---
title: "Heiko von der Leyen sits on the supervisory board of the gene therapy research center in Padua, Italy."
claim_id: "56413d70-5a5a-43bb-8e9e-dfc767caee6e"
validity: 75
model: accounts/fireworks/models/deepseek-v4p1-flash
---

# Claim: Heiko von der Leyen sits on the supervisory board of the gene therapy research center in Padua, Italy.

Verdict: 75%
Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
Checked on: 08/10/2026

## Verdict explanation

##### Reasoning

- The claim refers to the research center for gene therapy and RNA-based drugs established by the University of Padua, financed through Italy's PNRR with €320 million[^1][^2].
- The University of Padua created a Foundation on 8 June 2022 to manage that gene therapy research line, and Orgenesis (where Heiko von der Leyen is Medical Director) designated him as its representative on the Foundation's *Consiglio di sorveglianza* (supervisory board)[^2].
- Orgenesis announced in September 2022 that he was taking on the supervisory board/committee role[^3], and he was formally appointed to the supervisory board on 30 September 2022[^4].
- So the substance — that he sat on the supervisory board of the Padua gene therapy research center — is accurate, and multiple independent sources confirm it[^3][^2][^5].
- However, the present tense "sits" is inaccurate: he resigned from that role in October 2022, about a month after being appointed, after Italian media reported on his involvement[^6][^7][^8]. The EU transparency commissioner also later found no conflict of interest[^9][^10].

**Overall validity**: 75%

(Substantively true — he was appointed to the supervisory board of the Padua gene-therapy/RNA research foundation — but the claim's present tense is misleading, since he resigned in October 2022.)

[^1]:
    [Terapia genica e tecnologia Rna all'Università di Padova](https://blog.abanalitica.com/terapia-genica-e-tecnologia-rna)

[^2]:
    [Padova, il marito di Ursula von der Leyen nel centro di ricerca sui farmaci guidato dall’Ateneo - CorrieredelVeneto.it](https://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/padova/cronaca/22_ottobre_18/padova-marito-ursula-von-der-leyen-centro-ricerca-farmaci-guidato-dall-ateneo-e423d124-4e47-11ed-9d7d-160ead659065.shtml)

[^3]:
    [The Von Der Leyens & Orgenesis: Deep Investigation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSG5iimGTS0)

[^4]:
    [Heiko Echter von der Leyen](https://baike.baidu.com/en/item/Heiko%20Echter%20von%20der%20Leyen/3504470)

[^5]:
    [Ursula von der Leyen Has a Transparency Problem - https://eutoday.net](https://eutoday.net/ursula-von-der-leyen-has-a-transparency-problem)

[^6]:
    [Heiko von der Leyen - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heiko_von_der_Leyen)

[^7]:
    [Il marito di Ursula von der Leyen lascia il centro di ricerca ...](https://www.lastampa.it/esteri/2022/10/28/news/il_marito_di_ursula_von_der_leyen_lascia_il_centro_di_ricerca_di_padova_finanziato_dal_pnrr-12205133)

[^8]:
    [Debunked: Ursula von der Leyen's husband is not the director of a company owned by Pfizer](https://www.thejournal.ie/ursula-von-der-leyen-husband-company-pfizer-vaccine-eu-6443328-Jul2024)

[^9]:
    [EU transparency commissioner: No conflict of interest for Ursula von der Leyen’s husband – POLITICO](https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-transparency-commissioner-vera-jourova-conflict-interest-ursula-von-der-leyen-husband-heiko)

[^10]:
    [It Is False That Ursula Von Der Leyen’s Husband Works At Pfizer | Mythdetector.com](https://mythdetector.com/en/it-is-false-that-ursula-von-der-leyen-s-husband-works-at-pfizer)

## Sources using this claim (1)

- [Ursula von der Leyen approved €320 million for a centre where her husband sits on the board. She f…](/source/instagram:post:DcTgo41k9rr) — 25% — 1 views