The program is a joint initiative of L’Oréal Switzerland, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO and the SATW. Its motto is “The world needs science – and science needs women”, and following last year’s successful launch, it was held in Switzerland for the second time. Each award winner receives a grant of 25,000 Swiss francs to continue her research. This year’s award winners conduct their research at the University of Geneva, ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich.
Millicent Dockerill is developing next-generation reversible anticoagulant therapies equipped with a fast-acting antidote in the form of a “chemical zipper.” Her platform enables doctors to immediately stop the drug’s effect in emergency situations. This can significantly reduce the risk of severe bleeding and protect particularly vulnerable patient groups, including pregnant women.
Jana Musilová pioneers the foundational layer of a personalized “digital twin” of the human menstrual cycle. She combines computational biology with longitudinal steroid hormone data. Her open-source models address critical historical data gaps in women’s healthcare and help to transform the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS.
Oana Pelea develops next-generation bridge recombinase systems with the goal of achieving high-fidelity, large-scale genome rearrangements in human cells. By advancing the precise insertion of large, gene-sized DNA sequences, her research could help lay the foundation for mutation-agnostic therapies for genetic disorders.
Vera Vollenweider explores innovative antimicrobial strategies that deprive multidrug-resistant bacteria of the iron they need to grow. Her research investigates whether prolonged iron starvation can cause clinical pathogens to shed mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic resistance and virulence genes.
The 2026 Swiss laureates demonstrate the indispensable contribution of women to scientific progress.
Claire Dieudonné, Country Coordinator & Market Director Consumer Products, L’Oréal Switzerland
Women represent a substantial share of university graduates in Switzerland, yet systemic challenges still hinder their path to the highest academic ranks.
Prof. Thomas Zeltner, President of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO
Women still hold only around 25% of professorships at ETH Zurich and EPFL. Yet science and engineering need the full range of talent.
Benoît Dubuis, President SATWSince 1998, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO have been supporting outstanding female researchers worldwide with the For Women in Science program. Since then, more than 4,700 female scientists have been supported, including seven Nobel Prize winners.
The Swiss edition is organized in collaboration with the Swiss Commission for UNESCO and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW and took place for the second time in 2026. The program helps to make scientific excellence visible and to promote equal opportunities in research and technology in the long term.
More about the program: For Women in Science at SATW
