Alumni

2024

Saber Ebrahimi, PhD
Thesis: Targeting neoepitopes derived from KRAS mutations for cancer-specific immunotherapy

Sara Bitar, PhD
Thesis: The role of the Fe/S cluster protein CISD1 in Parkinson's disease
Affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz

Pengyu Zhang, PhD (Double Degree with Maastricht University)
Thesis: Multisite phosphorylation of protein kinases in platelets stimulated via glycoprotein VI and G protein-coupled receptors: signaling interactions and functional impact
Affiliation: CECAD, University of Cologne

Gaukhar Baidildinova, PhD (Double Degree with Maastricht University)
Thesis: Platelet functional signatures in venous and arterial thrombotic diseases
Affiliation: Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University

Sebastian-Alexander Tölke, PhD
Thesis: Development of an immuni-LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of procalcitonin in human blood
Affiliation: Proteome Sciences, Frankfurt am Main

Dr. rer. nat. Kathrin Braband
Thesis: Characteritation of CCR8+ regulatory T cells in human tumors and healthy tissue

Sarah Dagher, PhD
Thesis: From Laughter to Lust: A Multidisciplinary Study of Tickling in Play, Emotions, and Sexual Behaviors across Species

Nevenka Dudvarski Stanković, PhD
Thesis: EGFL7 - a proangiogenic factor promoting progression of glioma
Affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry - Biochemistry Kiel

Natalie Holz, MD/PhD
Thesis: Rethinking intensity in vocal affect communication

2023

Dr. med. Navid Farassat, MD/PhD
Thesis: In vivo and in vitro functional diversity of midbrain dopamine neurons within identified axonal projections
Affiliation: University Medical Center Freiburg

Ayşegül Yıldız, PhD
Thesis: Exploring the potential of trans-amplifying RNA as a vector for the delivery of pluripotency-associated transcription factors and microRNAs
Affiliation: TRON

Dr. rer. nat. Nadine Kamenjarin
Thesis: The control of mononuclear phagocytes over primary and secondary CD8+ T cell responses to virus infection of the skin
Affiliation: Biospring, Frankfurt am Main

Dr. rer. nat. Joschka Bartneck
Thesis: Characterizing the tumor microenvironment upon transcutaneous immunization by single-cell RNA-sequencing-implications for cancer immunotherapy
Affiliation: BioNTech

Irina Kovlyagina, PhD
Thesis: Freezing responses during threat memory retrieval reflect trait-like anxiety endophenotypes in inbred mice
Affiliation: Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz

Josef Shin, MD/PhD
Thesis: Cav1.3 regulates the dynamic firing range of dopamine neurons in the lateral substantia nigra pars compacta
Affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Mainz

Yawen Zhou, PhD
Thesis: The role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in adipocytes of high-fat diet-induced obese mice
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, University Medical Center Mainz

Yu-San Kao, PhD
Thesis: The role of de novo fatty acid synthesis in psoriasis
Affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Mainz

Aya Khamis Saad Khamis Hassan, PhD
Thesis:The role of vitamin D receptor in head and neck cancer
Affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. med. Lukas Müller, MD/PhD
Thesis: Novel deep learning approaches in risk and prognosis prediction in patients with primary liver malignancies
Affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Natalia Truong-Andrievici
Thesis: GPR65-dependent composition of the tumour milieu of highly glycolytic tumours
Affiliation: Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Julia Schäfer
Thesis: Metabolic reprogramming in SIRT6-deficient hepatoblastoma cells and impact on anti-tumor response of macrophages
Affiliation: Abbot

Anna Mavromanoli, PhD
Thesis: FOLLOW-UP CARE OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE PULMONARY EMBOLISM: Validation of a Strategy Integrating Clinical, Haemodynamic and Laboratory Parameters with Patient-Reported Outcomes
Affiliation:Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center Mainz

Nassim Sahragard, PhD
Thesis: Plasticity-Related Gene (PRG) 1 and PRG-4 form protein complexes: characterization and functional implications

Liana Marengo de Medeiros, PhD
Thesis: The functional role of Meprin β in Alzheimer’s Disease mouse models
Current Affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz

Umair Hassan, PhD
Thesis: Investigating the function of neural oscillations using real-time EEG-triggered transcranial magnetic stimulation
Current Affiliation: Keller Laboratory, Standford Medicine, Stanford University, USA

2022

Yong Wang, PhD
Thesis:Early traumatic targeting of microglia / macrophages to treat traumatic brain injury in mice
Current Affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, China

Sara Becker, PhD
Thesis: In vitro targeting of murine cytomegalovirus immune evasion proteins and transcriptional control of the m152 gene
Current Affiliation: Institute of Virology, University Hospital Bonn

Ksenija Vujačić-Mirski, PhD
Thesis: Detection of reactive oxygen species and markers of oxidative stress in cardiovascular health and disease
Current Affiliation: GANZIMMUN Diagnostics GmbH

Sonia Ruggieri, PhD
Thesis: Role of CKAMP44 in retinogeniculate synapses
Current Affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. Vinzenz Särchen
Thesis: Molecular dissection of BV6 induced sensitization of rhabdomyosarcoma spheroids towards NK cell attack
Current Affiliation: University Medical Center Rostock

Shuailong Li, PhD
Thesis: Investigations on microglia in the context of phagocytosis, subtype identity, and experimental brain injury

Marin Kuntić, PhD
Thesis: Establishment and characterization of new animal models to study the adverse cardiovascular effects of E-cigarettes, particulate matter and synergistic effects of noise and particulate matter exposure using novel exposure systems
Current Affiliation: Department of Cardiology I, University Medical Center Mainz

Elena Andres, PhD
Thesis: A translational and multi-methodological study on prediction error related processes in extinction learning and memory consolidation

Maoren Wang, PhD
Thesis: The influence of glaucoma and chronic social defeat stress on retinal arterioles

Dr. rer. nat. Johanna Helmstädter
Thesis: "Comprehensive characterization of cardiovascular protection by the GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) analog liraglutide in experimental arterial hypertension"
Current affiliation: Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim am Rhein

Maria Teresa Bayo Jimenez, PhD
Thesis: Noise-induced vascular dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation- role of heme oxygenase-1 for vascular protection and adaptive response as well as additive adverse effects of noise in mouse models of diabetes and myocardial infarction  

Johanna Kurzawa, PhD
Thesis: Investigation of the role of AAK1 in PD pathogenesis

Sanela Kalinovic, PhD
Thesis: Development of analytical assays for the detection and quantification of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in an animal model of arterial hypertension and other vascular complications - impact of ROS-induced inflammation and vice versa
Current affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Felicia Dietsche
Thesis: The effect of knockout and mutation of the Transmembrane BAX Inhibitor Motif containing protein 5 (TMBIM5) on cellular and mitochondrial function in cells and mice
Current affiliation: Pierre Fabre, Freiburg

2021

Dr. rer. nat. Hanane Lahnif
Thesis: Development of novel small-molecule drug conjugates for diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer

Sedigheh Givi, PhD
Thesis: NKp30-CAR redirected, TCR-negative T lymphocytes elicit potent anti-tumoral responses to B7H6 expressing acute myeloid leukemia and melanoma
Current affiliation: Department of Neurooncology, Goethe University Frankfurt

Andrea Cugurra, PhD
Thesis: Myeloid cells at CNS borders: immune reservoirs ready to be used upon central nervous system demand

Fuguang Zhao, PhD
Thesis: New approaches for cisplatinresistant bladder cancer

Natascha Ihbe, PhD
Thesis: A switch in L-type voltage gated calcium channel α subunits in GABAergic interneurons of the mouse somatosensory cortex mediates functional reorganization after traumatic brain injury
Current affiliation: Multi Channel Systems GmbH, Reutlingen

Dr. med. David Herzog, MD/PhD
Thesis: "Modelling heterogeneity of response to antidepressant treatment in the DBA/2J mouse strain: validation of the approach and mechanistic insights into the phenomenon of “response”"
Current affiliation: Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz

Lynn Bitar, PhD
Thesis: Bioactive Lipid Signaling in Acute Brain Injury
Current affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dumitru Ciolac, PhD
Thesis: Analysis of longitudinal alterations in cortical connectivity and immune responses in patients with multiple sclerosis
Current affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Yagmur Bülbül
Thesis: Charakterisierung einer neuartigen T-Zell Stimulation durch humane neutrophile Granulozyten
Current afiliation: Sanofi, Erlangen 

Katelyn Frenis, PhD
Thesis: Noise-induced vascular dysfunction and arterial hypertension – role of eNOS uncoupling, ROS formation from phagocytic NADPH oxidase and vascular infiltration of immune cells
Current affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA

Margaryta Tevosian, PhD
Thesis: Anandamide signaling resilience to stress-induced behavioral dysregulation
Current affiliation: Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Julian Sohl
Current affiliation: Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Samantha Schmaul
Thesis: TrpA1 activation dampens neuroinflammation via MHC class II modulation on astrocytes
Current affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Mainz

Julia Schmiedeke, PhD
Thesis: Impact of murine cytomegalovirus proteins on mast cell degranulation
Current affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Stockholm, Sweden

2020

Dr. rer. nat. Angela Radetz
Thesis: "Identifying distinct patterns of functional and structural brain integrity in early autoimmune neuroinflammation"
Current affiliation: Neurostimulation Group, Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz

Davide Bassetti, PhD
Thesis: "Developmental profile of mTOR-dependent synaptic dysfunction of the medial prefrontal cortex in Tsc2^+/- mice"
Current affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Aniello Lombardi, PhD
Thesis: "Mechanisms and functional consequences of short term plasticity in the GABAergic system of immature and adult circuits"
Current affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Anke Werner
Thesis: "Die Bedeutung von Aminosäuretransportern und endogener Synthese für die Bereitstellung von Arginin in humanen T-Lymphozyten und chronischen lymphatischen Leukämiezellen"
Current affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University Medical Center Mainz

Sharon Pereira, PhD
Thesis: "Differential effect of Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFβ) family members on tumor initiating and invasive properties in primary liver cancer"

Katja Schüler, PhD
Thesis: "Computational Approaches to Stress Resilience: Partial Least Squares Regression and Network Analysis as Methods to Quantify the Resilient Functioning of Mental Health and to Model Resilience Factors"
Current affiliation: Medical Informatics Groups (MIG), Goethe University Frankfurt

Consuelo Fois, PhD
Thesis: "Adult neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb: an all-optical physiology approach to explore the functional role of the newborn neurons in the sensory processing"
Current affiliation: Evotec, Orth a. d. Donau, Austria

Haichao Ji, PhD
Thesis: "Activity-dependent regulation of postsynaptic PRG-1 function via calpain"
Current affiliation: Center of Anatomy, University Hospital, Cologne

Dr. rer. nat. Franziska Krebs
Thesis: "Zelluläre und molekulare Biomarker immunologisch vermittelter Krankheitsbilder am Beispiel von Tumor und Autoimmunität"
Current affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. physiol. Lisa Eggebrecht
Thesis: "Oral anticoagulation therapy – Clinical application and pleiotropic effects on the cardiovascular system"
Current affiliation: Center for Epidemiology and Health Research (ZEG), Berlin

Stefanie Keller, PhD
Thesis:  "Exploration of the oncogene EGFRvIII as a target for the cure of malignant brain tumors"
Current affiliation: streamedup!, Wiesbaden

Dr. rer. nat. Meike Kespohl
Thesis: "Impact of the ISG15 System on Coxsackievirus B3 infection"
Current Affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Charité Berlin 

Verica Vasic, PhD
Thesis:  "EGFL7 affects hippocampal neurogenesis with consequences for learning and memory"
Current affiliation: Institute of Microanatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Wenqiang Fan, PhD
Thesis:  "Role of Yap1 in adult neural stem cell proliferation and maintenance"
Current affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Aiwei Liu, PhD
Thesis: "Fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscope and supplement of agonistic TrkB antibody in a glaucoma model"
Current affiliation: Dizal Pharma, Shanghai, China

2019

Radhika Menon, PhD
Thesis: "Modeling X-linked Opitz BBB/G syndrome using human cerebral organoids reveals an altered neurodevelopmental program"
Current affiliation: Mimetas, Leiden, Netherlands

Sarah Ayash, PhD
Thesis: "Mouse Models of Social Stress: Understanding Resilience through Refinement of Phenotypic"
Current affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz

Caroline Fischer, PhD
Thesis: "Tetrahydrobiopterin bridges redox and lysophosphatidic acid signaling in itch sensation"
Current affiliation: Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University Frankfurt

Snjezana Mikulicic, PhD
Thesis: "A study on human papillomavirus entry: Formation of the entry receptor complex"
Current affiliation: Institute of Virology, University Medical Center Mainz

Venkata Chaitanya Chirumamilla, PhD
Thesis: "Establishing the analytical and statistical framework for connectivity analysis of MRI and EEG data"
Current affiliation: Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

Dr. rer. nat. Sarah Dietzen
Thesis: "Funktionelle Charakterisierung IRF4-gesteuerter Transkriptionsfaktorkomplexe in Th9-Zellen"

Venkata Garlapati, PhD
Thesis: "Tissue factor cytoplasmic tail regulates myeloid cell activation and superoxide formation in chronic myocardial infarction"
Current affiliation: Department of Cardiology I, University Medical Center Mainz

Min Chen, PhD
Thesis: "Maternal PETN treatment in hypertensive rat models"

Shibajee Mandal, PhD
Thesis: "Interleukin-4 treatment repairs axon damage in neuroinflammation"
Current affiliation: Charles River, Kuopio, Finland

Nabin Koirala, PhD
Thesis: "Structural network characterization in patients with Parkinson's disease"
Current affiliation: Haskins Laboratories, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Guilherme Horta, PhD
Thesis: "Synaptic phospholipid signaling at cortical glutamatergic synapses: role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders"
Current affiliation: Institute of Microanatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center Mainz

Janine Wilting, PhD
Thesis: "Structural and cognitive alterations in early multiple sclerosis – a combined magnetic resonance imaging and clinical study"
Current affiliation: LWL Klinik Marsberg

 

2018

Alaa Ibrahim, PhD
Thesis: "The role of TLR-4 in the generation of posttraumatic inflammation in the tibia fracture model"
Current affiliation: Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA

Georg Payrhuber, PhD
Thesis: "The role of PRG1 at the dendritic spine"
Current affiliation: Test Engineer, P3 Systems GmbH, Stuttgart

Andrea Schnatz, PhD                                                                                                                             
Thesis: "Early events after axon injury: a link between regenerative signaling and axonal ribisome transfer"
Current affiliation: Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Anna Gerlicher, PhD

Thesis: "Dopaminergic enhancement of extinction memory consolidation"
Current affiliation: Clinical Psychology Department, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Klytaimnistra Kiouptsi, PhD
Thesis: "Influences of gut microbiota, hypoxia and F8-deficiency on plasmatic von Willebrand factor levels and integrin αIIbβ3 mediated platelet function"
Current affiliation: Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Anja Klein
Thesis: "Functionalisation of biomaterials with bone sialoprotein for joint and bone replacement"
Current affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Medical Center Mainz

Dr. rer. nat. Heide-Katharina Bauer
Thesis: "Etablierung und Charakterisierung eines prävaskularisierten in vitro Schleimhaut-Äquivalents"
Current affiliation: Operative Consulting at agap2, Frankfurt

Sadhna Sahani, PhD
Thesis: "Role of plasticity-related gene-2 (PRG-2) in processing of precise somatosensory information"
Current affiliation: Regulatory Affairs, Coty, Frankfurt

2017

Qi Wang, PhD
Thesis: "Nitric oxide guanylyl cyclase isoform 1 facilitates presynaptic transmitter release and modulates brain damage after unilateral traumatic brain injury through regulation of TNF-α expression in the sensorimotor cortex of mice"
Current affiliation: Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA

Jin Cheng, PhD
Thesis: "Precise somatotopic thalamocortical axon guidance depends on LPA-mediated PRG-2/radixin signaling"
Current affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience (ION), Shanghai, China

Alireza Pouya, PhD
Thesis: "Effects of mutant GDAP1 on mitochondrial dynamics and function in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease studied in neural cells differentiated from patient-derived pluripotent stem cells"
Current affiliation: Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg University

Carine Thalman, PhD
Thesis: "The role of autotaxin at glutamatergic synapses"
Current affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Mainz

Lianyong Qiao, PhD
Thesis: "Molecular cause and functional impact of Plasticity-related gene-1 SNP"
Current affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking, China

2016

Amgad Droby, PhD
Thesis: "Structural and functional imaging of neuronal compartment damage in multiple sclerosis patients"
Current affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Florie Le Prieult, PhD
Thesis: "Early cortical transhemispheric alterations after unilateral traumatic brain injury in the mouse sensorimotor cortex"
Current affiliation: AbbVie, Neuroscience R&D, Ludwigshafen

2015

Yunbo Li, PhD
Thesis: "Plasticity-related Gene 1 Specifically Mediates Lysophosphatidic Acid Uptake"
Current affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, USA

Xingfeng Liu, PhD
Thesis: "PRG-1 Regulates Cell Adhesion via PP2A/ß1-integrin Signaling"
Current affiliation: Guizhou Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China