Tracy Laabs

Dr. Tracy Laabs is the incoming Director of the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering in Geneva, Switzerland. She takes up the role on July 1st, 2026.

As Director, she will lead the Center’s strategy, scientific programs, and the development of projects into spin-off companies — advancing personalized, adaptive neurotechnology and strengthening the Center’s regional, national, and international ecosystem of partnerships across academia, clinical care, and industry to bring breakthrough therapies to as many patients as possible. 

Dr. Tracy Laabs is one of the Wyss Center’s founding figures. As Founding Deputy Director from 2015, and subsequently as Chief Development Officer and Head of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, she has spent over a decade building the institution from the ground up — shaping its innovation pipeline, forging its key collaborations, and guiding its spin-off companies as a board observer. She was instrumental in growing and evolving the Center into an international leader in neurotechnology.  

She brings more than 20 years of professional and research experience across neuroscience, neurotechnology, molecular biology, physiology, human performance, and regenerative medicine. Prior to joining the Wyss Center, she was a Senior Scientist at Strategic Analysis, Inc., providing technical expertise and scientific program management for multidisciplinary programs at the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). 

She enjoys mentoring young scientists and entrepreneurs and speaking to broad audiences about neuroscience and neurotechnology translation. She holds a PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BS in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (US).