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. Pionneer in the discovery of novel receptors, he was also the first to characterize their mechanisms of ionic selectivity and to study the association of receptor mutants with epilepsy.

Sonia Bertrand - 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.

Soledad Valera-Kummer, PhD - Senior Scientist

PhD in Biochemistry specialized in the field of ligand-gated channels with dual competence in molecular biology and electrophysiology; she also has a Master in Secondary Science Education. She was the first to clone the purinergic receptors (P2X) and to characterize effects of steroids on neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. She joined our team to participate in further discoveries and contribute to the development of the company.

Estelle Neveu - Research Technician

Trained in the field of biology, she developed her skill in robotic control at Trophos and then at Neuroservice where she learned extracellular recordings using multielectrode arrays. Her experience in laboratory automation and electrophysiology nicely complements HiQSCREEN team capacities.

Founders

Daniel and Sonia Bertrand

During the past twenty they focused their interests on ligand-gated channels and made worldwide-recognized contribution in the field of structure-function and pharmacology of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors.

Peter Leuenberger MD

Specialized in ophthalmology surgery he was for more than twenty years professor at the Medical Faculty in Geneva and he his president of the A. Vogt Foundation.

Reto Stöklin PhD

Specialized in protein chemistry, mass spectrometry, proteomics and biocomputing, he is the owner and the head of Atheris Laboratories a company founded in Geneva in 1995, which focuses on research and development in life sciences.