Alessia Guggisberg is a Lecturer at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, where she serves as Herbarium Curator of Phanerograms (Z+ZT) at the Institute of Integrative Biology. With a PhD from the University of Zurich and postdoctoral experience at the University of British Columbia, she specializes in plant evolutionary biology and genomics. Her research integrates historical herbarium collections with modern genomic techniques to address fundamental questions in plant evolution and biodiversity. 2003-2008: PhD in Biology, Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland 2001-2002: MSc in Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland 1997-2001: BSc in Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland Dr. Guggisberg's research focuses on plant evolutionary biology and genomics. Her current projects involve monitoring genetic changes through time and space in members of the genus Murbeckiella (Oreophytoneae - Brassicaceae). She is investigating the phylogeny of the genus using whole-genome sequence data and morphological trait analyses, reconstructing the phylogeography of M. pinnatifida across European mountain ranges, and conducting retrospective genomic monitoring of Swiss populations over the last two centuries. Additionally, she leads several digitization projects at the United Herbaria Z+ZT, including the inventory of the diatom collection of Friederich Meister and the digitization of Gentianaceae holdings. Her work bridges historical botanical collections with modern genomic techniques to address evolutionary questions related to plant adaptation and biodiversity. Dr. Guggisberg's publication record demonstrates a consistent research trajectory spanning plant systematics, evolutionary genomics, and herbarium science. Her early work focused on polyploid complexes and biogeographic patterns in Primula , while later research shifted toward genomic analyses of Arabidopsis and invasive species like Canada thistle. More recently, her publications highlight her growing expertise in herbarium digitization and the application of historical collections to contemporary evolutionary questions. A notable trend is the increasing integration of genomic techniques with traditional botanical methods, reflecting the evolving nature of plant evolutionary research. Dr. Guggisberg has secured multiple SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation) fellowships, including an SNSF Early Postdoc Mobility Fellowship and an SNSF Advanced Postdoc Mobility Fellowship, demonstrating recognition of her research potential by a major funding agency. She has also received funding from the ETH Library for multiple digitization projects at the United Herbaria Z+ZT. Dr. Guggisberg has been involved in mentoring students and researchers through her various academic positions. Her grant history includes SNSF fellowships that supported her postdoctoral work at the University of British Columbia. More recently, she has secured funding from the ETH Library for multiple digitization projects at the United Herbaria Z+ZT, including the inventory of the diatom collection of Friederich Meister and the digitization of Gentianaceae holdings. She also coordinates sampling for a 3-year pilot study monitoring genetic diversity of plant, fungal, and animal species in Switzerland. Dr. Guggisberg works within the Professur für Ökologische Pflanzengenetik (Chair of Ecological Plant Genetics) at ETH Zürich. She serves as Herbarium Curator of Phanerograms at the United Herbaria Z+ZT. She collaborates with several research groups from the University of Zurich, the University of Basel, the University of Heidelberg, and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Her work also involves coordinating with the ETH Library on digitization projects and collaborating with citizen science initiatives like www.floravs.ch.
