Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The Scientific Advisory Board plays a major role in the process for reviewing and selecting ELIXIR Nodes and provides strategic scientific advice to the ELIXIR Board. The SAB is an independent body, made up of leading experts from around the world. The committee also includes two independent ethics advisors to advise on ethical, legal and social issues related to ELIXIR. The ELIXIR SAB meets twice a year. 

What the SAB does

  • Reviews applications for new Nodes and makes recommendations to the ELIXIR Board
  • Ensures scientific and technical excellence and relevance (including independent quality assurance)
  • Identifies and recommends emerging challenges and opportunities, both within and beyond ELIXIR activities (including specific periodic reviews)
  • Carries out periodic scientific reviews of ELIXIR Platforms and Communities
  • Reports directly to the ELIXIR Board and ELIXIR Director on the results of their scientific reviews of ELIXIR activities

SAB members

  • Chair: Dr Doreen Ware
  • Vice-Chair: Prof. Philip Bourne
Name Affiliation
Prof. Philip Bourne (Vice-Chair) University of Virginia, USA
Prof. Fiona Brinkman Simon Fraser University, Canada
David Glazer Verily, USA
Prof. Melissa Haendel University of North Carolina, USA
Dr Janet Kelso Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
Dr Danielle Kemmer Novo Nordisk Foundation, Denmark
Dr Paul Kersey Kew Gardens, UK
Prof. Bartha Maria Knoppers McGill University, Canada
Dr Eric Meslin University of Toronto, Canada
Dr BF Francis Ouellette Bioinformatics.ca, Canada
Dr Luisa Mesquita Pereira i3S Association /  University of Porto, Portugal
Dr Augusto Rendon Genomics England, UK
Dr Doreen Ware (Chair) USDA ARS, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
Prof. Detlef Weigel Max Planck Institute for Biology, Germany

Members of the SAB at the February 2025 meeting (from left to right): Janet Kelso, Fiona Brinkman, BF Francis Ouellette, Luisa Pereira, Paul Kersey, Eric Meslin, Philip Bourne, Danielle Kemmer, Bartha Knoppers, Augusto Rendon, Doreen Ware