Work experience

Since 2018

  • Clinical consultation immunology & immuno-oncology
  • Physician at the blood transfusion service of the Red Cross

Since 2016

  • Freelance work
  • Consulting
  • Seminars & trainings in immuno-oncology
  • Teaching at universities
  • Popular science lectures
  • Articles in journals, newspapers, social media

2003-2016

  • Founder CEO / CSO / CMO at Activartis
  • Medical director, qualified person
  • Biotech entrepreneur with extensive leadership experience in research & development
  • Translational research from the laboratory into clinical pilot studies and randomized efficacy trials
  • Business license for manufacturing & trade in pharmaceuticals
  • Successful cooperation with national and international competent authorities
  • Pharmaco-economics, cost-effectiveness, reimbursement, negotiations with health technology assessment agencies, e.g. NICE
  • Up to 18 employees, 5 direct reports
  • Budget responsibility up to € 2.5 million annually

1995-2014

  • Group leader tumor immunology at the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute
  • Basic, preclinical, and clinical research & development in immuno-oncology
  • Dozens of publications in journals (see my bibliography)
  • Up to 8 employees, 3 direct reports
  • Budget responsibility up to several hundred thousand € annually

1995-1998

  • Clinical training in pediatric oncology, St. Anna Children’s Hospital, Vienna, AT
  • Specialization in immunology & immuno-oncology

1992-1995

  • Postdoctoral research in immuno-oncology, cancer vaccines, Clinical Gene Therapy Branch; NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
  • Development of methods for human gene transfer in T lymphocytes and tumor cells

1991-1992

  • Clinical Training in Internal Medicine & Medical Oncology, Wilhelminenspital

1989-1992

  • Research Fellow, Institute of Immunology; Medical University of Vienna, AT
  • Characterization of lymphatic and myeloid leukocytes in autoimmune diseases
  • Immuno-diagnostic procedures and predictive biomarkers in immuno-hematology

1988-1991

  • Doctor at the blood transfusion service of the Red Cross
  • Weekend job to fund unpaid research at the Institute of Immunology

Since 1990

  • Teaching and mentoring students throughout my career
  • Supervision of bachelor, master & PhD students
  • Lectures for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists
  • Educational articles, books on immunology & immuno-oncology for non-professionals
  • Science communication, public lectures

Training, trainings, graduations

  • Pharmaceutical Quality Management, University of Vienna, AT; Graduation as Qualified Person, November 23, 2009
  • Associate Professor for Immunology (Venia Docendi); Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, AT; July 9, 2007
  • Executive MBA, Danube University Krems; Graduation eMBA; November 25, 2005
  • Specialist in Immunology; Austrian Medical Association; December 15, 1998
  • Training in pediatric hematology / oncology; St. Anna Children’s Hospital, AT, 1995-2000
  • Internal Medicine & Hematology / Oncology; Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, AT, 1990-1992
  • Training in group psychotherapy and group dynamics; ÖAGG, Vienna, AT, 1986-1989
  • Medical School, University Wien, AT; Graduation Dr.med.univ; December 11, 1987
  • Higher Federal Institute for Biochemistry, Teaching and Research; Vienna, AT; Matura; 3 June 1980

International patent families

  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors, EP 15156752.6 and others, 2015
  • Targeted cancer immunotherapy, EP 13161965.2 and others, 2014
  • Immune modulating dendritic cells, EP 07450233.7 and others, 2007
  • Methods and means for diagnosis and treatment of leukemia, A 2051/2005, 2005
  • Use of dendritic cells expressing interleukin-12, WO2004024900A1 and others, 2002

These patent families make about 100 individual patents, applied for or granted

Financing

15 M € from private and corporate investors (2003-2016)

Research funding, competitive grants

  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors, Vienna Business Agency, 2016-2018
  • Prognostic biomarker, Austrian Research Promotion Agency, 2014-2015
  • Bioinformatics modeling of immune cell / tumor cell interactions, EU FP7, 2012-2016
  • Use of nano-particles in immuno-oncology, Austrian Research Promotion Agency, 2013-2014
  • Blocking DC-mediated immunosuppression, Austrian Research Promotion Agency, 2005-2007
  • Development of DC cancer vaccines, Vienna Business Agency, 2004-2009
  • Comparative evaluation of DC cancer vaccines, EU FP7, 2003-2005
  • Interleukin-12 secreting DCs in mice & men,  Austrian Research Promotion Agency, 2001-2005
  • Cancer immunotherapy, Austrian National Bank, 2000-2001
  • Methods for producing DCs, Vienna Business Agency, 1999-2000

A total of 7.5 M € in research funding from Stadtgemeinde Wien, Republic of Austria, & from the EU

Scholarships

  • Trend Scholarship for Executive MBA, Donau University Krems, AT, 2003-2005
  • Fogarty Fellowship, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA, 1994-1995
  • Max Kade Fellowship, Austrian Academy of Sciences, AT, 1992-1993