ISGlobal Renews its Scientific Direction

After almost five years as ISGlobal’s scientific director, Josep M. Antó has resigned in order to fully dedicate himself to promoting planetary health. Denise Naniche, Research Professor and co-director of the Viral and Bacterial Infections Programme will take over, thereby contributing to the institution’s generational renewal. The proposal of appointing Naniche as new scientific director was unanimously approved on December 12 by ISGlobal’s Board of Trustees.

“We have worked hard over the last months to ensure a solid and inclusive transition in our institute’s scientific direction,” says ISGlobal general director, Antoni Plasència, who acknowledged Antó’s “leadership in making of ISGlobal an internationally recognised research institution, the result of an intense and fruitful fusion and integration process.”

Denise Naniche, PhD in immunology by the Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France, has twenty years of experience leading research projects on infectious diseases in low and middle-income countries. She worked with HIV antibodies at the Marseille-Luminy Immunology Center in France and on measles vaccine responses at the Scripps Clinic at La Jolla, California, before joining ISGlobal in 2004. Here she has primarily focused on improving access to HIV diagnosis, treatment and control in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Mozambique.

“We are convinced that Denise Naniche will strengthen the quality and impact of our science and the cohesion of our research teams, thus contributing decisively to the global leadership of our institute. In addition to her scientific and managerial achievements, the nomination of a woman consolidates our commitment with gender equity in our institute, at all levels of responsibility,” says Plasència.  

Josep M Antó leaves the scientific direction at a moment where ISGlobal’s position is particularly reinforced after receiving the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa” distinction. From now on, Antó will dedicate his time and efforts at ISGlobal to the field of planerary health, a new approach to generating knowledge on the interdependence between human activity and natural systems such as water, air, soil or biodiversity, and its impact on people’s well-being.