About us

NEO4NEO offers junior doctors interested in developing a career in neonatal medicine state-of-the-art interactive teaching on key topics of neonatology and perinatology. The teaching is evidence-based, clinically and practically oriented.

NEO4NEO also aims at establishing close relationships between trainers and trainees as well as between trainees, provide the basis for future clinical and scientific collaboration in the field of neonatology in Switzerland.

Jean-Claude Fauchère





Prof. Dr. med. Jean-Claude Fauchère has been trained in paediatrics, paediatric intensive care and neonatology. He worked for over 30 years as attending senior neonatologist at the Division of Neonatology of the University Hospital Zurich, where he presently continues to work as a senior research fellow. His recent research work focuses on neuroprotection of the preterm infant and on ethical decision-making in the NICU. He is also strongly involved in teaching medical students, neonatologists and paediatricians, nurses and mid-wives. Clinically, he is actively involved in assisting the development of neonatal medicine in the Kantha Bopha Hospitals in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and in deploying a nationwide skills program regarding the care and resuscitation of newborn infants in Cambodia.

Mathias Nelle





PD Dr. med. Mathias Nelle, MD is educated in pediatrics, neonatalogy and pediatric intensiv care medicine in Heidelberg. After 15 years as head of Neonatology at the University Childrens Hospital in Berne he is working as senior consultant at the Kantonsspital Baden. His special interests are neonatal pain, circulation in the neonate, growth and development as well as education.

Riccardo Pfister





Prof. Dr. R. Pfister PhD is head of the Paediatric and Neonatal intensive Care Services at the University Hospitals Geneva affiliated at Geneva University. He is past president of the Swiss Society for Neonatology and managing president of the Swiss Neonatal Resuscitation program start4neo. His research focus is perinatal adaptation and resuscitation, thermoregulation and developmental care. He has more than 15 years of experience in cooperation programs with emerging countries, teaching programs on site in addition to education in his busy level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.


Tanja da Cunha





Tanja joined the neonatology department at the University Hospital Zurich as administrative secretary in 2016. In 2017, she additionally took over the role as project assistant for the Swiss Neonatal Network & Follow-up Group at the University Zurich. Since December 2018 she also assists Riccardo Pfister in his role as Director start4neo Switzerland.