CAAT-EU, University of Konstanz, Germany
Marcel Leist obtained an MSc in toxicology (Guildford 1989), and a PhD in pharmacology (Konstanz 1993). Since 2006, he has been head of the department of in vitro toxicology and biomedicine at the University of Konstanz (inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden foundation), and director of the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing in Europe (CAAT-Europe), a joint venture with Johns-Hopkins University. From 2000-2006, he worked as ‘Head of Department of Disease Biology’ on the discovery of neurology and psychiatry drugs in the Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck A/S. The current research addresses stem cell differentiation to neuronal lineages as well as the pharmacological and toxicological characterization of test methods and in vitro disease models. The novel test methods are used both to reduce the use of animals in scientific research and to shift research applications towards the use of human cells. The lab is particularly well-known for its test methods for developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity. It is also broadly involved in work on standardizing and quality controlling new approach methods, for instance in large-scale European research programs or as contributor to the OECD GIVIMP or the good cell culture practices 2.0 guideline. The research resulted in > 400 publications (cited over 30,000 times), and was awarded with many national and international research prizes.