Meet Marwa, a biotechnologist whose work intersects structural biology, bioinformatics, and genomics. Her work reveals how tiny changes in genes and RNA can ripple through cells, influencing everything from plant survival under stress to human health and the microbiome:
Hi, Marwa! You are very welcome to this episode of Words That Count. Thank you for joining us
Thank you for having me. And thanks to Dr. Rehab Z. Abdallah for the recommendation.
Please give a brief introduction about yourself
My name is Marwa Amer. I am Egyptian by nationality, and I currently live in Switzerland. I work at the intersection of structural biology, bioinformatics, and genomics, studying how genetic and RNA-level changes influence protein structure and biological function. My work combines experimental molecular biology with computational analysis to understand complex systems, including plant stress responses, human disease, and the microbiome.
Alongside research, teaching, and mentorship are central to my work. I am deeply involved in education and capacity building, particularly in interdisciplinary life sciences. I also enjoy supporting students and early-career researchers as they develop both technical skills and scientific confidence.
Walk us through your path to joining Structural Biology. Is this something you knew existed as a career while growing up?
I did not grow up with a fixed vision of what I wanted to become. What I had was curiosity, which made me want to understand how things worked beneath the surface.
I studied biotechnology during my bachelor’s degree, followed by genetics during my master’s degree in Egypt. I was part of the first cohort to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology in the country. At the time, no one really knew what biotechnology was, and many questioned what kind of career a degree in it could lead to. Choosing this path felt risky, but it was driven entirely by curiosity and passion. Looking back, it was a brave decision to study something new before clear paths existed.
Research and teaching entered my life early. While still a master’s student, I worked as a research and teaching assistant at several leading universities in Egypt, including The American University in Cairo, Misr University for Science and Technology, and Zewail City of Science and Technology. Standing in classrooms, I discovered that explaining science helped me understand it more deeply and made learning feel shared rather than solitary.
My journey later took me to Switzerland for a PhD in Structural Biology at the University of Basel. It was a demanding and formative period that taught me independence, resilience, and humility.
After completing my PhD, I decided to return to Egypt not to pause my journey, but to build. I returned as an assistant professor at Misr University for Science and Technology and as an adjunct professor at Nile University, teaching bioinformatics, computational biology, and genomics to students from both biotechnology and computer science backgrounds. Working across these disciplines allowed me to bridge biology and computation in a very practical way.
During this period, I taught, developed academic programs, and built a research team from scratch. Watching students and young researchers grow, many encountering bioinformatics for the first time, was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.
More recently, I continued expanding my training through formal clinical research education at ETH Zurich in 2024. For me, learning has never had a final endpoint. Each step has been about preparing myself for the next phase of my journey, and about remaining open to growth, wherever it leads.
What have been some of the most challenging times along this structural biology journey?
Like many women in STEM, I faced self-doubt, high expectations, and the challenge of navigating different academic systems and cultures. There were periods when balancing research, teaching, leadership, and life felt overwhelming.
One of the most significant challenges was choosing to grow my family alongside my professional journey. I began my PhD while raising my first son; he was two and a half years old when I started. Later, I became a mother of two while returning to Egypt and working to establish a research lab from scratch. Finding balance between being a dedicated scientist and a present mother was not always easy, and it often felt like I was being pulled in multiple directions at once.
Academic systems do not always fully account for the realities women face, especially during early career stages. Expectations are often the same, while circumstances are not. Learning how to navigate this without losing confidence or momentum was a challenge in itself.
Impostor syndrome was real. Confidence did not come naturally; it had to be built slowly, through consistency and effort. Some challenges were visible, others quiet, but all of them shaped how I work today and, more importantly, how I lead and mentor with empathy and understanding.
What has been your source of inspiration and motivation to move forward?
I often return to one simple question: Why did I begin this journey?
The answer has always been curiosity, responsibility, and a desire to give back. I grew up in a traditional family, as one of four sisters. From an early age, I wanted to make my parents proud and to be a good example for my sisters, not by fitting into expectations, but by showing that it is possible to build a meaningful path through commitment and integrity.
What continues to inspire me most is people. Seeing students grow, teams evolve, and individuals gain confidence through education keeps me moving forward. Progress is not always dramatic. More often, it is quiet and gradual, but it is real.
Along the way, I was fortunate to encounter both supportive mentors and challenging ones. I learned from both experiences what to carry forward and what to leave behind. Those lessons shaped how I lead today. Over time, my team became more than a group of colleagues; it became a small community built on trust, respect, and care. That sense of shared purpose is what continues to motivate me every day.
Tell us about some of your most prestigious moments while building your career in structural biology
While I value publications and academic milestones, my most meaningful achievements have always been human ones. I believe that when we invest time and care in developing a good scientist with integrity and humanity, strong research outcomes naturally follow.
One of the most defining moments of my career was building a research and teaching team from the ground up after returning to Egypt. Watching students publish their work, defend their theses, and grow into independent thinkers and scientists has been deeply fulfilling. Their progress feels like a shared success.
Receiving competitive scholarships, including support for advanced clinical research training, affirmed my commitment to lifelong learning. Yet, beyond recognition or awards, the true reward for me has always been collective growth; seeing individuals gain confidence, find their voices, and move forward with purpose.
Who is Marwa outside of the structural biology spaces?
Outside of work, I value reflection, continuous learning, and meaningful conversations. I care deeply about education, mentorship, and science communication, and I believe that science should always remain connected to humanity, ethics, and purpose.
I also value quiet moments, those that allow me to pause, reset, and regain balance. At the end of the day, I am a woman, a mother, a wife, and a scientist. All these roles shape who I am, and together they define how I move through the world.
What is your favorite quote?
“One step at a time is still progress. Let your work be guided by purpose, not applause” ~ Anonymous. This quote reminds me that growth does not need to be loud or fast to be meaningful.
What is your word of encouragement for a young girl interested in Structural Biology and its related fields?
You do not need to have everything figured out to begin. For example, bioinformatics is not only about coding or biology; it is about curiosity, problem-solving, and learning how to think across disciplines. Your path may change, and that is not failure; it is part of growth.
Remember that you are human before you are a scientist. Your personal life, values, and experiences matter and will shape how you think and work. There is space for you in science, not when you feel fully ready, but now. Keep learning, keep asking questions, and never underestimate the quiet power of consistency.
Thank you, Marwa, for teaching us about structural biology and how it intersects with your work in bioinformatics and genomics. We wish you more success ahead and look forward to celebrating you more.
