Basel Metropolitan Area
• Lead discovery project leader coordinating lead identification and optimization activities from target identification/validation to clinical lead series. • Biochemist motivated to provide high-quality protein reagents, structural and biophysical data to advance drug discovery efforts. - Senior Principal Scientist, Roche, Switzerland (2025-current) - Principal Scientist, Roche, Switzerland (2022-2025) - Senior Scientist, Roche, Switzerland (2019-2022) - Postdoctoral Scientist, Genentech, USA (2016-2019) - Ph.D. Structural Biology, The University of Queensland, Australia (2012-2015) - Research Associate, BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, USA (2011) - M.Sc.Eng. Biotechnology, Polytech Marseille, France (2008-2011) - M.Sc. Structural Biology, Aix-Marseille University, France (2010-2011)
• Drug discovery project leadership: coordinating lead discovery activities (high-throughput screening, DNA-encoded library technology, cellular/biochemical/biophysical assays) from target assessment to lead optimisation/clinical lead series of small molecule, biologics and gene therapy projects. Providing strategic and scientific expertise in validating novel drug targets for early-phase drug development efforts in the therapeutic areas of Infectious diseases, Immunology-Inflammation, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Metabolism. • Research activities: supporting drug discovery projects with high-quality protein reagents, biophysical data and high-resolution biostructures (X-ray crystallography, cryogenic electron microscopy). • External innovation: establishing and managing fruitful collaborations for method development and integration of cutting-edge technology platforms and methodologies in early development. Scientific advisor role for collaboration opportunities with innovative small molecule research biotech startups, evaluation of new drug candidates for clinical lead potential (in-vitro profile/efficacy/safety).
• Designed constructs and methods for the efficient purification of membrane proteins expressed in E.coli, baculoviral and mammalian cell systems. • Developed fluorescent size-exclusion chromatography (FSEC) and differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) methods for the rapid characterization of membrane protein samples. • Determined X-ray and XFEL crystal structures of an integral membrane protein from lipidic cubic phase (LCP). • Determined cryo-EM structure of a eukaryotic voltage-gated sodium channel in complex with a state-dependent toxin modulator at high-resolution. • Screened monoclonal antibodies to obtain structural chaperones and reagents for protein interaction analysis by proteomic methods. • Optimized analytical methods for lipid detection from bacterial cell and protein samples. • Active collaborator with Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience and Chemistry Departments to investigate biochemical and structural observations.
• Developed protocols for the cloning, expression and purification of poorly characterized sorting nexin (SNX) proteins. • Co-crystallized SNX proteins with peptide fragments and binding partners, including determination of an ultra-high resolution (0.85Å) X-ray crystal structure. • Performed in vitro biochemical assays to study the oligomerization state, membrane binding properties, and interactions of SNX proteins with their protein partners. • Established international collaborations, leading to two joint publications.
• Performed analysis of early stage research projects through due diligence, prior art search, competitive landscape analysis and patent screening.