Boost for Europe's research plans

After years of deliberation, the European Union introduced its new instrument of science funding, the European Research Council, through a back door, by including it in the latest edition of its Framework Program, FP7 (see Curr. Biol. (2005) 15, R359). Since then, a Scientific Council has been busy laying the foundations of what is designed to become a European pendant to the US National Science Foundation, and to provide project grants to researchers with minimal bureaucracy. Any fears that these worthy intentions might remain wishful thinking have been allayed with the recent announcement that Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, one of the most experienced science managers in Europe, will be the ERC's first secretary-general. He is set to serve only half of the five-year tenure, to be replaced with the Spanish economist Andreu Mas-Colell in July 2009. Winnacker, a chemist who became one of the pioneers and godfathers of German molecular biology and biotechnology, is the founder and director of the Genzentrum at Munich, has served on the federal bioethics council, advised governments, and reached out to the general public. While his outspoken support for genetic engineering and biotechnology won him a few enemies in the 1980s, when even the production of human insulin by engineered bacteria was a highly controversial issue in Germany, his recent activities have mostly attracted praise from all sides. Most importantly, he has been the chief executive of the largest funding agency in Europe, Germany's Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), since January 1998. The DFG, which also covers the whole spectrum of the sciences, commands an annual budget of over one billion euros, commensurate with that of Winnacker's new organisation. Winnacker had been elected for three consecutive terms at the top of the DFG, during which time he implemented a number of reforms without treading on too many toes. He had already announced that he would not seek re-appointment when his third term expires at the end of this year. Given Winnacker's relevant experience and the seamless transition from the end of his DFG position to the start of the European job, the ERC can look forward to a flying start. As the secretary-general, Winnacker will work with the scientific council, consisting of 22 scientists from across Europe, to ensure that the work can start smoothly. Researchers across Europe, whose grassroot campaigning for a simpler European funding process kicked off the development that created the ERC, will soon be able …