Niklas Blomberg has years of experience in both research and leadership roles in the life sciences. He is currently Executive Director of the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), a public-private partnership between the European Union and Europe’s health industries. By leveraging the skills and resources of a range of scientific fields and sectors, IHI funds research and innovation projects that will address public health needs, improve patients’ lives, and boost the competitiveness of Europe’s health industries. Prior to joining IHI, Dr. Blomberg was director of the research infrastructure ELIXIR. As its founding director, he oversaw the final negotiations between the member states to formally launch ELIXIR. Under his leadership, the organisation grew to include 23 member states, and secured funding from both the member states and other sources. Previously, he worked as a research scientist for AstraZeneca for 14 years, taking on increasingly senior roles in the company, and leading the establishment of a team for data-driven drug discovery in the respiratory and inflammation fields. Originally from Sweden, Dr. Blomberg has a PhD in structural biology and bioinformatics from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany.