Lilli Gralla holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master's in Quantitative Molecular Biology from Humboldt University in Berlin. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in the Pathogen Evolution department at HIOH and the University of Greifswald, focusing on the evolution of RNA viruses. Her research aims to recover ancient RNA virus genetic material from polar environments, utilizing a variety of samples such as permafrost to uncover their evolutionary histories. Outside of her academic pursuits, Lilli enjoys running, knitting and cooking.