Dr. Alexander Harms

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Alexander Harms studied Molecular Microbiology at the University of Basel, where he defended his PhD in 2015 under the supervision of Prof. Christoph Dehio, focusing on the evolution of bacterial toxins and virulence factors. He subsequently worked for several years as a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Kenn Gerdes at the University of Copenhagen, investigating toxin-antitoxin systems involved in bacterial persistence. In 2018, he returned to Switzerland to establish his own research team studying bacteriophages under the guidance of Prof. Urs Jenal at the University of Basel. In 2023, he was appointed as an assistant professor on a tenure track in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zürich. His research area, The Laboratory of Molecular Phage Biology, aims to study bacteriophages outside traditional laboratory conditions using innovative culture systems and advanced microbial genetics. The ultimate goal of his research is to understand the hidden biological diversity of viruses and to apply this knowledge to improve bacteriophage applications in the context of bacterial pathogens for food safety and clinical phage therapy.

Research Interests

Awards

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Encouragement Award

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Jury Award

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J.C.W. Shepherd PhD Student Prize

Courses

Academic Writing and Publishing in Molecular Biology

Requirements for ETH Zurich

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.4
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Verbal
Required:159
Verbal Percentile
Required:80
Quantitative
Required:168
Quantitative Percentile
Required:81
Analytical Writing
Required:4.5
Writing Percentile
Required:85
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in a related field (Engineering, Natural Sciences, or Mathematics) Minimum 180 ECTS credits Subject-specific knowledge equivalent to ETH Bachelor's programs
Application Checklist
  • Bachelor's degree diploma or transcript
  • Official academic transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Letter of Motivation (1 page)
  • Two academic recommendation letters
  • English language proficiency certificate
  • GRE General Test (for non-EU/EFTA applicants)
Specialization Notes

The GRE is mandatory for students who did not obtain their Bachelor's degree in an EU/EFTA state. Some departments (e.g., Computer Science) have specific ECTS credit requirements in core subjects.