Directors + Observers
Our Board is a syndicate of leading members of the life science and pharmaceutical industries.
Directors
Patrick Aebischer, MD
Chairman of the Board
Patrick Aebischer, MD
Chairman of the Board
Patrick Aebischer, MD, served as President of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) from 2000 to 2016, where he advanced interdisciplinary research and strengthened ties between academia and industry. Trained as a neuroscientist and medical doctor, he has held faculty positions in Switzerland and the United States.
Patrick has co-founded several biotech companies, including Amazentis and Vandria, and sits on boards such as Nestlé and PolyPeptide Group. His career combines scientific expertise with experience in governance and entrepreneurship, enabling him to bridge research and business in the life sciences sector.
Chris Rinsch, PhD, MBA
Chris Rinsch, PhD, MBA
Chris is the co-founder and President of Timeline, a Swiss health science company focused on longevity and mitochondrial health. He has more than 20 years of experience in life sciences innovation.
Before founding Timeline in 2007, Chris worked in venture capital, investing in pioneering life sciences companies, and in biotechnology, developing cell-based therapies at ISOTIS SA (formerly Modex Therapeutics).
Chris has authored publications in journals such as Nature Medicine, Nature Metabolism, and Cell Reports Medicine, and is an inventor on multiple internationally filed patents related to Urolithin A and mitochondrial function.
He holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Lausanne and an MBA from INSEAD.
Jens Eckstein, PhD
Jens Eckstein, PhD
Jens Eckstein, PhD, is an Investment Partner at Hevolution Foundation, focusing on healthy aging and translational science. He has over 25 years of experience in biopharma venture capital, company creation and drug discovery, including leadership roles at Apollo Health Ventures as Managing Partner and as President of SR One, GlaxoSmithKline’s corporate venture arm. Jens’ work has contributed to several IPOs and major M&A transactions.
He previously co-founded the pioneering Action Potential Venture Capital fund and held scientific roles at Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Mitotix. A Kauffman Fellow, he served on the EU-supported Gold Track Expert Council for several years and actively mentors life science entrepreneurs.
Ryan Schubert, MD
Ryan Schubert, MD
Ryan Schubert, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and physician-scientist. Ryan earned his M.D. from Stanford with a focus on immunology and completed his clinical and scientific training in multiple sclerosis and glial cell biology at the University of California San Francisco. His academic work includes publications in Nature, Nature Medicine, and PNAS, and he is a named inventor on multiple patents.
Previously, Ryan was the Head of Research & Development at Asceneuron and he currently serves as a Venture Partner for +ND Capital.
Klaus Dugi, MD
CEO
Klaus Dugi, MD
CEO
Klaus Dugi, MD, brings over 18 years of leadership in global pharmaceutical companies, including nine years as Chief Medical Officer at Boehringer Ingelheim and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. During his tenure, he oversaw the development and launch of four blockbuster drugs and holds 17 patents. His experience spans clinical development, medical affairs, and commercial leadership as General Manager for the UK & Ireland at Boehringer.
Klaus also serves on the boards of AOBiome and Ferring Ventures and is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Heidelberg University. Earlier in his career, he conducted research at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.
Observers
Gabriela Ecco, PhD
Gabriela Ecco, PhD
Gabriela is a Senior Associate at +ND Capital, where she invests in early-stage life sciences companies. She has 15 years of R&D experience in both academia and industry in different areas of life sciences, publishing in top journals and having developed products for molecular diagnostics in oncology. She is passionate about science and innovation, driven by the goal of bringing new technologies to market that can improve lives.
Gabriela holds a PhD in Biotechnology and Bioengineering and a CAS in Management from EPFL.
Pascal Levensohn
Pascal Levensohn
Pascal is the Senior Managing Director of Dolby Family Ventures, with over 30 years of experience as a director and investor in early-stage venture capital investing.
He oversees Dolby investments in sectors ranging from Augmented Reality and Aerospace to Materials Sciences and Biotech and is the founder and Managing Partner of Levensohn Venture Partners LLC as well as President of Levensohn Swiss Sàrl.
Based in Geneva, Pascal advises multi-generational family offices on governance, technology investments, and philanthropy. A former director of the National Venture Capital Association (2007–2011), he is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and holds an AB in Government, cum laude, from Harvard University.
