Our Team
Our team combines the knowledge and expertise to continuously develop new project ideas together with partners and to support our research teams during running projects. We are here to find the answers to your questions. Just get in touch!
Management & Support Team
Dr. Christian Tidona
Managing Director
Short Bio
Christian Tidona is a biotech entrepreneur and founder of the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg, Germany. He studied biology and received his doctoral degree in natural sciences from the University of Heidelberg.
Throughout his career, his focus was always to seed innovation at the interface between academia and industry. Christian is co-founder of BioRN in Heidelberg, the cluster management organization at the heart of one of the strongest biomedical innovation hubs in Europe, co-founder of the Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine HI-STEM, and member of the Board of Directors of Yeda Research and Development, one of the world’s most renowned technology transfer organizations at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
Christian is married and father of two children.
Dr. Thomas RĂĽckle
Senior Vice President Research
Short Bio
Dr. Thomas RĂĽckle studied Chemistry and Toxicology at the University of Ulm, Germany, where he received his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1996. After two postdoctoral fellowships at the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, and at the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, San Diego (CA), USA, he joined Serono International in Geneva (Switzerland). From 1998 to 2006, he led Research and Preclinical Programs in Autoimmune Diseases and Oncology.
From 2007 onwards, Thomas held several global roles in Project Management and Translational Medicine of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Oncology. From 2012 to 2016, he was Director of Translational Medicine at Medicines for Malaria Venture, the world’s leading NGO in antimalarial R&D.
Prior to BioMed X Institute, he spent 3 years as Chief Development Officer at GeNeuro, a clinical stage biotechnology company working in the field of autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. Together with his teams, Thomas has brought over a dozen molecules from research into clinical trials. He is the principal or co-author of over 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and co-inventor on 23 patents.
Yvonne Stappenbeck
Vice President HR & Operations
Short Bio
Yvonne has been at BioMed X since its foundation in 2013.
Being responsible for “almost everything except research” takes a strong passion for strategy and organization but above all for people and their needs. She sees her position as a great opportunity to help create a work environment that allows groundbreaking research and that her colleagues look forward to coming to every day.
Prior to her position as VP HR & Operations she was BioMed X’ Head of Operations until 2019 and Head of HR until Summer 2021.
Mark Johnston
Chief Executive Officer BioMed X USA
Short Bio
Mark Johnston is a biotech entrepreneur who has founded/managed 6 companies in the areas of cell & gene therapy, contract manufacturing, and cell-based assays, including Vesta Therapeutics, ADMET Technologies, Cytonet, Promethera Biosciences, Novabiosis, and Transfecta Biosciences.
Passionate about enabling therapies and technologies that improve human health, Mark is particularly drawn to opportunities that involve deep science, as he enjoys the novelty and interdisciplinarity they entail. By working extensively with organ procurement organizations in the United States, Mark has also acquired expertise in organ donation & transplantation management. He is an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy and enjoys spending time with his husband and their Husky puppy, as well as hiking and going to the beach.
Mark received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Sciences (Mechanical Engineering, Math, and Physics) and an MBA from the London Business School.
Dr. John M. Lindner
Head of Immunology Discovery & Head of Research USA
Short Bio
- 2018 – 2022: Group Leader of team IAA (Rapid Identification of Auto-Antigens in Autoimmune Diseases) at the BioMed X Institute, Heidelberg, Germany
- 2014 – 2018: Postdoc in autoimmune antibody repertoires with Dr. Elisabetta Traggiai at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- 2008 – 2013: PhD (molecular immunology) in B-cell transcriptional control with Dr. Peter Nielsen in the Department of Prof. Michael Reth at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
Benjamin Raeder
Head of Operations
Short Bio
Benjamin is a biologist by training. At BioMed X, he is in charge of the entire lab infrastructure. He uses his coordinating skills and his eye for detail to create a work environment for our research teams that makes it easy for them to focus on science.
Before joining BioMed X in December 2019, Benjamin was Laboratory Officer in Charge at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, and prior to this worked as an application development scientist in a Heidelberg biotech startup.
Susanne Burkhardt
Head of Christian Tidona’s Office & Legal Management
Short Bio
Susanne has been working as Christian Tidona’s Personal Assistant since 2009; first at BioRN Cluster Management and since 2016 at BioMed X. She enjoys working in an international atmosphere and ensuring the smooth running of his office. In addition she deals with legal issues at BioMed X.
Previously, she managed the family offices of several leadership personalities in industry and politics in Berlin.
Maria Morganti
Head of Marketing
Short Bio
Maria Morganti is a experienced marketing professional with over 15 years of international B2B marketing experience, particularly in the scientific and technical sectors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in IT, specializing in digital communication, and is on her way to finish her International MBA from Ludwigshafen University. Maria has a proven track record in developing and executing comprehensive global marketing strategies, managing public relations and corporate communication at global scale, organizing large trade shows and industry events.
Throughout her career, Maria has also spearheaded impactful digital marketing projects, including website relaunches, lead generation platforms, and SEO initiatives, aimed at driving business growth and enhancing brand / company visibility.
With her passion for marketing, she aims to amplify BioMed X’s role and visibility in delivering solutions to the pharmaceutical industry’s most pressing R&D challenges.
Mallory Grahnert
Events Manager
Short Bio
Mallory obtained her bachelor’s degree at Buffalo State University in New York, where she studied Hospitality Administration. After that, she pursued her master’s degree in International Management & Leadership at SRH University in Heidelberg.
Her professional journey has been marked by continuous involvement in event planning, from assisting with events during her academic years to orchestrating various activities and projects while living in New York, California, and Germany. Bringing a passion for seamless event coordination, Mallory excels in crafting unforgettable experiences.
Silke Lämmler
Executive Assistant
Short Bio
Silke joined BioMed X in July 2020 and supports our research teams in many ways with her huge organizational competence.
She has a background in business administration and long-term experience in international work contexts. This, along with her interest for foreign cultures and her passion for languages, helps her master the special everyday challenges of BioMed X’s multicultural environment.
Marit Krötschel
Purchasing & Lab Management
Short Bio
Marit is a biology lab technician by training and holds an M.Sc. in Health Science/Education. In the BioMed X Support Team, she has been in charge of purchasing and general lab management since February 2023. She uses her broad knowledge and coordinating skills gained during two decades of lab work. Her former experience in setting-up new laboratories helps to create an efficient environment to focus on science.
She joined BioMed X in 2016 as a research associate, working in the research teams of Immunosuppressive Microenvironment of Tumors (IMT) and RNA Splicing & Cancer (RSC). Next to the independent laboratory work, she was responsible for lab organization/ordering and training of new members.
Before joining BioMed X, Marit worked for 10 years as a biological technical assistant at the Max Planck Institute of Immunology and Epigenetics in Freiburg.
Lea Otterstätter
Purchasing
Short Bio
- 2022 – 2024: Head of Department at Peek & Cloppenburg B.V. & Co. KG, Düsseldorf, Ludwigshafen location
- 2019 – 2022: Deputy Head of Department at Peek & Cloppenburg B.V. & Co. KG, Düsseldorf, Ludwigshafen location
- 2015 – 2019: Sales Representative at Peek & Cloppenburg B.V. & Co. KG, Düsseldorf, Ludwigshafen location
- 2012 – 2015: Completed sales representative training at C&A Mode GmbH & Co. KG
Cornelia Ochman
Lab Manager
Short Bio
Cornelia is a biological technical assistant by training. In the BioMed X Support Team, she takes care of purchasing and general lab management.
She joined BioMed X in 2014 as a research associate in the research team Metabolism and Signaling in Cancer (MSC), where she supported all team members in their experimental work.
Prior to her engagement at BioMed X, Conny worked as a biological technical assistant at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg.
Ulla Sofija Prikule
Assistant to the Head of Research
Short Bio
Sofija joined the Heidelberg BioMed X team in August 2023 as the Assistant of the Head of Research.
She has obtained a degree in Translation and Interpreting and worked in project management, assistance, and PR-related roles in Latvia, Germany, and Spain. With this experience and a few languages under her belt, she tries to make the executive team’s lives easier by assisting with communication and coordination tasks within our teams and with our clients.
Merve Pekerli
Intern - Events & Communications
Short Bio
Merve joined BioMed X as an Events & Communications intern in April 2023. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Istanbul Technical University, where she studied Molecular Biology and Genetics. Now she is a master’s student at the University of Heidelberg, majoring in Molecular Biosciences.
Before moving to Germany, Merve volunteered in various student organizations, where she was involved in event management. In Heidelberg, she is also a Pint of Science volunteer. Merve likes to create spaces where everyone can feel comfortable and have fun.
Supervisory Board
Dr. Gerhard Ries
Chairman
Short Bio
Gerhard Ries studied law and received his PhD from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He has been a lawyer since 1998. Gerhard Ries specializes in corporate, association and foundation law. His main areas of practice are the formation, restructuring and transformation of companies as well as M&A business. For many years he has been advising private and public companies in the healthcare sector. Gerhard Ries is member of the supervisory boards of several companies, has himself managed companies as CEO and is also active on the boards of several foundations.
Fabian Engelhorn
Board Member
Short Bio
Fabian Engelhorn completed an apprenticeship in trade and commerce (Handelsfachwirt) in Munich, studied retail management at the University of Applied Sciences in Worms and then spent 18 months in the USA and Hong Kong undertaking overseas internships. He subsequently worked for two years as a member of the management team at Sportler AG, Bolzano, Italy. In 2003 he took over management of the family company Engelhorn GmbH & Co. KGaA, Mannheim and since 2015 has been CEO of the family owned company. He is active on the board of the Rhine-Neckar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) in his role as vice president, in the supervisory board of the Intersport eG, Heilbronn and the Rhein-Neckar-Löwen handball club, both in Mannheim.
Dr. Bernhard Kirschbaum
Board Member
Short Bio
Bernhard Kirschbaum, PhD, studied and spent his early career as a researcher in biochemistry and physiological chemistry at the University of Konstanz, Germany, receiving his PhD in 1989. He moved on to work at the Rockefeller University in New York and the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Subsequently, he joined the pharmaceutical industry where he covered a broad range of technological and disease areas. Before his retirement as an executive, he was head of Global Research and Early Development at Merck Serono. In this role he was a member of the Pharmaceutical Executive Committee. Prior to joining Merck KGaA in 2005 he was Vice President Discovery Research and Global Head of Therapeutic Domains Thrombosis & Angiogenesis for Sanofi-Aventis. He also worked for Aventis, Hoechst Marion Roussel in various senior positions and headed the Centre of Applied Genomics in Martinsried, Germany.