Meet Annalisa Bucci studying visual signaling in human retina

Source: https://bsse.ethz.ch/news-and-events/d-bsse-news/2026/01/meet-annalisa-bucci-studying-visual-signaling-in-human-retina.html Parent: https://bsse.ethz.ch/news-and-events/d-bsse-news.html?AUTHOR=Q2Fyb2xpbiBBcm5kdCBGb3BwYQ&path=L2NvbnRlbnQvc3BlY2lhbGludGVyZXN0L2Jzc2UvZGVwYXJ0bWVudC9lbi9uZXdzLWFuZC1ldmVudHMvamNyOmNvbnRlbnQvcGFyL25ld3NmZWVkXzQzMTg

The Italian physicist “fell in love with electrophysiology” long time ago and has now returned to the Hierlemann lab for her second postdoc. She is convinced: this is the place to be to learn new tools and (engineering) techniques. She studies visual signaling in the human retina using high-density microelectrode arrays. In her spare time, she nurtures her second passion: she is black belt in the martial art discipline Hwal Moo Do.

What did you know about D-BSSE before you came here, and what was yourmotivation to come to ETH Zurich?

I first heard about D-BSSE when I discovered the cutting-edge MEA technology being developed in the Hierlemann group. During my master’s thesis at EMBL Monterotondo I had fallen in love with electrophysiology, spending most of my days doing patch clamp, so finding a place working with advanced MEA systems felt like the natural next step for me. I have always been a “hybrid” scientist, happiest at the intersection of disciplines. Interdisciplinarity is really my element, and D-BSSE struck me as the perfect balance: not too much biology, not too much engineering, just the right mix. That combination motivated me to apply for my doctoral project. After completing my PhD, I moved just across town for a postdoc at IOB, the Institute of Molecular and clinical Ophthalmology Basel, but I never really lost contact with D-BSSE. Coming back now for a (second) postdoc feels very natural and almost like returning home.

What were your expectations, and were your expectations met since you\ arrived in Basel?

When I moved to Basel eight years ago for my doctorate, I came straight from Rome and had never lived anywhere else. I didn’t know how much my life would change in this new country, but I was excited for the adventure. My expectations for D-BSSE were high, and they were fully met thanks to the great science and the inspiring atmosphere. Basel quickly won me over, and now it feels even better than before, because I see the department not just with new eyes but with the awareness that this is where I want to build and contribute to meaningful work. I still miss Rome from time to time, of course, but Basel has truly become home for me and my family.

What were your first impressions…?

My first impression of D-BSSE was how international and interdisciplinary it felt. Basel also surprised me in a positive way; it was smaller and calmer than Rome, but I immediately liked the atmosphere and the quality of life. One thing that did surprise me, though, was the quietness on Sundays. Coming from Rome, I was not used to finding everything closed! Now, starting my new postdoc at D-BSSE feels like coming back home, even if the home looks a bit different. I am rejoining the same group where I did my doctorate, and although many people have changed, some traditions have stayed exactly the same. One of them is bringing a cake for almost every occasion: birthdays, first days, last days, and everything in between. This tradition definitely survived the years. Returning also made me appreciate how much the environment itself has evolved. The new building is bright, open, and beautifully designed, and it makes me feel much more connected to the broader D-BSSE community than I did in the old building during my doctorate. Even with all the changes, the group welcomed me back as if I had never left, which meant a lot to me, although they demanded my welcome cake, so I brought brownies as a sweet start.

Which research will you pursue at D-BSSE?

At D-BSSE I will continue exploring retinal function using high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs). I recently published a study showing how the human retina synchronizes visual signals in time, and I’m excited to build on this work. In addition to continuing HD-MEA recordings from retinal explants, I am expanding my toolbox by incorporating new techniques available in the lab, including the use of engineered microstructures to study retinal ganglion cell axons.

Which hobbies or private interests do you hope to pursue in Switzerland?

I am a II dan black belt in Hwal Moo Do, a martial art that blends traditional techniques with the power of kickboxing, and training has always been a central part of my life. When I moved to Switzerland with my partner, we brought this passion with us, and over the years our life here grew around it. Our daughter was born in Basel, and as our family grew, so did our martial arts community. We founded our association, HMD Basel, which has now become part of the Basel martial arts landscape. In 2022 we opened our own dojang, Energize, a place where people of different ages and backgrounds come together to train. It is something that brings me a lot of joy outside the lab, and I am excited to keep nurturing it and seeing it grow over time.

\ Many thanks, Annalisa, welcome back to the D-BSSE and all the very best to you and your research!

Annalisa Bucci studied physics and later specialized in Physics of Biosystems at La Sapienza University in Rome. She first encountered experimental neuroscience during her master’s thesis at EMBL Monterotondo, where she worked with patch-clamp electrophysiology and contributed to the development of a voltage indicator. This work led to a external page study on optical voltage imaging and sparked her interest in neural functions. Annalisa completed her doctoral studies at ETH Zürich in the Bio Engineering Lab of Andreas Hierlemann, where she began working with high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs) and initiated the research that would later become her first-author Nature Neuroscience paper on how the human retina synchronizes visual signals in time. She continued and completed this work in Felix Franke’s group at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) (D-BSSE News). Annalisa has now returned to ETH Zürich as a postdoctoral researcher in the Hierlemann group, where she leads retina-focused research and continues to explorehow retinal circuits process visual information.