Languages : German, English, French

Claudia is European and Swiss Patent Attorney and has a long-standing experience as Technology Transfer professional and is an accredited Innosuisse Special Coach for start-ups.

PhD-trained in molecular biology and biotechnology at ETH Zürich, she moved to Ireland to pursue post-doctoral research in immunology and biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, where a close research collaboration with a GaxoSmithKline (Stevenage, UK) deepened her interest in translational research.

Scientific project lead at the Trinity College Dublin spin-off Opsona Therapeutics, she gained hands-on experience of strategic collaborations between start-ups and multinational companies, while also earning a Diploma in Marketing and completing training in intellectual property and financial strategy.

In 2007 Claudia joined NovaUCD, the hub of innovation-related activities at University College Dublin (UCD), as a Technology Transfer Project Manager.

Following her move to Switzerland in 2012, joined the University of Neuchâtel as Technology Transfer Manager and acted as coach at Swiss pre-seed training workshops.

Claudia joined P&TS in 2019.

In her spare time she enjoys embarking on the big and small adventures of life with her family. Claudia is of Austrian origin.

Environmental Biotechnology

Genetic and biochemical characterization of a bacterial enzyme complex for the biodegradation of organic sulfonates, in particular aromatic sulfonates, with the view to (i) increase sulfur availability in agricultural soils and (ii) enhance bioremediation of synthetic sulfonate detergents in aquatic systems.

Key words: molecular biology, microbiology, Pseudomonas, bioremediation, sulfur, sulfonate, agriculture, biotechnology

Publications:

Genetic organization of sulphur-controlled aryl desulphonation in Pseudomonas putida S-313.

Vermeij P, Wietek C, Kahnert A, Wüest T, Kertesz MA. Mol Microbiol. 1999 Jun;32(5):913-26. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1999.01398.x. PMID: 10361295 Free article.

The ssu locus plays a key role in organosulfur metabolism in Pseudomonas putida S-313.

Kahnert A, Vermeij P, Wietek C, James P, Leisinger T, Kertesz MA. J Bacteriol. 2000 May;182(10):2869-78. doi: 10.1128/jb.182.10.2869-2878.2000. PMID: 10781557 Free PMC article.

Desulfurization and desulfonation: applications of sulfur-controlled gene expression in bacteria.

Kertesz MA, Wietek C. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2001 Nov;57(4):460-6. doi: 10.1007/s002530100800. PMID: 11762590 Review.

Innate Immunity /Signal Transduction

Research towards a better molecular understanding of a host’s early immune response upon exposure to pathogens with a particular focus on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced signal transduction pathways;

TLR-induced activation of transcription factor complexes and regulation of gene expression.

Key words: molecular immunology, innate immunity, biochemistry, toll-like receptors, LPS, interferon, virus, IRF, NF-kappaB

Publications:

IRAK-4: a new drug target in inflammation, sepsis, and autoimmunity.

Wietek C, O’Neill LA. Mol Interv. 2002 Jul;2(4):212-5. doi: 10.1124/mi.2.4.212. PMID: 14993391 No abstract available.

Mal and MyD88: adapter proteins involved in signal transduction by Toll-like receptors.

O’Neill LA, Dunne A, Edjeback M, Gray P, Jefferies C, Wietek C. J Endotoxin Res. 2003;9(1):55-9. doi: 10.1179/096805103125001351.

Bruton’s tyrosine kinase is a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-binding protein that participates in nuclear factor kappaB activation by Toll-like receptor 4.

Jefferies CA, Doyle S, Brunner C, Dunne A, Brint E, Wietek C, Walch E, Wirth T, O’Neill LA. J Biol Chem. 2003 Jul 11;278(28):26258-64. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M301484200. Epub 2003 Apr 30. PMID: 12724322 Free article.

Interferon regulatory factor-3-mediated activation of the interferon-sensitive response element by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 but not TLR3 requires the p65 subunit of NF-kappa.

Wietek C, Miggin SM, Jefferies CA, O’Neill LA. J Biol Chem. 2003 Dec 19;278(51):50923-31. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M308135200. Epub 2003 Oct 13. PMID: 14557267 Free article.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14557267/

IkappaB kinase epsilon interacts with p52 and promotes transactivation via p65.

Wietek C, Cleaver CS, Ludbrook V, Wilde J, White J, Bell DJ, Lee M, Dickson M, Ray KP, O’Neill LA. J Biol Chem. 2006 Nov 17;281(46):34973-81. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M607018200. Epub 2006 Sep 26. PMID: 17003035

Diversity and regulation in the NF-kappaB system.

Wietek C, O’Neill LA. Trends Biochem Sci. 2007 Jul;32(7):311-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2007.05.003. Epub 2007 Jun 11. PMID: 17561400

Book Chapter

Publications:

Toll and Toll-Like Receptors:: An Immunologic Perspective

Eurekah.com and Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers; 2005

Chapter 5: Virus Induced Signalling to Initiate the Interferon Mediated Host Response

Wietek C, O’Neill LA.