Professor Nadia Mercader Huber has been elected Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation and will become a member of the University Executive Board. The Cantonal Government of Bernappointed her on the recommendation of the Education and Culture Directorate and the Senate of the University of Bern.  

Mercader Huber will begin her term on January 1, 2027. She succeeds Professor Hugues Abriel, who is stepping down as Vice-Rector at the end of July 2026 to return his focus to research and teaching at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. The remaining members of the University Executive Board will assume his responsibilities during the five-month interim period.  

Since 2020, Mercader Huber has been Professor of Anatomy, Developmental Biology and Regeneration. She has served as Co-Director of the Institute of Anatomy since 2015 and as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bern since August 2024. From 2020 to 2024, she was Vice-Dean for Research and Early-Career Researchers at the faculty. These roles have given Mercader Huber extensive knowledge of the University and many years of leadership experience.  

“Nadia Mercader Huber combines cutting-edge research with strategic leadership experience, making her an outstanding addition to the University Executive Board,” says Rector Virginia Richter. “I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Hugues Abriel for his dedicated service as Vice-Rector.”  

University Executive Board now complete  

On January 1, 2027, women and men will be equally represented on the Executive Board of the University of Bern for the first time in history. Its members will be: 

• Virginia Richter, Rector 
• Fritz Sager, Vice-Rector for Teaching 
• Heike Mayer, Vice-Rector for Quality and Sustainable Development 
• Andrew Chan, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Academic Careers 
• Nadia Mercader Huber, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation 
• Markus Brönnimann, Administrative Director 

The Board is supported by Secretary General Andrea Hungerbühler, and by permanent guests Christian Degen, Director of Communication & Marketing, and Daniel Jaggi, Director of the Legal Services Office.  

A brief biography of Professor Nadia Mercader Huber 

 Nadia Mercader Huber received her bachelor’s degree in biology from ETH Zurich in 1998 and completed her doctorate at the Centro Nacional de Biotecnología  (CNB-CSIC) in Madrid. After postdoctoral work atthe European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, she became a research group leader at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) in Madrid in 2007. In 2015, she joined the University of Bern’s Institute of Anatomy as Associate Professor of Anatomy, Developmental Biology and Regeneration and was promoted to full professor in 2020. Mercader Huber teaches in the bachelor’s degree programs in human medicine and dental medicine, among other areas. Her research group investigates the mechanisms behind heart development and regeneration. In 2020, she received the Max Cloetta Prize for her contributions to basic research. Nadia Mercader Huber has extensive experience in university governance. She is Co-Director of the Institute of Anatomy and leads the embryology and genetics module in the human medicine and dental medicine degree programs. From 2020 to 2024, she served as Vice-Dean for Research and Early-Career Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine, where she has been Deputy Dean since August 2024. She is also a member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) and is Past President of the Swiss Society for Anatomy, Histology and Embryology (SSAHE).