Stavros Malas
Prof. Stavros Malas holds a BSc and PhD in Genetics from University College London. Subsequent to his postgraduate studies, he worked for the Medical Research Council-Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College. In 2001, he moved to Cyprus and joined the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING) where he established a research group and the first transgenic animal facility in the country. He has expertise in developing transgenic animal models, embryonic brain development, stem cell biology and molecular genetics. His research focuses on the progression of stem cells to the progenitor state in the embryonic brain. His work uncovered new neuronal populations in the spinal cord in mice and provided novel insights as to the role of specific genes in the embryonic brain. He received an honorary award from the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation in 2006 for best performance in attracting competitive funding from the European Commission (EC) in the area of Health and over the last twenty years has undertaken many EC advisory roles in policy development. Professor Malas has served as Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus and during the Cyprus Presidency of the European Union, as Chair of both the European Council of Ministers of Health and the Competitiveness Council for Research. Professor Malas previously held the position of Professor of Genetics and Development at the University of Nicosia and led the effort for establishing the first Veterinary Medicine Program in Cyprus as Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. He assumed the position of President of The Cyprus Institute on February 1st, 2023.