European Islet Study Group 2025

Burcak Yesildag obtained her master’s degree in Biochemistry and her PhD degree in Translational Biomedicine from ETH Zurich, where she specialized in pancreatic islet biology. In 2015, Dr. Yesildag joined the InSphero team to establish the company as a strong contender in the field of diabetes research. Her team is facilitating the adoption of InSphero’s innovative platforms, based on primary or stem-cell derived human cells, by a broad scientific community around the world, aiming to support translation of new discoveries into much needed therapeutic interventions.

Lynn Scherpe holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Maastricht University and a Master's degree in Molecular Health Sciences from ETH Zurich. In early 2024, she joined the Islet Biology team as a Research Associate, supporting projects in diabetes research and pre-clinical toxicology. Her current work is primarily concerned with type 1 diabetes (T1D)-oriented service projects, aimed at identifying and developing novel therapeutic strategies for T1D. She specializes in co-culturing islet microtissues with immune cells to create physiologically relevant T1D models, which serve as a platform for the pre-clinical evaluation of immunotherapies.

With a BSc and MSc degree in Medical Biotechnology from Berlin, Germany, Christine began her career as a Scientist specializing in 3D in vitro cell culture and organ-on-chip systems. Transitioning into Business Development in 2020, she has since focused on driving collaborations betweem CROs and Industry for early drug discovery. Currently serving as the Business Development Manager for Nordics & UK at InSphero AG since August 2023, Christine is passionate about advancing preclinical 3D cell culture solutions and Multi-Organ-Chips for drug safety and efficacy testing. Her work is dedicated to improving the drug development processes, fostering innovation, and reducing reliance on animal testing to enhance faster development of new treatment options for patients.