Sonia Borrell, PhD

I am a research leader with extensive experience in managing high-containment laboratory environments, currently leading and overseeing the BSL3 facility at the Swiss TPH. I drive biosafety excellence, coordinate complex scientific programmes, and lead multidisciplinary teams, with a strong focus on building safe, efficient, and high-performing research environments.

Originally from Barcelona, I completed my PhD (2009) there before undertaking postdoctoral research in London. I then moved to Basel (2010) to establish the BSL3 laboratory at Swiss TPH, where I continue to lead and further develop high-containment research infrastructure.

My research focuses on tuberculosis and infectious diseases, with a particular interest in the evolution of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). By integrating genomics, microbiology, and translational approaches, I advance understanding of pathogen adaptation, drug resistance dynamics, and their impact on clinical outcomes. My work contributes to uncovering mechanisms of bacterial evolution and persistence, informing more effective treatment and control strategies.

I am driven by global health challenges and diseases of poverty, and by delivering research with tangible impact on vulnerable populations. I am also deeply committed to education and mentorship, actively empowering the next generation of scientists to develop, take ownership, and contribute to impactful and socially relevant science.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time in nature, being outdoors with my son, and practicing yoga — all of which help me recharge and maintain perspective.

Castro R.A.D, Ross A, Kamwela L, Reinhard M, Loiseau C, Feldmann J, Borrell S, Trauner A, Gagneux S. The genetic background modulates the evolution of fluoroquinolone-resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mol Biol Evol. 2020;37(1):195-207. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz214

Borrell S, Trauner A, Brites D, Rigouts L, Loiseau C, Coscolla M, Niemann S, De Jong B, Yeboah-Manu D, Kato-Maeda M, Feldmann J, Reinhard M, Beisel C, Gagneux S. Reference set of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical strains: a tool for research and product development. PLoS One. 2019;14(3):e0214088. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214088

Rutaihwa L.K, Sasamalo M, Jaleco A, Hella J, Kingazi A, Kamwela L, Kingalu A, Malewo B, Shirima R, Dötsch A, Feldmann J, Reinhard M, Borrell S, Brites D, Reither K, Doulla B, Fenner L, Gagneux S. Insights into the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Tanzania. PLoS One. 2019;14(4):e0206334. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206334

Merker M, Barbier M, Cox H, Rasigade J.P, Feuerriegel S, Kohl T.A, Diel R, Borrell S, Gagneux S, Nikolayevskyy V, Andres S, Nubel U, Supply P, Wirth T, Niemann S. Compensatory evolution drives multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Central Asia. eLife. 2018;7:e38200. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.38200

Otchere I.D, Coscolla M, Sanchez-Buso L, Asante-Poku A, Brites D, Loiseau C, Meehan C, Osei-Wusu S, Forson A, Laryea C, Yahayah A.I, Baddoo A, Ansa G.A, Aboagye S.Y, Asare P, Borrell S, Gehre F, Beckert P, Kohl T.A, N'Dira S, Beisel C, Antonio M, Niemann S, de Jong B.C, Parkhill J, Harris S.R, Gagneux S, Yeboah-Manu D. Comparative genomics of Mycobacterium africanum lineage 5 and lineage 6 from Ghana suggests distinct ecological niches. Sci Rep. 2018;8:11269. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29620-2

Zampieri M, Szappanos B, Buchieri M.V, Trauner A, Piazza I, Picotti P, Gagneux S, Borrell S, Gicquel B, Lelievre J, Papp B, Sauer U. High-throughput metabolomic analysis predicts mode of action of uncharacterized antimicrobial compounds. Sci Transl Med. 2018;10(429):eaal3973. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aal3973

Borrell S, Trauner A. Strain diversity and the evolution of antibiotic resistance. In: Gagneux S, ed. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 1019, 263-279. Cham: Springer, 2017. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-64371-7_14

Gygli S.M, Borrell S, Trauner A, Gagneux S. Antimicrobial resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: mechanistic and evolutionary perspectives. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2017;41(3):354-373. DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fux011