Silvia Bulgheresi

Silvia Bulgheresi is an Associate Professor at the University of Vienna, leading the Environmental Cell Biology Group within the Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology. Her research focuses on the cell biology and physiology of animal-attached bacteria, particularly marine nematode-bacterium symbioses and oral cavity symbionts, with an emphasis on host immune responses and bacterial division mechanisms.

• Fields of Interest: Symbiosis, Microbial Ecology, Bacterial Cell Biology, Host-Microbe Interactions, Chemosynthetic Symbionts, Chromosome Biology

Scientific Contributions: Her recent publications highlight innovations in bacterial division patterns, chromosome stability, and environmental adaptation. Current projects explore the role of the SMC complex in symbiont chromosome folding and the Genome Instability PhD program. She has supervised numerous PhD and Master students, including Niels Heindl and Nikolaus Leisch.

• Key Awards:
  • EMBO Member (2014)
  • European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Member (2024)

Labs & Collaborations: As part of the Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, her work intersects with research groups such as the Schleper Lab and Rittmann Lab, addressing microbial nitrogen cycling, marine symbioses, and bacterial genome plasticity.