Anna Carratala Ripolles

Expertise I am a scientist at EPFL working on the ecology of aquatic microorganisms, with the overarching goal of improving water quality and developing innovative biotechnological solutions. My research combines fieldwork in alpine and polar environments with molecular and bioinformatic approaches to understand how microbial communities respond to environmental change.My current work focuses on understanding the spatial distribution of bacterial diversity and the environmental factors shaping community composition, as well as the role of ice cover in structuring microbial ecology in Arctic lakes. I am particularly interested in the exchange of microorganisms across environmental boundaries, and I investigate microbial fluxes between air, ice, and surface waters.More broadly, my research interests include monitoring planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria in freshwater ecosystems, identifying the mechanisms that drive cyanotoxin production in alpine and Arctic lakes, and exploring how microbial communities contribute to carbon and nitrogen cycling. I also aim to harness the metabolic diversity of aquatic bacteria to develop novel biotechnological applications. Education Ph.D. Environmental Microbiology | 2008 – 2013 University of Barcelona Degree Biology | 2001 – 2007 University of Barcelona European Scientific Diver | 2024 – 2024 AWI Professionals experiences Research scientist 2017–2017 EPFLPostdoctoral researcher 2013–2017 EPFLResearch internship 2012–2012 Observatoire Océanologique Banyuls sur Mer, FranceResearch internship 2011–2011 National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The NetherlandsResearch internship 2010–2010 Institute Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, BrazilPhD student 2008–2013 University of Barcelona Teaching & PhD Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Margot Ninon Lauren Olive Courses Biology ENV-103 This course will cover the fundamental principles governing life and the living world. Topics will include the diversity of living organisms, cellular biology, genetics, evolution, and ecology. This course provides a foundation in biology, fostering critical thinking & analytical skills. Hands-on bioinformatics for microbial meta-omics ENV-621 This course will train doctoral students to use bioinformatic tools to analyse amplicon and metagenomic sequences. In addition, we will also touch upon meta-transcriptomics and meta-proteomics. Awards Extraordinary PhD Award University of Barcelona 2014 International Geneva Award Swiss Network of International Studies 2019 Prix Source Innovation Alliance, EPFL 2023 POLARIN Transnational Access Grant EU Polar Research Infrastructure network 2025 Forel Research Platform Access Association Forel Heritage 2025 Research partnership Service de l'Eau de la Ville de Lausanne 2025