Laura Suter-Dick looks back on six years at Biotechnet Verified listing

Laura Suter-Dick was elected as President of Biotechnet in 2019, following Daniel Gygax’s 20 years of service in the role. Laura took the exciting opportunity to build on the success of the association’s activities and modernize its operations.

“Biotechnet has made important advancements and adapted well to a challenging financial situation and to changes in the biotechnology landscape,” says Suter-Dick. “The board members and the platform leaders can be proud of the achievements of the past years.”

Key initiatives that the association undertook under Suter-Dick’s leadership include:

• Updating the association’s legal statutes and re-establishing the role of vice-president to support the association’s decision-making and administration
• Reshaping membership levels in Biotechnet to provide more opportunities for scientists to participate
• Meeting with political and financing actors such as the SNSF, Innosuisse, SERI, and others to discuss long-term financing for the association, and leading an Innobooster application in 2023
• Hiring a communications specialist and completely revamping the association’s communications channels including a new website, regular newsletters, and strong presence on LinkedIn
• Overseeing the creation of an online directory of biotech research groups in Switzerland
• Organizing annual meet-ups where members, applied researchers and industry gather around a topic of interest
• Growing Biotechnet’s presence and visibility at Swiss Biotech Day steadily from 2022 to 2025, to increase member networking and B2B meetings with industry
• Continuing to support Biotechnet’s thematic platforms in organizing networking and scientific events
• Updating the banking and accounting contracts for the association
• Leading the renewal of Biotechnet’s advisory board to strengthen ties to digital, clinical, and industrial research and to government and policy

After six years in the role, Laura is stepping down at the end of 2025. She looks forward to several important R&D projects beginning in her lab in 2026, to being part of Biotechnet as a scientist, and to continuing her role as subject matter expert and project evaluator for the 3Rs. The executive board and platform leaders of Biotechnet thank Laura warmly for her service and strong contributions to Biotechnet as president.

Oya Tagit will take on the presidency of Biotechnet starting in 2026. Oya looks forward to sharing her vision for the association and to working with members in the coming years.