Reto was born in Frauenfeld and studied chemistry at the University of Basel. After receiving research experience with Prof. Dr. Karl Gademann at the University of Basel and Prof. Dr. Craig M. Williams at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, he completed his Master thesis in the Sparr group investigating the mechanism of the stereoselective arene-forming aldol condensation. In 2015, he started his PhD studies in the Sparr group where he developed noncanonical polyketide cyclizations and the atroposelective synthesis of tetra-ortho-substituted biaryls.
Besides the lab, he enjoys spending time in the Swiss alps, cooking and exploring the world.

Reto currently works at Merck Life Science.

Catalyst-Control over Sixfold Stereogenicity
X. Wu,⁺ R. M. Witzig,⁺ R. Beaud, C. Fischer, D. Häussinger, C. Sparr*
Nat. Cat. 2021, 4, 457–462. (⁺ denotes equal contributions). Preprint deposited on ChemRxiv.

Catalytic Cascade Reactions Inspired by Polyketide Biosynthesis
D. Moser, A. Castrogiovanni, D. Lotter, R. M. Witzig, V. C. Fäseke, F. C. Raps, C. Sparr*
Chimia 2020, 74, 699–703. New professors issue

Synthesis of Enantioenriched Tetra-ortho-3,3′-substituted Biaryls by Small-Molecule-Catalyzed Noncanonical Polyketide Cyclizations
R. M. Witzig, C. Sparr*
Synlett 2020, 31, 13–20. Invited account article

Atroposelective synthesis of tetra-ortho-substituted biaryls by catalyst-controlled non-canonical polyketide cyclizations
R. M. Witzig, V. C. Fäseke, D. Häussinger, C. Sparr*
Nature Catal. 2019, 2, 925–930.

Catalytic Arene-forming Aldol Condensation: Stereoselective Synthesis of Rotationally Restricted Aromatic Compounds 
V. C. Fäseke, R. M. Witzig, A. Link, D. Lotter, C. Sparr*
Chimia  2017, 71, 596–599.

Stereoselective Arene-Forming Aldol Condensation: Catalyst Controlled Synthesis of Axially Chiral Compounds 
R. M. Witzig, D. Lotter, V. C. Fäseke, C. Sparr*
Chem. Eur. J.  2017, 23, 12960–12966.