Professor Toivo Maimets elected President of Alliance4Life

At its board meeting on 18 September in Warsaw, the Alliance4Life network elected Professor Toivo Maimets from the University of Tartu as its new President.

Alliance4Life is a community of leading research institutions dedicated to fostering excellence in life sciences. Maimets, a founding member of the alliance and its Vice President since 2018, brings continuity and renewed leadership to the network, which aims to strengthen research excellence and institutional capacity across Europe.

As President, Maimets will represent Alliance4Life together with the Vice President to European institutions and stakeholders. He will advocate for scientific integrity, responsible governance, inclusiveness, and sustainability, and guide the alliance’s strategic development. His vision emphasises that excellent science requires not only cutting-edge research but also strong institutions, equal opportunities, and a united voice in shaping European research policy.

Professor Maimets is a renowned biologist whose research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of the cell cycle, DNA damage control, and cancer development, with the aim of translating fundamental biological insights into strategies for novel therapies. He has significantly contributed to understanding how signal transduction pathways influence cell proliferation and tumorigenesis.

Beyond his scientific achievements, Maimets has played a key role in shaping science policy in Estonia and Europe. He has served as Dean and Vice Rector for Research at the University of Tartu, Minister of Education and Research of Estonia, Chairman of the Estonian Science Foundation, and member of the Estonian Research Council, shaping the development of higher education, research funding, and scientific excellence in Estonia. Internationally, he has been President of the European Molecular Biology Conference, Vice-President of UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee, and has advised the European Commission, Science Europe, and other bodies on research and innovation strategies. Maimets is also a committed science communicator, recognised nationally for his contributions to public engagement with science.

Alliance4Life, established in 2018, works to improve research governance in Central and Eastern Europe and reduce the innovation gap between EU13 countries and the rest of Europe. Maimets’ presidency promises to strengthen collaboration and elevate the region’s scientific impact.

Read more on the Alliance4Life website