FEBS is celebrating its  60th anniversary in 2024 with some special activities, which will be gradually added to this page. Read an introduction about the anniversary – ‘FEBS: 60 years strengthening the biomolecular sciences community’ – here.

We warmly invite you to join in the #FEBS60 activities, and look forward to your contributions.

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 wants 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?

Submissions will be judged on originality, interest, style and coherence. Contestants are encouraged to interpret the prompt creatively, and FEBS Letters welcomes submissions in the form of essays, short stories, poems, comic strips, and more!  Prose submissions should fall between 500 and 1500 words.

The author of the winning submission will receive a prize of 500 Euros and the winning submission will be published in the Scientists’ Forum of FEBS Letters in December 2024.

The journal will read submissions on a rolling basis until 30 September 2024. FEBS Letters encourages submissions from researchers at all stages of their careers, and from researchers belonging to communities historically underrepresented in bioscience. For the full contest guidelines including how to submit your entry, see the FEBS Letters website announcement here.

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

As part of the FEBS 60th anniversary celebrations, we invite submission of photographs taken with the use of bio-imaging tools (microscopes of any type) in the course of scientific work, for an exhibition at the 2024 FEBS Congress in Milano this summer.

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

To submit an image to this contest you must be a registrant of the 48th FEBS Congress or a member of a FEBS Constituent Society.

Submissions of photos are invited by 1 June 2024.

Please check the contest guidelines pdf for the full rules and instructions on how to send in your image. We look forward to receiving your entry!

The contest is organized by FEBS in collaboration with the Polish Biochemical Society and the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 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 is offering grants of €1,500 to its Constituent Societies to support interesting events or activities that highlight the impact and contributions of molecular life sciences. The events/activities can take various forms, from public lectures to science film festivals to competitions for high-school students. Full details about submitting proposals (by the deadline of 29 March 2024) have been sent to the FEBS Member Society Representatives. Up to six projects will be selected for FEBS funding, and we look forward to their contribution to a memorable and impactful FEBS 60th anniversary year.

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 has 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 this summer. The Society posters will be on display throughout the Congress, culminating in a dedicated poster session where attendees can engage directly with presenters. If you are coming to the Congress, discover how academic Societies contribute to the research landscape and, if the Society from your own country is represented, get to know the Society and its members better!

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 has been invited to nominate one individual who has significantly influenced and enhanced the activities of their Society. From these nominees, a meticulous selection process will identify the top contributor whose impact stands out as exemplary. 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.

FEBS Education Award

On its 60th anniversary year, FEBS is launching 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. Find more details and the nomination form here. Deadline for nominations: 15 19 April 2024.

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 e-book 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 webinar on equality.

A call for photos from past FEBS events

Have you taken part in FEBS Advanced Courses, FEBS Congresses or other FEBS-supported meetings in the past? FEBS invites you to dig into your photo archives from the last 60 years and share with us your cherished memories captured during FEBS events, to help us create a celebratory slide set! Whether it’s a snapshot from a memorable conference, a group photo from a workshop, or a candid moment during a lecture or poster session, your photos hold the essence of our shared experiences. Please send your photos and the signed consent form to [email protected] with the subject line “FEBS 60th Anniversary – Photo Submission” by 15 May 2024. Feel free to include a brief caption or description to accompany each photo, sharing the story behind the moment captured, as well as the Society you belong to.