Simon obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in bioengineering and bioinformatics from Moscow State University. Later, he joined Professor Schratt’s group at the ETHZ Institute of Neuroscience as a Ph.D. student. Simon’s research focuses on elucidating the roles of human-specific non-coding RNAs and their involvement in brain development, with a particular interest in the long non-coding RNAs. Beyond the lab, Simon enjoys various activities, including hiking, snowboarding, exploring new destinations, and boxing.