Léa Verena Zinsli

Post doc

lea.verena.zinsli@umontreal.ca

Since the final year of my bachelor’s studies, I have been fascinated by the interaction and potential of phages. During my master’s and PhD studies at ETH Zurich in Prof. Martin Loessner’s lab, I engineered phage-derived antimicrobial proteins for future therapeutic applications against systemic Staphylococcus aureus infections. My main focus was on deimmunization of highly promising candidates by combining experimental and computational tools to improve drug safety. Now, I am expanding my focus to studying whole phages, diving deeper into phage-bacteria interactions in their natural environments. Outside of science, I am passionate about nature photography, particularly in the high Arctic, and I enjoy horseback riding and belly dancing. Also, I love to spend time with friends and family.