Petra Zimmermann

Petra Zimmermann is a Teaching and Research Councillor at the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Medicine at the University of Fribourg. With dual doctorates in medicine (Dr. med) and philosophy (Dr. phil), and holding the academic title of Privatdozent (PD), Dr. Zimmermann is an established researcher with over 100 publications spanning from 2012 to 2025. Her work primarily focuses on the intersection of microbiome research, pediatric infectious diseases, and immunology.

Dr. Zimmermann's research interests center around the complex relationship between the human microbiome and health outcomes, particularly in infants and children. She investigates how the intestinal microbiota influences vaccine responses, how antibiotics affect microbial composition and long-term health outcomes, and the role of breast milk microbiota in infant development. Her research has significant implications for understanding the developmental origins of immune-mediated diseases such as allergy, eczema, and asthma. As a leading expert in her field, Dr. Zimmermann has contributed to numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have shaped current understanding of microbiome-vaccine interactions and antibiotic effects on pediatric populations.

Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on translational research with immediate clinical applications. A significant portion of her work examines the microbiome's role in circadian rhythm development, particularly through melatonin metabolism in the gut. She has also been actively involved in COVID-19 research, contributing to our understanding of pediatric manifestations, long-term outcomes, and comparative effectiveness of interventions. The NapBiome trial she's leading represents an innovative approach to targeting the gut microbiome to improve developmental outcomes in early childhood.

Dr. Zimmermann is currently leading the ABERRANT study (2020-2026), funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which investigates how antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and infancy affects the maternal and infant microbiome and subsequent health outcomes. This prospective cohort study represents a significant contribution to evidence-based antibiotic stewardship and could lead to interventions that mitigate negative impacts of necessary antibiotic treatments.