EMBnet.journal

Editorial

The latest issue of EMBnet.journal is released at a time of profound turmoil for global society. Across continents, scientific communities are navigating unprecedented challenges shaped by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, rapid technological transformation, and growing societal tensions. These political and societal shifts increasingly affect science itself, as a rising scepticism towards scientific knowledge can be observed in several countries, accompanied by significant reductions in public investment in research and education. In some cases, such as in Argentina, funding has been cut almost entirely, while many other nations are following a similar trajectory to varying degrees.

This trend stands in stark contradiction to well-established evidence. Countries that perform best economically today are precisely those that have invested heavily and consistently in education, research, and innovation over the past two to three decades. At the same time, we are witnessing the emergence of a profoundly new technological era driven by artificial intelligence. AI holds enormous promise but also raises legitimate concerns, and its impact will reshape societies, economies, and scientific practice in ways we are only beginning to understand. Without sustained investment in research and education, many countries risk entering even deeper and more prolonged economic and social recessions.

As a small but committed international network in bioinformatics, EMBnet can contribute—modestly yet meaningfully—by offering knowledge, collaboration, and hope. By bringing together researchers from diverse countries and backgrounds, EMBnet continues to do what it does best: educating and training students, researchers, and the broader public in bioinformatics and emerging biotechnologies that are transforming life sciences and society. We remain optimistic and firmly committed to publishing and promoting high-quality, accessible scientific work that helps demystify new technologies and highlights their potential to address global challenges.

With this issue, we conclude Volume 30 of EMBnet.journal, and we warmly invite our community to continue contributing. We encourage you not only to submit your own work but also to inspire colleagues and collaborators to publish with us, helping to strengthen an open, inclusive, and resilient scientific community.

Erik Bongcam-Rudloff

Editor-in-Chief