Languages : German, English, French

Claudia Nash joined P&TS in March 2019 as Patent Engineer and Technology Transfer Professional. She is drafting and prosecuting patent applications and supports clients in deal/contract negotiation. She is member of LES-CH, business member of the Swiss Technology Transfer Association (swiTT) and Innosuisse Special Coach for start-ups.

Claudia graduated with a PhD in molecular biology and biotechnology from the ETH Zürich, Switzerland. She subsequently moved to Ireland in 2001 where she pursued her research interests in immunology and biochemistry as post-doctoral scientist with Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Her close collaboration with a UK based multi-national pharmaceutical company during this time reinforced her passion for translational research.

As a scientific project lead in a TCD spin-off company she gained first-hand experience of the dynamics and benefits, which a productive partnership between a start-up and a major (US) pharmaceutical company can generate. Whilst working for the start-up Claudia also obtained her Diploma in Marketing and went on to complete several training programs in Intellectual Property (IP) 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. Her work with innovative projects at the interface of academia and industry allowed her to develop solid expertise in deal negotiation and in contractual matters. Claudia also managed the evaluation and protection of UCD inventions as well as their commercialization and licensing. She furthermore advised innovators on IP and commercial strategies and delivered training courses aimed at students, researchers and entrepreneurs on a regular basis.

Following her move to Switzerland in 2012, Claudia continued to promote innovation and to facilitate and negotiate successful research partnerships as Technology Transfer Manager at the Université de Neuchâtel. She encouraged researchers to think about the practical applications of their findings and managed their protection and commercialisation. In addition, Claudia developed bespoke training courses and workshops for a variety of audiences and acted as coach at Swiss pre-seed training workshops. She also created an annual entrepreneurial forum event aimed to inspire young researchers, which she hosted together with regional innovation stakeholders.

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.