New Scientific Director ERIBA
On October 1, the baton of Scientific Director of ERIBA has been passed on from Peter Lansdorp to Gerald de Haan. A good opportunity for them to say something about the past and the future of ERIBA. Peter, from everyone in ERIBA: thank you for all your work the past few years and good luck focussing your full attention on research once more. Gerald, welcome as our new Scientific Director. We look forward to everything you have in mind for us.
Arriba ERIBA
Time flies when you are having fun. Five years ago the ERIBA building did not exist and few people had heard of the bold plan for a “European” research institute focused on the biology of ageing in Groningen. I was impressed with the vision, the UMCG and, most of all, with the enthusiasm of the people involved in the ERIBA “project”. Being adventurous by nature I took up the challenge to help shape the Institute. My main goal was to establish an environment where basic research could blossom by making communication, collaboration and complete dedication to solving scientific puzzles part of the “culture”. Looking at ERIBA now I am happy and proud to see what has been accomplished. Great people in a beautiful building and a future full of opportunities and potential. A good time for me to take a step back and hand over the reins to Gerald who has been part of the ERIBA project from the start. The work is not yet done so “Let’s go ERIBA”.
Peter Lansdorp
The road ahead
With great joy I take over leadership from Peter, whom I want to thank on behalf of all of us at ERIBA and the UMCG, for the great work he has done as founding Director. In 2016 we are a young, yet established Institute. The first five years of ERIBA’s existence have been vibrant and the effort of many in ERIBA and beyond have made possible to build a world-class research institute from scratch. In science, past performance is typically a solid indicator for future potential. Therefore, I am very confident that the best has yet to come. We are in good shape, and will continue to grow and to further develop a scientific environment where important findings are uncovered, where basic scientists collaborate with their colleagues in the clinic and in industry, where students at all levels receive the best possible training in modern biology, and where we share our discoveries and views with society at large. As we all know, major breakthroughs in medicine always, without exception, result from fundamental insight into the cause of disease. This is where ERIBA will make a difference.
Gerald de Haan
Peter Lansdorp
Gerald de Haan
