BioRN strenghthens its Leadership and Governance to reflect a growing life science ecosystem

• Membership growth in 2025: +34 members, reaching 185 members
• New Executive Board members strengthen expertise in digitalisation, entrepreneurship, translational research and pharma R&D
• Claus Kremoser transitions from the Executive Board to the Strategic Advisory Board, focusing on improving startup financing pathways
• Strategic Advisory Board further strengthened with industrial scale-up expertise

Heidelberg, 18 December: At its most recent general meeting, bioRN Network e.V. decided on important strategic course corrections for the coming years and elected a strengthened executive board and an expanded strategic advisory board. The changes reflect the continuous growth of the bioRN life science cluster and its efforts to represent the interests of its members even more effectively.

In 2025, 34 new members joined the network which has now 185 institutional members. This corresponds to an average annual growth rate of around 10% over the last 10 years, reflecting the dynamic development of the ecosystem and its increasing diversity.

“With our membership expanding and bringing together a wider range of talents and perspectives, it’s essential that our governance keeps pace,” says Dr. Gitte Neubauer, Chair of the Executive Board of bioRN. “By strengthening the Executive Board, we ensure that scientific excellence, industry experience, entrepreneurship and innovation are all equally represented.”

Executive Board: Continuity and New Expertise

bioRN continues to rely on strong continuity within its Executive Board. Dr. Gitte Neubauer (Cellzome / GSK) will continue to serve as Chair of the Executive Board, with Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ) acting as Deputy Chair. They are joined by the continuing Board members Dr. Volker Stadler (PEPperPRINT), Marc Massoth (City of Heidelberg), Prof. Dr. Adelheid Cervenka (Heidelberg University) and Dr. Angelika Vlachou (HTGF), whose ongoing commitment provides stability and institutional knowledge as the Board expands.

At the same time, several new members were elected to the Executive Board, adding complementary expertise:

• Prof. Dr. Michelangelo Canzoneri (Global Head of Group Smart Manufacturing, Merck KGaA) brings recognised expertise in digitalisation, automation and smart manufacturing, critical capabilities for future-proof life science innovation.
• Dr. rer. nat. Anamarija Curic, Founder and Managing Director of nuvalore GmbH, joins as a representative of the start-up community. Her profile combines entrepreneurial leadership with many years of industry experience gained at a global pharmaceutical company, strengthening the bridge between innovation-driven start-ups and established industry.
• Prof. Dr. Jochen Maas, former Managing Director R&D Germany at Sanofi, joins the Executive Board with decades of international pharmaceutical R&D leadership, strategic insight and experience in building innovation pipelines at scale.
• Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Most, Head of the Molecular and Translational Cardiology Section at Heidelberg University Hospital and CEO and Co-Founder of AaviGen GmbH, further reinforces the Board’s focus on clinical translation and physician-led innovation, bringing deep experience in moving discoveries from bench to bedside.
• Prof. Dr. Nina Papavasiliou, Head of the Division of Immune Diversity at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and CEO of Panosome GmbH, transitions from the Scientific Advisory Board to the Executive Board. She contributes outstanding expertise at the interface of cutting-edge biomedical research, translational science and entrepreneurship.

Strategic Advisory Board: Experience and Growth Capital

After many years in which Dr. Claus Kremoser, CEO of WMT AG, shaped the development of bioRN as a member of the Executive Board, he is now moving to the Strategic Advisory Board. In this role, he will focus in particular on strengthening financing pathways for start-ups and growth-stage companies, drawing on his long-standing experience as an investor, entrepreneur and ecosystem builder.

The Strategic Advisory Board is further strengthened by Dr. Ludger Bodenbach, Head of Manufacturing Technologies at Roche Diagnostics GmbH. His appointment adds deep industrial and scale-up expertise, reinforcing the Board’s role as a strategic sparring partner for bioRN and its members.

“I would like to thank the Executive Board and all committee members for the excellent and trusting collaboration over the past years,” says Julia Schaft, Managing Director of bioRN. “Together, we have achieved important progress on key strategic priorities such as startup financing, pharma engagement and raising the international profile of our region. I very much look forward to continuing this journey with the expanded Executive Board and shaping the next phase of bioRN’s development together.”

Further insights into the development of the bioRN Life Science Cluster, including key figures, strategic priorities and highlights from the past year, are available in the bioRN Annual Report 2025, now available for download on the bioRN website.