Ursula Spichiger-Keller

Ursula E. Spichiger-Keller has been founder and director of the Centre for Chemical Sensors (CCS) since April 1994. Sie received the venia legendi in 1995 in the field of Analytical Chemistry/Chemical Sensors-Biosensors at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In Mai 1999 she was given the title of Professor.

Born in Zurich on June 9th, 1943, Ursula Spichiger graduated from pharmacy at ETH-Zürich. She became an assistent and teacher at the Central Laboratory for Clinical Chemistry at the University Hospital Zurich under Prof. H. Rosenmund. Under Prof. D.J. Vonderschmitt, she was an assistent at ETH Zurich and at the new Institute for Clinical Chemistry at University Zurich, and she applied for writing a Ph.D.-thesis (1980-89). 1988 she was invited to write the habilitation thesis under the supervision of Prof. W. Simon in Analytical Chemistry at the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry. The main topic was devoted to the development of magnesium-selective electrodes and chemical sensors generally. As an assistent and senior researcher, Ursula Spichiger was involved in teaching in Analytical Chemistry, Advanced courses III to V.

Projects are focused on the development of chemiscal sensors, biosensors and analytical procedures which involve chemical sensors as well as related analytical and bioanalytical techniques. Specific projects are in molecular recognition, development of physico-chemical probes, labeling, and development of devices with specific analytical features.

She is a cofounder of EURACHEM Swiss. She was president of the Scientific Board of the Institute for Bioprocess- and Analytical Technology (iba), Heiligenstadt, (1998-2000) and was a member of the Directory Board of the project -Aufbau und Betrieb eines chemisch-analytischen Referenzlabors in der Schweiz" at EMPA St. Gallen (1997-2000). Since 2001 she is a member of the Swiss Federal Commission of Metrology (EKM) as representative of "Analytical Chemistry". Awards: In 1989, the dissertation was awarded the ETH silver medal; 1994 Biomed-Price, 1996 Hewlett-Packard Grant; 1996 Price of Technologie-Standort Schweiz; 2001 -Sandmeyer Prize- donated by the New Swiss Chemical Society (NSCG) for successful collaboration with the industry. She is autor of 160 publications and a book; she has applied for 7 patents and has founded the ETH spin-off company C-CIT AG (www.c-cit.ch) in 2001. In 1969, she was involved in first evaluations of thepotassium-selective electrode in human blood serum developed by L. Pioda.

Monography -Chemical Sensors and Biosensors for Medical and Biological Applications-, Wiley-VCH GmbH, Weinheim, 1998.