Francesca Peri

Francesca Peri is a Full Professor in the Department of Molecular Life Sciences at the University of Zurich, where she leads an active research group investigating microglial biology and neuroimmune interactions. Her laboratory employs advanced imaging techniques in zebrafish models to study how microglia engulf dying neurons during development and after injury.

• Education: PhD from University of Cologne (2001), Postdoctoral training at Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
• Current Position: Full Professor, University of Zurich (since 2018)
• Previous Positions: Group Leader at EMBL Heidelberg (2008-2017)

Prof. Peri's research focuses on neuroimmunology and developmental neuroscience, particularly examining how microglia—the brain's resident immune cells—mediate neuronal clearance through phagocytosis. Her work combines live imaging, genetic manipulation, and molecular analysis in zebrafish to uncover fundamental mechanisms of microglial function in brain development, homeostasis, and disease. Key areas include cholesterol metabolism in microglial morphology, transcriptional regulation of efferocytosis, and microglial compartmentalization during phagosome processing.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on microglial specificity in neuronal clearance, with implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury responses. The laboratory has pioneered techniques for in vivo observation of microglial dynamics, revealing novel cellular mechanisms like gastrosome formation and centrosome-mediated regulation of efferocytic rates.

• ERC Starting Grant recipient (2010)
• Published in high-impact journals including Nature, Cell, Nature Communications, and Neuron
• Active contributor to microglia nomenclature and classification standards

Prof. Peri mentors multiple PhD students and maintains collaborative research networks across neuroscience and immunology. Her laboratory includes both core research staff and rotating graduate students working on diverse aspects of microglial biology, with strong emphasis on translational relevance to human neurological conditions.