Prof Dr Babette Simon, President of the University, has been appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board of the "Private Excellence Initiative Johanna Quandt". The Advisory Board is to support the scientific work of the new "Berlin Institute of Health (BIG)/Berlin Institute of Health (BIH)", an institutional link between Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Centre (MDC).
Around 300 million euros will be available over the next five years for the establishment of the BIG - with 90 per cent (federal) to 10 per cent (state) financing. Johanna Quandt, entrepreneur and founder of the Charité Foundation, will support the scientific work of the BIG with an additional 40 million euros over the next ten years.
In addition to Simon, the advisory board includes the former President of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and nominated President of the Leibniz Association Prof Dr Dr h. c. Matthias Kleiner, the DFG Vice President Prof Dr Leena Bruckner-Tuderman, the President of the Max Planck Society Prof Dr Peter Gruss, the Director of the University Children's Hospital Frankfurt Prof Dr Thomas Klingebiel and the President of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities Prof Dr Dr h. c. Günter Stock.
Simon has been President of the University of Oldenburg since 2010. Among other things, she is a member of the Medical Committee of the German Council of Science and Humanities and Senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Health.
