Simona G. Huwiler studied at ETH Zurich (CH), where she obtained her BSc and MSc in Biology. She then joined the group of Prof. Dr. Matthias Boll (University of Freiburg i. Br. (DE)) for her PhD, where she worked on a key enzyme in the anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds. Two Postdoc.Mobility Fellowships from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) enabled her to join the lab of Prof. Dr. R. Liz Sockett at University of Nottingham (UK), where she acquired the expertise to handle predatory bacteria. There, she studied a novel enzyme in the last phase of the predatory life cycle of B. bacteriovorus in collaboration with Dr. Andy Lovering (University of Birmingham, UK). She then returned to Switzerland (University of Zurich, hosted by Prof. Dr. Leo Eberl & Dr. Gabriella Pessi ) to start her independent research on predatory bacteria using ‘OMICS` technologies to study molecular mechanisms, supported by an SNSF Ambizione Fellowship.
Official UZH Lab homepage at Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology: click here!
OrcID: 0000-0002-4876-9308
Bluesky: @simonahuwiler.bsky.social
Email: simona.huwiler (at) uzh.ch
Brief CV
Current Position & Education
| 06.2021-05.2025 | SNSF Ambizione Group Leader at University of Zurich |
| 02.2021-05.2021 | Return Postdoc.Mobility Research Fellow at University of Zurich (associated with Prof. Leo Eberl) |
| 08.2019-01.2021 | Postdoc.Mobility Research Fellow at University of Nottingham (UK) (group of Prof. Liz Sockett) |
| 02.2018-07.2019 | Early Postdoc.Mobility Research Fellow at University of Nottingham (UK) (group of Prof. Liz Sockett) |
| 09.2016-06.2017 | Postdoctoral researcher at University of Freiburg i. Br. (DE) (group of Prof. Matthias Boll) |
| 11.2010-03.2016 | PhD at Universities of Leizpig (start) & Freiburg i. Br. (continuation) (Supervisor: Prof. M. Boll) |
| 09.2008-09.2010 | MSc in Biology, Major in Microbiology & Immunology, ETH Zurich (CH), best grade for MSc Biology at ETH in 2010 |
| 10.2005-10.2008 | BSc in Biology, Chemical direction, ETH Zurich |
Awards, Grants & Fellowships
| 09.2023-12.2024 | Young Investigator Grant of Novartis Foundation for medical-biological Research |
| 01.2023-12.2024 | Vontobel Foundation |
| 01.2023-06.2024 | Gebauer Foundation |
| 08.2022 | Swiss Society for Microbiology Encouragement Award |
| 12.2021-05.2023 | FreeNovation Grant from Novartis Forschungsstiftung |
| 04.2022-04.2023 | Olga Mayenfisch Foundation |
| 09.2021-05.2023 | FAN (Förderung des Akademischen Nachwuchses) Fellow of the UZH (University of Zurich) Alumni Ernst Göhner Stiftung Fellowship, Kurt-und-Senta-Herrmann Foundation |
| 06.2021-05.2025 | Ambizione Fellowship of Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) |
| 02.2021-05.2021 | Postdoc.Mobility Return Fellow of SNSF |
| 08.2019-01.2021 | Postdoc.Mobility Fellow of SNSF |
| 02.2018-07.2019 | Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellow of SNSF |
| 07.2013-12.2014 | Doc.Mobility Fellow of SNSF |
| 11.2021 | Willi-Studer-Award for best Master degree in Biology at ETH Zurich in 2010 |
| 10.2009-10.2010 | Grants from OPO & Hamasil foundations, for realisation of my own MSc thesis project (at ETH Zurich & University of Basel) |
| 05.2004 | Special Award of SGCI Chemie Pharma Schweiz (at national competition of Schweizer Jugend forscht) |