Isle of Riems, 13.11.2023. Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir officially appoints Prof. Dr. Martin Beer as the new Vice President of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut. "As a veterinarian specialising in microbiology and virology and a renowned virologist, Martin Beer is the ideal professional combination for my specialist areas of animal breeding, molecular genetics and disease resistance for the future management of the Institute," said the President of the Friedrich- Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Prof. Dr. Christa Kühn. The Vice-President represents the President in all scientific matters and is appointed by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture on the recommendation of the President from among the 12 heads of the specialist institutes. Martin Beer has been head of the Institute of Virus Diagnostics at the FLI's main site on the island of Riems since 2004.

Born in the Upper Palatinate region of Germany, Martin Beer studied veterinary medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, where he also obtained his doctorate in microbiology and virology as well as his habilitation in microbiology. He joined the FLI's Institute of Virus Diagnostics as a scientist in 2000. This specialist institute houses 25 of the FLI's 60+ national reference laboratories for notifiable animal diseases. Beer is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Pirbright Institute in the UK and the Expert Advisory Board on Pandemic Respiratory Infections at the Robert Koch Institute. He also serves on the editorial boards of the international journals Virus Research and VACCINE.

From October 2022 to November 2023, Prof Dr Lars Schrader, Head of the Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, will serve as interim FLI Vice President. Prof Kühn expressed his sincere thanks for his commitment to the interests of the FLI.