What I do at MMV:

I lead our translational medicine team, which manages antimalarial drug development projects from candidate selection to proof-of-concept, including manufacturing of drug substances and formulations, preclinical safety and toxicology, Phase I clinical studies in healthy volunteers and Phase IIa clinical studies in patients.

Why I work at MMV:

After leaving malaria basic research because there was limited interest and funding at the time, it is great to again be part of renewed efforts to fight and eradicate this disease. The size of MMV, its culture and flexibility allow me to explore new, faster and more efficient ways to bring novel molecules from laboratories to the field. In the past years, we have been able to advance new molecules from the laboratory to patients. We have developed with our partners new study concepts that allow faster progress and are able to shape the way drug development can be conducted. This is highly satisfying and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be part of this exciting endeavour.

More about me:

I joined MMV in 2005. Before that I worked in clinical development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry across a range of indications, such as asthma, oncology, inflammatory diseases and neurology. Before my career in clinical development, I studied biochemistry in Tübingen University, Germany, and did my master’s research in electron transport in cyanobacteria in Cambridge, UK receiving an MPhil and I obtained my PhD from Basel University for my work on protein kinases of Plasmodium falciparum.

In 2006 I obtained my MBA, with a focus on strategic planning from Lorange Institute, Zürich and SUNY Albany, NY. I am a fellow of the Institute of Clinical Research and a Chartered Scientist of the Science Council of the UK.

Ask me about:

Outside MMV, I occasionally teach for the Fachhochschule (Universty of Applied Sciences) Nordwestschweiz. I am an amateur French horn player and play regularly in the “Orchestre de 3 Chêne”, which performs publicly three times a year. I am also a keen skier and cyclist.