Charlotte Esser PhD

Charlotte Esser received her Ph.D. in genetics in 1990 from the University of Cologne, Germany. She is currently a group leader at the IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine and a professor at the University of Düsseldorf, Germany.

Her research focuses on the immunological and immunotoxicological functions of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, a transcription factor activated by small molecules such as indoles from plant nutrients, or dioxins as an environmental pollutant.

Charlotte has been an advocate for women in science for many years and believes that science needs diverse viewpoints and energies. She is convinced that the structural hurdles and "unconscious bias" barriers against women in science must be acknowledged and addressed for the future of science.