Silvia has developed innovative tools to directly and precisely regulate gene expression within chloroplasts, the photosynthetic organelles of plant cells that capture sunlight and convert it into the chemical energy sustaining nearly all life on Earth. Her research also led to the discovery of the chloroplast unfolded protein response, an essential cellular quality-control system that alerts plant cells when something goes wrong within these organelles. Her contributions to molecular and cell biology have been recognized with honors, including the FWF ASTRA Award and the FEBS Excellence Award.

Silvia Ramundo studied Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Bologna in Italy and completed her PhD at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. She then moved to the United States to conduct postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco. In October 2021, she returned to Europe to establish her own laboratory at the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) at the Vienna BioCenter in Austria. There, she leads research into the molecular mechanisms governing chloroplast biogenesis, gene expression, membrane organization, and quality control. Her work is advancing broader understanding of organelle biology and may ultimately open new avenues for enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and plant resilience under environmental stress.

For Silvia, the most rewarding aspects of scientific leadership are driving discoveries and mentoring the next generation of researchers to make their own. She finds equal excitement in uncovering something new and in seeing young scientists develop confidence, curiosity, and independence. She brings that same appreciation for potential and originality to her role on the jury.