I am going to the biggest European conference in my field!

Every two years, the Transcription and Chromatin meeting takes place in the beautiful city of Heidelberg, Germany, at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). This year, I have the opportunity to present my research and engage in discussions with leading researchers in my field. Here is a list of ideas I have put together to help me prepare for the big event.

To do list at the conference

Know my story: Be able to explain the main question, motivation, and significance of my research in a clear and simple way.
Prepare a short pitch: Develop a 1–2 minute explanation of my project for conversations with researchers who may not work directly in my area.
Identify people I want to meet: Look through the programme and speaker list and identify researchers whose work connects to mine or whose expertise could give me a different perspective.
Get feedback: Use conversations at the meeting as an opportunity to get honest feedback and alternative interpretations of my results.
Take notes on ideas: Keep track of interesting questions, techniques, papers, and experimental ideas that come up during the meeting.
Reflect afterwards: After the conference, review what I learned and identify ideas that could be incorporated into my research or future experiments.

Interesting facts about this conference

2026 is the 17th edition of the EMBL Transcription and Chromatin conference.
The meeting is held at the Advanced Training Centre (ATC), the iconic double-helix-shaped building at EMBL. The name itself can be a little confusing, since ATC might sound like something related to air traffic control rather than a place dedicated to scientific training and exchange.
There is a big G in front of the ATC building, and you know why 😊 (It was one of the Human Bingo cues!)
There is a live band performing in the ATC building at the end of the conference 🎶

I have attended this conference 17 times. The field is moving fast. — Conference attendee

25–28 August 2026 🧬 (Afterthoughts)

This conference felt nostalgic to me. Having worked at EMBL before, this return felt both brand-new and deeply familiar: brand-new because I was presenting as an early-career researcher, and familiar because I had walked that path so many times—even through snow-covered woods from the guesthouse to EMBL.

Throughout the event, I reconnected with former colleagues, both those still at the institute and those preparing to transition into new roles or launch their own research groups. I even witnessed three academic generations—all PIs now—presenting at the very same meeting (a supervisor, their former trainee who is now a PI, and that PI’s own former trainee). It was an incredible gathering of cutting-edge research, deep knowledge, and lively discussions: four full days of absorbing new discoveries, brainstorming, and exchanging ideas—made even better by great weather in beautiful Heidelberg.

Each talk was capped at 20 minutes, which meant speakers had to deliver their message crisply and keep strictly to time. Audience questions followed—mostly from PIs, but also from students and postdocs. Given the packed agenda, formal Q&A time was limited, so most in-depth discussions naturally spilled over into coffee breaks, lunches, and dinners. The poster sessions were split into three slots, giving presenters plenty of time to share their own work and browse others’. Around 250 posters lined the ramps of the ATC’s famous double helix—such a brilliant design, walking up the sloping helices instead of standard stairs.

After the conference dinner, we all went up to the rooftop to enjoy the evening and watch the sunset—or rather, the moon rising over the beautiful forest. We continued our discussions, and this kind of spontaneous mixing with such a diverse group of researchers was truly a fantastic way to connect people across different fields.

I met so many wonderful researchers, one of whom was Shikana Browne, currently a Master’s student and intern at EMBL Heidelberg. She presented a poster about “single-cell chromatin profiling to map sex-specific gene regulation in the liver”. We had a very interesting discussion about the conference and how support for early-career conference attendance is important. With her permission, I am sharing some quotes from our memorable conversation:

Is it your first time at this conference?

“Yes, it is my first time at such a big conference, and I am presenting a poster about my research for my Master’s diploma. It is very exciting!”

How do you like the conference so far?

“It is very niche, with a lot of similar and peripheral work, and a lot of research to be inspired by.”

Which talk(s) were the most impressive to you?

“I liked the talk from Ralph Grand about ‘Single transcription factors dominantly activate essential genes’ and the talk from Wendy Bickmore about enhancer position.”

How does attending this big conference as a Master’s student help your research and career development?

“For the poster presentation, I had prepared a lot, and this process helped me to focus better and brought new ideas. This opportunity also helps me to better understand my research and others’ in the field of Transcription and Chromatin, and to see new topics and methods.”

The connections formed at this conference—both across my network and inside my own brain—have left a lasting imprint.