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Prof. Knut Drescher is an Associate Professor at the Biozentrum, University of Basel , leading a research group focused on bacterial biofilms , swarming , and microbial multicellularity . Previously, he served as a Professor of Biophysics and Max Planck Research Group Leader at Philipps-Universität Marburg (2015-2021) and conducted postdoctoral research at Princeton University. Research Interests: Physical and biological mechanisms of biofilm formation Cell-cell interactions in microbial communities Antibiotic resistance in biofilms Hydrodynamics of bacterial swarms Evolution of cooperation in multispecies biofilms Development of bioimaging software (BiofilmQ, BacStalk) Scientific Awards: 2023: SNSF Consolidator Grant 2019: Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize (DFG), VAAM Research Prize, IUPAP Young Scientist Prize 2016: ERC Starting Grant Advising & Grants: Advises PhD and Master's students in microbiology, biophysics, and bioinformatics Secured major grants from ERC , HFSP , and DFG

• Bacterial Biofilms
• Microbial Multicellularity
• Biophysics
• +5 more

Professor Urs Jenal is a Full Professor at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland, where he has led research on bacterial signal transduction since 2008. His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms of bacterial persistence and antibiotic resistance, with particular focus on pathogens causing chronic infections in humans. Previously, he served as Associate Professor (2002-2008) and Assistant Professor (1996-2002) at the same institution, and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University and ETH Zurich. Education 2000: Habilitation and VENIA DOCENDI in Microbiology, University of Basel 1987-1991: PhD in Molecular Microbiology, ETH Zurich (supervisor: Prof. T. Leisinger) 1982-1986: Studies of Experimental Biology, ETH Zurich 1977-1981: Gymnasium with Matura Type C, Chur Research Focus Prof. Jenal's research centers on understanding how bacterial pathogens persist in the human body despite antibiotic treatments. His laboratory investigates cyclic nucleotides, particularly c-di-GMP, as signaling molecules that control bacterial biofilm formation, virulence, and antibiotic tolerance. His team studies pathogenic Escherichia coli causing recurrent urinary tract infections and Pseudomonas aeruginosa causing long-term lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Recent work has revealed how "sleeping" bacteria survive antibiotic treatments and how pathogens breach respiratory epithelia through goblet cell invasion. Scientific Recognition 2014: Elected member of the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) 2013: ERC Advanced Investigator Award 2012: Elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) 2011: Elected member of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM) Mentorship and Collaborations Prof. Jenal has mentored numerous PhD students and postdocs, many receiving awards for their research. His laboratory is part of the NCCR AntiResist initiative focused on developing novel approaches against antibiotic resistance. He collaborates extensively with clinical researchers and has developed innovative models, including human mini-lungs, to investigate pathogen-host interactions. His recent publications demonstrate how understanding bacterial persistence mechanisms can lead to new therapeutic strategies against chronic infections.

• Bacterial Signal Transduction
• Microbiology
• Antibiotic Resistance
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Alex Hall is an Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental Systems Science and Head of the Institute of Integrative Biology at ETH Zürich , Switzerland. He holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (2008), followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Oxford and ETH Zürich, including prestigious SNSF Ambizione and Marie Curie Intra-European fellowships. Research Focus: The Hall lab investigates Microbial interactions in human microbiomes Antibiotic resistance evolution Horizontal gene transfer dynamics Computational and in vitro modeling of microbial communities Evolutionary medicine applications Scientific Contributions: His recent studies analyze probiotic treatments for Staphylococcus aureus decolonization, strain-specific ecological success in gut microbiomes, and CRISPR-Cas system roles in plasmid conflicts. The lab employs computational frameworks combined with experimental validations. Scientific Awards: SNSF Ambizione fellowship Marie Curie Intra-European fellowship He also serves on the SNSF PRIMA fellowship evaluation panel and the ETH Zürich Coordination Council Medicine .

• Pathogen Ecology
• Microbial Evolution
• Antibiotic Resistance
• +4 more

Dr. Igor V. Pivkin is a Full Professor at the Institute of Computing within the Faculty of Informatics at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) in Lugano, Switzerland. His academic journey includes degrees from Novosibirsk State University (B.Sc./M.Sc. Mathematics), Brown University (M.Sc. Computer Science and Ph.D. Applied Mathematics), and postdoctoral research at MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His research focuses on multiscale/multiphysics modeling , numerical methods , and large-scale simulations of biological and physical systems. Key areas include biophysics, cellular/molecular biomechanics, stochastic modeling, and coarse-grained molecular simulations. He leverages high-performance computing (HPC) and particle-based methods to address complex biological phenomena. His work spans diverse applications, from understanding cellular mechanosensitivity and biofilm engineering to modeling cancer cell behavior and red blood cell dynamics in the spleen. His contributions bridge computational science, biotechnology, and biomedical research. He has published extensively in top-tier journals, with recent work advancing automated biofilm analysis, deep learning for microbial classification, and systems biology approaches to metal bioleaching. His lab collaborates on interdisciplinary projects, emphasizing computational innovation for real-world biological challenges.

• Multiscale Modeling
• Multiphysics Modeling
• Biophysics
• +7 more

Pietro de Anna is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences (ISTE), University of Lausanne, since August 2021. He holds an Italian nationality and completed a Master's in Theoretical Physics (2009) at the University of Florence, followed by a PhD in Earth Sciences at the University of Rennes 1 (2012). His research focuses on reactive transport in porous media, filtration, and interactions between bacteriological activity and flow dynamics. He directs the Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory since 2015, employing microfluidics, numerical simulations, and theoretical models to study coupled physical, biological, and chemical mechanisms in confined systems. He has published 21 peer-reviewed articles, teaches environmental science courses at the Bachelor's and Master's levels, and supervised two PhD theses and four postdoctoral researchers. His work includes investigations into microbial biomass accumulation in porous media, diffusion-limited mixing, and biocementation processes. Key research themes are spatial heterogeneity effects, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing in microbial systems. He has pioneered methods combining microfluidics with microscopy to analyze transport at pore scales.

• Environmental Fluid Mechanics
• Porous Media Dynamics
• Biogeochemical Processes
• +3 more

Prof. Martin Loessner is a Full Professor at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He leads the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, focusing on food microbiology and bacteriophage research. His work bridges fundamental molecular biology with practical applications in food safety and antimicrobial development. Education and Career: Martin Loessner earned a Biology degree from the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, followed by an MSc from Wayne State University and a PhD in 1991 from the Technical University of Munich. He held postdoctoral and Research Assistant Professor roles at TU Munich, with visiting research stints at the University of Nottingham and Ben-Gurion University. After Habilitation, he became a Privatdozent (Assistant Professor with tenure) at TU Munich. Following a sabbatical as a Visiting Research Professor at UC Berkeley, he joined ETH Zurich as a Full Professor in 2003. Research Interests and Contributions: Loessner’s research centers on foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, leveraging bacteriophages for detection and control. His group develops recombinant proteins for bacterial labeling, genetic engineering for safer food products, and CRISPR-based phage engineering. Key applications include antimicrobial enzybiotics, phage-based diagnostics, and treatments for biofilms and infections. Collaborations with industry and academia have led to several awards recognizing his contributions to food safety and microbiology. Research Trends in Recent Publications: Recent work emphasizes engineered bacteriophages for pathogen detection (e.g., reporter phages for urinary pathogens) and therapeutic applications (e.g., CRISPR-edited phages, bone-targeting enzymes). Innovations include nanoparticle-enhanced endolysins for biofilm eradication and strategies against phage-resistant L-form bacteria. These studies highlight advancements in synthetic biology, antimicrobial development, and diagnostic tools. Awards and Collaborations: His research has garnered multiple awards, though specific names are not detailed here. The group collaborates with academic institutions and industry partners in diagnostics and food safety. Teaching and Academic Contributions: Prof. Loessner teaches courses including “World Food System” and “Food Microbiology I,” reflecting his commitment to educating future scientists. His group’s work integrates research with practical solutions, addressing global challenges in food safety and infectious diseases. Labs and Teams: His research group at ETH Zurich’s Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health drives interdisciplinary projects, combining microbiology, synthetic biology, and engineering to combat pathogens and improve food safety standards.

• Food Microbiology
• Bacteriophage Research
• Molecular Biology
• +3 more

Prof. Irene Chetschik leads the Research Group for Food Chemistry at ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management. Her work focuses on food chemistry, particularly cocoa processing, mycotoxin mitigation, and flavor analysis. She has spearheaded projects like the 'Decoding of Flavour Properties of Cocoa Liquors' and 'Upcycling of Wheat Harvest Losses'. Key research areas include aroma compound identification in chocolate, detoxification strategies for mycotoxins (e.g., zearalenone), and innovative post-harvest treatments for cocoa beans. Her expertise spans food safety, plant-based product development, and microbial biotechnology. Notable contributions include studies on cocoa fermentation dynamics, moisture incubation alternatives, and hemp's potential in food systems. She has published widely in journals like Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and Food Research International , with a focus on sensory-driven improvements and sustainable food technologies. Research Group Leadership: Head of Food Chemistry Research Group Project Leadership: 12+ projects including detoxification strategies, cocoa innovation, and hemp analysis Publications highlight molecular approaches to flavor profiling and mycotoxin reduction, emphasizing interdisciplinary methods like GC-MS and molecular networking. Her work bridges agricultural science with industrial applications, aiming to enhance food quality and safety globally.

• Food Chemistry
• Agricultural Science
• Food Safety
• +3 more

Sofia Magkiriadou is a Senior Researcher in the Department of Physics at the University of Fribourg, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Medicine. Her research focuses on advanced materials science, particularly in the development of structurally colored materials, photonic crystals, and active matter systems. She explores phenomena such as light transport in disordered systems, chiral fluid dynamics, and colloidal self-assembly, with applications in nanotechnology and biomimetic design. Her work spans disciplines including condensed matter physics, optics, and materials engineering. Recent studies investigate structural color in bioinspired materials, bandgap engineering in hyperuniform dielectrics, and the dynamics of chiral crystals. She also examines odd viscosity and flow instabilities in active fluids, contributing to our understanding of non-equilibrium systems. Publications highlight her contributions to colloidal templating techniques, manufacturing scalable structural color materials, and analyzing light scattering in amorphous photonic materials. Her research bridges fundamental physics with applied materials science, addressing challenges in both academic and industrial contexts.

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Optics
• +5 more

Igor V. Pivkin is a full professor at the Institute of Computing within the Faculty of Informatics at the University of Lugano (USI). He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics from Novosibirsk State University, followed by an M.Sc. in Computer Science and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brown University. Before joining USI, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His research focuses on multiscale/multiphysics modeling , numerical methods, and large-scale simulations of biological and physical systems. Key areas include biophysics, cellular/molecular biomechanics, stochastic modeling, and coarse-grained molecular simulations. He leverages high-performance computing and particle-based methods to address complex biological phenomena. His work spans diverse applications, including cancer cell dynamics, bioleaching bacterial biofilms, and erythrocyte mechanics in human spleen circulation. He has pioneered computational tools such as the Bayesian recursive global optimizer (BaRGO) and the in-silico lab-on-a-chip framework, enabling petascale simulations of microfluidic systems at cellular resolution. Pivkin collaborates extensively with institutions like the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and has contributed to advancing methodologies for multi-model scientific simulations. His research integrates experimental data with computational models to bridge gaps between microscopic and macroscopic biological processes.

• Multiscale/multiphysics modeling
• Biophysics
• Cellular and molecular biomechanics
• +6 more

Roman Stocker is a Full Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich, where he leads an interdisciplinary research group combining engineering, physics, biology, and mathematics. His laboratory develops cutting-edge microfluidic and imaging technologies to study microbial processes in aquatic environments at the single-cell level. His research spans Microbial Ecology , Ecohydraulics , Biofilms , and Phytoplankton-Bacteria Symbiosis , with emphasis on how microscale processes drive ocean-scale biogeochemical cycles. Key methodologies include microfluidics, video microscopy, and mathematical modeling to investigate bacterial motility, chemotaxis, and environmental responses. His recent publications reveal fundamental mechanisms like shear-induced bacterial conjugation hotspots (PNAS 2025) and starvation motility trade-offs (Nature Microbiology 2025), demonstrating how physical forces shape microbial behavior. His work consistently bridges laboratory observations with environmental-scale implications. Major awards include: Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative Investigator Award (Moore Foundation) Simons Collaboration on Microbial Ecosystems Golden Owl Teaching Award (ETH Zurich) Milton Van Dyke Award (American Physical Society) Stocker teaches Hydraulics I and Ecohydraulics courses while leading field deployments worldwide. His lab comprises specialized teams including the Ecohydraulics Group (led by Luiz G.M. Silva) and bioMatter Microfluidics Unit (led by Eleonora Secchi), supported by SNSF, GBMF, and NCCR Microbiome grants. Current projects focus on coral microbiome dynamics, soil-water interfaces, and fish passage engineering.

• Microbial Ecology
• Ecohydraulics
• Aquatic Microbiology
• +7 more

Dr. Boris Kolvenbach is a Research Associate in environmental biotechnology at the Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). His research focuses on developing sustainable solutions for environmental contamination through microbial processes. Kolvenbach's core research explores: Biodegradation mechanisms for plastics and pharmaceuticals Wastewater treatment technologies using microbial communities Environmental fate of contaminants like sulfamethoxazole Novel bioremediation approaches including 3D bioprinting applications His recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on: Marine plastic degradation (2024) Pharmaceutical removal in agricultural systems (2024) Zeolite-enhanced wastewater treatment (2024) Microbial community dynamics in bioreactors (2023) with consistent focus on practical applications of microbial ecology for pollution mitigation.

• Environmental Biotechnology
• Biodegradation
• Wastewater Treatment
• +3 more

Dr. Jeremy Wong is a researcher at ETH Zurich's Department of Materials, focusing on microbiology, biochemistry, and biophysics. He holds a PhD in Bioengineering and Biotechnology from EPFL and an HBSc in Chemistry from the University of Toronto. His work examines microbial interactions with environments and materials, particularly biofilm formation and host-pathogen dynamics. His research explores bacterial adhesion mechanisms, metabolic pathways in gut microbiota, and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems. Recent publications analyze fluid dynamics in biofilms, polysaccharide metabolism, and targeted therapies for bone regeneration.

• Microbiology
• Biochemistry
• Biophysics
• +1 more

Prof. Dr. med. Annelies Zinkernagel serves as Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Hygiene at University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and holds the Chair of Infectious Diseases & Hospital Hygiene at the University of Zurich. Academic affiliation: University of Zurich (UZH) Current position: Director at USZ Key collaborations: ETH Zurich, UC San Diego, international research groups Research Focus: Her work investigates bacterial virulence factors, biofilm pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance mechanisms in pathogens like Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species. The lab develops novel therapeutic approaches for persistent infections and explores host-pathogen interactions in translational models. Publication Trends: Recent articles address antibiotic tolerance in necrotizing fasciitis, biofilm disruption strategies, virus-metabolism interactions, and endothelial pathologies in viral infections like COVID-19. Scientific Awards Swiss Society for Infectious Diseases "Basic Science" Awards (2013, 2019) ESCMID Young Investigator Award (2011) Walter & Gertrud Siegenthaler Foundation Prize (2010) IDSA Program Committee Choice Award (2007) Leadership & Collaborations: As President of ESCMID and member of federal vaccination committees, she leads multidisciplinary initiatives including the Clinical Research Priority Program "Precision Medicine for Bacterial Infections." Her lab collaborates with institutions in Germany, France, USA, and Switzerland.

• Bacterial Virulence Factors
• Biofilm Pathogenesis
• Antibiotic Resistance
• +3 more

Dr. Mathilde Boumasmoud is a Researcher in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich, affiliated with the Professorship for Pathogen Ecology. Her work focuses on understanding microbial interactions, antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and pathogen behavior in clinical and environmental contexts. She has contributed to studies investigating the ecological dynamics of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in human microbiomes, outbreak investigations of multi-drug-resistant pathogens, and the molecular basis of bacterial persistence. Her research integrates genomic, ecological, and clinical approaches to address pressing issues in infectious disease, including necrotizing fasciitis caused by Group A Streptococcus and hospital-acquired infections like those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Boumasmoud has published extensively on topics such as bacterial adaptation, persister cell formation, and the application of advanced typing methods like FT-IR spectroscopy for outbreak analysis. Key contributions include demonstrating how ecological interactions within microbiomes influence antibiotic resistance spread and identifying genomic factors driving pathogen success in diverse environments. Her work bridges fundamental microbiology with translational applications in infection control and public health.

• Microbiology
• Antibiotic Resistance
• Pathogen Ecology
• +3 more

Franziska Rölli is a Lecturer at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, part of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. She is affiliated with the Institute of Building Technology and Energy (IGE). Her work focuses on indoor air and water quality, with specialties in drinking water microbiology and Legionella control in building systems. Education: Master of Science in Microbiology from the University of Zurich. Research interests include bacterial contamination in drinking water systems, material testing for hygiene compliance, and development of effective Legionella prevention strategies. She has led projects like 'LeCo' (Legionella Control in Buildings) and contributed to studies on pipe material effects on microbial growth. She teaches courses on water hygiene in buildings and has authored several peer-reviewed publications on topics like biofilm formation in plumbing systems. Her professional experience includes roles as Senior Researcher and Researcher in drinking water microbiology at HSLU and Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology). Current projects address decentralized domestic hot water systems and innovative solutions for Legionella management. Her work emphasizes practical applications of microbiological research to improve building water system safety and compliance with health standards.

• Indoor Air Quality
• Drinking Water Microbiology
• Legionella
• +3 more