Eric Westhof is an internationally renowned molecular biophysicist, Professor at the University of Strasbourg, Member of the French Academy of Sciences, Member of the German Academy of Sciences and Member of the European Academy of Sciences. He is currently head of ‘Education and Training’ at the French Academy of Sciences. He was formerly Director of the French Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vice-Rector of the University Louis Pasteur and Vice-Rector of the University of Strasbourg. He was also President of the French Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vice-President of the French Biophysics Committee, member of the Publication Committee of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) and President of the RNA Society of the International Scientific Society. He is a member of the editorial boards of several internationally renowned academic journals, such as Associate Editor of RNA Journal, Executive Editor of Nucleic Acids Research and Journal of Molecular Recognition.