Giulia Grande appointed new director of CAR
The Center for Alzheimer Research (CAR) has a new director as of 1 November. Giulia Grande, assistant professor at the Division of ARC, has taken over from Daniel Ferreira.
What was your first thought when you learned you had been appointed director?
”First of all, great joy, of course! I was really happy and honoured to have been chosen for this role. At the same time, I immediately felt a strong sense of responsibility, knowing how important the Center is and what this role means. I also thought about the wonderful colleagues and researchers who are part of CAR, and how much we can achieve by working together. I am really looking forward to working with them and contributing to the Center's future development”, says Giulia Grande.
What are your first plans for CAR?
”My first priority is to build on the excellent work done by my predecessor, Daniel Ferreira, and ensure a smooth transition and work closely with the NVS leadership, to build on a shared vision for the Center. Together with the Steering Committee I want also to meet our CAR research community, listen to their perspectives, and identify our priorities together. And looking ahead, an important goal will be to bring CAR beyond CAR! This means giving greater visibility to the excellent research being conducted within the Center, strengthening our international presence, and building new collaborations and connections, both within and beyond KI”.
What is most exciting part of this role?
”What excites me most is the opportunity to bring people and ideas together. Alzheimer's research is moving incredibly fast, and I believe that some of the most interesting developments happen when researchers with different perspectives and expertise work together. We already have so much expertise within CAR, and being able to bring people together, encourage new ideas, and create opportunities for collaboration is something I find particularly motivating”.
Do you see any challenges ahead?
”Of course I do! One of the main challenges is that CAR is not a physical centre, but rather a hub of researchers working across different groups and divisions. So an important goal is to bring people together and strengthen the sense of belonging to the CAR community. I think this is particularly important because a strong scientific community is not just about sharing research interests, but also about exchanging ideas, learning from each other, and feeling part of something bigger. And that is something I hope we can continue building together”.