About
Dipl. Chem. Martin Blüggel
Chief Executive Officer
Protagen Protein Services, Germany
Martin Blüggel is an expert for peptide and protein analysis, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics for protein analysis and proteomics. He is author of more than 35 scientific publications and has presented state of the art analytical methods to the Biotechnology Working Party (BWP, EMA) and Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI). He became member of the extended Board of the EAPB (European Association of Pharma Biotechnology) in 2009. He holds a diploma in Chemistry for his research in protein chemistry combined with mass spectrometric methods for protein structure analysis. As a co-founder of Protagen in 1997 Martin Blüggel set up the business in Protagen Protein Services Unit serving over 100 international clients as CRO to support the development of protein therapeutics from early phases of discovery, production to GMP release testing. He has supervised biosimilar comparability studies and protein characterization for a range of 15 top originator molecules. Martin Blüggel was holding the position of Chief Operating Officer of Protagen since 2002 and Executive Vice President Protein Services since 2009. Since 2013 he is the CEO of Protagen Protein Services.
Prof. Dr. Johannes Buchner
Dept. Of Chemistry
Technische Universität München, Germany
After attaining his PhD in biochemistry in 1991, the author worked at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, USA. Since1998, he holds a chair at the department of chemistry at the Technische Universität München. From 2003 to 2006, he was dean of the department. His field of research is protein science and specifically the mechanistic analysis of protein folding and stability as well as the machinery of cellular protein folding.
Dr. Robert E. Zoubek
Senior Consultant
Granzer Regulatory Consulting & Services, Germany
Robert has 20 years of experience in development of biologics and biosimilars. His expertise comprises the Characterisation of the Originator molecule, the cell line development incl. candidate selection phase, API and drug product development, production processes, and fill & finish. Robert is Senior Consultant at Granzer Regulatory Services and advises clients on CMC from early development up to marketing authorization for Europe and USA. Until he joined Granzer Regulatory Services, Robert worked in several positions at the Formycon/Germany, a leading developer of Biosimilars for regulated markets. As Director Scientific Affairs he led Formycon´s drug product development and analytical services. Before that, Robert was Head of Protein Characterisation & Preformulation and Manager Quality Operations. In those positions he supervised Formycon´s GMP-Quality Control and analytical labs, the core of Quality-Biosimilar development. Robert earned the PhD from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg for his research on the wound-healing peptide Thymosin beta 4 and he was awarded Master of Business Administration from the University of Manchester. He also holds a MSc from the University of Munich.
DI Markus Roucka
Managing Director
VelaLabs GmbH – A Tentamus Company, Austria
Markus started his career in the biotechnical laboratories of Biomin, Austria as Lab technician in the R&D department. He was responsible for fermentation and QC processes of the products. After more than 4 years he decided to attend University of Applied Science to study medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology at the IMC Krems. For his Master thesis Markus went to the Netherlands and studied the effect of the TRIAL-ligand in combination with Bortezomib on NSCLC. He started his career at VelaLabs2008 as senior technician/QC. Afterwards he was 8 years head of laboratory and two years Chief Operating officer. His current position is Chief Business Development Officer and also Managing Director of VelaLabs in Vienna.