University Zurich
The Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich is part of the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich (UZH). The Research Division of the Department of Obstetrics is well equipped for fundamental cell biology, molecular biology and clinical research. The Research Division of the Department of Obstetrics is engaged in multiple national and international collaborations. It has specialized in the isolation and characterisation of stem/progenitor cells from obstetrical sources, i.e. cord blood, amniotic fluid and amnion tissue, and the study of their utility for cell therapy in non-haematopoietic healing applications. Proteomics and genomics studies are available at the Functional Genomics Centre of the UZH.
Andreas Hugo Zisch
Dr. sci. nat. (ETH Zurich) in biochemistry. Andreas Zisch is Director of Research in the Dept. of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich. Before, he was staff scientist/group leader at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich and UZH. Silver medallist of the ETH Zurich. Since 1999, he works in the field of Experimental Tissue Engineering towards development of new, clinically relevant growth factor-modified biomaterials for efficient cell transplantation. His work with adult stem cells from cord blood led him to the Dept. of Obstetrics at UZH. AHZ is member of the editorial board for the journal Biomaterials (amongst others), reviewer of manuscripts for scientific journals including Cardiovascular Research, Biomaterials, J Controlled Release, Trends in Biotechnology (amongst others), and reviewer of grant applications to the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.
Steffen Michael Zeisberger
Dr. sc. nat. (ETH Zurich) in life science. Steffen Zeisberger finished his Ph. D. at the Institute of Molecular Cell Biology in 2005. Since then he is a medical research associate at the Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich. With his profound knowledge in immunology, genetics, and long experience in molecular biology and cell culture, he is in charge of identifying alternative obstetrical sources of adult stem cells. He is developing new methodologies to isolate, maintain, expand and conserve plastic cells. Since 2006, he is a member of the “German Society of Stem Cells”.
