CeMM is a proud member of the EU-LIFE alliance since the beginning, and Giulio Superti-Furga, Scientific Director of CeMM and the Ri.MED Foundation, is the current Chair of EU-LIFE. The 15 EU-LIFE member institutes are leading and renowned life science research centers in Europe, and are profiting from the exchange of best practices, having common principles of research excellence, and contributing to European research policy. The different activities of the alliance are carried out by the Board of Directors and dedicated working groups, formed by experts and main representatives from the member institutions. They are supported by Marta Agostinho, EU-LIFE Executive Director, and her team.

EU-LIFE publishes its views in position papers ranging from policy statements to detailed analysis and concrete recommendations with the overall goal to support and strengthen research in Europe. Position papers (https://eu-life.eu/newsroom/publications) on EU-LIFE’s Guiding Principles for FP10 and a vision for the European Innovation Council (EIC), as well as EU-LIFE recommendations for MSCA Actions were already launched earlier this year.

Now, the “EU-LIFE Charter of Independent Life Science Research Institutes” has been published OA in FEBS Letters.

Giulio Superti-Furga, Marta Agostinho, Jo Bury, Simon Cook, Christine Durinx, Anita Ender, Henri van Luenen, Anders H Lund, René H Medema, Marta Miączyńska, Dorthe Nickel, Pier Giuseppe Pelicci, Alain Puisieux, Samuli Ripatti, Maike Sander, Dirk Schubeler, Luis Serrano, Thomas Sommer, Katrine Sonne-Hansen, Pavel Tomančák, Joan Vives, John Vontas, Mónica Bettencourt-Dias. EU-LIFE Charter of Independent Life Science Research Institutes. FEBS Lett. 2024 Mar 21. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.14855.

10 principles, detailed in the Charter, encompass excellence, independence, training, internationality and inclusivity, mission focus, technological advancement, administrative innovation, cooperation, societal impact, and public engagement. The aim is to inspire the establishment of new institutes to adhere to these principles and to raise awareness about their significance.

EU-LIFE celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2023, and as a result of constant exchange among the directors and working groups of the 15 EU-LIFE institutes, Giulio Superti-Furga and colleagues are eager to share the insights that were gained. “Research institutes play fundamental roles in the knowledge and innovation ecosystem. May it inspire and help others!!”