Prof. Dr. Lars Fieseler

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Head Center for Food Safety and Quality Management
• Head Phage Technology Center
• Head Food Microbiology

Focus

• Detection and control of food borne pathogens
• Bacteriophages
• Environmental monitoring of food borne pathogens
• Challenge Tests

Teaching

Lecturer in Food Science (Food Microbiology)

Experience

• Head Center of Phage Technology
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2022 - today
• Head Centre for Food Safety and Quality Management
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2018 - today
• Professor
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2013 - today
• Head Food Microbiology
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2011 - today
• scientific consultant
  Amt für Abfall, Wasser, Energie und Luft (AWEL), Sektion Biosicherheit und ABC-Schutz, Kanton Zürich
  2011 - 2019
• scientific assistant (Postdoc)
  ETH Zurich
  2006 - 2011
• scientific assistant (Postdoc)
  Würzburg University
  2005 - 2006

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD / Microbiology
  Würzburg University
  2001 - 2005
• Diploma / Biology
  University of Würzburg
  1995 - 2000

Continuing Education

• Leadership
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2016
• CAS "Didactics of University Teaching"
  Zurich University of Teacher Education
  2013

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9306-6436

Awards

• FEMS Congress Award
  Federation of European Microbiological Societies
  07 / 2009
• Feodor Lynen Reserach Fellowship
  Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
  02 / 2006

Social media

linkedIN

Projects

• Detection of pathogenic E. coli / Project leader / ongoing
• Microbial risc assessment / Project leader / ongoing
• Zebrafish larvae for drug screening / Project leader / ongoing
• Nanobead based detection of food borne pathogens / Project leader / ongoing
• Novel phage derived antimicrobials / Deputy project leader / completed
• “One-tube" luminescent reporter phage testing platform for on-site, lab-free environmental monitoring of Listeria spp. / Project leader / completed
• SONEVA / Co-project leader / completed
• Contactless separation and concentration of Legionella species in drinking water installations / Project leader / completed
• An effective and environmentally friendly solution to control fire blight disease caused by Erwinia amylovora in pome fruit crops / Project leader / completed
• Molecular mechanism of bacteriophage tail spike proteins in bacterial infection / Co-project leader / completed
• Engineered bacteriophages for the control of E. coli O157 / Project leader / completed
• Persistence of STEC in grain, milling by-products, flour, and raw follow up products / Project leader / completed
• Platform Health / Co-project leader / completed
• Rapid Quantification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by flow-cytometry / Project leader / completed
• Biopolymer based bioactive food packaging / Team member / completed
• Analysis and optimisation of a laundry process for cleaning textiles / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Knecht, L. E., Born, Y., Pelludat, C., Gayder, S., Loessner, M. J., & Fieseler, L. (2026). Mutation of Eamy_RS26425, hldE, or pgm renders Erwinia amylovora CFBP 1430 multi-phage resistant and avirulent. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01523-25
• Navikaite-Snipaitiene, V., Rutkaite, R., Ivanauskas, L., Jakstas, V., Fieseler, L., Rüegg, N., & Yildirim, S. (2025). Development of thyme essential oil-based coatings and assessment of their antimicrobial activity. Applied Food Research, 5(2), 101367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.101367
• Turner, D., Adriaenssens, E. M., Amann, R. I., Bardy, P., Bartlau, N., Barylski, J., Błażejak, S., Bouzari, M., Briegel, A., Briers, Y., Carrillo, D., Chen, X., Claessen, D., Cook, R., Crisci, M. A., Dechesne, A., Deptula, P., Dutilh, B. E., Ely, B., et al. (2025). Summary of taxonomy changes ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) from the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee, 2025. Journal of General Virology, 106(7), 2111. https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.002111
• Dams, D., Pas, C., Latka, A., Drulis-Kawa, Z., Fieseler, L., & Briers, Y. (2025). A VersaTile approach to reprogram the specificity of the R2-type tailocin towards different serotypes of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antibiotics, 14(1), 104. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14010104
• Pacher, N., Burtscher, J., Bender, D., Fieseler, L., Schreiner, M., & Domig, K. J. (2024). Operator-independent assessment of bread spoilage profiles caused by Bacillaceae reveals a high degree of inter- and intraspecies heterogeneity. Food Research International, 197(115193). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115193
• Pas, C., Fieseler, L., Pothier, J. F., & Briers, Y. (2024). Isolation, characterization, and receptor-binding protein specificity of phages PAS7, PAS59 and PAS61 infecting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O103 and O146. Scientific Reports, 14(26050). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-77463-x
• Pacher, N., Burtscher, J., Bender, D., Fieseler, L., & Domig, K. J. (2024). Aerobic spore-forming bacteria associated with ropy bread : identification, characterization and spoilage potential assessment. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 418(110730). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110730
• Ullrich, L., Gillich, E., André, A., Panarese, S., Imhaus, A. F., Fieseler, L., & Chetschik, I. (2023). Influence of ozone treatment during storage on odour-active compounds, total titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid in oranges and bananas. Applied Sciences, 13(19), 10885. https://doi.org/10.3390/app131910885
• Gayder, S., Kammerecker, S., & Fieseler, L. (2023). Biological control of the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora using bacteriophages. Journal of Plant Pathology, 106(3), 853–869. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-023-01478-y
• Pas, C., Latka, A., Fieseler, L., & Briers, Y. (2023). Phage tailspike modularity and horizontal gene transfer reveals specificity towards E. coli O-antigen serogroups. Virology Journal, 20(174). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02138-4
• Desroche, N., De Oliveira, D., Imhaus, A.-F., Hupfeld, M., & Fieseler, L. (2023). Validation of N-Light™ salmonella risk test kit for detection of Salmonella spp. on environmental surfaces : AOAC Performance Tested MethodsSM 072204. Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 106(4), 939–948. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoacint/qsad017
• Pacher, N., Burtscher, J., Johler, S., Etter, D., Bender, D., Fieseler, L., & Domig, K. J. (2022). Ropiness in bread : a re-emerging spoilage phenomenon. Foods, 11(19), 3021. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193021
• Knecht, L. E., Born, Y., Pelludat, C., Pothier, J. F., Smits, T. H. M., Loessner, M. J., & Fieseler, L. (2022). Spontaneous resistance of Erwinia amylovora against bacteriophage Y2 affects infectivity of multiple phages. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13(908346). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.908346
• Witte, S., Huijboom, L., Klamert, S., van de Straat, L., Hagens, S., Fieseler, L., de Vegt, B. T., & van Mierlo, J. T. (2022). Application of bacteriophages EP75 and EP335 efficiently reduces viable cell counts of Escherichia coli O157 on beef and vegetables. Food Microbiology, 104(103978). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2022.103978
• Knecht, L. E., Heinrich, N., Born, Y., Felder, K., Pelludat, C., Loessner, M. J., & Fieseler, L. (2022). Bacteriophage S6 requires bacterial cellulose for Erwinia amylovora infection. Environmental Microbiology, 24(8), 3436–3450. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15973
• Herren, P., Fieseler, L., Ambuehl, D., & Grunder, J. (2021). Foodborne bacteria in raw drone brood of Apis mellifera – a preliminary survey. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 7(3), 281–285. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2020.0067
• Larose, D., Desroche, N., Reinau, L., Hupfeld, M., & Fieseler, L. (2021). Validation of N-Light™ L. monocytogenes for detection of Listeria monocytogenes on environmental surfaces : AOAC Performance Tested Method℠ 122002. Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoacint/qsab165
• Ganz, G., Reinau, L., Imhaus, A. F., Hupfeld, M., & Fieseler, L. (2020). AquaSparkTM : rapid environmental monitoring of Listeria monocytogenes. Chimia, 74(10), 791–797. https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2020.791
• Pertics, B. Z., Szénásy, D., Dunai, D., Born, Y., Fieseler, L., Kovács, T., & Schneider, G. (2020). Isolation of a novel lytic bacteriophage against a nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus belonging to ST45. BioMed Research International, 2020(5463801), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5463801
• Knecht, L. E., Veljkovic, M., & Fieseler, L. (2020). Diversity and function of phage encoded depolymerases. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10(2949). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02949
• Born, Y., Knecht, L. E., Eigenmann, M., Bolliger, M., Klumpp, J., & Fieseler, L. (2019). A major-capsid-protein-based multiplex PCR assay for rapid identification of selected virulent bacteriophage types. Archives of Virology, 164(3), 819–830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-019-04148-6
• Roth-Konforti, M., Green, O., Hupfeld, M., Fieseler, L., Heinrich, N., Ihssen, J., Vorberg, R., Wick, L., Spitz, U., & Shabat, D. (2019). Ultrasensitive detection of salmonella and listeria monocytogenes by small-molecule chemiluminescence probes. Angewandte Chemie: International Edition, 58(30), 10361–10367. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201904719
• van Mierlo, J., Hagens, S., Witte, S., Klamert, S., van de Straat, L., & Fieseler, L. (2019). Complete genome sequences of escherichia coli phages vB_EcoM-EP75 and vB_EcoP-EP335. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 8(16). https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00078-19
• Knecht, L. E., Born, Y., Pothier, J. F., Loessner, M. J., & Fieseler, L. (2018). Complete genome sequences of erwinia amylovora phages vB_EamP-S2 and vB_EamM-Bue1. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00891-18
• Buttimer, C., Born, Y., Lucid, A., Loessner, M. J., Fieseler, L., & Coffey, A. (2018). Erwinia amylovora phage vB_EamM_Y3 represents another lineage of hairy myoviridae. Research in Microbiology, 169(9), 505–514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2018.04.006
• Shen, Y., Boulos, S., Sumrall, E., Gerber, B., Julian-Rodero, A., Eugster, M. R., Fieseler, L., Nyström, L., Ebert, M.-O., & Loessner, M. J. (2017). Structural and functional diversity inListeriacell wall teichoic acids. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 292(43), 17832–17844. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M117.813964
• Schmitter, S., Fieseler, L., Klumpp, J., Bertram, R., & Loessner, M. J. (2017). TetR-dependent gene regulation in intracellular Listeria monocytogenes demonstrates the spatiotemporal surface distribution of ActA. Molecular Microbiology, 105(3), 413–425. https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.13706
• Born, Y., Fieseler, L., Thöny, V., Leimer, N., Duffy, B., & Loessner, M. J. (2017). Engineering of bacteriophages Y2::dpoL1-C and Y2::luxAB for efficient control and rapid detection of the fire blight pathogen, Erwinia amylovora. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83(12), e00341–17. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00341-17
• Krapf, T., Kuhn, R., Kauf, P., Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., & Fieseler, L. (2016). Quantitative real time PCR does not reliably detect single fecal indicator bacteria in drinking water. Water Science and Technology, 16(6), 1674–1682. https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2016.052
• Schwendimann, L. M., Kauf, P., Fieseler, L., Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., & Miescher Schwenninger, S. (2015). Development of a quantitative PCR assay for rapid detection of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum in cocoa bean fermentation. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 115, 94–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2015.05.022
• Born, Y., Bosshard, L., Duffy, B., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2015). Protection of Erwinia amylovora bacteriophage Y2 from UV-induced damage by natural compounds. Bacteriophage, 5(4), e1074330. https://doi.org/10.1080/21597081.2015.1074330
• Born, Y., Fieseler, L., Klumpp, J., Eugster, M. R., Zurfluh, K., Duffy, B., & Loessner, M. J. (2014). The tail-associated depolymerase of Erwinia amylovoraphage L1 mediates host cell adsorption and enzymatic capsule removal, which can enhance infection by other phage. Environmental Microbiology, 16(7), 2168–2180. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12212
• Fieseler, L., Doyscher, D., Loessner, M., & Schuppler, M. (2014). Acanthamoeba release compounds which promote growth of Listeria monocytogenes and other bacteria. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98(7), 3091–3097. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5534-9
• Doyscher, D., Fieseler, L., Dons, L., Loessner, M. J., & Schuppler, M. (2013). Acanthamoeba feature a unique backpacking strategy to trap and feed on Listeria monocytogenes and other motile bacteria. Environmental Microbiology, 15(2), 433–446. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02858.x
• Guenther, S., Herzig, O., Fieseler, L., Klumpp, J., & Loessner, M. J. (2012). Biocontrol of Salmonella Typhimurium in RTE foods with the virulent bacteriophage FO1-E2. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 154(1-2), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2011.12.023
• Born, Y., Fieseler, L., Marazzi, J., Lurz, R., Duffy, B., & Loessner, M. J. (2011). Novel virulent and broad-host-range Erwinia amylovora bacteriophages reveal a high degree of mosaicism and a relationship to enterobacteriaceae phages. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77(17), 5945–5954. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03022-10

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

Fieseler, L., & Loessner, M. (2013). Bacteriophage biocontrol. In R. G. Labbé & S. García (Eds.), Guide to foodborne pathogens (pp. 448–456). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118684856.ch28

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Gayder, S., Fieseler, L., Castle, A., & Svircev, A. (2022, July 18). A novel genome-wide, qPCR-based approach to identify genetic determinants of phage host range. Viruses of Microbes (VoM), Guimarães, Portugal, 18-22 July 2022. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27325
• Knecht, L., Heinrich, N., Felder, K., Born, Y., Pelludat, C., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2018). Mutations in the bcs operon of Erwinia amylovora abolish infection by bacteriophages S6 and M7. Viruses of Microbes (VoM), Wroclaw, Poland, 9-13 July 2018.
• Buttimer, C., Born, Y., Hendrix, H., Oliveria, H., McAuliffe, O., Neve, H., Ross, R. P., Hill, C., Noben, J.-P., O’Mahony, J., Fieseler, L., Lavigne, R., & Coffey, A. (2017). Hairy jumbo phages of Enterobacteriaceae. 2017 Evergreen International Phage Meeting, Evergreen State College, USA, 6-11 August 2017. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19768.42243

Other publications

• Gerber, N., Fieseler, L., Hirsch, S., Neutsch, L., Papadopoulou, A., & Smits, T. (2022). Zusammenarbeit und wissenschaftlicher Austausch sind der Schlüssel zu erfolgreicher Forschung : der ZHAW Health Research Hub bringt’s unter einen Hut. Clinicum, 2022(6), 80–81. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-26376
• Wetzel, S., & Fieseler, L. (2020). Shiga-toxin producing escherichia coli in flour, wheat grain and flour products.
• Stöppelmann, F., & Fieseler, L. (2020). Massnahmen zur Beherrschung mikrobiologischer Risiken verursacht durch Vibrio spp.
• Wetzel, S., & Fieseler, L. (2020). Risk evaluation of E. coli ST 131 as a foodborne pathogen in Switzerland.
• Knecht, L., Born, Y., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2016). Identification of phage receptors in Erwinia amylovora after transposon mutagenesis. Viruses of Microbes (VoM), Liverpool, United Kingdom, 18-22 July 2016.
• Leiblein, T., Kroslakova, I., Freimüller Leischtfeld, S., Fieseler, L., & Hofer, S. (2015). Legionella in FM : Detection of Legionella pneumophila in waterlines of dental surgeries in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland [Conference paper]. In K. Alexander & I. Price (Eds.), EuroFM Research Papers, Section 5, Development Papers (pp. 26–33). European Facilities Management Network (EuroFM).
• Born, Y., Knecht, L., Pelludat, C., Duffy, B., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2015). Bakteriophagen zur Bekämpfung von Feuerbrand. 1. Nationale Tagung - Gemeinsam gegen Feuerbrand, Wädenswil, 2015.
• Born, Y., & Fieseler, L. (2015). A bacteriophage cocktail to control Salmonella Typhimurium. 21st Biennial Evergreen International Phage Biology Meeting, Olympia, USA, 2-7 August 2015.
• Adlhart, C., Born, Y., Fuchs, M., Fieseler, L., & Pavlovic, B. (2015). Encapsulation and controlled release of bacteriophages for food protection using electrospun nanofibers [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the NART Conference 2015, 49–56.
• Born, Y., Klumpp, J., Zurfluh, K., Duffy, B., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2015). Implications of the phage depolymerase DpoL1 on Erwinia amylovora. 21st Biennial Evergreen International Phage Biology Meeting, Olympia, USA, 2-7 August 2015.
• Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., Kuhn, R., Kauf, P., Schmid, J., Krapf, T., & Fieseler, L. (2015). Fäkalindikatoren im Trinkwasser nachweisen. Alimenta.
• Fieseler, L. (2015). Nachweis und Kontrolle der Keimbelastung im Lebensmittel. Lebensmittel-Technologie, 2015(4), 12–13.
• Freimüller Leischtfeld, S., Weber, S., Kuhn, R., Schmid, J., & Fieseler, L. (2015). Molekulare Schnellmethode für den Legionellen-Test. Alimenta, 2015(8).
• Fieseler, L., Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., Miescher Schwenninger, S., Kuhn, R., & Kleinert, M. (2013). Rope in bread : a critical challenge for the bakery industry. 4th MoniQA International Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 26 February - 1 March 2013.
• Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., Kuhn, R., Krapf, T., & Fieseler, L. (2012). Detection of faecal indicator organisms by RT-qPCR. SGM Annual Congress 2012 - Swiss Society for Microbiology, St. Gallen, 21-22 June 2012.
• Heller, K., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2011). Bakteriophagen : Grundlagen, Rolle in Lebensmitteln und Anwendungen zum Nachweis sowie der Kontrolle von Krankheitserregern (1. Auflage). Behr.
• Fieseler, L., Loessner, M., & Hagens, S. (2011). Bacteriophages and food safety. In C. Lacroix (Ed.), Protective cultures, antimicrobial metabolites and bacteriophages for food and beverage biopreservation (pp. 161–178). Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857090522.1.161

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Gayder, S., Kammerecker, S., Gervásio, K., Henriques, A., Torres-Cortés, G., Kőrösiné Papp, S., Kovács, T., Raffai, K., Cabezón Largas, S., de Santos Prieto, B., & Fieseler, L. (2022, September 6). A qPCR-based, population dynamics approach for the development of a bacteriophage-based biopesticide. Third International Symposium on Fire Blight of Rosaceous Plants, Dresden-Pillnitz, Germany, 6-9 September 2022.
• Kammerecker, S., Gayder, S., Gervásio, K., Henriques, A., Torres-Cortés, G., Kőrösiné Papp, S., Kovács, T., Raffai, K., Cabezón Largas, S., de Santos Prieto, B., & Fieseler, L. (2022, September 6). PhageFire : formulation of a bacteriophage-based biopesticide against Erwinia amylovora. Third International Symposium on Fire Blight of Rosaceous Plants, Dresden-Pillnitz, Germany, 6-9 September 2022.
• Fieseler, L. (2017). Bacteriophages for the control of pathogenic bacteria. BioTech 2017 Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, 13-17 June 2017.
• Born, Y., Leimer, N., Thöny, V., Zurfluh, K., Eugster, M., Klumpp, J., Duffy, B., Loessner, M., & Fieseler, L. (2016). Engineered phages for efficient control and rapid detection of viable Erwinia amylovora cells. Viruses of Microbes (VoM), Liverpool, United Kingdom, 18-22 July 2016.
• Born, Y., & Fieseler, L. (2016). The effectiveness of T5-like phages to control Salmonella enterica. 3rd International Conference «Bacteriophages», Moscow, Russia, 13-15 October 2016.
• Fieseler, L., & Klumpp, J. (2014). A cocktail of two bacteriophages is required to control Salmonella in vitro. Viruses of Microbes (VoM), Zurich, Switzerland, 14-18 July 2014.
• Fieseler, L. (2014). Bakteriophagen zur Kontrolle von Salmonella Typhimurium in Lebensmitteln. 7. Symposium: Schnellmethoden und Automatisierung in der Lebensmittel‐Mikrobiologie, Lemgo, Germany, 1-2 July 2014.
• Hinderling, C., Kroslakova, I., Gantenbein-Demarchi, C., Freimüller Leischtfeld, S., Delueg, S., Miescher Schwenninger, S., & Fieseler, L. (2012). Development of an efficient strategy for the identification of the dominant microflora of cocoa fermentation. 1st Swiss International Congress on Industrial Microbiology (MICROSCON), Olten, Switzerland, 16-17 October 2012.

Affiliations

Current Affiliations

• Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Lebensmittelhygiene (SGLH): President
  As president of SGLH (https://sglh.ch/) I am responsible for the organization of board meetings, general assemblies, the annual scientific meeting, and additinoal scientific or public activities. SGLH covers all aspects of food safety which fits well to the activities of the food microbiology research group at zhaw in terms of teaching, research, continued education, and services., Hirzel
  01 / 2023 - today
• phageSuisse: President elect
  As new president of phageSuisse (https://phagesuisse.ch/) I am responsible for the organization of board meetings, the general assembly, and scientific or public activities of the society. My activities at phageSuisse fit well to the research interests of the food microbiology research group at zhaw., Fribourg
  01 / 2024 - today
• Werder Stiftung: Board Member
  I am a member of the Board of Trustees of the Werder Foundation. The Werder Foundation is committed to safeguarding food safety. The Board of Trustees awards the Werder Prize annually to honor personalities of Swiss nationality, and exceptionally also foreign researchers, who have made great contributions in the field of food quality and safety, in particular food chemistry, or in other ways to the control, legislation or technology of food., Bern
  07 / 2024 - today

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