Translation & Technologies

Our Translation & Technologies core covers projects executed in close collaboration with pRED and Roche teams to solve portfolio-relevant challenges. Supported by technology platforms to improve and prototype the scale-up of organoids, expected outcomes are validated, ready-to-use assays, as well as characterised and qualified models.

Meet the team

Group Lead: Lauriane Cabon

The Applied Organoid Technologies team drives the transformation of organoid-based models into robust and qualified preclinical and clinical assays – hence leading to the effective adoption of innovative human model systems in drug development. Joining forces with external partners and teams within the IHB and pRED, our research effort entails the characterization of models for the presence and functionality of clinically- and portfolio-relevant features (using transcriptomics, imaging, proteomics and spatial omics). Further, it involves the qualification of human model systems for drug discovery applications through back translation of clinical outcomes and context-of-use validation efforts. By doing so our group acts as a connector between the academic and pharma worlds and fosters effective translational research.

Lauriane Cabon

Group Lead

Giovanna Brancati

Senior Scientist

Irineja Cubela

Research Fellow [C]

Aurélie Herault

Principal Research Associate

Klara Kropivsek

Postdoctoral Researcher

Nadège Lagarde

Lab Manager / Principal Research Associate

Christoph Oberist

Senior Research Associate

Cyrill Roth

Senior Research Associate

Bilgenaz Stoll

Research Associate
Group Lead: tbd

The Organoid Farm laboratory industrializes organoid production by scaling, standardizing and automating organoid culture protocols. The goal of this team is to develop a suite of technologies for mass production of organoids, for example, to enable organoid-based high-content screening applications.

Gordian Born

Scientist

Michael Georg Mueller

Research Associate

Arthur Stok

Scientist
Group Lead: Marc Bickle

The Phenotyping team develops high-throughput methods for studying and screening complex biological systems such as organoids and patient-derived tissues. These miniaturized automated solutions leverage bioengineering and microfluidics and are suitable for complex quantitative profiling analyses to understand underlying biological processes in healthy and diseased conditions.

These high-throughput assays are used by IHB and pRED researchers throughout the drug development process, from drug screening campaigns to safety studies.

Marc Bickle

Group Lead

Anna Bremser

Scientist

Ugne Ceplaite

Research Fellow

Carlos Garzon Coral

Senior Scientist

Ilya Lukonin

Senior Scientist

Héloïse Mary

Research Associate

Maximilian Schulz

Scientific Software Engineer

Thomas Thies

Principal Scientist

Li-Ling Yang

Senior Scientist
Group Lead: Jens Grosch

The Roche Cell and Organoid Biorepository expands and cryo-preserves patient-derived organoids. The in vitro 3D cell models reproduce the original tissue physiology and molecular pathology to create more relevant human model systems to enhance the traditional drug discovery process.

Jens Grosch

Group Lead

Mairene Coto Llerena

Principal Scientist

Iqra Jabeen

Senior Research Associate [C]

Manuela Jaklin

Senior Scientist

Monika Pusic

Principal Research Associate

Namitha Putananickal

Senior Research Associate

Carola Vetro

Senior Research Associate

Ece Yildiz

Scientist

Lara Zaidi

Senior Research Associate
Group Lead: Mila Vrancic

The Translation and Strategy team focuses on two main areas.

Firstly, it serves as a key IHB ambassador within Roche, promoting transparency and collaboration. It strives to establish a cohesive space where all relevant departments can work together, fostering a strong network through the establishment of a prominent human model system (HMS) community and clearly defined communication channels. Actively engaging with end users, the team drives the effective adoption of innovative HMS across pRED and Roche.

Secondly, the team drives the evolution of the IHB’s scientific and translational strategy. This includes setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals, defining milestones, and closely monitoring progress. Ultimately, our goal is to maximise value creation by actively managing the IHB project portfolio, including implementing mechanisms to prioritise and align efforts across pRED and Roche.

Mila Vrancic

Head of Strategy and Translation

Ioannis Kritikos

Portfolio Strategist

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