Susanne E. Ulbrich

Prof. Dr. Susanne E. Ulbrich is a Full Professor of Animal Physiology at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, where she leads the Chair of Animal Physiology since September 2013. Her research focuses on livestock metabolism with emphasis on relationships affecting fertility and reproduction, contributing significantly to the World Food strategy of the Department of Environmental Systems Science and the Agrovet-Strickhof project in collaboration with the University of Zurich and the Canton of Zurich.

Prof. Ulbrich's educational background includes studies in Agricultural Sciences with a focus on Animal Sciences at the Technical University Munich (TUM), followed by postgraduate studies in Biotechnology. She received her doctorate in physiology at the Science Center Weihenstephan of the TUM in 2005 with the distinction "summa cum laude" and subsequently managed a research group at TUM. Her international research experience includes research stays at the University of Adelaide in Australia and the Universidad de Concepcion in Chillán, Chile.

Prof. Ulbrich's research interests span animal physiology with particular focus on reproductive biology, embryonic development, and metabolism. Her work on livestock metabolism has brought her international recognition, especially her research on embryonic diapause in roe deer, uterine fluid composition, and the effects of embryos on maternal physiology. She applies advanced techniques such as metabolomics, proteomics, and extracellular vesicle analysis to investigate reproductive processes across species.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on comparative reproductive biology, particularly examining the European roe deer as a model for embryonic diapause and conceptus elongation. She also investigates mastitis mechanisms, bovine reproduction, and applications of extracellular vesicles in reproductive medicine. Her work bridges wildlife biology, livestock science, and human reproductive medicine, revealing fundamental principles of embryo-maternal communication.

• Graduation Award Bund der Freunde der TU München (2005)
• Research Award Dr.-Heinrich-Baur-Preis (2011)

Prof. Ulbrich serves as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and is an active member of professional societies including the German Society of Endocrinology, the Society for the Study of Reproduction, and the International Embryo Transfer Society. Her research is supported by grants such as "Embryonic Diapause: pluripotency on hold?" (SNF 185026), reflecting her leadership in understanding reproductive mechanisms across species.

Her laboratory at ETH Zurich focuses on comparative reproductive biology, utilizing advanced techniques to study embryo-maternal communication, with particular emphasis on the European roe deer as a natural model of embryonic diapause. Her team comprises researchers with expertise in metabolomics, molecular biology, and reproductive physiology, working collaboratively to unravel the complex mechanisms governing early embryonic development and maternal recognition of pregnancy.