Appointment of new Director Designate of Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at GOSH

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Child Health, University College London are pleased to announce that, following an international search, Professor Thomas Voit, MD, Dr. med. habil., has been appointed Director Designate of their Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).Professor Voit will lead the only centre of its kind in the UK dedicated to paediatric research and will work to build on its strong track record in excelling in the discovery of treatments for childhood diseases. In this role Professor Voit will also lead the bid for the renewal of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) BRC in 2017.

Professor Voit joins from the Pierre et Marie Curie Sorbonnes Universities, Paris where he was the Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute of Myology and Director of an INSERM/CNRS Research Centre. Prior to this he was a professor and the Head of Paediatrics at University Hospital, Essen. 

Dr Peter Steer, Chief Executive Officer, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children Foundation Trust, said: “I am delighted that a leader of Thomas’ calibre has been appointed to this important role. He brings with him a huge breadth of translational research experience as well as clinical knowledge. 

“I am very much looking forward to working with him to drive forward our pioneering research programme and help realise our ambition to become a research hospital where every single patient is given the opportunity to be involved in research.”

The Director of the UCL Institute of Child Health, Professor Rosalind Smyth also welcomed Professor Voit: “I am delighted that we have secured the services of Professor Voit, who is an internationally renowned leader in child health research, particularly in rare diseases. The BRC, under the leadership of Professor David Goldblatt has been highly successful in driving a translational research agenda for the benefit of children. We now welcome Thomas Voit as David’s successor, and I look forward to working with him in this critical role.”

On his appointment, Professor Voit said, “I am very delighted and truly honored to join the Institute of Child Health at University College London and the Great Ormond Street Hospital. This is an outstanding academic environment of highest international scope and ambition. The Biomedical Research Centre provides excellent infrastructure and highest academic competence to tackle the challenges rare diseases impose on patients and their families, but also on the health system. All our efforts will be geared towards making a real difference for our patients and their families through cutting edge science.”

Finally, Professor Graham Hart, Dean of the Faculty of Population Health Sciences at UCL,  said, “I am delighted to welcome Professor Voit to UCL and to the Faculty. Thomas brings with him significant experience in knowledge transfer and enterprise, in addition to his outstanding research record. I know he will make a success of this critical appointment.” 

Professor Voit will join the organisation on 1 October 2015. In the event of a successful renewal of the BRC, he will succeed Professor David Goldblatt as director in 2017.