Oreste GHISALBA, Ph D Professor of Biotechnology CEO, Ghisalba Life Sciences GmbH

Member of the Executive Committee, Swiss Biotech Association and Founder and CEO, Ghisalba Life Sciences GmbH

1962-1966 Professional education as Laboratory Technician (CIBA Ltd. in Basel)
1967-1970 Continuing education (Swiss Maturity Certificate) and professional work at CIBA Ltd. and at the Cantonal Hospital Basel (Clinical Chemistry)
1974 Diploma in Chemistry (University of Basel)
1976 Swiss Certificate in Molecular Biology (University of Basel)
1978 PhD in Microbiology (University of Basel) Thesis: "Biosynthesis of the C7N-unit of the rifamycin-chromophore via the shikimate pathway"
1978-1980 Postdoctoral fellowship (with Prof. Jakob Nüesch, Ciba-Geigy AG)
1982-2008 Head Bioreactions at CIBA-GEIGY (Central Research Laboratories and Pharma Divison) and later at NOVARTIS (Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research)
1983-2006 Lecturer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) Topics: "Technical utilization of biomass - biological processes for biomass conversion"
1984 Award of the Association of Swiss Chemists
1988 Habilitation (Privatdozent) in Microbiology at the University of Basel
1988 Sabbatical at the International Research Laboratories of CIBA-GEIGY Ltd. in Takarazuka (Japan) to establish a new research project on applied enzymology
1990 Appointed Scientific Expert (CIBA-GEIGY)
1991-2002 Programme Director of the Swiss Priority Programme Biotechnology of the Swiss National Science Foundation
1999 Appointed Professor for Biotechnology at the University of Basel
2002 Appointed Individual Member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences
since 1997 Member of CTI and
since 2003 Head of CTI Biotech (Swiss Innovation Promotion Agency CTI)
since 2005 Member of the Board/Vice President of the Swiss Biotech Association SBA
2008 Foundation of Ghisalba Life Sciences GmbH

SME Board Memberships: Biolytix Ltd. and Unitectra Ltd