The UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board’s first working meeting will be held in Berlin on Thursday, 30 January and Friday, 31 January at the invitation of the German Federal Government. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will also participate in the proceedings. Research and development will be on the scientists´ agenda. Social and ethical dimensions will also be prominent in their deliberations, including the question how the world’s least developed countries can benefit from scientific advances to a greater extent than they do now.

“The UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board addresses immensely important issues regarding the sustainable development of the world’s populations and in doing so broadens the areas of cooperation between science and politics,” says Prof. Jörg Hacker. "I am really looking forward to taking up the challenge of participating in the work of this committee,” adds Hacker.

This Scientific Advisory Board was created to strengthen the connections between science and politics and to make recommendations regarding research priorities. Members will provide advice on contemporary issues to the UN Secretary-General and the heads of other UN organizations as well as identify current knowledge gaps and research needs. The leadership and management of the committee were assigned to UNESCO. The members of the board serve in a personal capacity for an initial period of two years.

The microbiologist Professor Jörg Hacker has served as the President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina since 2010. Prior to that he was the Vice-President of the German Research Foundation from 2003 to 2009 and from 2008 to 2010 President of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin. He has also work outside of Germany on a number of occasions. In the years 2000 to 2005, for example, he was engaged in research at the Institut Pasteur in Paris and in 2006 he accepted a position as guest professor at Tel Aviv University (Israel). His areas of expertise include the molecular analysis of different infectious agents.

Jörg Hacker studied biology at Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) from 1970 to 1974, specialising in genetics and microbiology. After earning his Ph.D. in Halle in 1979 and gaining his postdoctoral lecture qualification at the Institute for Microbiology at the University of Würzburg in 1986, Hacker became a professor of microbiology in Würzburg in 1988. In 1993 he became the director of Würzburg’s Institute for Molecular Infection Biology.

Founded in 1652, the Leopoldina brings together some 1,500 outstanding scientists from about 30 countries. It is dedicated to the advancement of science for the benefit of humankind and to shaping a better future. In its role as the German National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina represents the German scientific community in international committees. It offers unbiased scientific opinions on political and societal questions, publishing independent studies of national and international significance. The Leopoldina promotes scientific and public debate, supports young scientists, confers awards for scientific achievements, conducts research projects, and campaigns for the human rights of persecuted scientists.

Interviews with Professor Hacker can be arranged by writing to presse@leopoldina.org or by calling +49 (0) 345/472 39 802.

The press will be admitted to the inaugural ceremony on Thursday, 10 January, beginning at 10 am. Registration with the Federal Foreign Office is required, either by email to presse@diplo.de or by telephone under the number +49 (0) 30/500 020 56.

Other possible interviewees for information concerning the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board can be arranged through UNESCO. Person to contact:
Farid Gardizi, E-Mail: gardizi@unesco.de, Tel.: 0228/604 97 37.