National Center of Competence
in Research, RNA & Disease

RNA & Entrepreneurship

Participants of the 4th NCCR Summer School on RNA & Entrepreneurship

The 4th NCCR RNA & Disease Summer School on “RNA & Entrepreneurship” took place from August 22 – 26, 2022, in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. Close to 60 students, speakers and organizers participated in the summer school.

Lectures were given on the one hand on RNA therapies and diagnostics, and on the other hand on aspects related to forming a start-up company. Participants presented their research projects with chalk talks. Subsequently, they worked in teams with speakers and organizers to develop a business idea in the field, which was presented to the other participants.

Investor Panel with Sam Hall & Florian Müllershausen moderated by Robert Schneider.

In the feedback survey, participants needed to answer how likely they were before and after attending the summer school, considering either founding a start-up company or joining one as a career option. The summer school participation led in both cases to a quite increased likelihood of joining or starting a start-up. The overall feedback received on the summer school was very positive.

Final Panel Discussion at the summer school on “RNA & Entrepreneurship”.

We want to take all organizers & speakers who contributed to the success of the summer school. Special thanks go to Frédéric Allain, Robert Schneider and Rahel Büchi.

Lecturers & Scientific Organizers(*) of the 4th NCCR RNA & Disease Summer School

  • Frédéric Allain*, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • James Broughton, Mammoth Biosciences, Brisbane, USA
  • Paul Donohoue, Caribou Biosciences, Berkeley, USA
  • Jonathan Hall*, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Matthew Hall, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Samuel Hall, New York, USA
  • Martin Jinek*, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Rory Johnson*, University College Dublin, Ireland
  • Jørgen Kjems*, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
  • Adrian Krainer*, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, USA
  • Helen Lee, Diagnostics for the Real World, Cambridge, UK
  • Gene Liau, Torque Bio, Durham, USA
  • Kathleen McCarthy, Skyhawk Therapeutics, Waltham, USA
  • Barbara McClung, Caribou Biosciences, Berkeley, USA
  • Eric Miska, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
  • Florian Müllershausen, Novartis Venture Fund, Basel, Switzerland
  • Paul Nioi, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, USA
  • Samir Ounzain, Haya Therapeutics, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Steve Pascolo, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • David Rees, Institute of Intellectual Property, Bern, Switzerland
  • Martina Roos, Sardona Therapeutics, San Francisco, USA
  • Robert Schneider*, New York University, New York, USA
  • Markus Stoffel*, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Thomas Tuschl, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
  • Teri Willey, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA

Text: Dominik Theler