Maurizio Molinari earned a PhD in Biochemistry at the ETH-Zurich in 1995. In 1996-1997, he was a post-doc in the laboratory of Cesare Montecucco at the Dept. of Biomedicine, University of Padua, Italy and subsequently in the laboratory of Ari Helenius at the ETH-Zurich (1998-2000). Since October 2000, he is group leader at the IRB in Bellinzona. The studies performed by Dr. Molinari’s group at the IRB significantly contributed to the knowledge of mechanisms devised by cells for the production of functional polypeptides and for efficient disposal of folding-defective proteins. The knowledge acquired on the mechanisms of protein production and transport along the secretory line of mammalian cells allowed the group to set up a novel approach based on intracellular expression of specific single chain antibodies that proved very efficient in reducing the in vivo production of amyloid-beta (Aβ), a toxic peptide that deposits in the human brain eliciting neurodegenerative processes associated with the Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Molinari received the Science Award 2002 from the Foundation for the study of neurodegenerative diseases, the Kiwanis Club Award 2002 for Medical Science, the Friedrich-Miescher Award 2006 and the Research Award Aetas 2007. Since 2008, Dr. Molinari is Adjunct Professor at the ETH-Lausanne.