Director-General

Lawrence Banks received his Degree in Science in 1981 and his PhD in Microbiology from Leeds University, UK in 1984. His term as Director-General of the ICGEB commenced on 1 July, 2019. Scientific Coordinator of the ICGEB from 2016 – June 2019 he has been Group Leader of the Tumour Virology Laboratory at ICGEB Trieste, Italy since 1990. From 1988-1990 he was an independent Research Scientist at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in London, UK and from 1984-1988, Post-doctoral Fellow at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London, UK.

He is Editor of the Journal of Virology, FEBS Journal, Papillomavirus Research, PLoS One, Frontiers Cellular Infection and Microbiology and is on the Editorial Boards of Antiviral Therapy, Virus Research and Biological Chemistry. Since 2017 he has been running Awareness Workshops in Academic Institutions across the ICGEB constituency and has organised over 15 major international workshops on Human Papillomavirus, Molecular Biology of Leishmania and DNA Tumor Viruses.

He has served on Grant Review and PhD Examination Committees of numerous scientific organisations in Italy and abroad, including the Human Frontiers Science Program, DKFZ, and WHO IARC, and is Research Degree Coordinator in Italy for the Open University UK. His current research interest focuses on Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs), the causative agents of a number of human tumours, including cervical cancer, which is a major cause of cancer-related death in women in many parts of the developing world.

His research activity is funded internationally through grants from public and private bodies, including the “Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro” AIRC and the Wellcome Trust. He has published over 220 papers in peer-reviewed, international journals. 

During his mandate he will focus on continuing to drive the Organisation’s transparent managerial structure, expanding interaction in the biotech sector in ICGEB Member States, advancing scientific research of the laboratories in Trieste, New Delhi and Cape Town and contributing to advanced education of young scientists to promote science and technology-intensive solutions to improve the quality of life.

Research Activity

Molecular biology of Human Papillomaviruses: virus entry pathways and induction of malignancy

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Biographical information

Learn more about the Director-General’s career, activities and publications.

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Bank's lab on twitter

Tumor Virology Lab

Link to the Tumor Virology lab on Twitter

‎@GroupTumour

Updates from the DG:

ICGEB’s role in Global Bioeconomy Policy

ICGEB’s actions to advance bioeconomies are at the fore, with the Director-General addressing the G20 in South Africa to present our strategies, principles, and international efforts aimed at creating a sustainable economy using biological resources.

Growing collaboration with World Society for Virology

Dr. Lawrence Banks was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for WSV2025: “A great meeting catering for scientists in the Global South.” The World Society for Virology (WSV) is a non-profit, inclusive, and globally active scientific society founded in 2017 to connect virologists worldwide.

Science & Technology China

1 April 2025, Beijing, China: Tripartite agreement signed with the China National Center for Biotechnology Development (CNCBD) and the China Medical City (CMC) to renew the ICGEB China Regional Research Centre for five years.

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