Sylvie Roke

Sylvie Roke is a Full Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), holding the Julia Jacobi Chair of Photomedicine and leading the Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP). She is affiliated with the School of Engineering (STI) and also contributes to the School of Life Sciences (SV), the Institute of Materials (IMX), and doctoral education programs. Her work bridges engineering, chemistry, and biology through advanced optical methods.

Her research focuses on the molecular behavior of water and interfaces in biological and chemical systems. Key areas include aqueous interfaces, nonlinear optics, ultrafast spectroscopy, multiphoton imaging, soft matter, and neuroimaging. She develops novel, label-free optical technologies to probe nanoscale and microscopic aqueous environments, particularly focusing on interfacial water structure, membrane dynamics, and ion effects.

The 15 most recent articles highlight a strong trend in using second harmonic and sum frequency scattering to study lipid systems, ion interactions, and hydration shells. Her work consistently emphasizes non-invasive, real-time imaging of biological interfaces, with applications in membrane biophysics, neuroimaging, and colloidal science.

• Elected Member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW)
• Elected Fellow of Optica
• Winner of an ERC Synergy Grant
• Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
• ERC Proof of Concept Grant
• ERC Consolidator and Startup Grants
• Hertha-Sponer-Preis
• Julia Jacobi Chair in Photomedicine
• Fellow of the Young Academy of BBAW and Leopoldina

Sylvie Roke has advised over 20 PhD students and currently mentors several active doctoral candidates. Her research is supported by major grants, including multiple European Research Council (ERC) awards. She teaches advanced courses such as Nonlinear Optics, Nonlinear Spectroscopy, and Light, Liquids and Interfaces. She directs an institute at EPFL and serves on the Doctoral Program in Photonics committee, demonstrating strong leadership in academic governance and education.

She leads a multidisciplinary research team at the Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP), where they develop cutting-edge nonlinear optical instrumentation for probing complex aqueous systems. The lab focuses on real-time, label-free imaging of biological interfaces, including lipid membranes, neuronal systems, and nanodroplets, advancing understanding of water’s role in life processes.