Twelve Early-Career Researchers at UZH Receive Academic Excellence Fellowships

The research topics of this year’s fellows reflect the extraordinary breadth of UZH: They range from the epigenetic regulation of DNA replication and new approaches in cancer therapy to gender-specific patterns in autism research and mental health in the school context, as well as drone navigation via machine learning and gray areas of international law in modern conflicts.

“With a record sum awarded to twelve outstanding researchers for twelve groundbreaking projects, the year 2026 marks an important milestone for FAN,” summarizes FAN President Dr. Balz Hösly. “We were able to invest over one million Swiss francs in UZH’s next generation of scientists! This vital support for our future academic ‘guiding stars’ is a testament to the strength of our UZH alumni community and our generous private and foundation sponsors. Their contributions to bridging the ‘gap’ between a Ph.D. and an academic teaching position are making it possible today to conduct excellent basic research that can provide solutions to the societal challenges of tomorrow.”

In February, three FAN Awards were presented at the Graduate Campus’s “Sparkling Research” gala. The recipients were Stefano Statunato for his dissertation on the normative theory of academic freedom, Stephanie Santschi for her citizen science platform mapping the cultural geography of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, and Zoe Marti for her research on the role of the Epstein-Barr virus and the HLA-DR15 allele in the development of multiple sclerosis. Together with the FAN Awards, the total funding for 2026 amounts to CHF 1,235,000 – a significant increase from the previous year’s total of CHF 706,000.