Franca Schmid

11/2012 – 06/2017

PhD in Mechanical Engineering,
Institute of Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Thesis: Cerebral blood flow modeling with discrete tracking of red blood cells – analyzing microvascular networks and their perfusion.
Supervisor: Prof. Patrick Jenny, Defense date: June 15, 2017

10/2006 – 07/2012

Mechanical Engineering, Diploma (equivalent to M.Sc.)
University of Stuttgart, Germany

07/2022 – present 

Senior Research Assistant | SNF Ambizione Fellow 
ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Switzerland

03/2023 – 06/2023

Visiting Researcher
Chair: Nicolas Renier, Laboratory of Structural Plasticity, ICM Brain and Spine Institute, Paris, France 

09/2020 – 03/2022

Postdoctoral Researcher
Chair: Prof. Patrick Jenny, Institute of Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

09/2017 – 08/2020

Postdoctoral Researcher
Chair: Prof. Bruno Weber, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

10/2019 – 11/2019

Visiting Researcher
Chair: Prof. Rainer Helmig, Institute for Modeling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

11/2012 – 06/2017

Research Assistant
Chair: Prof. Patrick Jenny, Institute of Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

06/2024 – 06/2026

Fondation Pierre Mercier pour la Science, Switzerland
2-year research project. Salaries and project funds (CHF 240’000)
Title: Vascular mural cells: key players for the brain’s energy supply – in silico approaches to quantify their regulatory relevance in health and disease.

07/2022 – 06/2026

Hartmann Müller – Stiftung, University of Zurich, Switzerland
0.5-year research project. Salaries (CHF 30’300)
Title: Leptomeningeal collaterals during stroke – quantitative insights from blood flow modeling in whole brain vascular networks.
Joint application with Prof. Susanne Wegner, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland

07/2024 – 12/2024

SNF Ambizione Fellow, University of Bern, Switzerland
4-year research project. Salaries and project funds (CHF 918’480)
Title: Energy supply in whole brain microvascular networks in health and disease – quantifying the relevance of small-scale disturbances.

08/2019 – 08/2020

Forschungskredit Postdoc, University of Zurich, Switzerland
13-month research project. Salary and expenses (CHF 125’274)
Title: In-depth characterization of the brain microvasculature focusing on layer- specificity in topology, perfusion and nutrient supply.

10/2019 – 11/2019

GRC Travel Grant, Graduate Campus, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Two-month research stay. Matching fund for travel and living costs (CHF 2’000)
Title: Oxygen discharge from one-dimensional red blood cells to tissue.