Epigenome Diversity Research Team

Thanvi Srikant

I am a scientist fascinated by epigenetics, epigenomics, and natural variation in plants. In 2021, I completed my PhD in Prof. Detlef Weigel's lab at the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen, Germany, studying natural accessions of the mustard plant Arabidopsis thaliana. For my thesis, I generated a large collection of CRISPR mutants with reduced DNA methylation levels and used epigenomics and transcriptomics to investigate how methylation changes affect chromatin architecture and gene expression across the genome.

In January 2022, I began postdoctoral research in Prof. Kirsten Bomblies' lab at ETH Zürich, studying the evolution of polyploidy in Arabidopsis arenosa. Here, I integrated my epigenomics experience with cell biology and chromatin biology, working with both somatic tissues (leaves, petals, pollen tubes) and meiotic tissues (male meiocytes). This research was supported in part by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). Beyond research, I actively mentor bachelor's and master's students on semester projects and teach block courses and practical courses annually as a lecturer at ETH Zürich.

During a hike in the Swiss Alps in 2024, I serendipitously encountered the beautiful alpine plant Arabis alpina and became curious about how it adapts to habitats at varying elevations. I initiated preliminary experiments and developed a project proposal to use this species as a model for studying how epigenomic features influence altitude adaptation. In 2025, my proposal was awarded funding through the SNSF Ambizione Fellowship, which supports four years of independent research and includes funding for a PhD student under my supervision.

I am excited to launch my own research group as an SNSF Ambizione Fellow in August 2026, hosted by Prof. Alex Widmer's Plant Ecological Genetics group at ETH Zürich. This opportunity allows me to expand my plant epigenomics research into ecology and environmental sciences.

Currently, I am completing my postdoctoral research while conducting preliminary experiments for my Ambizione project through an ETH Career Seed Award.