Professor Edoardo Boncinelli of the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan, Italy is the winner of the 2005 EMBO Award for Communication in the Life Sciences. Boncinelli receives the award in recognition of his outstanding efforts in science communication. Since 1994, the professor of biology and genetics, a founding figure in developmental biology, has published 18 popular science books on topics such as genetics, aging, neurobiology and public health. Boncinelli is also active in the public arena, keeping in regular contact with local schools and the media.

The EMBO Award for Communication in the Life Sciences is presented annually to a practising life scientist in Europe who has made a significant contribution to public communication of science. The award highlights the exceptional efforts made by many scientists to combine science communication with a full-time research career.

The international EMBO jury applauded Boncinelli for his unique ability to see the big picture in science. "Boncinelli's books really tell the whole story. They cover multiple disciplines and combine areas such as philosophy, history and psychology to examine the social impact of scientific advances. He manages to find the perfect balance between hard scientific facts and a social context." For more details, go to: http://www.embo.org/about_embo/press/communications_award05.html.

This year, EMBO also presented an additional prize. A special discretionary award went to Russian scientist, Dr. Alexander Vershinin, for his "Living Black Sea" education initiative. Alongside a rich research career, Vershinin somehow finds time to run classes at children's summer camps and write books on marine life and ecology. Up to 3000 children a year benefit from the ecologist's and fellow instructors' knowledge of the sea, learning everything from biology and genetics to botany and biochemistry
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Contact: Lindsay Johnson
lindsay.johnson@embo.org
+49 (0)6221-889-1108
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
29-Sep-2005

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