Volker ter Meulen, born 1939, graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Göttingen in 1960. His main research interest lies in virus infections of the central nervous system. Professor ter Meulen taught virology and immunobiology at the University of Würzburg until he became President of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2003. Since 2007 he is also acting as chairman of the European Academies Science Advisory Council, which provides advice on scientific aspects of public policy to European institutions.