Erwin Böttinger is the new Wyss Center Geneva CEO

The Executive Board of the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, a non-profit research center, is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. med. Erwin Böttinger as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Prof. Böttinger has a longstanding track record in personalized medicine, with emphasis on genomics and digital technologies. Before joining the Wyss Center, he was instrumental in building the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine and the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, both with a strong translational focus. He also served as founding director of the Digital Health Center at the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering and University Potsdam, and as CEO of the Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany. Prof. Böttinger succeeds to Dr. Mary Tolikas who stepped down as CEO in 2022.

Professor Erwin Böttinger: “I am proud and privileged to lead the Wyss Center and to focus on making a real difference to the lives of people with neurological and mental health disorders.  We have a bold plan to innovate and accelerate transformational technologies in artificial intelligence, bio- and neuroengineering to restore essential neural functions or reset abnormal neural circuits in people with devastating brain disorders. Together with our partners from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospital, the Wyss Center is poised to catalyze the unique concentration of world-class brain health research at Campus Biotech to drive clinical breakthroughs.”

Professor Steven E. Hyman, MD, Director, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute and Co-Chair of the Wyss Center Executive Board: “Erwin is a pioneer in life science research and a visionary and experienced leader in translating promising technologies to improve patient care. Since its founding, the Wyss Center has developed strong systems to advance vital technologies to the clinic. Erwin’s appointment will accelerate these translational efforts so that I look forward to seeing new diagnostics and therapies that will transform many lives in the years to come.”

The appointment follows a funding commitment of CHF 120 million from the Wyss Foundation to further strengthen the Center’s mission to accelerate innovative therapies to the clinic to transform the lives of people with brain disorders.

Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering is located at Campus Biotech, a neuroscience and innovation center of excellence in Geneva, that provides a collaborative environment in advanced research facilities, as well as space for start-ups and industrial partnerships.

Source: press release