Invited Speakers

Christian Ottmann is Associate Professor of Molecular Cell and Structural Biology at the department of Biomedical Engineering (research group Chemical Biology). He works on small-molecule modulation of Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) with a special focus on stabilization of 14-3-3 adapter protein PPIs. He is involved in several early drug discovery projects with the pharmaceutical industry, targeting disease as diverse as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation and cystic fibrosis. In this context he also is coordinator of the FP7 Industry-Academia Partnership and Pathways (IAPP) 14-3-3STABS and the Horizon2020 European Training Network (ETN) TASPPI.

Xavier Barril is an ICREA Research Professor at Facultat de Farmacia of the Universitat de Barcelona. He received his Ph.D. from this University in 2001 for theoretical studies on the ligand-receptor molecular recognition process under the supervision of Profs. F. Javier Luque and Modesto Orozco. He then joined the Applications Modelling team at Vernalis (Cambridge, UK) for 4 years, where he was involved in a range of projects, mainly in the oncology area. Finally, in 2005 he was appointed ICREA Research Professor to start his own group. Dr. Barril is also co-founder of Minoryx Therapeutics, a company focusing in the development of new treatments for rare diseases.

Lola holds the position of Open Lab Operations Manager in GSK Spain, supporting the implementation and monitoring of Open Lab projects, meeting compliance regulation. She coordinates contractual negotiations for approved Open Lab projects in collaboration with academic liaison and legal. Lola joined Smithkline Beecham in 1996 as a Screening Scientist for natural product identification on different cellular and enzymatic screens. She moved into the Compound Management arena in 2000 where she was a key contributor in the implementation and change management of processes to enable drug discovery in Spain, pioneering highly customer focused supply chain operations; Lola worked in the design and implementation of the first Drug Discovery factory that foster he industrialization of the screening activities. She pioneered the software solution to support the management of the GSK Compound Library in Spain.

Merche, Master Certificate Coach (MCC) certified by the International Coach Federation (ICF), is the Directo r of the company Ideare Learning and Innovation since 2005. Merche is Specialist in Executive Coach, Team Coaching and Organizational Coaching and she has developed in the last years innovative coaching models like the Ecosystemic Leadership Model©, the Systemic Intuition Model©, the Brain Trainer Program© or the Grow Systemic. Merche is also the Director of the Master in Management Development, Emotional Intelligence and Coaching of the EAE Business School in Madrid.