Our Team

Recognizing the needs for novel technological approaches in the field of drug discovery, HiQSCREEN was created in February 2007. Our mission is to provide both companies and academia competitive methods to study membrane proteins and more specifically ligand-gated channels. Driven by the challenge of discoveries and working with the latest methodologies our team performs a wide variety of tasks ranging from characterization of novel molecules, elucidation of their mode of action and screening of compound libraries.

Prof. Daniel Bertrand, PhD - President & CEO

PhD in neuroscience and engineer in electronics, he contributed to major findings in the visual and auditory physiology. During the past twenty years, he turned his attention to the field of ligand-gated channels and more specifically on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Pioneer in the discovery of novel receptors, he was also the first to characterize their mechanisms of ionic selectivity and to study the association of genetically transmissible epilepsies associated with mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes.

Sonia Bertrand - CFO & Project Leader 

Trained in the field of biology and electrophysiology, she was a key player of many findings of the properties of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Combining unique technical skills and bright mind, she is co-author of more than a hundred publications and co-founder of HiQSCREEN.

Kumiko Kambara, PhD – Senior Researcher

Molecular Neuroscience Unit

PhD from the University of Geneva she was trained in molecular biology with emphasis on the symbiotic interaction between plants and bacteria. She then worked in the medical field with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus and the understanding of biofilm formation and joined HiQScreen in 2014. Her knowledge and experience in molecular biology expends our capacities in analysis of the functional relevance of gene variants. She actively contributes to different projects ranging from molecular biology to electrophysiological recordings of voltage-gated, ligand-gated channels, G-coupled receptor proteins or transporters.

Loick Staudenman- Technician

Following the completion of a CFC of technician in biology in 2018 and then work at the University Geneva and University of Lausanne, he joined HiQScreen in 2022 and now contributes to the research and development of new measurements using the dual electrode HiClamps systems.

 

Elodie Cerise Champagne - Technician

After completing a certificate IV in laboratory techniques in Australia, she joined HiQSCreen in 2018 as a laboratory technician. Since then she contributes to the laboratory operations and performs experiments using the HiClamp systems.

 

Founders

Daniel and Sonia Bertrand