Zuzanna Kozicka, PhD
Principal investigator
Zuzanna leads the Laboratory for Proteostasis and Molecular Therapeutics (LPMT), which investigates the molecular logic of protein degradation and how small molecules can reprogram cellular recognition pathways. A full biography is available here. Outside the lab, she enjoys pottery, contemporary art and design, and dogs.
Gwenaëlle Caccivio
Administrative assistant
Gwenaëlle provides the laboratory with support and expertise across administration, accounting, fundraising, HR management, travel, and logistics. She holds an HND in Tourism and Hospitality Management and a BSc in Modern Languages. She enjoys working in a field centred on discovery, progress, and care for others. Outside the lab, Gwenaëlle has a particular fondness for plants and animals.
Johan Diepeveen
PhD student
Johan is interested in using small-molecule approaches to take on “undruggable” pathogenic proteins, including hormone receptors. He received his MSc in Medical Biotechnology from Wageningen University in 2025 and conducted his thesis research at Harvard Medical School. Has an ongoing argument with how nature decides what sticks. Outside the lab, Johan enjoys hiking and messing around with small projects at home.
Laura Helbling
PhD student
Laura graduated in 2024 from the University of Basel with a degree in Drug Sciences, completing her thesis on immuno-oncology at the University of Oxford. She has two years of experience working in the biotech/startup sector, where she cultivated a passion for targeted protein degradation, particularly intrigued by how induced proximity reshapes protein interactions. Outside the lab, Laura can be found on the tennis court or by the lake.
Yunke Luo
Project student
Yunke is an undergraduate in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, specialising in biochemistry. She is passionate about chemical biology, protein regulation, and how detailed mechanistic understanding can inspire new therapeutic strategies. During her stay at EPFL as a visiting student, she will investigate how the piRNA pathway enzyme HENMT1 is regulated by the ubiquitin system. Outside the lab, Yunke enjoys figure skating and drawing.