Manuela Hospenthal

Manuela Hospenthal is a Professor in the BIO department at ETH Zurich. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of natural transformation in bacteria, specifically investigating DNA uptake in naturally competent bacteria. Her work employs a multidisciplinary approach combining biochemistry, structural biology, and functional assays. The Hospenthal lab is funded by a SNSF PRIMA grant and an ETH Research grant. The group has published research on topics such as ComEC and type 1 pilus stability, and has been recognized through awards including an ERC Starting Grant and membership in the EMBO Young Investigator Programme.

Manuela Hospenthal is a Group Leader at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics (IMBB), ETH Zürich, specializing in microbiology, bacterial pili, horizontal gene transfer, and molecular biology. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pili biogenesis, type IV secretion systems, and ubiquitin chain dynamics. She has published extensively on the structural and functional aspects of chaperone-usher pili, their role in bacterial pathogenesis, and the enzymatic regulation of ubiquitin chains. Her work provides critical insights into bacterial communication, DNA uptake, and protein ubiquitylation, with implications for microbial genetics and molecular biology.