EMBO Gold Medal for Tanmay Bharat at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge for structural microbiology work

Tanmay Bharat, from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge, has been awarded the prestigious EMBO Gold Medal in recognition of his research in the field of structural microbiology.

Bestowed annually for outstanding contributions of early-career scientists working in life sciences in Europe, two Gold Medals were awarded this year, with the other going to David Bikard from the Institut Pasteur in France.

Tanmay, a group leader in the LMB’s Structural Studies Division, said: “When I started working on microbial surface molecules that had been lost into obscurity for decades, I could hardly have even dreamt of our research being awarded an EMBO Gold Medal! This is an incredible honour, that I dedicate to all present and past lab members, as well as generous collaborators, whose achievements and contributions are directly being recognised here.

“Such research on enigmatic areas of molecular biology is only possible in a few places in the world, and I am grateful for the exceptional atmosphere at the LMB that fostered this work, with absolute top-notch facilities and colleagues.”

Tanmay’s research focuses on understanding how microorganisms use surface molecules to form complex multicellular communities, including biofilms and microbiomes.

Developing and using electron cryotomography (cryo-ET) and correlated imaging approaches, Tanmay’s group visualises how these multicellular communities are built and sustained.

Biofilm formation allows bacteria to survive in challenging environments, including during infections where they become resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Tanmay’s research is seeking to establish how emergent properties such as antibacterial resistance arise and how this could be disrupted in clinical applications.