Brown University
Who did Patrick Aebischer work for before Jul 1989?
Patrick Aebischer Patrick Aebischer ( born 22 November 1954 in Fribourg , Switzerland ) has been the president of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne ( EPFL ) from 17 March 2000 to 31 December 2016 . He is also a professor in neuroscience and head of the Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory at the EPFL . Biography . Education . Patrick Aebischer was trained as an MD ( 1980 ) and a neuroscientist ( Dr . Med. , 1983 ) at the University of Geneva and University of Fribourg in Switzerland . Academic career . From 1984 to 1992 , he worked at Brown University in Providence ( Rhode Island , United States ) , as Research Scientist , Assistant and then Associate Professor of Medical Sciences . In 1991 , he became the chairman of the Section of Artificial Organs , Biomaterials and Cellular Technology of the Division of Biology and Medicine of Brown University . In autumn 1992 , he returned to Switzerland as a professor and director of the Surgical Research Division and Gene Therapy Center at the University Hospital of Lausanne ( CHUV ) in Lausanne . In 1999 , Aebischer was nominated President of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne ( EPFL ) , one of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology , by the Swiss Federal Council . He took office as President on March 2000 and was reelected to this position in 2004 and 2008 . He has decided to leave this position at the end of 2016 . Since 1 January 2017 , the president of the EPFL is Martin Vetterli . His current research focuses on the development of cell and gene transfer approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases . Presidency of the EPFL . Since his arrival as president of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in 2000 , Aebischer has made the following changes to the university : - Integration of the hard science sections ( mathematics , physics , chemistry ) from the neighbouring University of Lausanne ; - Reorganisation of the university into five faculties ( schools ) , each managing its own budget ; - Creation of the School of Life Sciences - Creation of a Doctoral School - Creation of a College for Management of Technology and Finance - Development of an Innovation Square on the campus to favour industry partnerships ; ( alter integrated in the Swiss Innovation Park ) - Development of the campus by initiating the construction of the Rolex Learning Center ( 2010 ) , lodging for students ( 2010 and 2013 ) , a hotel for academic guests ( 2010 ) and the Swiss Tech Convention Center ( 2013 ) . Aebischer was influenced and inspired by the American model of university management , which he describes as a meritocratic system that encourages innovation . Some employees and observers criticised the mutation from a European model to an American model ( with values such as money , competition and rankings ) . In companies . Aebischer is a founder of three start-ups : CytoTherapeutics Inc . ( 1989 ) , Modex Therapeutics Inc . ( 1996 ) and Amazentis SA ( 2007 ) . He sits on the boards of Nestle Health Science ( since 2011 ) and Lonza Group ( since 2008 ) . Personal . The parents of Patrick Aebischer are artists , known as Yoki , and Joan , born OBoyle . He is married and the father of two children . Honours . - Fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation ( 1984-1986 ) - Kolff Award , young investigator award of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs , New York , 1987 . - Robert Bing Award of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences ( 1994 ) . - Pfizer Foundation award for clinical neurosciences ( 1997 ) . - Fellow of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences ( since 1998 ) . - Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering ( since 2000 ) . - Fellow of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences ( SATW ) ( since 2009 ) .