Prof. Dr. Tanja Stadler: “Scientific engagement for the benefit of public health”
Prof. Tanja Stadler is a renowned German-Swiss mathematician and biostatistician. She is Full Professor of Computational Evolution and Vice-Chair of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich. Her scientific focus is on the study of evolutionary relationships between organisms (phylogenetics).
Born in 1981 in Stuttgart, where she also grew up, Tanja Stadler studied Applied Mathematics at the Technical University of Munich and at the universities of Cardiff and Canterbury (New Zealand). She gained her master’s degree in 2006 and her doctorate in 2008 at the Technical University of Munich. She has been working at ETH Zurich since 2008, where she specialises in phylogenetic methods and procedures that help to decode genomic data from pathogens, species or cells. Her research has made it possible to use genomic data to monitor and control infectious diseases, for example by analysing wastewater samples to identify pathogens and their spread.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanja Stadler played a key role as an expert tasked with providing scientific advice to the Federal Council. In 2021, she was appointed President of the corresponding Science Task Force. From 2022, she headed the COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board of the Swiss Confederation and the cantons, which was transferred under her leadership to the new “Public Health” cluster for scientific advice to the Confederation in 2025.
Tanja Stadler’s ground-breaking research and outstanding work has earned her worldwide recognition. Her achievements have garnered numerous prizes and awards, including the Rössler Prize from ETH Zurich in 2022. With her scientific insights and innovative methods, she has made significant progress in understanding and modelling the spread of diseases. Her dedication on behalf the public and her ability to communicate complex scientific findings in an easily understandable way contributed significantly to containing the pandemic.