Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch descends from a long-established Austrian apothecary family. He was educated in pharmacy at the Institute of Pharmacy and in microbiology and genetics at the Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, finishing his doctorate in 1994. From 1994-1999 he worked as postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Pharmacy, University of Vienna. In 1999 he applied to qualify as a professor by receiving the "venia docendi" in pharmaceutical technology. In 2003 Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch was appointed to a chair in pharmaceutical technology at the University of Innsbruck. From 2006-2013 he served as dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy. Since then he heads the Institute of Pharmacy. In parallel he works at his pharmacy in Sankt Veit an der Glan. Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch and his wife, Astrid, have three children. His hobbies are golf, mountain biking, tennis and wind- and kitesurfing.
Research
Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch is a leading scientist of multifunctional polymers in the field of drug delivery and therapy. He invented and pioneered thiolated polymers – thiomers – as a new generation of bio- and mucoadhesive polymers. Various medicines based on thiomers have already successfully passed clinical trials and a first product for treatment of dry eye syndrome will soon reach the global pharmaceutical market. Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch also pioneered zeta potential changing nanocarriers and contributed substantial basic knowledge to the field of self-emulsifying drug delivery systems for mucosal delivery of macromolecular drugs. He is currently a member of the Scientific Committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative of the European Union in Brusseles giving advice on scientific priorities to be included in the Strategic Research Agenda for Horizon 2020 and on the scientific advisory board of the Nicotine Science Center, Denmark. Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch is the founder of Mucobiomer Biotechnologische Forschungs- und Entwicklungs GmbH, Thiomatrix Forschungs- und Beratungs GmbH and Green River Polymers Forschungs und Entwicklungs GmbH.
Awards
Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch has been awarded more than 20 national and international awards. These include:
He is author of over 350 research articles and reviews as well as editor and author of several books. As of June 2018 his publications have been cited over 17,000 and his H-index is 67
