Program

The program is subject to last minute changes.

TimeSession
08:30Welcome Coffee
09:15Opening Remarks – Carsten Laue – Organizer
09:20 Welcome Address: Hugues Abriel – Vice-Rector of the University of Bern
Chair: D. Theler
09:30Keynote I: Paul Nioi – Senior Vice President Research Alnylam Pharmaceuticals – “New frontiers for RNAi therapeutics in neurological diseases”
Chair: J. Hall
10:10Translational Academic Talks
Volker Thiel – EDI & University of Bern – “Lost in Translation – generation of live-attenuated viral vaccines by genome recoding”
Arka Banerjee – 80SBio GmbH & University of Basel – “UniqRT: Rapid and cost effective Point of Contact RNA Diagnostics for Disease Detection and Therapy Adaptation”
Özgür Genç – Translation X & University of Basel – “Targeting selective mRNA translation for a precision medicine approach in autism”
Bogdan Mateescu – NeXendia & University of Zurich – “PRISM technologies: Advancing RNA Therapeutic Development with Next-Generation RNA Liquid Biopsies”
Jan Nelis -Ariya Bio & ETH Zurich – “Project Delta Force – Upregulating delta globin as a new avenue to treat hemoglobinopathies”
Chair: R. Pillai
11:25 Coffee Break
11:55Panel I – How to Break Down Barriers for Translation in Academia:
Daniel Blessing – HAYA Therapeutics
Mathias Frederiksen – Novartis Venture Fund
Raluca Flükiger – University of Geneva
Roland Martin – Cellerys & University of Zurich
Moderated by Ramesh Pillai
12:25Company Presentations I:
Agnese Pisano – Inofea – “Empowering nucleic acids processing enzymes”
Klaas Zuideveld – Versameb – “Versameb – transforming to a clinical stage RNA company”
Daniel Blessing – Haya Therapeutics – “Precision Medicines Targeting the Dark Genome – For the Heart and Beyond”
Chair: C. Laue
12:45Lunch & Poster Session & Networking
14:00Keynote II:
Martin Jinek – CRISPR genome engineering co-discoverer, University of Zurich – “CRISPR genome editors: mechanisms, engineering and therapeutic applications”
Chair: R. Pillai
14:40Young Scientists Career Talks:
Florian Aeschimann – Principal Scientist, CSL Behring
Christian Berk – Patent Professional, E. Blum & Co. AG
Nana Diarra dit Konté – Marketing Manager, bNovate Technologies
Deni Subasic – Network Innovation Director, Roche
Chair: D. Theler
15:00Sonja Merkas – Freelance Consultant – “RNA Therapeutics – Navigating the Science, Manufacturing, and Market Dynamics”
Chair: J. Hall
15:10
Panel II: Communication
Rainer Borer – Head of Communications, ETH Zürich
Therese Lüthi – Science Journalist & Editor NZZ am Sonntag
Steve Pascolo – mRNA vaccination pioneer, co-founder CureVac, University Hospital Zurich
Volker Thiel – Coronavirus researcher & member of the Swiss Covid Science Task Force, EDI & University of Bern
Moderated by Dominik Theler
15:40Coffee Break
16:10Ingrid B. Müller – Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property – “Patentanalyses in the field of RNA therapeutics”
Chair: D. Theler
16:20Company Presentations II:
Morten Lindow – Roche – “Roche’s RNAHub in Basel – progress on grand challenges of oligonucleotide drug discovery”
Tomaz Einfalt – Novartis – “State of the Art siRNA – Chemistry and Delivery”
Florian Aeschimann – CSL Behring – “Gene therapy research at CSL Behring”
Giovanni Calderisi – Bachem – “Therapeutic Oligonucleotides –  Unraveling Complexity from High Purity to Intricate Mixtures”
Chair: C. Laue
17:15Panel III – Technological Trends & Needs
Jørgen Kjems – Aarhus University
Sonja Merkas – Freelance Consultant
Klaas Zuideveld – Versameb
Morten Lindow – Roche
Moderated by Jonathan Hall
17:45Concluding Remarks – Carste Laue – Organizer
17:50Apéro