Irene Knuesel brings longstanding experience in CNS research, drug discovery and development. She is also the founder of Scienza Consulting GmbH, an independent science consultancy company, and serves as external advisor on the board of the NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Program (ADSP).

Irene worked for six years at F. Hoffmann-La Roche; initially as lab head and drug discovery project leader, later as Head of the Neuroimmunology and Neurodegeneration section. In this role, she was accountable for the definition and implementation of the corresponding discovery strategies and responsible for 11 research laboratories focusing on neuroimmune and neurodegenerative mechanisms underlying disease and disability progression in Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Prior to her career at F. Hoffman-La Roche, she held several academic positions in the neurobiology field, including an assistant professor position at the University of Zurich, a group leader position at the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), and a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (USA).

Irene Knuesel obtained a PhD in Molecular Neuroscience from the University of Zurich and also a PD (Venia Legendi in Neuropharmacology) from the University of Zurich’s Medical faculty.