Switzerland
Over 15 years in neuroscience R&D, I have led teams from target identification through preclinical candidate delivery, including programs in neurodevelopmental disorders, epilepsy, sleep, and neurodegenerative diseases. I have built iPSC-based disease modelling platforms from the ground up, introduced single-cell transcriptomics and AI-assisted image analysis pipelines, and managed cross-functional teams including in academic and pharma partnerships. Currently exploring senior research leadership roles in biotech and pharma, and open to consulting in drug discovery strategy, translational disease modelling, and AI-driven R&D portfolio development. Participant in the inaugural cohort of the AI Business Specialist Leadership Program at the Graduate School of Applied Technology & Management, Zurich (towards federal certificate of advanced studies).
Exploring senior research leadership roles in biotech focused on AI-driven biology and therapeutic discovery; Inaugural cohort participant in the AI Business Specialist Leadership Program, Graduate School of Applied Technology & Management, Zurich (federal certificate of advanced studies); Consulting in discovery strategy, iPSC/disease modelling platforms, data-driven portfolio development, and technology scouting
Deputy to the Translational Sciences Department Head; Administrative tasks including budget planning and monitoring; Led strategic portfolio reprioritization and team restructuring across CNS and CV groups during a period of organizational change, maintaining research continuity with reduced resources; Oversight over the Scientific Computing Drug Discovery (SCDD) group and the Knowledge Center in the context of re-organizations and integration of remaining expertise with needs of a shrinking research organization; BD activities for investors and pharma partnering to maximize preclinical pipeline value.
Development of the neurology portfolio strategy in alignment with CNS chemistry and in vivo pharmacology groups. Supervision of four research labs involved in diverse CNS drug discovery projects for sleep, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, neuroinflammation, across all phases of preclinical R&D. Delivery of high-quality development candidates including for industry partnership. Biomarker and mechanism-of-action (MoA) support for phase 2 chemokine receptor program in multiple sclerosis. Implementation of assays based on human iPSC-derived cell types of the CNS and other organ systems to ensure translational relevance of target and pathway validation, MoA studies, and biomarker strategy. Development, integration, and standardization of data analysis pipelines across projects, including single-cell gene expression atlases, image analyses by learning algorithms, and large language models in collaboration with SCDD
Assessment of neuromodulatory effects on human iPSC-derived neurons by low-dose ionizing radiation within an industry-academia collaboration
Employee #1 at stealth biotech (now, Syndeio Bio’s Boost Platform), setting up lab operations and a calcium imaging platform with human iPSC-derived neurons to test peptide therapeutics for Alzheimer’s-related dementia (ADRD)
Consulting PI on partnership with the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai, New York, for phenotypic characterization of rare disease gene mutations associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Heading a technology platform based on human iPSC-derived CNS cell types to support drug discovery across CNS indications including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), and epilepsy; Development of a program for ASD through strategic partnership with the Seaver Autism Center
Development of a technology platform using human iPSC-derived neurons and glia in combination with electrophysiology, calcium imaging, high-content imaging, and stem cell engineering by CRISPR/Cas; Building and managing a cross-functional team including 10+ neuroscientists, research associates, data scientists, for validation of genetic and other human in vitro disease models, preclinical target validation, and compound testing; Creation of a productive data environment, including data analysis and documentation tools (Benchling), and custom front- and back-end solutions to facilitate R&D based on FAIR data principles; Responsible for preclinical research programs in epilepsy, FXS, ALS; Grant writing, partnerships, interaction with patient organizations, promotion of NeuCyte’s technology platform and drug discovery programs at conferences