Dr. Bernd Jilma, MD, is a leading expert in clinical pharmacology and internal medicine with over 20 years of experience. As a professor at the Medical University of Vienna, he has conducted 200+ clinical trials and published over 500 papers. His groundbreaking work in hematology and immunology has led to approved innovative therapies. With deep expertise in drug development, translational research, and clinical trials, Dr. Jilma is a key contributor to advancing LoopLab’s mission in precision medicine.

Dr. C.A. (Oscar) Izeboud is an experienced leader in biotechnology with over 25 years of experience in life sciences, investment banking, and corporate strategy. He holds a Ph.D. in immunopharmacology from the University of Utrecht. As CEO of Scenic Biotech and as Board Member at TME Pharma and Nomad Bioscience, he drives innovation in therapies across rare diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases. His background includes leadership roles at NIBC Bank, Kempen & Co., and Crucell. With deep expertise in business development and financing, Dr. Izeboud plays a key role in supporting LoopLab’s strategic growth and goal of developing targeted, impactful treatments.

Lizabeth (Liz) Leveille is an accomplished business development leader with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical (MSD, Novartis) and biotech industries. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biotechnology as well as an MBA. Liz is currently Vice President, BD&L at MSD and leads the Boston and European Innovation Hubs and Discovery Transactions teams. Her focus is on early-stage therapeutics, sourcing innovation through licensing, collaborations, and M&A within the academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech communities. With her deep expertise in identifying and shaping early-stage partnerships, Liz is a highly valuable advisor to LoopLab’s innovation-driven strategy.

Prof. Dr. Bart N. Lambrecht is a leading expert in pulmonary medicine, asthma, allergy, and respiratory infections. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of lung immunity, shaping new treatment strategies for respiratory diseases. He earned his MD and PhD in Medicine at Ghent University (UGent) and specialized in Pulmonary Medicine at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. Today, he is Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at both ErasmusMC and UGent and Director of the VIB Inflammation Research Center, where he leads 400 scientists. He is a multiple ERC grant awardee, has authored over 400 scientific papers, and serves on the editorial boards of Trends in Immunology and the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Together with Prof. Hamida Hammad, he leads a 36-member research unit, focusing on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in asthma and respiratory infections. Their work has advanced the scientific understanding of how dendritic cells, macrophages, and epithelial cells drive immune responses in the lung. By collaborating with biotech and pharma, he actively drives breakthroughs from the lab to the clinic, advocating that scientific discoveries reach patients. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, he has led large multi-center trials investigating novel immunotherapies, advancing the fight against respiratory diseases.

Prof. Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Enno Schmidt is a leading authority in autoimmune blistering skin diseases, with extensive expertise in dermatology, allergology, and translational research. He studied medicine at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, where he also completed his medical doctorate (Dr. med.) with a dissertation on cytokine-mediated immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of bullous pemphigoid. He later earned a Ph.D. in Biotechnology (Dr. rer. nat.), where he developed novel tools for generating and detecting human monoclonal antibodies. After completing his specialization in dermatology and allergology, as well as his habilitation, he joined the University of Lübeck as a senior physician in the Department of Dermatology. In 2010, he was appointed adjunct professor (apl. Prof.) and served as interim head of the Excellence Center for Inflammation Medicine at the University of Lübeck until 2013. In 2014 he was appointed full professor at the University of Lübeck and director of the Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED). His research focuses on autoimmune bullous diseases, emphasizing diagnostics, preclinical models, and clinical studies. His groundbreaking work continues to shape the understanding and management of complex skin disorders.

Prof. Dr. Falk Nimmerjahn is a global leader in immunology, specializing in antibody-mediated effector functions and humoral tolerance mechanisms. His research on pro- and anti-inflammatory antibody activities has transformed our understanding of antibody function and paved the way for next-generation therapeutics. He studied biology at the Universities of Bayreuth and Erlangen, earning his doctorate at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). His postdoctoral work took him to the Helmholtz Center Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, and Rockefeller University in New York. He later became Professor at FAU, where he assumed the chair of the Chair of Genetics department. Prof. Nimmerjahn’s research has advanced our understanding of autoimmune diseases like arthritis and multiple sclerosis, identifying molecular pathways underlying autoimmunity. In recognition of his groundbreaking work, he received the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award. Beyond academia, he serves as a scientific advisor to biotech companies, playing a key role in developing therapeutic antibodies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Under his leadership, the Nimmerjahn Group continues to explore molecular and cellular IgG mechanisms, striving to translate discoveries into clinical applications.

Dr. Friedrich Scheiflinger is an accomplished scientific leader with a proven track record of leading and advancing truly innovative therapeutic programs. He has extensive experience in the fields of hematology, immunology and gene therapy and is currently an independent consultant at FS Pharma Consulting GmbH. During his successful career, he has held significant positions including General Manager of Evotec Gene Therapy, Vice President of Biologics R&D at Baxter and Head of Research at Baxalta and Shire. He has been instrumental in pioneering advances of therapies for Rare Diseases, i.e. thrombotic diseases, hemophilia treatments and metabolic disorders. His research has led to numerous patents and an extensive publication record that underscores his commitment to developing innovative therapies to improve patients' lives.

Dipl.-Biol. Dr. rer. nat. Gordana Wozniak-Knopp is a distinguished expert in antibody engineering and molecular biotechnology. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Medical University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. During her postdoctoral tenure at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, she specialized in display library methods and alternative scaffolds for antigen recognition. Dr. Wozniak-Knopp played a pivotal role in developing the Fcab technology, which involves introducing novel antigen-binding sites into the Fc fragment scaffold, enhancing bispecific antibody functionality. In 2006, she co-founded F-star, a BOKU spin-off that has since become a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that has attracted multiple partnerships with biopharmaceutical companies targeting significant unmet needs across several disease areas, including immunooncology, inflammation, and CNS. Today, Dr. Wozniak-Knopp is a Lab Head and Principal Investigator at BOKU, where she continues to advance research in antibody engineering and therapeutic development.