Head of the lab

Sara Gallini, PhD

Tenure Track Assistant Professor

Sara received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biotechnology and Medical Biotechnology from the University of Bologna and her PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Milan. She performed her doctoral work at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan in the lab of Dr. Marina Mapelli, where she discovered the novel mitotic spindle orientation functions of Aurora-A kinase and of the actin-binding protein Afadin. Sara joined the lab of Dr. Valentina Greco at Yale University as a postdoctoral fellow, where she identified the cellular and molecular mechanisms that suppress skin cancer initiation during injury-repair. In October 2024, she opened her independent lab in the School of Life Sciences (SV) and the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC) at EPFL, Switzerland.

Staff

Mélanie Sipion 

Technical Specialist and Lab Manager

With over 8 years' experience in renowned research institutions such as the WysCenter and the CHUV, Mélanie is proficient in laboratory management, animal experimentation and technical support. She is specialized in molecular biology, immunohistology and microscopy, and she also coordinates safety and resource planning. Published in several scientific journals, she combines technical expertise and support to researchers and students in innovative projects. 

Students

Mustafa Öztürk

PhD Candidate

Mustafa earned his B.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics with high honors from the İzmir Institute of Technology and his M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Bonn. During his master's research at the University of Zurich's Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, he studied the protein profiles of unique B cell clones in allergic individuals. He later joined EPFL as a valorization student, exploring connections between thermogenesis and hepatic inflammation. Currently, in the Gallini Lab, Mustafa focuses on unraveling how oncogenic and wild-type stem cells establish cell competition dynamics to maintain skin tissue homeostasis and prevent tumorigenesis.

Administrative Support

Geneviève Rossier

Administrative Assistant