Jean H.D. Fasel, born in Basel (Switzerland) in 1953, enjoyed a classical grammar school education (including Greek and Latin) before going on to study medicine. After spending his postgraduate training focusing mainly on the field of internal medicine, he specialised in clinical anatomy. He chose this discipline because it allowed him to combine his thirst for science and philosophy with his teaching abilities, while remaining close to patient care. He carried out most of his specialisation in Switzerland, rounding it off with a number of assignments abroad, notably in Vienna, Heidelberg, the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA), and Kyoto (Japan).

After his doctorate (MD) he became a private lecturer and associate professor, and was finally appointed as Chair of Clinical Anatomy at the Medical Faculty of the University of Geneva (Switzerland) in 2008, where he has worked ever since.

The research conducted by Professor Fasel and his team is primarily concerned with the diagnosis and invasive treatment of lesions of the human brain, skull and liver.

In the field of the brain and skull his particular interest lies with the blood vessels and aneurysmatic diseases affecting them. By combining traditional anatomical methods with advanced imaging and computer technologies, he has contributed to the development of now established endovascular therapies in interventional neuroradiology.

His investigations into the liver have led to an innovative understanding of liver architecture. This academic achievement has been reflected in surgical practice in the form of refined, tissue-friendly operating techniques.