Alain Kaelin

Alain Kaelin is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) since 2017 and serves as the Scientific and Medical Director of the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland in Lugano since 2014. He holds academic roles including coordinating the PhD program at USI and presiding over the Swiss Movement Disorders Society. Previously, he was an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Bern (2012) and led the Movement Disorders Center at the Insel Hospital in Berne (2004–2013).

Education & Training:

• Medical degree and PhD in Neuroscience, University of Berne
• Neurology specialization at University Hospitals of Zurich and Berne
• Fellowship in movement disorders and neurophysiology at NIH (1999–2001)

Research Focus: His work bridges clinical and translational neuroscience, with emphasis on levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease, dystonia mechanisms, and motor system physiology. He integrates clinical observations with neurophysiological and basic science approaches to advance therapeutic strategies.

Professional Roles:

• Founder and former director of the Movement Disorders Center, Insel Hospital
• President of the Swiss Movement Disorders Society
• Coordinator of USI’s PhD program

Labs & Affiliations: Active within the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland and collaborates with international networks in movement disorder research.