Founder of the Women\u2019s Brain Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha is a medical doctor, neuroscientist, and internationally recognized expert in sex- and gender-specific precision medicine. She leads global efforts to advance scientific understanding of how biological sex and gender influence brain and mental health. She brings extensive experience in biotech, medtech and pharmaceutical environments, and serves as a mentor for innovation at Innosuisse, supporting emerging leaders and technologies in the health and life-science sectors. Her work focuses on accelerating innovation in neurological and psychiatric disorders, eliminating bias in research and clinical development, and shaping a more equitable healthcare system. Dr. Santuccione Chadha has received numerous international awards for her leadership, including Woman of the Year in Switzerland, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, the World Sustainability Award, and the Dean Martin International Prize, recognizing her impact on precision medicine and women\u2019s brain health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Carlyle Christopherson <\/strong> Carlyle Christopherson is a visionary entrepreneur, business owner, and communications strategist with nearly two decades of global corporate and start-up experience. His journey blends real-world execution with deep expertise in branding, storytelling, and business development, bringing grounded wisdom and transformative insight to everything he does. Carlyle is known for his unique ability to bridge vision and action. With tenacity and clarity, he helps leaders move ideas from spark to scale, crafting compelling narratives, building purpose-driven brands, and designing the foundations for sustainable, impactful growth. His hands-on experience launching and running businesses, combined with a rich global perspective, equips him with a unique lens on what it truly takes to build lasting businesses in a noisy world. Rooted in authenticity, integrity, and the belief that clear communication drives real change, Carlyle empowers entrepreneurs to lead with purpose, communicate with power, and move forward with confidence. His mission? To amplify the potential of entrepreneurs and their ideas, and to help them businesses with purpose, impact, and lasting power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pierre Farmer <\/strong> Pierre is a Clinical Innovation Lead (Associate Director) at Novartis, where he drives precision medicine strategies integrating biomarkers, diagnostics, data science, and digital innovation across clinical development programs. With over 20 years of experience at the interface of life sciences, data science, and business, he has led multidisciplinary teams and advanced analytics initiatives across research and development, contributing to both pipeline progression and clinical practice. Pierre has played a key role in major international collaborations, including federated learning initiatives in drug discovery and large-scale genomics partnerships. His work has led to tangible impact, including biomarker discoveries translated into commercial diagnostics, advancement of multiple drug candidates into clinical development, and significant business and scientific outcomes. He holds a PhD in Pharmacology, a Master\u2019s in Data Science, and an Executive MBA with honours from IMD, reflecting his strong focus on bridging science, technology, and strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luisa Last<\/strong> Dr. Luisa Last<\/a> is trained as an environmental scientist with expertise in biodiversity, molecular ecology, microbiology, as well as science and policy training. Dr. Last is an Educational Expert with Engage<\/a>, an ETH domain joint initiative, and actively designs and facilitates impactful capacity building workshops. As Postdoc at ETH Zurich, she was involved in multiple foresight and stakeholder engagement activities together with the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture and the European Commission (4th<\/sup> SCAR Foresight<\/a>). As the EU Fellowship Program Officer for the RESPONSE<\/a> Doctoral Program, she supports emerging researchers in their efforts addressing global challenges. Additionally, she co-edits the blog Engaging in a Science and Policy Dialogue<\/em><\/a>, fostering critical discussions at this intersection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dominic Hoepfner<\/strong> Dominic received his Ph.D. from the University of Basel for his work on microtubule organization and organelle dynamics followed by a postdoc in the Netherlands where he unraveled basic peroxisome biogenesis pathways that made it into the biology textbooks. He joined Novartis Biomedical Research in 2005 and has since worked on disease and compound target identification using high-throughput genetics. This journey has taken him from yeast to haploid mouse embryonic stem cells to CRISPR in primary cells and organoids. Today, Dominic is leading the CRISPR screening platform of the Discovery Sciences department. He is also teaching genetics and drug discovery courses at the University of Basel and the ESBS biotech school at Strasbourg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kateryna Portmann<\/strong><\/strong> Kateryna is a senior product and technology leader at the intersection of robotics, AI, and responsible innovation, currently serving as Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics, teaching in the Fast Future Executives Micro MBA and at HWZ, and co-leading the Swiss chapter of Women in Robotics. A mother of two and recognized by the IFR as a Women in Robotics, she has led global product portfolios in robotics and digital health, translating emerging technologies into scalable, ethical solutions while mentoring future leaders on responsible innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Douglas H\u00e4ggstr\u00f6m<\/strong> Douglas has a diverse background spanning corporate, consulting, start-up, non-profit, and academic sectors. He joined the Innovation Office in 2021 to support the launch of the INCATE program, which fosters the development of early-stage antibiotic therapies through a public\u2013private partnership, as well as the Swiss Leading House Africa innovation instruments. He is currently developing another public\u2013private partnership to advance therapies against Neglected Tropical Diseases. Douglas is passionate about enabling individuals and groups to create impact, and he has contributed to building multiple networks and communities. He co-founded DayOne, Global Entrepreneurship Week Basel, and Powher \u2013 Female Entrepreneurship Basel, and is the founder and president of the Australian Swiss Academic and Innovation Network (ASAIN). His previous experience includes work in consulting, teaching, media, pharma, and fintech industries.<\/p>\n\n\n Lara Brantschen <\/strong><\/strong> Originally from Lugano, Lara moved to Basel to pursue her academic studies, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master’s degree in Business and Economics with a major in Strategic Management. In her role as Junior Innovation Manager for Entrepreneurship Education, she is shaping and expanding the university\u2019s entrepreneurial education programs as well as helping students and researchers develop the skills and tools they need to succeed in their innovation journey. She also leads the Innosuisse Consortium for the Northern Region of Switzerland, which offers workshops, courses, and events to support entrepreneurial talent at every stage. Passionate about community building, she enjoys creating meaningful connections and contributing to a vibrant innovation ecosystem – always with a positive and forward-thinking mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natasha Konstantinova<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A unique blend of business executive and creative mind, whose experience spans reputation, crisis & change management, leadership, executive coaching, PR, music, education, and communication. For over two decades, Natasha ran global, regional, and corporate teams in Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, and IT for Fortune 500 companies, as well as in NGO and educational institutions. Throughout her career, she has led large-scale organizational transformation initiatives and played a key role in corporate crisis response teams, from cyber-attacks, corruption cases, M&A activity, and healthcare crises, to shifts in business models, and the establishment of new joint ventures, among many others. Natasha also worked to brand and re-rebrand multinationals, SMEs, and start-ups. She used her skills to position products, services, companies and individuals, and worked with leaders to use communication as a strategic tool to align teams, earn trust, and shape a strong reputation inside and out. Today, Natasha empowers entrepreneurs, executives, multinationals, and business leaders to stand out, build their brands and credibility, and manage their reputations. Natasha is a member of the faculty at several European business schools and institutions and also trains & coaches teams and individuals in crisis & change management, communication, and leadership presence. Her work draws on research and expertise in high-performance leadership, cognitive neuroscience, adult learning, executive coaching, and emotional intelligence. Natasha is also the head of \u2018Talent and Academy\u2019 for the Swiss Biotech Association and volunteers as a judge and mentor for the Healthcare Startup Accelerator, helping to advance the future of life sciences and biotech in Switzerland and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Janina Grabs<\/strong> Janina received her PhD in Political Science from the University of M\u00fcnster, Germany, and previously was a post-doctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, visiting researcher at Yale University, and Assistant Professor at ESADE Business School. Her work focuses on the governance of sustainability in global value chains, with a special focus on tropical agricultural commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and palm oil. Her work on the effectiveness of private sustainability governance in the coffee sector has been widely recognized and is published in the book \u201cSelling Sustainability Short? The Private Governance of Labor and the Environment in the Coffee Sector\u201d (2020, Cambridge University Press), which received a number of academic awards. She has further published in leading peer-reviewed journals including Nature Sustainability, Regulation & Governance and the Journal of Business Ethics. Her current research agenda, supported by an SNF Starting Grant, focuses on the implementation of due diligence legislation such as the EU Deforestation Regulation and its implications for smallholder farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Valentina Millarte<\/strong><\/strong> From User to Expert: Bridging Scientific Experience with Advanced Cell Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Having spent years using advanced microscopy and flow cytometry as a researcher, I now have the opportunity to look at these technologies from the other side, as part of Agilent Technologies\u2019 Cell Analysis Division, where I support scientists in selecting and applying the right solutions for their research. In this talk, I will share how my own experience at the bench shapes the way I approach cell analysis today. Having worked with these technologies as an end user, I understand the practical challenges behind generating reliable data, from experimental design and assay optimization to instrument capabilities, data quality, and interpretation. This scientific perspective allows me to connect researchers\u2019 biological questions with the technologies that can best address them. I will highlight what I have learned from moving from instrument user to technology specialist, and how combining hands-on research experience with in-depth knowledge of modern cell analysis platforms can help researchers get more from their experiments. Ultimately, the goal is to bridge the gap between what a technology can do and what scientists actually need it to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Damien Truffin<\/strong><\/strong> Damien holds a PhD in Toxicology from the Faculty of Pharmacy of Lille and is a European Registered Toxicologist (ERT). He has nearly 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical research and development, spanning both human and veterinary health. Since 2026, he has served as Health & Pharma Senior Research Manager at Roquette, where he leads early-stage innovation and value-proving activities for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Prior to this role, he was Toxicology, Pharmacology and Ecotoxicology Expert at Roquette and spent more than 15 years heading R&D programs in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry. His expertise covers preclinical development, toxicology, pharmacology, bioavailability, translational research, and the design of in vitro and in vivo models. Throughout his career, he has contributed to the development of innovative health solutions ranging from excipients and active ingredients to pharmaceuticals, nutrition and biotechnology products.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n His talk will provide an insider’s view of Life Sciences R&D at Roquette, showing how multidisciplinary expertise in biotechnology, toxicology, nutrition, health sciences, and innovation management drives the development of new ingredients, technologies, and evidence-based solutions. Through selected examples, he will illustrate how industrial research connects fundamental science, translational models, regulatory requirements, and market needs to generate innovation with tangible value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Author of Start-Up Truths: The Solo Entrepreneurs Guide To Authentic Success, Healthcare Communications Strategist, Entrepreneur & Growth Advisor<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Precision Medicine Associate Director at Novartis<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Coordinator of the PhD Program in Science and Policy<\/a> accredited by ETH Zurich, and the Universities of Zurich and Basel<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Executive Director of Genomic Sciences at Novartis and Honorary Professor at University of Basel<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics and Swiss chapter co-lead for Women in Robotics<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Innovation Manager, Innovation Office, University of Basel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Junior Innovation Manager for Entrepreneurship Education,
Innovation Office, University of Basel<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Associate Professor of Sustainability Research at University of Basel<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Field Application Scientist at Agilent Technologies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Health & Pharma Senior Research Manager, Roquette<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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