Pascale Vonaesch, MSc, MPH, PhD is a microbiologist/ infection biologist with a strong interest in public health. She has extensively worked on host-pathogen interactions, especially the interplay between enteric pathogens and the host and spent the last eight years trying to disentangle the complex interplay between nutrition, the microbiota, infection and systemic, pathophysiological changes in the (human) host both, in clinical studies and laboratory experiments. She earned her PhD at ETH in Zürich and worked subsequently for six years at the Institut Pasteur in Paris collaborating closely with the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar and the Institut Pasteur de Bangui and the University of British Columbia. Before joining the DMF in 2021, she set-up her own group at the Swiss TPH. Beside work, she likes mountaineering, travelling, baking and spending time with her family and friends.
Jeanne Tamarelle, MPH, PhD, is an infectious diseases epidemiologist, working at the frontier with microbiology. She has worked for six years on Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women and on the vaginal microbiota composition and dynamics, through several clinical studies, including a large-scale clinical trial that she implemented. After carrying out her master’s work at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, she joined the Pharmacoepidemiology and Infectious Diseases lab at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and obtained her PhD at the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in 2019. In 2020, she took a break from academia to contribute as an epidemiologist to the emergency response against the covid-19 global outbreak. She came back to academia in 2021 at the National Reference Center for bacterial sexually transmitted infections in Bordeaux, France, and then as a post-doc in Pascale Vonaesch’s group at the DMF. She is currently working on two projects: i) the role of gut microbiome and stunting in child neurodevelopment, ii) the role of pre-natal/early life exposures, including the mothers’ microbiome, on the metabolic development of children, in a cohort that she is contributing to implement in Laos. In the remaining time, she likes to carry out scientific mediation projects, play music and go hiking or boxing.
Julian Garneau, PhD, is a Canadian microbiologist and bioinformatician with a long-term interest in pathogenic bacteria infecting humans, especially those resistant to antibiotics. During his master, he studied how genomic diversity can influence Clostridioides difficile’s dissemination, virulence, resistance and clinical outcomes in patients. Throughout his PhD completed at the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada, he spent most of his time investigating how temperate bacteriophages can modulate bacterial fitness and virulence. In Vonaesch’s lab, he aims to better understand how different health-promoting compounds and bacteria can be used to reduce the deleterious impacts of childhood undernutrition in poor regions of the world. Julian’s favorites activities include running, hiking, watching and playing hockey. He also loves to read a good book beside the chimney fire and spend time with his loved ones.
Youzheng Teo, (pronounced You Journ, like in Journey) obtained his MSc in Infection Biology at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. During his master’s, he worked on the investigation of mycolactone as a potential candidate for a toxoid-based vaccine against Mycobacterium ulcerans. His interest in host-microbe interactions led him to join the Vonaesch group in September 2021 as a research associate. During his spare time, he enjoys reading, hiking, cooking, spending time with family and friends and hopefully skiing/snowboarding one day.
Margaux Crézé has been pursuing her PhD in the Vonaesch Lab since March 2022, where she investigates the dynamics of the gut microbiota early in life, particularly in the context of infant and maternal malnutrition, as part of the Viterbi Gut project in Laos. Together with Jeanne and Pascale, she set up the project and manages it on a day-to-day basis from Switzerland. She obtained her MSc in Medical Biology from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, where her master’s research focused on the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacterial communities involving both plant and human pathogens. Margaux’s research interests are deeply rooted in human microbiomes and host-microbe interactions, driving her commitment to understanding the intricate balance of health and disease.
Outside the lab, Margaux leads an active lifestyle, enjoying activities such as skiing, hiking, dancing, and traveling. She also cherishes spending quality time with friends and family, especially when it involves watching a sunset on a beach or from the top of a mountain.
Simon Yersin started his PhD in the Vonaesch Lab in March 2022. He is investigating the microbiota composition and function of children with different nutritional status and lifestyles in the Pastobiome project in Ethiopia. Simon obtained his MSc in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology at KTH in Sweden. He has a strong interest in the human gut microbiome, especially on microbiota-targeted interventions and effects of environmental factors and diet on the composition, development and function of the microbiome. In his spare time, he likes playing basketball, hiking, skiing, traveling and trail running.
Sarah is an Irish expat who earned her Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology at ETH Zürich. During her thesis, she explored the role of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium secretion systems in the generation of antibiotic persisters in vivo. Her great interest in the intricate interplay amongst microbiota, pathogens their host led her to join the Vonaesch lab in January 2022 for her PhD. Her work will focus on shedding light on the molecular mechanisms linking malnutrition and the development of metabolic syndromes. In particular, she will assess for a possible role of the very early life gut microbiome in metabolic changes as well as epigenetic imprinting in vivo. Outside of the lab, she enjoys travelling, hiking, sailing and socialising.
Xiaobing earned her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Health at ETH Zürich. During her thesis, she validated a novel cultivation medium for producing different enterotype gut microbiota in vitro for FMT. Her strong interest in the human gut microbiome and microbiota-host interactions drew her to join the Vonaesch lab at the DMF as a PhD student in October 2023. Her work will focus on small intestinal bacteria and stunting children.
Besides work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
Sandra joined the Vonaesch Lab in August 2024 as a PhD student to focus on the multi-omic analysis of the gut microbiota in the context of early-life malnutrition. She previously conducted research on host-pathogen interactions at the University of Tübingen and explored tissue regeneration through transcriptomic analysis at the Complutense University of Madrid, leading her to earn her Master’s degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Sandra’s interests focus on microbial interactions and how dietary imbalances in children influence health and disease outcomes. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, playing board games, and spending time with family and friends.
Abdifatah, MSc, PhD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist with a specialisation in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He earned both his MSc and PhD from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute/University of Basel, where his research explored the shared antimicrobial resistance genes between humans, animals, and the environment in Ethiopia’s Somali region. Currently, in the Vonaesch lab, his work focuses on understanding the One Health microbiome, antimicrobial resistance, and their relationship to climate change.
Sakshi is currently pursuing a dual degree (Bachelor’s and Master’s) in Biology at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India. She joined the Vonaesch lab in July 2024 for her master’s thesis, where she is investigating the evolution of antibiotic resistance in the OMM12 community when grown in monocultures versus co-cultures. Her passion for microbiology, especially antibiotic resistance, sparked during her work with Prof. Nishad Matange at IISER Pune, where she studied antibiotic resistance transfer through conjugation in E. coli isolates from river water. With a deep curiosity for scientific exploration, Sakshi has taken part in multiple lab rotations, allowing her to dive into different research areas and fuel her enthusiasm for science.
Aline Altenried obtained her MSc in molecular biology at the University of Lausanne. Her area of interest is microbiology, in particular how microorganisms can be used for beneficial purposes. Her interest in the influence of the intestinal microbiota on human health directed her to the Vonaesch’s lab for her Master project. Since April 2023, she has been exploring the therapeutic potential of phages in the context of stunting first as master student and since March 2024 as Research Associate. Outside the lab, she likes to be in the mountains, hiking or skiing.
Former Group members
(MSc student 2021)
(Postdoc 2020-2021)
(Post-doc 2022-2024)
(Research Fellow, 2023-2024)
