Seventeen years after leaving Singapore, life sciences professor Mangala Srinivas has become the first Singaporean appointed as a top scientific adviser to the European Union, a role that shapes key policies and laws across Europe. The 44-year-old Indian-origin professor is also the first non-EU citizen to take on this role, which was created in 2015 by the European Commission — the EU’s executive body.
Born and raised in Tampines, Prof Srinivas completed her undergraduate studies in biochemistry at the National University of Singapore before pursuing her PhD in the United States. She moved to the Netherlands 17 years ago and has since settled there with her family.
Despite her base in Europe, she maintains strong ties with Singapore, visiting every two years, most recently in February for a conference.
She is now one of seven new chief scientific advisers to the European Commission, chosen from around 400 nominees, including Nobel laureates. According to reports, Prof Srinivas was appointed in May 2025 and officially onboarded in Brussels in July.
She currently heads the department of cell biology and immunology at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands. The new role sees her offering independent advice to EU political leaders on science-related matters ranging from climate action to healthcare. Past advisory topics have included sustainable agriculture, cancer screening and clean energy.
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While she brings deep experience in life sciences to the table, Prof Srinivas told The Straits Times that her task as an adviser is not to share her personal expertise but to guide policymakers using a wide base of scientific opinion. “The aim isn’t to offer my own expert opinion but to help translate input from a wide range of specialists into something policymakers can use,” she said.
She was nominated for the post by the Young Academy of Europe, a network of emerging scientists engaged in science policy, where she had served as both chair and board member. The final selection was made by the EU commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation.
At Wageningen University, Prof Srinivas leads a research team that works on improving how doctors monitor immune cells in the human body using advanced imaging technologies. She and her collaborators have developed novel nanoparticles to track immune cells more accurately, a method that could make evaluating costly therapies for diseases like cancer more effective. Her team is preparing to begin a clinical trial to use this technology on rectal cancer patients.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Prof Srinivas also brings a strong personal story. She has three children and, for several years, raised them alone as a single mother while managing her research work. “My husband is very supportive. But in the few years when I was a single mother, it was really a challenge, especially during the (pandemic) lockdown and I had to homeschool them,” she told the daily.
She noted that some people doubted whether she could balance academic leadership with parenting. “A lot of people were sceptical that it’s feasible to mix a position like being professor with having young children,” she said.
Prof Srinivas said her selection to the EU panel reflects not only her contributions to science policy but also her diverse background in research and industry, including roles at GE Healthcare and a medical imaging start-up she co-founded. She also sees her role as an opportunity to represent minority women in science.
“I could have impact on a lot of people on real matters. And representing not only my university and the Netherlands but also Singapore,” she said.
Looking ahead, she hopes to keep advocating for diversity, inclusion and evidence-based decision-making in global science policy.
