BayGenetics

The Bacillus Subtilis

 Experts

Management

   Dr. Markus Helfrich, Co-Founder/CEO

Dr. Markus Helfrich studied microbiology and received his Ph.D. (Dr. phil. nat.) from the University of Frankfurt/Main. His thesis work was in the area of molecular bioscience.

His research focused on the production of antimicrobial peptides in B. subtilis; spore formation in B. subtilis; protein production in B. subtilis and E. coli and protein purification from B. subtilis and E. coli

    Dr. Gunter Festel, Co-Founder/CFO

Dr. Gunter Festel founded the advisory and investment firm FESTEL CAPITAL with headquarters in the Swiss Cantone Zug. His company specialises in the commercialisation of technologies in the areas of energy, environment, health, materials and nutrition, and invests in selected companies, preferably in early stages.

Up to the end of 2002, he was a member of the management team and head of the consulting business for the chemical and healthcare industry with Arthur D. Little in Zurich and a consultant with McKinsey. He started his career with Bayer, where he held various management positions in R&D and marketing.

He holds a PhD in chemistry, MA in economics and BA in business studies from Bayreuth University, a PhD in management and economics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and a Master of  Advanced Studies in Corporate Finance from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

He is co-founder and member of the advisory board of the Association for Chemistry & Economics (VCW) within the German Chemical Society.

   Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schumann, Co-Founder/CSO

Professor Dr Wolfgang Schumann is Professor for genetics at the Bayreuth   University since 1986.

His research focuses on the adaptation of bacteria to chemical and physical   stress; protein quality control; development of expression- and expression   -secretion vectors for Gram-positive bacteria and surface display of proteins and peptides on B. subtilis cells and spores.

He is author of numerous articles in international journals as well as three books and is visiting professor at various universities in Brazil and Vietnam.

    Dr. Detlev Koeppen, CDO

Dr. Detlev Koeppen is a psychologist who studied in Frankfurt and received his PhD at the University of Darmstadt.

In 1975, he started in the Medical Department of Hoechst AG (Frankfurt) as Clinical Manager CNS. Over the next years he was responsible for the worldwide development and market authorisation of an anticonvulsant and an antidepressant.

In 1985, he worked as product manager for hormones and analgesics.

In 1989, he was appointed head of the pharmaceutical sales force in Austria (Vienna).

Back at Hoechst headquarters in Frankfurt, he took over the Business Unit Endocrinology covering the preclinical and clinical development as well as the sales of the endocrinology product portfolio of the Hoechst company.

From 1999 to 2000 he worked as Head of Business Development for the Contract Research Organisations Quintiles and Parexel.

Up to 2005, Dr. Koeppen was head of Account Management of chemfidence GmbH,a supply company for the chemical and lifescience industry.

Since 2006, Dr. Koeppen consults various pharmaceutical companies with the focus on development, market authorisation and sales.