Dr. Karin Wertz

Built&lead global center to integrate R&D of 2 acquired companies; 8 direct, 80 indirect reports in CH, US, CA & CN. Cross-cultural communication, organization development&continuous improvement to enable higher flexibility and shorter turnaround time for required insight. Center enabled sales from new products 50% above 2019 target; helped win business from existing products in >20 cases/y. Pioneered data science in R&D as one of the first in the company; 1st project successes.

Drove product development and new business development for 5 pipeline products (plant extracts for heart health, joint health, sports nutrition and skin benefits; digestive enzymes (lactase, gluten-digesting enzyme; nutritional innovations for developing countries) for the Human Nutrition & Health industry both for DNP and proudly also across DSM business groups. Completely new approach to tackling food intolerances with industry-leading products. DSM Excellence in Marketing award 2013.

Marketing responsibility for 4 new business projects (feasibility, scale-up phase) involving new health ingredients. Developed business plan and prepared global product launch for 2 new health ingredients (plant extract; digestive enzyme by biotech), together with the regional market development managers, the global sales force and the R&D project manager. Moved 4 new projects from idea to implementation.

Advanced up to 5 projects to develop cost-competitive and greener chemical and biotech production processes for large vitamin products, involving process R&D and plant design, production cost estimates aligned with finance and production sites, preparing for renewal of regulatory implications esp. for pharma customers (CEP renewal, bridging stocks).

Drove up to 7 product development projects and led the respective cross-functional project teams. Focus: identify and develop new plant-based dietary ingredients with superior efficacy and commercial viability for the target market (safety, IP, sourcing, regulatory). Projects to screen for new plant-based health ingredients to manage blood sugar, inflammation vs muscle loss using validated pharma targets or physiological end points. Budget responsibility.

Expert position in applied R&D for the nutrition and healthcare industry with line management responsibility (up to 5 direct reports). • Established state-of-the-art gene expression analysis in the department (real-time RT-PCR, transcriptomics) • Demonstrated benefit of beta-carotene (carrot orange) on sun-induced skin aging • Demonstrated lycopene (tomato red) benefit for prostate health

Projects to identify development control genes using Gene Trap mutagenesis and large-scale in situ hybridization. • Developed a catalogue of transcripts involved in gonad development • Generated a mouse mutant for Duchenne Muscle Muscle Dystrophy • Acquired knowledge in molecular and cell biology.

Inteferon stimulation with (fragments of) the Newcaste Disease Virus