Team

Mandy Muller Associate Professor, Institute of Microbiology,CHUV, UNIL mandy.muller@chuv.ch

Education: 

– Damon Runyon Postdoc Fellow , Glaunsinger lab, UC Berkeley, CA, USA

– Ph.D in Virology with Caroline Demeret, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris VII, Paris, France

– Master’s degree in Biology, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), Lyon, France

Research interests: Oncogenic viruses, RNA decay, Comparative virology.

About me: I was born in the South of France, I always loved Science and was always fascinated by Viruses. When not sciencing in the lab, I like to paint (drawings on this website are all homemade!), hike and bake.

David Favey: 1st Year Doctoral Student, Institute of Microbiology, CHUV, UNIL, david.favey@chuv.ch 

Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology, University of Geneva, Master’s degree in Molecular Life Sciences, University of Lausanne

Research interest: Virology, Virus-Host interactions, Antibiotic resistance

About me: I grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. I have always been fascinated by biology in general, but it was during my master's project that my love for microbiology and virology in particular were amplified. In my free time, I like to go to the mountains to hike, run or ski.

Lukas Behringer: 1st Year Doctoral Student, Institute of Microbiology, CHUV, UNIL

Education: BSc in Biology at the University of Lausanne; MSc in Molecular Life Sciences at the University of Lausanne

Research interest: Virus-host interactions, pathogen-host interactions, RNA biology, immunology

About me: I grew up in Switzerland and the United States of America. Diseases and health issues have been of interest to me, harnessing my curiosity. My passion for pathogen-host interactions has only grown throughout my studies, more particularly during my Master’s degree. Outside of the lab I enjoy spending time with friends, sports, or being in the mountains.

Nayelhi Alcázar: Graduate student 

Education: B.S. in Biotechnological Engineering, Tecnológico de Monterrey; MSc in Biotechnology, ETH Zürich.

Research interests: Virus–host interactions, microbiology, mechanisms of disease initiation and progression, functional genomics and gene regulation, immunology, cancer biology, translational research.

About me: I am originally from Mexico City and have long been fascinated by human biology, particularly the molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms that sustain life. During my Master’s degree, I developed a strong interest in understanding how molecular and cellular interactions within tissues drive disease, and how these processes can be manipulated for therapeutic benefit. Virology provides a powerful framework to explore these questions, which is why I am especially excited about my PhD work at the CHUV. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, dancing, spending time with friends, and being in nature. I also love traveling and exploring new places.

Veronica Pinnaró: Post-Doctoral fellow

Education:

- Ph.D. (joint doctorate) in Immunology and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Vienna (Austria) and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy)

- Master’s Degree in Medical Biotechnology, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy

Research interest: Immuno-oncology, Tumour microenvironment, Oncogenic viruses

About me: I grew up in Turin, Italy. I have always been drawn to science by the idea that research can make a real difference in people’s health. I am particularly fascinated by the complexity of the immune system and by how its interactions can be understood and harnessed, along with the new technologies, to improve therapies and support healing. In my free time, I enjoy long walks, traveling, and cooking.