Prof. Sasha Zhernakova
Author

Alexandra (Sasha) Zhernakova

Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen
The Netherlands


● Professor of Genome and Exposome, Department of Genetics, University Medical
Center Groningen

● Works as a paediatrician and clinical geneticist in St. Petersburg, Russia

● PhD thesis entitled "The Autoimmune Puzzle: Shared and Specific Genetics of
Immune-Related Diseases," Utrecht University, awarded cum laude

● Recipient of the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship at Groningen University for studying
the biology of common diseases, immune senescence, and aging

● Awardee of multiple personal grants from the European Research Council (ERC)
and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)

● Founder of the Groningen Microbiome Hub, leader of the international MiBioGen
consortium, which studies the effects of host genetics on the gut microbiome

● Current interests: Early-life microbiome, early-life virome, host-microbiome
interactions, immune-microbiome development, breast milk composition.

● The scientific lead for the longitudinal parent-baby cohort LifelinesNEXT, and her
team is conducting analyses of early-life factors, microbiome, virome, and
metabolism in relation to infant health.

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