2024

11.04.2014: Carmenza Robledo, associated senior scientist/consultant at ETH Zürich. CEO of EcoExistence and a member of the independent technical advisory panel of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

14.03.2024: Prof Petya Apostolovaa, a new group leader at the DBM. Her research delves into using immunotherapy to cure haematological cancers, emphasizing metabolic processes in tumour and immune cells. By understanding these processes, she aims to pioneer new concepts for cancer immunotherapies. She studied Medicine at the University of Freiburg (Germany). She also conducted research at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, as well as being a postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore (USA).

2023

09.11.2023: Ilaria Arborelli, a leader of molecular diagnostics at Pathology, University Hospital Basel. She has a strong background in molecular biology and genetics and is currently working on NGS-based molecular profiling of tumour samples.

12.10.2023: Silvia Candido, an entrepreneurial project/initiatives manager at Roche. Her passion is to drive scientific innovation by enabling strategic partnerships with external key opinion leaders and academia.

13.09.2023: Susan Mango, a professor and group leader at the Biozentrum, University of Basel. Her group's main focus of research is how embryonic cells develop into complex organs.

13.07.2023: Dana Ivan, a discovery postdoc in Mechanistic Immunology at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in immunogenicity to biotherapeutics and AAV-based gene therapy.

08.06.2023: Magdalena Filipowicz Sinnreich, Research Group Leader at the Department of Biomedizin looking at the role of MAIT cells in liver disease and liver fibrogenesis

11.05.2023: Dr Romina Matter-Marone, Senior Scientist at the DBM and a pioneer of establishing Cimeio Therapeutics AG

20.04.2023: Dr Claudia Korn, Senior Scientist at Roche

09.03.2023: Dr Vanessa Cornacchione, Research Investigator at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)

09.02.2023: Dr Sepiede Bueler, Integrated Strategy Leader for Hematology at Roche

2022

10.11.2022: Prof. Dr Susan Gasser, Former Research Group Leader, Former Director of the FMI and current Director of the ISREC

13.10.2022: Socializing Event and Pub Quiz: "How well do you know pioneering women in science?"

08.09.2022: Dr Clémentine Le Magnen, Research Group Leader at the DBM

17.07.2022: Dr Verena Kuepers, Scientific Associate at the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Basel

18.06.2022: Laia Gili Sole, PhD student at the DBM

05.05.2022: Dr Lena Wyss, Senior Scientist at Roche

28.04.2022: Prof. Dr Daniela Finke, Research Group Leader at the DBM

It was hosted by Athena's Journey in collaboration with TWIST on 28.06.2023. The event was greatly supported by the DBM and DBSSE, Biozentrum, DBM PhD and postdoc societies. Andrea Ottolini, the managing director of the Department of Biomedicine opened the event with valuable words on women's empowerment and the importance of such events. Shortly after, Dr Clémentine Le Magnen, a group leader of the laboratory for Translational Genitourinary Cancer Research (TGCR) – a joined venture between the Department of Urology and the Institute of Pathology at the University Hospital Basel, highlighted her experience as a past Athena's journey speaker and her stand on supporting females in science and such events. A catered apèro was organised, where our lovely guests met fellow women in science and networked successfully!

Andrea Ottolini-Voellmy, the head of operations at DBM, opened the event with a compelling speech which set the tone for the event. The first speaker of this series was Prof. Dr. Daniela Finke, Senior Physician and research group leader at the University Children’s Hospital of Basel (UKBB) and the Department of Biomedicine. The enthusiastic immunologist spoke in great detail about her tumultuous, yet successful career path. She spoke of crucial decisions that were made during her career: Medicine vs Science; Europe vs USA; whether to settle for a “safe” in-hand option or to explore a riskier, but more interesting option. She spoke of the mentors, both men and women, in positions of power who supported her and helped further her career. One such mentor was Dr. med. Conrad E. Muller, former President of UKBB who also attended the event. He encouraged Athena's Journey and highlighted the importance of women in higher positions of power. The way Prof. Finke spoke about her struggles and victories made the talk extremely relatable. She ended her talk by saying, “If you can’t find the correct room, open several doors until you do”. The audience was captivated and a fruitful discussion was held after the talk. The lively discussions continued at the apèro where men and women from several professional backgrounds and career levels enjoyed snacks and drinks in the sun. The core committee members were seen networking and simultaneously providing information about the event. It was an extremely successful first event for Athena‘s Journey, and the attendees remarked that they look forward to the monthly series.