Wyss Center neurologist awarded prestigious Pfizer Research Prize

8 February 2019, Wyss Center, Geneva – Maxime Baud, MD, PhD, Staff neurologist at the Wyss Center and epileptologist at the University of Bern and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), was awarded the Pfizer Research Prize for his work in the field of neuroscience and nervous system disorders.

The research, carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco found that epilepsy seizures are linked to cycles of brain activity. The research suggests it may be possible for clinicians to predict and evaluate the risk of epileptic seizures in clinical practice.

The Wyss Center is building on these research results by developing a minimally invasive device that will offer an alternative to current epilepsy monitoring methods. The device will use flexible electrodes that slip under the skin of the skull to allow chronic recordings of brain activity enabling people with epilepsy to continue with their daily lives during monitoring.

The Pfizer Research Prize, first awarded in 1992, is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of medical research in Switzerland. It is awarded to young researchers who have carried out exceptional studies in the fields of basic or clinical research.

The award ceremony was held in Zurich on Thursday 7 February 2019. Twenty-four researchers from Basel, Basel-Country, Bellinzona, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano and Lucerne were awarded prizes to the total value of 180,000 Swiss francs. To date, 350 researchers have received this reward with the total prize money representing more than six million Swiss francs.

This year’s award highlights promising scientific approaches to the discovery of potential new therapeutics for diseases in areas ranging from cardiovascular, urology and nephrology; infectious diseases, rheumatology and immunology; neuroscience and nervous system disorders; oncology and paediatrics.

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About the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, Geneva, Switzerland

The Wyss Center is an independent, non-profit, neurotechnology research and development organization. The Center provides the expertise, facilities and financial resources to transform creative neuroscience research into clinical solutions that will improve the lives of people with nervous system disorders.

The Center’s experienced multidisciplinary neurotechnology development team from industry and academia provides the integrated scientific, engineering, clinical, regulatory and business expertise required to guide high risk, high reward projects on their journey from research to product.

Based at Campus Biotech in Geneva, Switzerland, the Center provides advanced neuroscience and engineering facilities for the development of technology that will prevent, diagnose or treat nervous system disorders, or has the potential to improve lives.

The Center has ongoing projects in brain computer interfaces, neurorehabilitation, neural circuits and sensory function, and advanced technology. It is currently seeking new partners from anywhere in the world that can fill scientific or technical gaps in the development of novel neurotechnologies in current Wyss Center projects.

A major goal of the Center is to ensure that innovative neurotechnologies advance until they are sufficiently mature to attract corporate partnerships, venture funding, or other mechanisms necessary to make them broadly available to society.

Established by a generous donation from the Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss, the Wyss (pronounced “Veese”) Center, is a partner in a progressive new neuroscience hub at Campus Biotech.

http://www.wysscenter.ch/