Dr Niklas Blomberg joined IHI as Executive Director on 16 January 2024. He brings to the role extensive experience in both research and leadership roles in the life sciences. A Swedish national, he has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Gothenburg, and a PhD in structural biology and bioinformatics from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany.
He worked as a research scientist for AstraZeneca in Sweden for 14 years, taking on increasingly senior roles in the company, and leading the establishment of a team for data-driven drug discovery in the respiratory and inflammation fields. During this time, he was industry co-lead of Open PHACTS, a project funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), the forerunner to IHI.
In 2013, he joined the fledgling research infrastructure ELIXIR. As its founding director, he oversaw the final negotiations between the member states to formally establish and launch ELIXIR. Under his leadership, the organisation built up its operational and project management capacity, grew to include 23 member states, and secured funding from both the member states and an extensive portfolio of EU-funded projects, including IMI projects.
- Read our press release announcing Dr Blomberg's appointment
- Find out more about his career so far and why he applied for the post in our interview, published when he joined IHI
- Find out more about the IHI Programme Office
- Read Niklas Blomberg's declaration of interests
Dr Hugh Laverty, IHI's Head of Scientific Operations, was interim/acting Executive Director of IHI from September 2022 to January 2024.
- Read Hugh Laverty's declaration of interests from his time in office
Dr Pierre Meulien held the post of Executive Director of IMI, and subsequently IHI, from September 2015 to September 2022, when his mandate ended.
- Download Dr Meulien's declaration of interests from his time in office