University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfGermany
Syed Hani Hassan Abidi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciences , School of Medicine , Nazarbayev University , Kazakhstan. His research integrates virology , immunology , viral oncology , and bioinformatics , with a focus on HIV molecular epidemiology , viral evolution , and drug resistance . He has led international projects across Pakistan, Kenya, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan, and is recognized for innovative teaching and MOOC development. Education: PhD in Virology and Immunology Research Interests: His laboratory employs bioinformatics (machine learning, AI), genomics , and proteomics to study HIV phylodynamics , viral co-infections , and oncogenic viruses like EBV in prostate cancer. He also explores microbiome-immunity interactions and designs antiviral drugs/vaccines . Recent Research Trends: His 2025 publications emphasize COVID-19 immunopathology , HIV/syphilis epidemiology in Pakistan , and particle physics contributions via ATLAS , showcasing interdisciplinary impact. Awards & Recognition: Outstanding Teachers Award (2019, Aga Khan University) Fellowship of Higher Education (UK, 2022) Teaching & Grants: He pioneered Pakistan’s first MOOC on Computer-Based Drug Discovery (2014) and received a 2022 SoTL grant for MOOC-based molecular biology education. His teaching integrates animations , films , and flipped classrooms . Collaborations & Labs: Leads projects on HIV drug resistance , HCV genomics in Kazakhstan , and AI-driven dementia diagnostics (Kazakh Brain Atlas). His lab collaborates with global institutions to advance viral disease surveillance and therapeutic innovation .
Professor Matthias Mann is a world-leading scientist serving as Director of the Proteomics and Signal Transduction department at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany, and Director of the Proteomics department at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. With an h-index exceeding 277 and over 350,000 citations, he is recognized as the highest cited German researcher and one of the most influential scientists globally in proteomics. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Yale University (1988) Master's Degree in Physics from Georg August University Göttingen (1984) Bachelor's of Arts in Mathematics from Georg August University Göttingen (1982) Professor Mann's research focuses on advancing mass spectrometry-based proteomics to understand biological systems at the protein level. His work spans technological developments in mass spectrometry, bioinformatics and computational analysis, signal transduction and posttranslational modifications, and clinical proteomics applications for disease diagnosis and treatment. The Mann lab has pioneered groundbreaking methods like SILAC for quantitative proteomics and MaxQuant for proteome data analysis. Their vision is to translate proteomics knowledge into clinical practice for predictive, diagnostic, and preventive medicine, with recent work focusing on AI-guided platforms for analyzing proteomes from minimal tissue samples. Analysis of Professor Mann's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward clinical applications of proteomics, particularly in cancer research, metabolic diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. His work increasingly integrates spatial proteomics, single-cell resolution techniques, and artificial intelligence approaches to uncover disease mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers, with a clear shift from basic technology development toward direct clinical applications and personalized medicine. Professor Mann has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career: 2025: Elected member of the American National Academy of Sciences 2024: Dr. H.P. Heineken Award for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2023: Otto Warburg Medal 2019: Nominated member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences 2013: Elected member of Leopoldina German National Academy of Sciences 2012: Körber European Science Award, Louis-Jeantet Foundation Prize for Medicine, Ernst Schering Prize, and Leibniz Prize Professor Mann leads a highly collaborative research team involved in multiple international networks including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, CLINSPECT-M, and Munich Heart Alliance. His lab has mentored numerous successful researchers, with several former postdocs receiving prestigious ERC Starting Grants. The Mann group has developed innovative clinical proteomics pipelines for analyzing archived tissue specimens and body fluids, aiming to identify protein markers for early detection of diseases such as diabetes and cancer. The Mann lab operates across two major research centers with state-of-the-art mass spectrometry facilities. Their Clinical Knowledge Graph platform integrates multi-omics data with extensive metadata, creating an ecosystem for machine learning applications in proteomics. Current research focuses on developing highly sensitive methods that can profile thousands of proteins from minimal cell samples, enabling the identification of critical disease-related proteins and supporting the development of individualized therapies.
Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of BonnGermany
Prof. Waldemar Kolanus leads the Molecular Immunology and Cell Biology department at the University of Bonn's Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES) . His research bridges immunoregulation , stem cell dynamics , and metabolic stress responses in immune cells. Unit 2 member at LIMES Principal investigator in SFB 704 and ImmunoSensation Cluster Leads a multidisciplinary lab with postdocs, PhD students, and technical staff His work focuses on intracellular signaling pathways connecting immune activation to tissue homeostasis, particularly through: Cytohesin proteins in integrin-mediated adhesion and migration TRIM71 in stem cell regulation and congenital hydrocephalus High-salt environments affecting macrophage function Publication trends show expertise in immune cell migration , genetic models , and chemical inhibition , with frequent use of mice and zebrafish for in vivo studies. Key articles explore: TRIM71's dual role in auditory development and germ cell maintenance Cytohesin family's Golgi regulation and insulin signaling Ruxolitinib's off-target migration inhibition of dendritic cells Contact details: Address: LIMES Institute, Carl-Troll-Straße 31, Bonn Email: kolanus.sekretariat@uni-bonn.de Phone: +49 228 73-62788
Konstantinos Anastassiadis is a Professor at the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB) of Dresden University of Technology , leading the Stem Cell Engineering group at the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) . His research focuses on unraveling molecular pathways regulating stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment, with a strong emphasis on genetic engineering tool development and epigenetic mechanisms during cellular reprogramming. The lab utilizes mouse and human embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in their investigations. Core Research Areas: Molecular regulation of stem cell fate Epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., UTX/UTY histone demethylases) Genetic engineering tool development (Flp, Dre, Vika recombinases, CRISPR protocols) Conditional immortalization systems for rare cell expansion Publications highlight his contributions to understanding: Role of histone methyltransferases (MLL1, MLL2, Setd1b) in hematopoiesis and cancer Epigenetic regulation during mouse development and spermatogenesis Genetic tools for protein tagging, transposon-mediated BAC transgenesis Interactions between stem cells and niche microenvironments Transcriptional and mechanical markers during reprogramming Collaborations span immunology , developmental biology , and bioinformatics . The lab actively participates in teaching activities at CMCB and maintains a focus on translational applications of stem cell research.
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchGermany
Omer Bayraktar is a Group Leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute , leading research in the Cellular Genomics Programme. His work focuses on decoding human brain cellular diversity using spatial transcriptomics , imaging , and functional screening to study neural complexity in health and disease. Bayraktar's educational background includes a PhD from HHMI under Chris Doe, investigating neural diversity development in Drosophila , followed by postdoctoral work at University of California, San Francisco and University of Cambridge as a Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellow. He developed a spatial transcriptomic pipeline during his postdoc to analyze astrocyte heterogeneity in the cerebral cortex. His research explores neural cell type mapping , glial-neuronal interactions , and cellular pathways in neurodevelopmental disorders . Recent publications emphasize 3D tissue mapping , multi-omic integration , and computational tools like Cell2fate and WebAtlas. His work bridges neurogenetics and computational biology to advance understanding of human tissue ecosystems. Bayraktar's lab collaborates with the Human Cell Atlas initiative and develops technologies such as automated histology pipelines and highly-multiplexed smFISH for molecular cell typing. His team also investigates glia-based therapies and astrocyte functional heterogeneity in neurodevelopmental contexts. Key scientific contributions include: Discovering astrocyte layer patterns independent of neuronal laminae Developing cell2location for spatial cell mapping Characterizing Drosophila neural stem cell models with human relevance Notable awards include the Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellowship during his postdoctoral training. His current group includes a PhD student , Senior Data Scientists , and Bioinformaticians .
Prof. Dr. Oliver Krüger is a behavioral ecologist and evolutionary biologist at Bielefeld University 's Faculty of Biology , where he leads the Department of Animal Behaviour since 2013. His research spans avian and marine mammal systems, focusing on life history strategies, parasite-host interactions, and environmental adaptation. Education: Biology studies at Bielefeld University (1994-1996) MSc in Oxford (1996-1997) PhD at Bielefeld University with Fritz Trillmich and Jan Lindström (1998-2000) Research Themes: Behavioral ecology, evolutionary biology, and population dynamics across tropical and temperate ecosystems. Key projects include NC³ (Niche Choice/Construction) and studies on Galápagos sea lions, common buzzards, and pinniped species. Scientific Leadership: Spokesperson, SFB TRR 212 "NC³" (2018-2025) Advisory Board member: German Ornithologists Union, IUCN SSC pinniped group, German Primate Centre Peer review roles: Humboldt Foundation, DFG, HFSP, NSF Awards: Leopoldina Prize (2001) Niko Tinbergen Award (2008) DFG Heisenberg Professorship (2010-2015)
Prof. Joachim Spatz is a Full Professor of Biophysical Chemistry at Heidelberg University and Director of the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research. His academic career includes roles as Director at MPI for Metals Research (2004–2015) and Founding Director of the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE). He holds a PhD from Ulm University and habilitation in Physics, with postdoctoral training at the Institut Curie, Paris. His research spans cellular biophysics, materials science, and synthetic biology, focusing on mechanotransduction, cell-material interactions, and engineered biological systems. Education: 1989–1994: Dipl. Phys. (Physics), Ulm University & Colorado State University 1994–1996: PhD (summa cum laude), Ulm University 2000: Habilitation in Physics, Ulm University Research Interests: Spatz’s work integrates biophysics, materials science, and engineering to study cellular mechanics, synthetic cells, and mechanosensing. Key projects include developing synthetic cell models using microfluidics and exploring how mechanical forces regulate cell behavior in health and disease. Awards: 2017 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize 2012 ERC Advanced Grant (with Prof. B. Geiger) 2002 Alfried Krupp Research Award Labs & Collaborations: Leads the Cellular Biophysics Department at MPI for Medical Research and collaborates with institutions like the Weizmann Institute and Jackson Laboratory. Active in interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Max Planck School Matter to Life.
Prof. Veronika Somoza is a leading academic in Nutritional Systems Biology, currently affiliated with the University of Vienna and Technical University of Munich (TUM). She holds a professorship in Molecular Food Science and has led key research groups such as the Institute of Physiological Chemistry and the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Bioactive Aromatics. Her career includes roles at institutions like the German Research Institute for Food Chemistry (Garching) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Education: Diplom (Justus Liebig University Giessen, 1991), PhD (University of Vienna, 1995), Habilitation (Kiel University, 2002) Research Focus: Bioactive food compounds, flavor chemistry, taste receptor signaling, and gastrointestinal physiology Her work bridges food science and human health, particularly in understanding how food ingredients influence digestion, inflammation, and disease. Notable contributions include discoveries on bitter peptide effects on gastric acid secretion and flavor perception modulation. Awards: FEMA Excellence in Flavor Science (2016), ACS AGFD Fellow (2020), Hans Adolf Krebs Prize (2004) Prof. Somoza has pioneered methodologies in atomic force microscopy for foodborne virus detection and developed bitterness-masking compounds for pharmaceuticals. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates nanobiophysics with nutrition to advance functional food design and clinical applications.
Juliane Walz serves as a W3 Professor of Peptide-based Immunotherapy and Medical Director at the University of Tübingen's Faculty of Medicine. She is centrally affiliated with the Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) and leads the clinic for Peptide-based Immunotherapy within the KKE Translational Immunology group. Her research focuses on developing peptide-based immunotherapeutic strategies with strong translational emphasis, bridging laboratory discoveries to clinical applications. This work spans cancer immunotherapy, infectious disease immunology, and advanced vaccinology, leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex immune-mediated disorders through novel peptide vaccine design and therapeutic implementation. Professor Walz's clinic operates within the University of Tübingen's translational research ecosystem, actively contributing to the Cluster of Excellence iFIT's mission of advancing infection and immunity research through cross-disciplinary integration of basic science and clinical practice.
Prof. Friederike Ebner holds the Chair of Infection Pathogenesis at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 2023, within the TUM School of Life Sciences. Her research focuses on the immunobiology of parasite infections, particularly studying gastrointestinal helminths like Ascaris suum and their interactions with host immune systems to design novel intervention strategies. She also develops biomedical models for studying infectious diseases. Educational Background: Friederike Ebner earned a biotechnology degree from TU Berlin and Dongseo University (South Korea). She completed her PhD in biology at Humboldt University Berlin (2014), followed by postdoctoral research in immunology at Freie Universität Berlin, where she became an assistant professor before moving to TUM. Research Interests: Her work spans helminth-host immune dynamics, vaccine development, microbiome interactions in parasitic infections, and translational models for human diseases. Key topics include Th2/Th1 immune balance, helminth-derived immunomodulators, and xenotransplantation safety. Notable Contributions: Her recent studies address diagnostic methods for ascariasis, microbiome roles in helminth survival, and immunotherapeutic applications of parasite products. Current efforts emphasize bridging fundamental immunology with clinical and veterinary applications. Professional Activities: Prof. Ebner teaches immunology and parasite biology at TUM while maintaining active collaborations in global health and infectious disease research. She advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to address knowledge gaps in parasitology and vaccinology.
Dr. Angelika Rambold is a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, Germany, heading the Laboratory for Metabolic Organelle Networks in Immunology within the Department of Developmental Immunology. Previously affiliated with the University of Münster's Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE) and Institute of Medical Biochemistry until January 2025, she investigates how intracellular organelle networks regulate immune cell function during inflammation, infection, and metabolic stress. Her research centers on dynamic interactions between mitochondria, lysosomes, lipid droplets, and autophagosomes during cellular adaptation to nutrient deprivation and pathogen challenge. Key interests include organelle communication mechanisms in immune cell activation, metabolic reprogramming in T cells and macrophages, and how defects in organelle networks drive primary immunodeficiencies like Chediak-Higashi syndrome. She employs advanced live-cell microscopy, super-resolution imaging, metabolomics, and single-cell transcriptomics to dissect these processes in primary immune cells and human disease models. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on mitochondrial dynamics as a central regulator of immune cell metabolism and fate determination. Landmark studies demonstrate TFEB-mediated itaconate synthesis for bacterial control in macrophages and coordinated organelle network responses during starvation, establishing critical links between organelle communication, immunometabolism, and disease pathogenesis across multiple immune cell types. Dr. Rambold serves as a supervisor in the Cells in Motion International Max Planck Research School (CiM-IMPRS) Graduate Programme, mentoring PhD students in interdisciplinary research. Her laboratory maintains active collaboration with the Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI) at the University of Freiburg to translate basic findings on organelle-mediated immune defects into clinical insights for patient-oriented research.
Bertram Müller-Myhsok is a Research Professor and Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany. His research focuses on statistical genetics and transcriptomic data analysis in psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, and their treatment responses. He integrates machine learning with genetic and clinical data to develop predictive models and stratified treatment approaches. Professional activities include leadership roles in the International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry and collaborations with institutions like the Institut du Cerveau (Paris) and Bernhard Nocht Institute (Hamburg). His work spans genetic epidemiology, psychiatric genomics, and precision medicine, with over 400 publications in high-impact journals. Key research areas include identifying genetic risk factors for mental disorders, developing polygenic scores, and leveraging omics data to uncover disease mechanisms. He leads projects like Psych-STRATA, a Horizon Europe-funded initiative advancing personalized psychiatry through pharmacogenomics.
University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfGermany
Stefan Kluge is a Professor at the Department of Intensive Care within the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf . With over 150 publications in 2025-2024 alone, his work focuses on critical care medicine, sepsis, ARDS, and cardiogenic shock. His recent research explores ARDS impact on liver cirrhosis outcomes Hyperoxia effects in traumatic brain injury Biomarkers for cardiogenic shock prognosis Novel retrograde limb perfusion techniques during ECPR Dual-energy CT for body composition analysis He contributes extensively to German national guidelines for nosocomial pneumonia and participates in multi-center critical care trials. Stefan Kluge's collaborations span neuro-intensive care , cardiovascular research , and infection/immunity domains. His work integrates machine learning applications and medical informatics to improve ICU decision-making.
Prof. Oliver Seitz leads the Bioorganic Synthesis research group at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin. His lab focuses on cutting-edge chemical biology approaches for protein/nucleic acid interrogation, with recent work advancing DNA/RNA-programmed assemblies for cellular imaging and therapeutic applications. Research spans chemical protein synthesis, glycoprotein/phosphoprotein engineering, and nucleic acid-templated reactions. Key innovations include Forced Intercalation (FIT) probes for wash-free RNA imaging, loss-of-affinity principles for catalytic efficiency, and peptide-PNA conjugates for targeted cellular delivery. The group actively develops tools for live-cell protein labeling and biomolecular spatial screening. Recent publications (2021-2024) emphasize fluorescence-based detection systems, catalytic templated reactions, and therapeutic peptide synthesis. Trends show increasing sophistication in multi-dye probes, glycan engineering, and RNA-triggered pro-drug activation. Scientific awards include: Max Bergmann Award (2019) Prof. Seitz actively advises doctoral students, with recent graduates Marvin Björn Stutz (2023, magna cum laude ), Dino Gluhacevic von Krüchten (2023, summa cum laude ), and Sophie Schöllkopf (2023, magna cum laude ). Current PhD candidates include Ekaterina Kazakova (glycoprotein synthesis), Alina Herfort (phosphoproteins), and Lina-Marie Beck (peptide-nucleic acid conjugates), with postdocs like Dr. Mandana Oloub (viscosity sensors). The Bioorganic Synthesis lab operates within Berlin's vibrant chemical research ecosystem, utilizing specialized techniques for chemical protein synthesis and nucleic acid detection. Recent team growth reflects ongoing projects in RNA imaging, catalytic templated reactions, and therapeutic conjugate development, supported by open positions for new researchers.
University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfGermany
Martin Gosau is a Professor at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery within the Medical Faculty of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). His research focuses on Oral Surgery , Maxillofacial Surgery , and Regenerative Medicine , with a strong emphasis on Dental Implants , Head and Neck Cancer , and Oral Pathology . University: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf School: Medical Faculty Department: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Academic Rank: Professor His recent work explores: Oral Health in Genetic Disorders (e.g., hypophosphatasia) Advanced Surgical Techniques (e.g., nanosecond lasers, fluorescence angiography) Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (e.g., silk fibroin membranes, extracellular vesicles) Cancer Prognostics (e.g., DCBLD1 overexpression in HNSCC) Key trends in his 15 most recent articles include applications of machine learning in oral diagnostics, stem cell research for bone regeneration, and biomaterials in reconstructive surgery. He frequently collaborates with Ralf Smeets and Thomas Vollkommer , with publications spanning Frontiers in Immunology , Oral Surgery , and Scientific Reports .
