Originally from Southern Germany, I ventured overseas to earn my undergraduate degree at Princeton University, in the USA, concentrating in neuroscience and psychology whilst simultaneously completing the pre-medical school requirements. I traveled across the pond to earn my medical degree at Imperial College, in London, followed by my PhD in cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Oxford, where I researched pain in osteoarthritis. After my PhD, I worked in strategy consulting at Monitor Deloitte, focusing on life sciences projects and serving clients such as the Swiss Ministry of Health in developing a future pandemic preparedness campaign, or advising a pharma company on bringing a protein-based vaccine to market. Most recently I’ve been supporting researchers and doctors in translating their academic work to viable healthcare start-ups that can make an impact to patients at the University Hospital of Zurich. I am currently based in Zurich, Switzerland, and possess a license to practice medicine in both Germany and Switzerland.
In addition to my academic and medical pursuits, I have always been an avid athlete. My sporting accolades include: winning three German Junior National Championships in track and field, competing for the German National team in the Junior World Athletics Championships (13th), winning a bronze medal at the Junior European Athletics Championships, and winning two Ivy League championships at Princeton University as a shot putter. Later at Imperial and Oxford, I adopted a new sport and won a silver medal at the British National Championships in rowing and captained the women’s team at the University of Oxford Boat Club.
In recent years, my primary activity has been using my medical and scientific background to learn everything possible about Post Covid Syndrome (PCS) and Long Covid (LC). With worldwide attention and unprecedented resources focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, where new research papers were published weekly, I dedicated myself to learning as much as possible about the aftermath of this world-shifting pandemic. My interest in long COVID aligns closely with another interest of mine: longevity and increasing healthspan. Holding a PhD in cellular and molecular medicine, I am particularly fascinated by the shared molecular pathways targeted in the treatment of long COVID and anti-aging-related research, further enriching my exploration in these interrelated fields.
Select links and publications of interest
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division Spotlight
On the election as President of the Women’s Team of the Oxford University Boat Club