Chair/Vice-chair

The chair of the association is Prof. Dr. Jürg Steiger (University Hospital Basel), with Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Vanessa Banz (Inselspital, University Hospital Bern) serving as Vice‑Chair.

General meetings of members

The General meeting of members is the supreme governing body of the STCS Association. It is composed of one delegate from each member institution - either the medical director or the dean of the medical faculty - representing the six Swiss transplant centers located at the University Hospitals of Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zurich, as well as the HOCH Health Ostschweiz - Kantonsspital St. Gallen.

Steering committee

The Steering committee determines the strategic orientation and oversees the ongoing business of the STCS. The Steering committee includes 11 members and covers the following areas of expertise: transplantation medicine, patient perspectives, finance, data infrastructure and services.

The steering comittee members:

• President: Prof. Dr. Jürg Steiger
• Vice-president: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Vanessa Banz
• CHUV: Associate Prof. Déla Golshayan
• HUG: Prof. Christian Van Delden
• HOCH: Dr. med. Alexander Ritter
• USB: Dr. med. Carline Wehmeier
• USZ: PD Dr. med. Macé Schuurmans
• Patient Advisory committee: Rosmarie Pazeller
• Finances: Petra Borner
• Data Infrastructure and Services: Dr. Thierry Sengstag
• Swisstransplant: PD Dr. med. Franz Immer

Management board

The Management board is responsible for the operational implementation of the Association’s mission and for executing the strategic direction defined by the Steering Committee:

Jelena Müller B.Sc., MPH (USB), Head of the Management board

Prof. Dr. med. Nicolas Müller (USZ), Head of Research

Dr. med. Michel Koller (USB), Head of Infrastructure and Services

Research department

The Research department is led by Prof. Dr. med. Nicolas Müller, who also serves as the national project leader. The Head of research, in collaboration with the main STCS stakeholders, develops the STCS research strategy and submits it for approval to the Management board and the Steering committee.

Prof. Dr. med. Nicolas Müller is also the head of the STCS Scientific Committee, which is responsible to revise and evaluate all scientific project proposals. Find below the different members who belong to this committee.

Data Infrastructure & Services

The Data Infrastructure and Services department led by Dr. med. Michel Koller (USB), overseeing data infrastructure, biobanks, genetic services, quality assurance, and local data management.

Finance & administration

The Finance and administration department is led by the Jelena Müller B.Sc., MPH, ensuring the functions of finance, regulatory affairs and documentation, and management support.

Patient advisory board

The Patient advisory board, led by Dr. Sonja Beckmann, established in 2018, contributes to STCS activities at both strategic and operational levels.
PAB members are involved in the Steering Committee and play a strong role in shaping the scientific direction of STCS, ensuring that patient perspectives are meaningfully integrated into decision‑making.

Learn more about the Patient advisory board and its activities here.

Working groups

Please learn more about our working groups here.