Next ERC head hailed as astute and ‘dedicated’ research leader

Colleagues praise Maria Leptin’s diligence and fairness as she prepares to take over troubled funder

The European Research Council can look forward to a gifted leader in Maria Leptin when she takes over at Europe’s most prestigious research funder, according to current and former colleagues.

The European Commission named the German developmental biologist as the next president of the ERC on 30 June, ending a search triggered by the acrimonious departure of the previous head. Leptin’s appointment comes as the bottom-up funder is evaluating the first calls of a seven-year cycle amid growing political focus on top-down, challenge-based R&D.