Gilles van Wezel steps down as SD of the IBL: Hubertus Irth appointed as temporary replacement
Gilles van Wezel will step down as Scientific Director (SD) of the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) as of June 17th. He has held this position since September 2018. Van Wezel will be temporarily succeeded by Hubertus Irth, the current SD of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR). Irth will serve as acting SD for the IBL until a new SD is appointed. The recruitment and selection process for this position is currently in progress.
For Van Wezel, the completion of the successful research assessment for IBL earlier this year and the start of the faculty's new governance model on 1 July next together offer a golden opportunity to hand over his responsibilities as SD: ‘The elaboration of the results of the research assessment into a new strategy of IBL and the start of the new management structure are a task for a new board to take up together with the IBL staff. Being SD for IBL was a fantastic and at the same time intensive period, wherein we together achieved a lot. I have every confidence in the future of our beautiful institute.’
‘More time again for research and supervision’
Van Wezel: ‘I am grateful to the IBL, the Faculty and the Executive Board for the trust placed in me. At the same time, I look forward to being able to focus fully again on my research projects such as my ERC grant and the global non-profit drug discovery consortium C4D. I will also soon have more time again to supervise the many ongoing PhD projects and bring them to a successful conclusion. It’s great that Hubertus Irth is willing to act as interim SD until a permanent successor is found.’
Strong impulses to the position of the IBL
The Faculty Board thanks Van Wezel for his work as SD of the IBL and for what he has meant for the institute and the faculty. Dean Jasper Knoester says: ‘Gilles has provided strong impulses to the position of the IBL. He has ensured the recruitment of many new staff, thereby strengthening and rejuvenating the institute. Under Gilles’ leadership, external fundraising has also significantly increased. The recent excellent research evaluation of the IBL testifies to a very successful period. Gilles’ drive to take on large and bold initiatives is an example, both within the IBL and for colleagues elsewhere in the faculty and university. The fact that he has managed to vigorously continue his own research activities alongside his directorate demonstrates the energy and passion with which Gilles operates.’
A well-known and experienced interim
The Faculty Board is pleased that Irth is available as acting SD: ‘Hubertus is an exceptionally experienced administrator, with a strong support base within the IBL. It provides a lot of reassurance to know that we can carefully conclude the recruitment for the new SD of the IBL without a gap in the leadership of the institute. As one of the founders of the new management structure in the faculty, Hubertus is also an ideal candidate to make a start with the new board at IBL. It demonstrates his sense of community that Hubertus is willing to take on this leadership after a long period of administration at the LACDR, even simultaneously for both institutes until 1 September.
Miranda van Eck will succeed Hubertus Irth as the new SD of the LACDR as of 1 September 2024.
New institute boards in the Faculty
As part of the strategy implementation, the faculty is introducing a new management model where all FWN institutes will have a collegial board consisting of 3 directors. These directors will collectively oversee the institute, each with their own portfolio: research, education, and operations. The director responsible for research will also serve as the chairperson of the institute’s board. It is expected that the process to transition to the new management structure will be completed by early June with the appointment of the new directors. The new boards will formally commence their roles on 1 July, 2024.