Head of the lab
Sara Gallini, PhD
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
With over eight years of experience in leading research institutions such as the Wyss Center and the CHUV, Mélanie has solid expertise in laboratory management, including resource procurement and planning, safety, and regulatory aspects of animal research. She provides technical support in molecular biology, immunohistology, microscopy, and in vivo experimental workflows. Author of several peer-reviewed publications, she combines hands-on technical expertise with dedicated support to researchers in the lab. In October 2024, she joined the Gallini lab as a technician and lab manager.
Georgios Foustoukos
Georgios joined the Gallini Laboratory as Data Manager after many years in research and a PhD in neuroscience. He oversees the lab's data organization, develops data pipelines, and coordinates data sharing with collaborators. His combined expertise in fluorescent imaging and data management ensures that the lab's data remains well-structured, reproducible, and accessible.
PhD Students
Nadia Grenningloh
Nadia completed her BSc in Biology and MSc in Medical Biology at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), where she specialized in immunology and oncology. During her studies, she participated in an exchange program at the Freie Universität Berlin. Following her graduation, she joined EPFL as a laboratory technician, where she explored various biotechnological approaches and developed expertise in microfluidics, molecular biology and single-cell omics. Driven by a strong interest in cancer research, Nadia joined the Gallini Lab in April 2026 as a PhD student. She is interested in understanding the mechanisms of cell competition between healthy and tumorigenic cells within the skin epithelium upon injury-repair.
Administrative Support
Minhui Oh
Administrative Assistant
Undergraduate and graduate students
2025/2026 - Ghali Laraki, Marguerite Pom Derwael, Anastasia Elodie Zeller, Mustafa Ozturk