Europe's IMI Looks to Portugal and Finland to Lead Scientific Committee

Europe’s Innovation Medicines Initiative (IMI) has appointed experts from Portugal and Finland to chair the IMI Scientific Committee. Professor Maria Beatriz da Silva Lima of the University of Lisbon in Portugal will be the new Chair; Professor Markus Perola of Finland’s National Institute for Health and Welfare will be Vice Chair.

The IMI is the world’s largest health-related public-private partnership. The European Union (EU) contributes €1 billion to its research program; this is matched in contributions worth another €1 billion from member companies of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The Initiative currently supports 42 projects.

The Scientific Committee provides the IMI Governing Board and Executive Office with strategic, scientific advice and participates in the consultations on new topics for calls for proposals. It also plays an active role in reviews of ongoing IMI projects. “The Committee represents the voice of the scientific community within IMI, and their input is vital to our success,” said IMI Executive Director Michel Goldman.