Mateusz Mendel
Principal Scientist, Cellular Engineering & RNA Biology
I'm an RNA biologist and Principal Scientist based in Basel, Switzerland. I engineer cells for disease modelling and drug discovery: I build cellular models for small-molecule screens, design controllable expression systems, and run CRISPR screens. My work spans cell and gene therapy, RNA therapeutics and small-molecule drug discovery, in neuroscience and other disease areas.
My background is in chemical modifications of RNA. During my PhD at the University of Geneva, I showed how a single methyl mark can block splicing through an evolutionarily conserved mechanism (Cell, 2021). My latest work uses a small molecule to turn splicing into a regulated system with potential clinical applications (Nature Communications, 2026).
Moving from academia to industry showed me that although my skills were valuable, applying and presenting them to companies wasn't straightforward. I now mentor PhD students and postdocs and regularly give career talks to help them make that move.
Want to talk about drug discovery, or how to land your first industry role? Let's connect.