Trained in human biology, Dr. Heike Walles is an accomplished translational scientist with a strong background in material sciences. Her research takes place at the interface between biological tissue and medical implant and focusses on the cultivation of different types of tissues from primary human cells, which can be used in transplantation medicine as well as for drug testing and in cancer research.  Her business network includes leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as regulatory authorities and outstanding research institutions worldwide. Heike Walles was a member of the German Ethics Council from 2010 to 2012 and was appointed to the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) in 2016.

Being a full professor for Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Thorsten Walles has many years of extensive experience in general thoracic surgery and teaching surgical skills. His surgical expertise covers the entire spectrum from minimally invasive surgical procedures including robotic surgery to advanced multi-visceral procedures. Both clinically and within professional associations, he is dedicated to the practical training of medical assistants, students, residents and specialists. His scientific network includes renowned hospitals and research institutes worldwide as well as medical device companies.

Being a trained molecular biologist and an experienced bioreactor developer, Dr. Sascha Kopp is linking biology and technology. Apart from his strong background in gravitational biology, he has got a multiyear expertise in leading research teams in the fields of technology development and tissue engineering. His focus is to solve technical problems and to come up with innovative ideas by facilitating state of the art additive manufacturing technologies.