Bayer Foundation Report 2020 Follow your instincts ferociously. Listen to your inner voice and have faith. Edith Heard, Director General European Molecular Biology Laboratory EMBL 18 Winner of the 2019 Bayer Hansen Family Award Edith Heard, on the impact of EMBL and what makes a successful scientist “Follow your instincts ferociously. Listen to your inner voice and have faith.” This is Professor Heard’s advice to ambi- tious scientists – especially women, who play a crucial role in science because “they want to push forward,” she says. As EMBL’s Director General, Edith Heard leads Europe in the field of molecular biology, while as a member of Bayer Foun- dation’s Science Council, she honors great scientific work. EMBL brings scientists together, pools resources and shares data: “We believe in open science.” It aims to study molecules and organisms in the context of their ecosystems (like the human gut or the ocean). This is an ambitious task which no country can do alone, and it requires powerful tools and big data to understand the ecosystems. So, at EMBL, “we are honest brokers, helping ALL countries to advance science,” says Edith Heard. This is achieved by assembling international experts under its intergovern- mental umbrella, which unites 27 countries and brings together a body of ecologists, epidemiologists, pharmacologists, botanists, marine experts, mathematicians, computer engineers and physicists. An example of EMBL’s cross-boundary approach is a pan-cancer genome project in which the participating countries share data through cloud computing. This makes it possible to identify gene mutations and other alterations that contribute to the development of certain types of cancers. Similarly, member countries cooperate by sharing samples from rivers, lakes and coastal regions to measure changes in bio- diversity. This also has the potential to be translated into real-life innovation as EMBL builds bridges between academia and industry. Says Professor Heard: “Pharmaceutical companies can use our data to develop drugs.” Indeed, they helped BioNTech test how their vaccine could be optimally delivered. In 2019, Professor Heard won Bayer Foundation’s Hansen Family Award, recognizing the excellence of her work and honoring her as a role model in the scientific field. As a member of the Bayer Foundation Science Council, she plays a key role in selecting the future winners of the Foundation’s science awards. When asked what qualities make a scientist successful, Edith emphasizes generosity alongside obvious traits such as perseverance and creativity; a scientist needs to share ideas for science to progress. Offering advice to young scientists, she says listen to all advice, build a support network and sink your teeth into a specific question.