Cytosurge team
Recruit and keep great people.
Cytosurge is a synthetic biology enabler.We are dedicated to fulfilling the unmet need for implementing complex genetic designs into gene-edited mammalian cell lines. We thereby bridge the manufacturing gap between the advances made in data driven genetic design tools and tangible applications of genetically engineered cells. The company applies a patented single cell bottom-up gene editing process and groundbreaking dynamic gene expression analysis capabilities to construct, evaluate, and debug complex synthetic mammalian cell lines. We are thereby effectively addressing a major pain point of current genetic engineering workflows in mammalian cell lines. Our initial focus lies in enhancing therapy manufacturing for future cures, with the ultimate goal to empower genetic engineers to concentrate on designing next-generation gene edited mammalian cell lines, confident that their visionary concepts can be realized.
Meet our team of ambitious and motivated people – we are passionate about technology, science, and progress.
Thomas Bachmann
BOARD MEMBER
Thomas Bachmann has more than 30 years of international management experience and an extensive network in the biotechnology and laboratory equipment industry. With his valuable industry know-how, Thomas Bachmann is a great asset to Cytosurge and will continue to develop our strategic future markets.
Dr. Pascal Behr
CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Pascal holds a doctoral degree from ETH Zurich. His passion for entrepreneurship and Startups has led him to the foundation of Cytosurge. He currently serves as CEO of the company and is responsible for all operational and strategic matters of the company.
When away from work, Pascal enjoys spending time at the Rhine river - in summer and in winter. He loves scuba diving and has a passion for the latest tech gadgets.
Dr. Tobias Beyer
CSO / APPLICATION SPECIALIST
Tobias obtained his PhD in Cell Biology at ETH Zurich. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the LTRI in Toronto, he joined ETH Zurich as junior group leader (Groups of Prof. Wutz and Prof. Corn). Here, he combined his expertise in cell biology, cell signaling and embryonic stem cells with genome engineering using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. At Cytosurge, Tobias uses his skills to identify and develop applications for the FluidFM OMNIUM.
In his spare time, Tobias enjoys spending time with his family outdoors, hiking and biking. Together with his friends, Tobias can be found stalking trout in small mountain streams.
Céline Buff
QC & PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Céline is a QC & Production Technician responsible for quality control and assembly. She joined us soon after her apprenticeship and has quickly become a reliable colleague. She ensures that our products meet high standards through careful inspection and precise assembly.
In her free time, Céline enjoys drawing both traditionally as well as digitally. She also spends a lot of her time with her family and friends, and let's not forget her cats!
Dr. Sinéad Connolly
LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION SCIENTIST
Sinéad is a biomedical engineer and received her PhD from the University of Limerick, Ireland where she focused on biomicrofluidics and mechanobiology of cancer cells. She became familiar with FluidFM and the OMNIUM during her postdoc in ETH Zürich, where she used it to pick and place neuronal cells and spheroids. Now, she uses this knowledge to aid our customers with their own applications, as well as developing the technology further.
Sinéad is fond of hiking, baking and doing word puzzles in her spare time. She also occasionally enjoys exploring new places, their cultures and histories.
Michelle Curti
SALARY ADMINISTRATION
As a trustee (B.+ G. Schneider Treuhand AG), Michelle has been responsible for our accounting since the company was founded in 2009. She now runs the salary administration and thanks to her in-depth experience always finds the right answer and solution in this often-complex topic.
To balance out her daily job with numbers, Michelle passionately plays curling. Another one of her hobbies: Michelle likes to cook for friends.
Caroline De Feyter
LABORATORY SPECIALIST
Since the start of Caroline’s career, she has rapidly gained extensive experience and knowledge in the research field while prioritizing efficiency and attention to detail. As she is part of the CellEDIT Fulfillment team and, at the same time, our passionate Biosafety Officer, Caroline is a valuable addition to our company. With her 6+ years’ experience in cell and molecular biology, including cell culture and cell line engineering (CRISPR/Cas9) in GMP and GLP environments, she became an integral part of the team and its success.
Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the natural and cultural wonders of the world and working on creative projects at home, such as drawing.
Dr. Xuan Droz
R&D SCIENTIST / PROJECT MANAGER
Xuan holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. As a scientist with a deep passion for technological innovation, she has gained extensive project leadership experience in genome engineering and synthetic biology within the biotech industry. Her expertise has led to several inventorships in synthetic biology and microfluidic process automation for cell line engineering. Xuan joined the company to enhance the CellEdit R&D projects through process innovation and automation.
In her free time, Xuan loves spending time with her family and friends, exploring culinary experiences and visiting museums, with a special interest in Asian arts. Xuan also enjoys tending to her balcony garden and is learning to play tennis. Additionally, she occasionally goes fossil hunting.
Simon Egli
CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
Simon is a business professional with over a decade of experience in sales & marketing, corporate strategy as well as general leadership. Simon holds an International EMBA from the Rochester Bern Executive Programs, as well as a degree in Biotechnology from the University of Applied Sciences Wädenswil. Throughout his career, Simon has gained valuable industry knowledge and built an international network. He is committed to staying up to date on emerging trends and technologies in his field and enjoys collaborating with others to achieve strategic goals.
In his free time, Simon enjoys staying active and can often be found on his mountain or road bike, drawing inspiration from the beautiful Swiss scenery. He is excited to be a part of Cytosurge’s team and is dedicated to supporting the company's vision.
Dr. Erica Fiorini
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY MANAGER
Erica, originally from Italy, obtained her PhD at the University of Zurich with a thesis focused on sm FRET microscopy. With a great passion for communication and her extensive background in scientific communication from working in public relations agencies for life science and healthcare companies in Germany and the USA, she brings a wealth of experience to Cytosurge. Here, she is strengthening the Sales & Marketing team and leading the company's social media strategy and channels.
Erica enjoys running and aerobics, listening to podcasts, and engaging in various activities with her young and numerous family.
Dr. Tamás Gerecsei
SALES MANAGER
Tamás is a biophysicist and holds a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. For his PhD thesis, he used FluidFM technology to study cell adhesion. He then joined Cytosurge to help push the limits of the technology and make it available to researchers around the world. You can often find Tamás at conferences spreading the word about Cytosurge.
When time permits, Tamás likes to travel to faraway places or browse his home library, preferably with a chilled glass of Tokaj wine in hand.
Claudia Gowin
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Claudia holds a master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Konstanz, Germany. With her proficiency in cell- and molecular biology, she supports the successful fulfillment of our customers’ CellEDIT requests.
Beyond the lab, she finds joy in exploring the depths of the ocean through scuba diving, gliding down slopes while skiing or leisurely boating along the Limmat.
Martin Gertsch
BOARD CHAIRMAN
Martin is an experienced Board of Directors and Financial Advisor. He served more than 30 years as Board and CFO in the life science industry, both in publicly listed and privately held international SME companies. With his valuable financing and start-up experience he will support Cytosurge in its transition from a single-cell R&D company to a single-cell engineering service provider. Martin is a Swiss CPA and he completed several executive-level programs at IMD in Lausanne. He currently serves as Chairman of ARTIDIS AG, a privately-held diagnostic start-up company, and as Member of the Board of the University Center of Dentistry Basel (UZB).
Anabel Migenda Herranz
R&D ASSOCIATE SCIENTIST BIOLOGY
Anabel holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Zurich and has several years of molecular biology lab experience. She joined our team to further develop applications with our FluidFM OMNIUM system for single cell manipulation.
In her free time, Anabel seeks for challenges on the wall whilst bouldering or, more relaxing, enjoying the Swiss mountains by hiking or snowboarding.
Uwe Heuzeroth
DIRECTOR OF CellEDIT PLATFORM
Uwe has 20+ years business development experience in the laboratory automation market across medical devices and life science systems for research. At Cytosurge, he is responsible for further developing our new cell line engineering platform and build a fit-for-purpose and scalable laboratory architecture for cell modification.
In his spare time, Uwe enjoys running and motorbike riding in the mountains together with friends.
Stefan Hoffmann
INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Stefan holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavior Economics and is currently obtaining a Master of Science in Psychology. He brings twenty years of relevant experience from various companies and industries in Supply Chain, Procurement and Account Management including management experience. At Cytosurge, Stefan uses his knowledge to strengthen and develop the customer journey, contributing to our company's further growth.
In his spare time, Stefan likes to spend time with his family and is a passionate gardener when he's not spending time on his studies.
Stephan Jud
CTO
Stephan is a software architect with over 14 years of experience. As one of the company's first employees he has a profound understanding of the FluidFM technology. In his role as CTO he leads the research and development of our solutions and is responsible for the direction, design and development of Cytosurge's products.
When the sun is shining, Stephan enjoys playing soccer. However, he takes far more pleasure in watching soccer matches from inside a stadium or from the comfort of his living room couch.
Dr. Kerda Keevend
APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Kerda obtained her PhD from ETH Zurich and has a strong background in chemistry, nanotechnology, cell biology and electron microscopy. She joined Cytosurge to help our customers getting the best results out of their experiments and advance the field of FluidFM.
In her spare time, Kerda enjoys spending her free time with friends, visiting diverse concerts and art exhibitions. She also loves exploring new places, hiking in the nature, and discovering exciting new cultures.
Dr. Adèle Kerjouan
HEAD OF SERVICES PROCESS DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCT MANAGER SERVICES
Adele holds a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Grenoble France. Her strong background in quantitative fluorescence imaging was built up during her postdoctoral fellowship at Melbourne University, Australia. Today, her experience and expertise help the team to bring cell line development using OMNIUM to the next level.
Adele enjoys spending her free time with friends, in nature, hiking, or skiing. She also loves traveling and discovering different cultures and food.
Dr. Leslie Labarre
SCIENTIFIC MARKETING MANAGER
Leslie holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering with a strong knowledge in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and microfluidics from the University of Birmingham, UK. Her evolution into a Scientific Marketer, was built up during her time in Paris working for a start-up specialized in microfluidics instrumentation and validated with a master at the EM Business School in Strasbourg, France. Today, her experience and expertise help the Sales & Marketing team to bring Single-Cell Manipulation using the FluidFM OMNIUM to the next level.
Leslie enjoys also spending her free time with friends by the Rhein but also playing Table football with her colleagues!
Rocco Lafleur
R&D PROJECT MANAGER (ENGINEERING) / MEMS TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Rocco enjoys engineering solutions that can broadly benefit society. Rocco holds a Master of Science in Bioengineering and has profound experience as process engineer in the micro-engineering field towards biomedical applications. In his position at Cytosurge, Rocco drives forward our R&D Engineering projects.
Outside work, he enjoys hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, gardening and yoga all year round.
Dr. Erik Mailand
R&D SCIENTIST BIOLOGY
Erik holds a PhD in Bioengineering from EPFL, Lausanne, and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the IOB in Basel. He has a strong background in cell biology and mechanobiology and supports our R&D team in further advancing cell line development using the FluidFM OMNIUM system.
In his spare time, Erik can be found climbing in a bouldering gym or enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing.
Dr. Susanne Mailand
HEAD OF CellEDIT FULLFILLMENT
Susanne obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at ETH Zurich, where she acquired strong expertise in molecular biology. After her studies, she worked in the field of high-tech molecular diagnostics. Her scientific background in biology and her industry experience are perfectly complementing our team to support the further growth and success of Cytosurge.
Susanne loves being active and chasing the speed when snowboarding, surfing, running, or inline skating.
Dr. Lorenz Malär
CFO
Lorenz holds a PhD in finance and is a Swiss Certified Public Accountant. With his broad finance experience gained in a comprehensive range of industries, he contributes with his considerable financial and business expertise to our management team. As the CFO of the company, he is responsible for all financial matters of Cytosurge.
As a former professional handball player, Lorenz retained his passion for sports - whenever time allows, he enjoys the mountains on the bike, on skis or just on foot.
Peter van Mil
R&D ENGINEER
Peter got his master’s degree at Eindhoven University in mechanical & medical engineering and started his career in the swiss medtech-industry. At Cytosurge he will support the development as an R&D engineer.
He’s spending most of his free time outside in the forest on the mountain bike-trails or working on one of his uncountable DIY projects.
Dr. Maria Milla
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER
Maria obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). With her scientific background, covering a wide range of molecular biology and microscopy techniques, she has an excellent set of knowledge and skills enabling her to find optimal solutions for our customers in the field of Life Science and is a valuable contribution to our team.
In her free time, you can mostly find Maria together with her friends climbing, hiking or touring in the mountains. She also enjoys baking, concerts and travelling around the world.
Maíra Moosmann
HR PROJECT MANAGER / BUSINESS PARTNER
Having worked for Tech start- and scale-ups during the last eight years Maíra brings valuable know-how in how to prepare the people of an organization for its growth. Defining people strategies and frameworks for the HR team and acting as people- and organizational-development specialist, she helps the employees to find fulfilment in their job and to grow professionally. She did a master’s degree in International Affairs and Governance at the University of St. Gallen.
Maíra loves to spend time with her young family and in her spare time to go for a run in the forest or meet friends for a delicious dinner.
Anke Olschina
PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Making full use of her naturel Zen spirit and thoroughness honed during her Bachelor in Japanese Studies, Anke has a key role in the precise assembly and packaging of our minute FluidFM hollow nanotechnology probes.
In her spare time, she loves to do handicrafts as well as cooking and reading.
Dr. Dario Ossola
HEAD OF APPLICATIONS / PRODUCT MANAGER INSTRUMENTS
Dario obtained his PhD at ETH Zurich developing one among the first FluidFM setups. After gaining experience as a team leader and project manager for a wearable computer company, he decided to come back to work with the FluidFM technology. Now he ensures that projects are efficiently executed towards customers’ needs and enjoys sharing his FluidFM experience with them.
For relaxation, he likes riding his motorcycle on the Swiss mountain roads when the weather's nice.
Dr. Sabina Packeiser-Oppedijk
HEAD OF MARKETING
During her PhD at Utrecht University, Sabina focused on the biochemistry of microorganisms. Since then, she collected broad experience across the academic world while accelerating scientific collaborations between industry and academics as a consultant in biotech. At Cytosurge, Sabina will help us introduce FluidFM to cutting-edge scientists around the world.
As a passionate skier and hiker she likes to make the most of the Swiss mountains both in winter and in summer.
Samuel Riedmann
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Samuel holds a master's degree in computer science acquired at ETH Zurich. With several years of experience in developing software for laboratory automation he's a valuable contribution to Cytosurge’s software engineering team.
In his free time Sam enjoys hiking to balance out the work in front of the screen.
Dr. Ludovica Rizzo
APPLICATIONS SERVICES MANAGER
Ludovica is a biomedical engineer and holds a PhD from the University of Zurich, where she strengthened her background in 3D tissue modelling, cell biology, and microscopy. Thanks to her diverse background, Ludovica contributes to the advancement of the FluidFM technology, and supports Cytosurge customers researching with the OMNIUM system.
Ludovica loves spending her free time cooking and travelling with friends. She also enjoys being in nature, hiking and cycling.
Dr. Gorka Santos
SALES MANAGER CELLEDIT
Gorka holds a PhD in Genetic Biology from the University of Zurich. He also worked for the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), an experience that strengthened his expertise in genetic analysis techniques and helped develop the valuable interpersonal and communication skills that he now brings to the CellEDIT team, where he contributes to developing the customer journey whilst helping our company grow!
Gorka also has many hobbies, including paddle tennis, skiing, and canoeing. He also enjoys scuba diving and spending time reading about and exploring molecular gastronomy.
Yannick Schlup
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Yannick holds a master's degree in molecular biology from the University of Basel. With a strong scientific background in molecular biology, Yannick is passionate about exploring the latest advancements in the field and contributing to cutting-edge research in the CellEdit Fullfillment Team.
Yannick is a sports enthusiast who loves playing or watching football in his free time. He also enjoys swimming in the Rhine and has a passion for travel, always seeking new adventures and experiences around the world.
Selina Schmid
HR MANAGER
In her role as HR Manager, Selina serves as a sparring partner for our management and employees around all personnel matters. Holding a Federal Diploma of Higher Education in HR Management and several years of experience in the field of HR, Selina also plays a key role in building up HR processes to support the growth and change management of the company.
Selina likes to spend her free time in the kitchen, experimenting with all kinds of different cuisines and recipes. To balance out the good amount of food, she enjoys going for a run in the forest.
Gregor Schuchter
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
As Head of Operations Instruments at Cytosurge, Gregor applies a pragmatic and cooperative leadership style, shaped by his entrepreneurial experience. With a foundation as an Electronics Technician and a professional bachelor's degree in Business Processes, he has gained significant experience at various biotech companies in and outside Switzerland. At a fast-growing ETH spin-off, he was responsible for establishing and successfully scaling the entire supply chain, gaining valuable leadership experience.
Outside of work, he is a passionate sailor and loves spending time cycling.
Claudia Schumacher
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT & OUTBOUND LOGISTICS
With her talent for numbers and her attention to details, Claudia ensures an impeccable management of our financial accounting. With her profound experience in optimizing financial processes, she makes a valuable contribution to the further growth of Cytosurge. In HR, she takes care of salary-related and social insurance topics and supports our HR Manager in offering a world-class HR service.
To balance her brain work, she spends a lot of time in her garden. Growing her own vegetables and tending to her flowerbeds and roses, it is safe to say she is a passionate gardener.
Dr. Björn Steffen
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Björn obtained his master and PhD in computer science at ETH Zurich. At MeteoSwiss, he gained experience with meteorological data, and at Cyfex and Dentsply Sirona, he worked in the field of computational geometry. Furthermore, he taught programming to pupils of various ages. He now enhances the software engineering team at Cytosurge.
In his free time, Björn likes to go hiking in the mountains, plays Badminton and enjoys board games with friends and family.
Ronny Trippel
TECHNICAL LEAD SYSTEMS FULFILLMENT
Ronny is a trained automotive mechatronics engineer and offers several years of experience in quality control. At Cytosurge, he forms part of our Operations team and works within production and quality control.
In his free time, Ronny plays soccer and has recently started to enjoy cooking. During summer, he can be found surfing on Lake Constance.
Tanja Ypma
LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION SCIENTIST
Having earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology, specializing in microfluidics and cell biology, Tanja brings a robust foundation to the Cytosurge team. Her previous experience as an R&D scientist has equipped her with the skills to drive innovation and deliver optimal results for our customers, furthering the advancements in the field of FluidFM.
Tanja loves spending time in the kitchen baking sweet pastries as well as cooking different cuisines. She also enjoys hiking and skiing in the beautiful mountains.
Stephan Zimmermann
PROCUREMENT MANAGER
Stephan is a Swiss certified purchaser with many years of experience in purchasing high-specification products. Stephan is responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with our Key OEM partners and suppliers as well as for helping Cytosurge to attain world-class procurement standards.
In his leisure time, Stephan likes to be active with his family and friends or to play chess.
Wei Zhu
GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Wei has in-depth working and living experience in China, Singapore and Germany. He is an expert in Global Distribution with a particular focus on the Asia market. Wei has an excellent track record of achieving rapid business growth. He currently runs his own consulting business helping European SMEs with their global expansion needs and he also serves Cytosurge as their new Asia Business Manager.
In his spare time, Wei likes to play tennis and walk his dog.
Executive Management
Dr. Pascal Behr
CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Pascal holds a doctoral degree from ETH Zurich. His passion for entrepreneurship and Startups has led him to the foundation of Cytosurge. He currently serves as CEO of the company and is responsible for all operational and strategic matters of the company.
When away from work, Pascal enjoys spending time at the Rhine river - in summer and in winter. He loves scuba diving and has a passion for the latest tech gadgets.
Simon Egli
CCO
Simon is a business professional with over a decade of experience in sales & marketing, corporate strategy as well as general leadership. Simon holds an International EMBA from the Rochester Bern Executive Programs, as well as a degree in Biotechnology from the University of Applied Sciences Wädenswil. Throughout his career, Simon has gained valuable industry knowledge and built an international network. He is committed to staying up-to-date on emerging trends and technologies in his field, and enjoys collaborating with others to achieve strategic goals.
In his free time, Simon enjoys staying active and can often be found on his mountain or road bike, drawing inspiration from the beautiful Swiss scenery. He is excited to be a part of Cytosurge’s team and is dedicated to supporting the company's vision.
Stephan Jud
CTO
Stephan is a software architect with over 14 years of experience. As one of the company's first employees he has a profound understanding of the FluidFM technology. In his role as CTO he leads the research and development of our solutions and is responsible for the direction, design and development of Cytosurge's products.
When the sun is shining, Stephan enjoys playing soccer. However, he takes far more pleasure in watching soccer matches from inside a stadium or from the comfort of his living room couch.
Dr. Lorenz Malär
CFO
Lorenz holds a PhD in finance and is a Swiss Certified Public Accountant. With his broad finance experience gained in a comprehensive range of industries, he contributes with his considerable financial and business expertise to our management team. As the CFO of the company, he is responsible for all financial matters of Cytosurge.
As a former professional handball player, Lorenz retained his passion for sports - whenever time allows, he enjoys the mountains on the bike, on skis or just on foot.
Systems Technology
Stephan Jud
CTO
Stephan is a software architect with over 14 years of experience. As one of the company's first employees he has a profound understanding of the FluidFM technology. In his role as CTO he leads the research and development of our solutions and is responsible for the direction, design and development of Cytosurge's products.
When the sun is shining, Stephan enjoys playing soccer. However, he takes far more pleasure in watching soccer matches from inside a stadium or from the comfort of his living room couch.
Rocco Lafleur
R&D PROJECT MANAGER (ENGINEERING) / MEMS TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Rocco enjoys engineering solutions that can broadly benefit society. Rocco holds a Master of Science in Bioengineering and has profound experience as process engineer in the micro-engineering field towards biomedical applications. In his position at Cytosurge, Rocco drives forward our R&D Engineering projects.
Outside work, he enjoys hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, gardening and yoga all year round.
Peter van Mil
R&D ENGINEER
Peter got his master’s degree at Eindhoven University in mechanical & medical engineering and started his career in the swiss medtech-industry. At Cytosurge he will support the development as an R&D engineer.
He’s spending most of his free time outside in the forest on the mountain bike-trails or working on one of his uncountable DIY projects.
Samuel Riedmann
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Samuel holds a master's degree in computer science acquired at ETH Zurich. With several years of experience in developing software for laboratory automation he is a valuable contribution to Cytosurge’s software engineering team.
In his free time Sam enjoys hiking to balance out the work in front of the screen.
Uwe Heuzeroth
DIRECTOR OF CellEDIT PLATFORM
Uwe has 20+ years business development experience in the laboratory automation market across medical devices and life science systems for research. At Cytosurge, he is responsible for further developing our new cell line engineering platform and build a fit-for-purpose and scalable laboratory architecture for cell modification.
In his spare time, Uwe enjoys running and motorbike riding in the mountains together with friends.
Dr. Björn Steffen
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Björn obtained his master and PhD in computer science at ETH Zurich. At MeteoSwiss, he gained experience with meteorological data, and at Cyfex and Dentsply Sirona, he worked in the field of computational geometry. Furthermore, he taught programming to pupils of various ages. He now enhances the software engineering team at Cytosurge.
In his free time, Björn likes to go hiking in the mountains, plays Badminton and enjoys board games with friends and family.
Services Process Development
Dr. Xuan Droz
R&D SCIENTIST / PROJECT MANAGER
Xuan holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. As a scientist with a deep passion for technological innovation, she has gained extensive project leadership experience in genome engineering and synthetic biology within the biotech industry. Her expertise has led to several inventorships in synthetic biology and microfluidic process automation for cell line engineering. Xuan joined the company to enhance the CellEDIT R&D projects through process innovation and automation.
In her free time, Xuan loves spending time with her family and friends, exploring culinary experiences and visiting museums, with a special interest in Asian arts. Xuan also enjoys tending to her balcony garden and is learning to play tennis. Additionally, she occasionally goes fossil hunting.
Anabel Migenda Herranz
R&D ASSOCIATE SCIENTIST BIOLOGY
Anabel holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Zurich and has several years of molecular biology lab experience. She joined our team to further develop applications with our FluidFM OMNIUM system for single cell manipulation.
In her free time, Anabel seeks for challenges on the wall whilst bouldering or, more relaxing, enjoying the Swiss mountains by hiking or snowboarding.
Dr. Adèle Kerjouan
HEAD OF SERVICES PROCESS DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCT MANAGER SERVICES
Adele holds a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Grenoble France. Her strong background in quantitative fluorescence imaging was built up during her postdoctoral fellowship at Melbourne University, Australia. Today, her experience and expertise help the team to bring cell line development using OMNIUM to the next level.
Adele enjoys spending her free time with friends, in nature, hiking, or skiing. She also loves traveling and discovering different cultures and food.
Dr. Erik Mailand
R&D SCIENTIST BIOLOGY
Erik holds a PhD in Bioengineering from EPFL, Lausanne, and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the IOB in Basel. He has a strong background in cell biology and mechanobiology and supports our R&D team in further advancing cell line development using the FluidFM OMNIUM system.
In his spare time, Erik can be found climbing in a bouldering gym or enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing.
Services Fulfillment
Caroline De Feyter
LABORATORY SPECIALIST
Since the start of Caroline’s career, she has rapidly gained extensive experience and knowledge in the research field while prioritizing efficiency and attention to detail. As she is part of the CellEDIT Fulfillment team and, at the same time, our passionate Biosafety Officer, Caroline is a valuable addition to our company. With her 6+ years’ experience in cell and molecular biology, including cell culture and cell line engineering (CRISPR/Cas9) in GMP and GLP environments, she became an integral part of the team and its success.
Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the natural and cultural wonders of the world and working on creative projects at home, such as drawing.
Claudia Gowin
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Claudia holds a master’s degree in Biological Sciences from
the University of Konstanz, Germany. With her proficiency in cell- and
molecular biology, she supports the successful fulfillment of our customers’
CellEDIT requests.
Beyond the lab, she finds joy in exploring the depths
of the ocean through scuba diving, gliding down slopes while skiing or
leisurely boating along the Limmat.
Dr. Susanne Mailand
HEAD OF CellEDIT FULFILLMENT
Susanne obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at ETH Zurich, where she acquired strong expertise in molecular biology. After her studies, she worked in the field of high-tech molecular diagnostics. Her scientific background in biology and her industry experience are perfectly complementing our team to support the further growth and success of Cytosurge.
Susanne loves being active and chasing the speed when snowboarding, surfing, running, or inline skating.
Yannick Schlup
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Yannick holds a master's degree in molecular biology from the University of Basel. With a strong scientific background in molecular biology, Yannick is passionate about exploring the latest advancements in the field and contributing to cutting-edge research in the CellEdit Fullfillment Team.
Yannick is a sports enthusiast who loves playing or watching football in his free time. He also enjoys swimming in the Rhine and has a passion for travel, always seeking new adventures and experiences around the world.
Operations
Gregor Schuchter
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
As Head of Operations Instruments at Cytosurge, Gregor applies a pragmatic and cooperative leadership style, shaped by his entrepreneurial experience. With a foundation as an electronics Technician and a professional bachelor's degree in business Processes, he has gained significant experience at various biotech companies in and outside Switzerland. At a fast-growing ETH spin-off, he was responsible for establishing and successfully scaling the entire supply chain, gaining valuable leadership experience.
Outside of work, he is a passionate sailor and loves spending time cycling.
Procurement
Stephan Zimmermann
PROCUREMENT MANAGER
Stephan is a Swiss certified purchaser with many years of experience in purchasing high-specification products. Stephan is responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with our Key OEM partners and suppliers as well as for helping Cytosurge to attain world-class procurement standards.
In his leisure time, Stephan likes to be active with his family and friends or to play chess.
Systems Fulfillment
Céline Buff
QC & PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Céline is a QC & Production Technician responsible for quality control and assembly. She joined us soon after her apprenticeship and has quickly become a reliable colleague. She ensures that our products meet high standards through careful inspection and precise assembly.
In her free time, Céline enjoys drawing both traditionally as well as digitally. She also spends a lot of her time with her family and friends, and let's not forget her cats!
Ronny Trippel
TECHNICAL LEAD SYSTEMS FULFILLMENT
Ronny is a trained automotive mechatronics engineer and offers several years of experience in quality control. At Cytosurge, he forms part of our Operations team and works within production and quality control.
In his free time, Ronny plays soccer and has recently started to enjoy cooking. During summer, he can be found surfing on Lake Constance.
Anke Olschina
PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Making full use of her naturel Zen spirit and thoroughness honed during her Bachelor in Japanese studies, Anke has a key role in the precise assembly and packaging of our minute FluidFM hollow nanotechnology probes.
In her spare time, she loves to do handicrafts as well as cooking and reading.
Applications
Dr. Dario Ossola
HEAD OF APPLICATIONS / PRODUCT MANAGER INSTRUMENTS
Dario obtained his PhD at ETH Zurich developing one among the first FluidFM setups. After gaining experience as a team leader and project manager for a wearable computer company, he decided to come back to work with the FluidFM technology. Now he ensures that projects are efficiently executed towards customers’ needs and enjoys sharing his FluidFM experience with them.
For relaxation, he likes riding his motorcycle on the Swiss mountain roads when the weather is nice.
Dr. Maria Milla
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER
Maria obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). With her scientific background, covering a wide range of molecular biology and microscopy techniques, she has an excellent set of knowledge and skills enabling her to find optimal solutions for our customers in the field of Life Science and is a valuable contribution to our team.
In her free time, you can mostly find Maria together with her friends climbing, hiking or touring in the mountains. She also enjoys baking, concerts and travelling around the world.
Dr. Kerda Keevend
APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Kerda obtained her PhD from ETH Zurich and has a strong background in chemistry, nanotechnology, cell biology and electron microscopy. She joined Cytosurge to help our customers getting the best results out of their experiments and advance the field of FluidFM.
In her spare time, Kerda enjoys spending her free time with friends, visiting diverse concerts and art exhibitions. She also loves exploring new places, hiking in the nature, and discovering exciting new cultures.
Dr. Ludovica Rizzo
APPLICATIONS SERVICES MANAGER
Ludovica is a biomedical engineer and holds a PhD from the University of Zurich, where she strengthened her background in 3D tissue modelling, cell biology, and microscopy. Thanks to her diverse background, Ludovica contributes to the advancement of the FluidFM technology and supports Cytosurge customers researching with the OMNIUM system.
Ludovica loves spending her free time cooking and travelling with friends. She also enjoys being in nature, hiking and cycling.
Dr. Sinéad Connolly
LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION SCIENTIST
Sinéad is a biomedical engineer and received her PhD from the University of Limerick, Ireland where she focused on biomicrofluidics and mechanobiology of cancer cells. She became familiar with FluidFM and the OMNIUM during her postdoc in ETH Zürich, where she used it to pick and place neuronal cells and spheroids. Now, she uses this knowledge to aid our customers with their own applications, as well as developing the technology further.
Sinéad is fond of hiking, baking and doing word puzzles in her spare time. She also occasionally enjoys exploring new places, their cultures and histories.
Tanja Ypma
LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION SCIENTIST
Having earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology, specializing in microfluidics and cell biology, Tanja brings a robust foundation to the Cytosurge team. Her previous experience as an R&D scientist has equipped her with the skills to drive innovation and deliver optimal results for our customers, furthering the advancements in the field of FluidFM.
Tanja loves spending time in the kitchen baking sweet pastries as well as cooking different cuisines. She also enjoys hiking and skiing in the beautiful mountains.
Systems Sales
Dr. Tamás Gerecsei
SALES MANAGER
Tamás is a biophysicist and holds a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. For his PhD thesis, he used FluidFM technology to study cell adhesion. He then joined Cytosurge to help push the limits of the technology and make it available to researchers around the world. You can often find Tamás at conferences spreading the word about Cytosurge.
When time permits, Tamás likes to travel to faraway places or browse his home library, preferably with a chilled glass of Tokaj wine in hand.
Stefan Hoffmann
INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Stefan holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavior Economics and is currently obtaining a Master of Science in Psychology. He brings twenty years of relevant experience from various companies and industries in Supply Chain, Procurement and Account Management including management experience. At Cytosurge, Stefan uses his knowledge to strengthen and develop the customer journey, contributing to our company's further growth.
In his spare time, Stefan likes to spend time with his family and is a passionate gardener when he's not spending time on his studies.
CellEDIT Service Sales
Dr. Gorka Santos
CellEDIT SALES MANAGER
Gorka holds a PhD in Genetic Biology from the University of Zurich. He also worked for the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), an experience that strengthened his expertise in genetic analysis techniques and helped develop the valuable interpersonal and communication skills that he now brings to the CellEDIT team, where he contributes to developing the customer journey whilst helping our company grow!
Gorka has many hobbies, including paddle tennis, skiing, and canoeing. He also enjoys scuba diving and spending time reading about and exploring molecular gastronomy.
Product Management
Dr. Dario Ossola
HEAD OF APPLICATIONS / PRODUCT MANAGER INSTRUMENTS
Dario obtained his PhD at ETH Zurich developing one among the first FluidFM setups. After gaining experience as a team leader and project manager for a wearable computer company, he decided to come back to work with the FluidFM technology. Now he ensures that projects are efficiently executed towards customers’ needs and enjoys sharing his FluidFM experience with them.
For relaxation, he likes riding his motorcycle on the Swiss mountain roads when the weather is nice.
Dr. Adèle Kerjouan
HEAD OF SERVICES PROCESS DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCT MANAGER SERVICES
Adele holds a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Grenoble France. Her strong background in quantitative fluorescence imaging was built up during her postdoctoral fellowship at Melbourne University, Australia. Today, her experience and expertise help the team to bring cell line development using OMNIUM to the next level.
Adele enjoys spending her free time with friends, in nature, hiking, or skiing. She also loves traveling and discovering different cultures and food.
Business Development
Wey Zhu
GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Wei has in-depth working and living experience in China, Singapore and Germany. He is an expert in Global Distribution with a particular focus on the Asia market. Wei has an excellent track record of achieving rapid business growth. He currently runs his own consulting business helping European SMEs with their global expansion needs and he also serves Cytosurge as their new Asia Business Manager.
In his spare time, Wei likes to play tennis and walk his dog.
Marketing
Dr. Sabina Packeiser-Oppedijk
HEAD OF MARKETING
During her PhD at Utrecht University, Sabina focused on the biochemistry of microorganisms. Since then, she collected broad experience across the academic world while accelerating scientific collaborations between industry and academics as a consultant in biotech. At Cytosurge, Sabina will help us introduce FluidFM to cutting-edge scientists around the world.
As a passionate skier and hiker she likes to make the most of the Swiss mountains both in winter and in summer.
Dr. Erica Fiorini
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY MANAGER
Erica, originally from Italy, obtained her PhD at the University of Zurich with a thesis focused on sm FRET microscopy. With a great passion for communication and her extensive background in scientific communication from working in public relations agencies for life science and healthcare companies in Germany and the USA, she brings a wealth of experience to Cytosurge. Here, she is strengthening the Sales & Marketing team and leading the company's social media strategy and channels.
Erica enjoys running and aerobics, listening to podcasts, and engaging in various activities with her young and numerous family.
Dr. Leslie Labarre
SCIENTIFIC MARKETING MANAGER
Leslie holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering with a strong knowledge in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and microfluidics from the University of Birmingham, UK. Her evolution into a Scientific Marketer, was built up during her time in Paris working for a start-up specialized in microfluidics instrumentation and validated with a master at the EM Business School in Strasbourg, France. Today, her experience and expertise help the Sales & Marketing team to bring Single-Cell Manipulation using the FluidFM OMNIUM to the next level.
Leslie enjoys also spending her free time with friends by the Rhein but also playing Table football with her colleagues!
Application Support
Dr. Tobias Beyer
CSO / APPLICATION SPECIALIST
Tobias obtained his PhD in Cell Biology at ETH Zurich. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the LTRI in Toronto, he joined ETH Zurich as junior group leader (Groups of Prof. Wutz and Prof. Corn). Here, he combined his expertise in cell biology, cell signaling and embryonic stem cells with genome engineering using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. At Cytosurge, Tobias uses his skills to identify and develop applications for the FluidFM OMNIUM.
In his spare time, Tobias enjoys spending time with his family outdoors, hiking and biking. Together with his friends, Tobias can be found stalking trout in small mountain streams.
Human Resources
Michelle Curti
SALARY ADMINISTRATION
As a trustee (B.+ G. Schneider Treuhand AG), Michelle has been responsible for our accounting since the company was founded in 2009. She now runs the salary administration and thanks to her in-depth experience always finds the right answer and solution in this often complex topic.
To balance out her daily job with numbers, Michelle passionately plays curling. Another one of her hobbies: Michelle likes to cook for friends.
Maíra Moosmann
HR PROJECT MANAGER / BUSINESS PARTNER
Having worked for Tech start- and scale-ups during the last eight years Maíra brings valuable know-how in how to prepare the people of an organization for its growth. Defining people strategies and frameworks for the HR team and acting as people- and organizational-development specialist, she helps the employees to find fulfilment in their job and to grow professionally. She did a master’s degree in International Affairs and Governance at the University of St. Gallen.
Maíra loves to spend time with her young family and in her spare time to go for a run in the forest or meet friends for a delicious dinner.
Selina Schmid
HR MANAGER
In her role as HR Manager, Selina serves as a sparring partner for our management and employees around all personnel matters. Holding a Federal Diploma of Higher Education in HR Management and several years of experience in the field of HR, Selina also plays a key role in building up HR processes to support the growth and change management of the company.
Selina likes to spend her free time in the kitchen, experimenting with all kinds of different cuisines and recipes. To balance out the good amount of food, she enjoys going for a run in the forest.
Finance
Dr. Lorenz Malär
CFO
Lorenz holds a PhD in finance and is a Swiss Certified Public Accountant. With his broad finance experience gained in a comprehensive range of industries, he contributes with his considerable financial and business expertise to our management team. As the CFO of the company, he is responsible for all financial matters of Cytosurge.
As a former professional handball player, Lorenz retained his passion for sports - whenever time allows, he enjoys the mountains on the bike, on skis or just on foot.
Claudia Schumacher
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT & OUTBOUND LOGISTICS
With her talent for numbers and her attention to details, Claudia ensures an impeccable management of our financial accounting. With her profound experience in optimizing financial processes, she makes a valuable contribution to the further growth of Cytosurge. In HR, she takes care of salary-related and social insurance topics and supports our HR Manager in offering a world-class HR service.
To balance her brain work, she spends a lot of time in her garden. Growing her own vegetables and tending to her flowerbeds and roses, it is safe to say she is a passionate gardener.
Thomas Bachmann
BOARD MEMBER
Thomas Bachmann has more than 30 years of international management experience and an extensive network in the biotechnology and laboratory equipment industry. With his valuable industry know-how, Thomas Bachmann is a great asset to Cytosurge and will continue to develop our strategic future markets.
Dr. Pascal Behr
CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Pascal holds a doctoral degree from ETH Zurich. His passion for entrepreneurship and Startups has led him to the foundation of Cytosurge. He currently serves as CEO of the company and is responsible for all operational and strategic matters of the company.
When away from work, Pascal enjoys spending time at the Rhine river - in summer and in winter. He loves scuba diving and has a passion for the latest tech gadgets.
Martin Gertsch
BOARD CHAIRMAN
Martin is an experienced Board of Directors and Financial Advisor. He served more than 30 years as Board and CFO in the life science industry, both in publicly listed and privately held international SME companies. With his valuable financing and start-up experience he will support Cytosurge in its transition from a single-cell R&D company to a single-cell engineering service provider. Martin is a Swiss CPA and he completed several executive-level programs at IMD in Lausanne. He currently serves as Chairman of ARTIDIS AG, a privately-held diagnostic start-up company, and as Member of the Board of the University Center of Dentistry Basel (UZB).
Thomas Bachmann
BOARD MEMBER
Thomas Bachmann has more than 30 years of international management experience and an extensive network in the biotechnology and laboratory equipment industry. With his valuable industry know-how, Thomas Bachmann is a great asset to Cytosurge and will continue to develop our strategic future markets.
Dr. Pascal Behr
CEO, BOARD MEMBER
Pascal holds a doctoral degree from ETH Zurich. His passion for entrepreneurship and Startups has led him to the foundation of Cytosurge. He currently serves as CEO of the company and is responsible for all operational and strategic matters of the company.
When away from work, Pascal enjoys spending time at the Rhine river - in summer and in winter. He loves scuba diving and has a passion for the latest tech gadgets.
Martin Gertsch
BOARD CHAIRMAN
Martin is an experienced Board of Directors and Financial Advisor. He served more than 30 years as Board and CFO in the life science industry, both in publicly listed and privately held international SME companies. With his valuable financing and start-up experience he will support Cytosurge in its transition from a single-cell R&D company to a single-cell engineering service provider. Martin is a Swiss CPA and he completed several executive-level programs at IMD in Lausanne. He currently serves as Chairman of ARTIDIS AG, a privately-held diagnostic start-up company, and as Member of the Board of the University Center of Dentistry Basel (UZB).