The Team

The TOM laboratory draws together the expertise of researchers from the Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering (Medical Faculty), and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Insel University Hospital.


Group Head

Benjamin Gantenbein, Prof Dr, PhD, Biologist

Scientific Team

  • Yamina Baumgartner, Lab technician, University of Bern
  • Paola Bermudez Lekerika, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences, “Disc4all”
  • Ana Carapovic, Master Medical Sciences, Dr
  • Chloé Chapallaz, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern
  • Shuimu Chen, PhD candidate, University of Bern
  • Slavko Ćorluka, MD-PhD candidate, University of Bern
  • Katherine Crump, PhD candidate, University of Bern
  • Ashish Kumar, PhD candidate, University of Bern
  • Carla Raffaèle, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern
  • Leon Schlagenhof, PhD candidate, University of Bern
  • Parisa Torabi, Post-Doc, Research Associate, University of Bern
  • Joshua Dan SprengMaster of Science in Biomedical Engineering, University of Bern
  • Willy Hofstetter, Prof. Dr., Group Leader Bone Biology
  • Dr. med Sebastian Wangler, Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital


Clinical Collaborators at Insel Hospital

  • Prof. Dr. Med Moritz Tannast, Hip surgeon, Director of Orthopaedics & Traumatology
  • PD Dr. Med Christoph Albers, Spine Surgeon, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital 
  • PD Dr. Med Sonja Häckel, Spine Surgeon, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital
  • Dr. Med Moritz Deml, Spine Surgeon, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital 
  • PD Dr. Med Michael Künzler, Shoulder team, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital 
  • Dr. Med Michael Schär, Shoulder team, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Insel University Hospital 


External Collaborators (some examples as the list is by far not complete)

Prof. Dr. Paul F. Heini, Spine Surgeon, Sonnenhof Hospital, Lindenhofgruppe, Bern

Prof. Dr. med Lorin Benneker, Spine Surgeon, Sonnenhof Hospital, Lindenhofgruppe, Bern

PD Dr. med Sebastian Bigdon, Spine Surgeon, Sonnenhof, Lindenhofgruppe, Bern

PD Dr. med Ulrich Berlemann, Spine Surgeon, Das Rückenzentrum, Thun

Prof. Dr. Stephen Ferguson, Biomechanical Engineer
    Institut für Biomechanik, ETH, Zürich

PD Dr. Alessandro Bertolo, PhD Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil

Prof. Dr Sibylle Grad, Group Leader, Cartilage and Intervertebral Disc,
   AO Research Institute, Davos

Prof. Dr Marcel Egli, Luzerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts Engineering & Architecture CC Aerospace Biomedical Science and Technology

PD Dr. med Daniel Haschtmann, Schultheiss Clinic, Zürich

Prof Dr Fabian IleUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Engineering & Architecture CC Aerospace Biomedical Science and Technology  

Prof. Dr Patric Eberle, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Engineering & Architecture CC Aerospace Biomedical Science and Technology

PD Dr Jivko Stoyanov, Molecular Biologist Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil

Prof. Dr. Karin Wuertz-Kosak, Prof. Dr., R.Ph., Ph.D., MBA, Rochester Institute of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester, NY. US. 

Dr Stefan Dudli, Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, and Department of Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Balgrist University Hospital, Balgrist Campus, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Prof. Dr Christine Le Maitre,  Department of Oncology and Metabolism, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK


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© TOM group 2008-2024