New at ETH Zurich: Jörn Piel
Jörn Piel, Professor for Microbial Interactions joined ETH Zurich in February 2013. Here he gives his first impressions and tells us what else he interested in besides science.
What motivated you to come to ETH Zurich?
Jörn Piel: I know no place where one could have better conditions for doing research. Particularly exciting is the possibility to conduct more intricate and innovative pioneer projects that exceed the usual setting of third-party-funded projects. Thanks to solid funding, this is possible.
And what is your impression after the first few months here?
I am truly impressed by the excellent infrastructure, the many opportunities for cooperation, the committed students and the very collegial atmosphere.
How do maintain a work-life balance?
I find balance when cooking, learning languages and especially when playing with our little daughter.
What is the first word you associate with ETH Zurich?
Excellence
About me
Jörn Piel joined ETH Zurich as a Full Professor of Microbial Interactions at the Institute of Microbiology, D-BIOL, in February 2013. He was born in Germany, in 1967.
Prof. Piel’s research focuses on natural products. These substances, found only in small amounts in nature, can play a big role in medicine development. Using biological and chemical methods, his group investigates how these often complex substances are procuded. This knowledge is then applied in Synthetic Biology to produce compounds that are difficult to obtain from nature.