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Basel Life was an annual life sciences congress held in Basel, Switzerland, active from 2016 to 2019. Established as a continuation and expansion of the earlier MipTec conference, BASEL LIFE brought together academic researchers, clinicians, and representatives from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. It combined scientific sessions with an industry exhibition and hosted the annual meeting of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) during its run. The event aimed to foster exchange between basic research and applied innovation in the life sciences.

The AIMBN was founded in 1997 with a mission to promote molecular biology and biotechnology in the Asia-Pacific region. The organisation was modelled after EMBO, and EMBO took an advisory role during the AIMBN’s early period, in particular in the screening of potential membership candidates. By 2007, they had 300 members in 16 participating ‘economies’ (so-called due to the political situations in Taipei and Taiwan), and 16 supporting institutes across the region. They held conferences and courses in participating economies.

The European Life Sciences Organisation was created to administer and organise an annual meeting regarding European Biology. Following the annual conference in Nice in 2008, ELSO fused with EMBO and therefore ceased its functions as an independent organisation.

The EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) is a biennial, pan-European meeting dedicated to scientific research, innovation, and dialogue between science and society. It was launched in 2004 in Stockholm under the auspices of EuroScience, a grassroots association of researchers founded in 1997. ESOF brings together scientists, policymakers, industry representatives, and the public for discussions on cutting-edge research, science policy, and societal challenges. Each edition is hosted by a different European city, serving as the “European City of Science,” and features a programme of scientific sessions, public engagement events, and policy debates. ESOF has become one of Europe’s largest interdisciplinary science forums, complementing EU research initiatives by fostering international collaboration, science communication, and public trust in science.

In December 1965 EMBO secured a grant from the Volkswagen Foundation to fund their activities for 3 years. EMBO was keen that it’s financial support from the VW foundation not be permanent, as it wished for its long term funding to come from all participating nations, rather than organisations belonging to just one in order to ensure its independence.

EMBO, alongside its Swiss partners, organized two “temporary” conferences attended by governmental representatives to establish a consensus for an inter-governmental organization. The two focus points of these meetings were the long-term management of EMBO’s programs, and the question of establishing a European Laboratory.

Through these two conferences the constitution of the European Molecular Biology Conference was established, and in 1970, 14 governments officially established the EMBC, which to the present day supports EMBO’s General Programme. Over the years this programme has expanded through the EMBC creating “special projects” to allow new activities to be performed. It was through this process that the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) was created.

In December 1965 EMBO secured a grant from the Volkswagen Foundation to fund their activities for 3 years. EMBO was keen that it’s financial support from the VW foundation not be permanent, as it wished for its long term funding to come from all participating nations, rather than organisations belonging to just one in order to ensure its independence.

EMBO, alongside its Swiss partners, organized two “temporary” conferences attended by governmental representatives to establish a consensus for an inter-governmental organization. The two focus points of these meetings were the long-term management of EMBO’s programs, and the question of establishing a European Laboratory.

Through these two conferences the constitution of the European Molecular Biology Conference was established, and in 1970, 14 governments officially established the EMBC, which to the present day supports EMBO’s General Programme. Over the years this programme has expanded through the EMBC creating “special projects” to allow new activities to be performed. It was through this process that the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) was created.

The Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) is an independent association of various research organisations and scientific groups that was founded on 25th October 2004. It was initiated to promote science in the formulation of European policy making. Its first efforts were coordinated by the European Life Sciences Forum (another organization EMBO played a crucial role in founding in 2000), but EMBO also joined as a founding member. Maria Leptin (EMBO Director 2010-2021) served as the ISE’s president and Fiona Watt (EMBO Director 2021-) currently serves on the executive committee.

In 1999, EMBO, EMBL, and ELSO engaged in talks to create a Forum for the life sciences in Europe, coming together at a meeting at the EMBO headquarters to establish the ELSF shortly thereafter. The ELSF aimed to empower scientists to engage more actively in strategic and science policy matters, to present a unified voice on issues of shared concern, and to enhance the visibility and policy influence of organisations representing the life sciences.

A small governing body was appointed consisting of Frank Gannon, Fotis Kafatos, Kai Simons, and Julio E. Celis as President. Luc van Dyck joined as manager six months after the organisation was created. The secretariat was set up at the EMBL/EMBO facilities in Heidelberg and the EMBL, EMBO, and FEBS offered to cover a large fraction of the expenses for a period of 3 years.

Additionally, the ELSF identified as priorities the career of young scientists and the creation of a European Research Council (ERC) to support basic research.