Research & Training Institutes

The Genolier Innovation Hub has a Clinical and Translational Research Center aimed at accelerating the clinical implementation of innovative treatments in the fields of pharmacology, medtech, digital health and biosciences. This unit is based on several key objectives:

1. Accelerating new treatments: One of our key objectives is to reduce the time it takes for new therapies to reach patients' bedsides, a long and cumbersome process that usually takes several years. Thanks to the Clinical and Translational Research Center and through close collaboration with clinicians and medical staff, the HUB possesses all the necessary infrastructure and know-how to act as a one-stop shop with lean and agile processes that can considerably accelerate the clinical translation of groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

2. Improving patient outcomes: Through targeted research into diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and personalized medicine, our aim is to complement existing standard-of-care treatments with newly developed and innovative therapeutic options to enhance patient outcomes. By bridging the divide between theoretical knowledge and actionable solutions, our aim is to promote the delivery of innovations to those who need them most. ultimately improving patients' quality of life and increase survival.

3. Creating personalized medicine: Every patient is unique, and we believe their treatments should be too. By studying factors such as genetics, lifestyle and the patient's environment, our research aims to develop personalized treatments, tailored to the specific needs of each individual, in order to maximize their effectiveness.

4. Fostering collaboration with innovative partners: The Hub is also developing partnerships with companies specializing in biomedicine, technology and healthcare innovation. These collaborations bring fresh perspectives, advanced technologies and complementary expertise, expanding our potential to make a significant impact.
5. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of new diagnostics and treatments: At the heart of our research lies patient safety. All innovations and treatments are rigorously tested to ensure their efficacy and safety. We adhere to strict ethical standards and regulations to protect patients' health and well-being.

Prof. Lana E. Kandalaft is currently the Chief of Clinical and Translational Research at Swiss Medical Network and Associate Director of Clinical Translation at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.

Over the past 20 years, her research activities have centered on developing novel and effective strategies for the clinical translation of impactful basic research discoveries into real solutions that ultimately benefit patients. She previously built and led for more than 10 years as Chief of Service the Center of Experimental Therapeutics at the Department of Oncology of the Lausanne University Hospital, a Center of innovation with more than 150 employes whose mission is to accelerate “bench to bedside” research and the clinical translation of breakthrough anti-cancer therapies, especially in the immunotherapy and personalized medicine field. In addition to this, Lana is also a specialist in the domain of cancer vaccines, spanning both preclinical and clinical domains. With more than 100 scientific publications in vaccine development and clinical research published in prestigious journals such as Nature Drug Discovery, Science and Nature, among others, she is considered a leading figure in the world of Cancer Immunology and therapeutic cancer vaccines. At Swiss Medical Network her current mission is to lead the Clinical and Translational Research Center, driving bench to bedside research and bridging the gap between basic science and clinical research ensuring the rapid and safe deployment of new medical interventions to cancer patients. In parallel, here efforts are also focusing on developing novel vaccines for cancer prevention and therapeutics and bringing them to fruition to patients.

Dr. Michele Graciotti is currently the Director of Clinical Development in the Clinical and Translational Research Center of Swiss Medical Network. Michele has a strong background in both fundamental and clinical research with long-lasting experience in the design and development of novel treatments to meet global medical needs such as against malaria and cancer. In the last decade, he worked in the field of cancer immunology and translational research design, putting his expertise at service to develop novel and powerful therapeutic cancer vaccines and bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and their application in clinical practice. At Swiss Medical Network, his current mission is to lead the clinical development of novel cancer vaccines as well as fostering fruitful collaborations with leading research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, biotech start-ups and regulatory bodies to ensure the rapid and safe clinical translation of scientific innovations.

Dr. Laetitia Rossier is currently the Director of Clinical Trial Unit in the Clinical and Translational Research Center at Swiss Medical Network. With more than 20 years of experience in clinical and translational research, Laetitia has a strong background and expertise in regulatory affairs and in sponsor aspects of clinical trial management, especially with a focus on advanced therapies of medicinal products (ATMP, cellular therapies and personalized medicine), medicinal products, and medical devices in the oncology area. At Swiss Medical Network she is responsible for the implementation and management of the centre's clinical trials and translational projects. She is also in charge of all clinical trials regulatory and GCP quality aspects, as well as ethical compliance.

Miriam Hernandez is currently the Head of Clinical Operations in the Clinical and Translational Research Unit of Swiss Medical Network. Miriam is an expert in Public Health and has a strong background in health projects development and project evaluation in complex settings.

With more than 20 years of experience, Miriam has worked at international level as Country Medical Coordinator leading and developing epidemiological research and epidemiological assessments in collaboration with several Ministries of Health and UN Agencies. Moreover, she has vast experience in providing operational guidance, managing big teams, and implementing very complex health and clinical projects. She has led the clinical research at Clinique de Genolier and Clinique Générale-Beaulieu for several years before joining the Clinical and Translational Research Unit as Head of Clinical Operations in January 2025.

Dr. Tiia Snäkä currently works as a Clinical Trial Coordinator in the Clinical and Translational Research Centre at Swiss Medical Network. With a PhD in immunology and combined experience in fundamental, clinical and translational research, Tiia has strong expertise in the fields of infectious and inflammatory diseases. In her previous roles, she has coordinated clinical trials and contributed to research protocol development, study design, scientific writing and communication, as well as mentoring and training of young researchers. At Swiss Medical Network, her mission is to support the development and implementation of clinical trials at the Research Centre, ensuring scientific rigor and efficient trial management in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, while supporting excellence in translational research.