About us

Governance Structure

As a Swiss Article 15 Institution, SCAHT is funded by the Swiss Confederation supported by the Universities of Basel, Geneva, Lausanne and the FHNW School of Life Sciences. It collaborates closely with Swiss and international higher education and research institutions, the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology (Ecotox Centre) and the national and cantonal as well as international authorities like the Federal Office for Public Health (FOPH), the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

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Foundation Council

Management Board and Directorate

Research Group Leader Committee

Science Advisory Board

Auditors

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The Foundation Council is the highest decision-making body in SCAHT. The foundation council is entrusted with powers to meet the foundation’s objectives and takes the necessary measures to guarantee efficient functioning of SCAHT in alignment with the performance agreement of the State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The principal tasks of the Foundation Council include the supervision of the strategy development and priority setting in the areas of regulatory toxicology, applied toxicology research, education and services, as well as the administration of the foundation’s financial assets. The council appoints the SCAHT Director, the Management Board, the members of the Research Group Leader Committee, and the Science Advisory Board. It approves the annual report of SCAHT and conducts further tasks which are defined in detail in the statutes and regulations of the foundation.

President of the Foundation Council: Dr. Kathy Riklin

Members of the Foundation Council:

Damaris Ammann (Tox Info Suisse), Prof. Sébastien Castelltort (University of Geneva), Dr. Benoît Ferrari (Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology), Dr. Michael Matthes (scienceindustries), Prof. Primo Schär (University of Basel), Prof. Shana Sturla (Swiss Society of Toxicology), Prof. Margot Thome-Miazza (University of Lausanne), Prof. Sebastian Wendeborn (FHNW School of Life Sciences), Dr. Cornel Wick (Physicians for the Protection of the Environment)

The Management Board consists of the SCAHT Director, one representative of the federal authorities, two research group leaders and one external member. The Management Board is responsible for the development and implementation of the Centre's strategy as defined by the Foundation Council, the allocation of the federal funds, and the operational management in the areas of regulatory affairs, applied research, education, and services. The Management Board reports to the Foundation Council via the Director.

Members of the Management Board:

Prof. Alex Odermatt (University of Basel), Prof. Serge Rudaz (University of Geneva), Dr. Jenny Sandström (Swiss 3R Competence Center), Dr. Kaspar Schmid (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO)

The Director has overall management responsibility for SCAHT. In cooperation with the members of the Management Board the Director develops plans, programmes and budgets which are presented to the Foundation Council. The Director manages and coordinates the Directorate. The Director is appointed by the Foundation Council.

Director of the SCAHT: Prof. Dr. med. Ellen Fritsche (since 2024)

Previous Directors: Prof. Martin F. Wilks (2009 - 2024)

The Committee consists of the SCAHT Director and the leaders of the research groups receiving federal funding via the Centre. Its main tasks are to advise the Director with respect to the development of the Centre’s scientific goals and strategy, to coordinate the research activities of the individual groups within the overall strategy, and to promote collaboration through common projects, exchange of information, and the organisation of scientific meetings.

Members of the Research Group Leader Committee:

Dr. Aurélie Berthet (Unisanté), Dr. Myriam Borgatta (Unisanté), Dr. Florian Breider (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Dr. Claudia Cavelti-Weder (University Hospital Zurich), Prof. Serge Nef (University of Geneva), Prof. Alex Odermatt (University of Basel), Prof. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser (University of Fribourg), Prof. Serge Rudaz (University of Geneva), Prof. Martin Smiesko (University of Basel), Prof. Shana Sturla (ETH Zurich), Prof. Laura Suter-Dick (School of Life Sciences FHNW), Fanny Zufferey (Wallis Hospital), Dr. Marie-Gabrielle Zurich (University of Lausanne)

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) supports the Foundation Council and the Management Board by making recommendations on the centre’s scientific strategy and priority setting. The SAB biannually evaluates the research programme in terms of its contribution to the overall research strategy and its value with regard to regulatory toxicology. The Board reports to the Foundation Council. Members of the SAB are internationally recognised experts in academia, regulatory authorities and industry.

President of the Science Advisory Board: Dr. Ans Punt (Unilever)

Members of the Science Advisory Board:

Dr. Jos Bessems (VITO), Prof. Marcel Leist (University of Konstanz), Prof. Joëlle Rüegg (Uppsala University)

The Foundation Council appoints an independent, external statutory auditing agency which reviews the Foundation’s annual accounts and monitors compliance with the statutes.
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History

Following an application by Prof. Denis Hochstrasser (University of Geneva) and Prof. Stephan Krähenbühl (University of Basel), the SCAHT was founded in 2009 to address gaps in applied toxicology research, consultation services, and training in Switzerland after the closure of the Swiss Institute of Toxicology. Financial support was provided by the Swiss Confederation with in-kind contributions from the Universities of Basel, Geneva and Lausanne.

In its first funding period (2009-2012), SCAHT consolidated its role as a national hub for human toxicology and risk assessment and strengthened Swiss presence in international toxicology under the founding Director Prof. Martin Wilks. In 2012, it was decided to form a foundation hosted by the University of Geneva, which was officially registered in 2014. SCAHT celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2019, and in 2020 the FHNW School of Life Sciences joined as a partner organisation.

Under the new director Prof. Ellen Fritsche, the centre continues to expand its national and international research networks, education programmes, and its contributions to regulatory toxicology. Particularly, SCAHT is committed to bring the newest developments in toxicology into regulatory practice.