Today, it was announced that Frank Cobelens, Scientific Director at KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, is to become the new Chairman of the Board of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD) in Amsterdam as of January 1, 2016. In this function he will be the successor of Joep Lange, who died in the crash of Flight MH17 in July last year.
This appointment means that Professor Cobelens will be resigning as KNCV’s Scientific Director as of January 2016. He will, however, stay closely involved as a senior advisor focusing on some of KNCV’s major scientific projects, such as the Challenge TB core projects.
Currently Frank Cobelens is also part-time professor of Epidemiology and Control of Poverty-related Infectious Diseases at the Academic Medical Center (AMC) and the AIGHD. His appointment will mean an even stronger scientific partnership between KNCV and AIGHD for the years ahead and will further enhance the academic embedding of KNCV research.
“While I am sorry to lose my fellow executive, I am delighted at Frank Cobelens’ appointment to this prestigious position. I am confident that Frank will do a great job further developing the vision and ambitions of our dearly missed friend and member of our Board of Trustees Joep Lange. We will continue to work closely together in advancing the top position of the Netherlands in research and innovation for the elimination of TB.” Kitty van Weezenbeek, Executive Director.