sense of community among FEBS members.

April 2024 news: We are delighted to announce the 2024 recipients of this award are László Fésüs, nominated by the Hungarian Biochemical Society (MBKE), and Joan J. Guinovart, nominated by the Spanish Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM). Read the news post about the recipients here.

FEBS Education Award

On its 60th anniversary year, FEBS has launched the prestigious FEBS Education Award to highlight and honour an educator with a distinguished teaching and training career path in the field of molecular life sciences. Exemplary dedication to enhance the quality of student learning and experience along with a track record of applying impactful and innovative approaches in advancing learning and teaching within the realm of molecular life sciences are the main pillars. Through this award, FEBS not only aims to recognize and celebrate sustained and continued excellence and impact in molecular life sciences education and training but also to inspire others in fostering engaging, creative, and transformative educational experiences for students. Nomination is by a FEBS Constituent Society or self nomination along with a support letter of the Society.

April 2024 news: We are delighted to announce the inaugural recipient of the FEBS Education Award is Robert A. Harris, nominated by the Swedish Society for Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology (SSBBMB). Read the news post about the recipient and his interview post on the FEBS Network.

Women in Science initiatives

As part of the FEBS 60th anniversary activities, FEBS Constituent Societies have been invited to highlight outstanding women belonging to their Society for (1) an eBook that will show the diverse ways in which women navigate their careers in science alongside personal and family commitments, and (2) to contribute to a FEBS Junior Section-supported webinar on equality.

December 2024 news:
The eBook is now available to download from the FEBS website here.
The Women in Science Webinar: Equality and Beyond is taking place on 18 & 19 December 2024,15:00–16:30 CET; register here

FEBS Advanced Courses Anniversary Prizes

For the marking of the 60th anniversary at FEBS Advanced Courses, an anniversary certificate and T-shirt are being awarded at each course to a young scientist participant for an outstanding poster/talk, as selected by the course organizers.

FEBS 60th Anniversary posts on the FEBS Network

Posts related to the 60th anniversary of FEBS can be browsed on the FEBS Network. This growing collection ranges from news on FEBS Constituent Society outreach activities awarded grants by FEBS in this special year, to anniversary reflections from members of the FEBS Executive Committee (such as one from the Chair of the FEBS Education and Training Committee), to posts from early-career researchers about the intersection of FEBS programmes with their career journeys (such as this post from a FEBS Excellence Awardee).