ABOUT ME
I am a passionate biochemist interested in the various facets of nature who recently transited into industry after a PhD in bioengineering at the University of Basel. I studied Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Jacobs University Bremen, afterwards moved to Cambridge University to pursue a Master's degree in Virology followed by a PhD on artificial metalloenzymes. Currently, I work as a Medical Science Liaison for the general medicines portfolio at Sanofi.
I seek an understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the beauty and complexity of the world that is hidden from our eyes because it is too small for us to be seen. However, I also enjoy the visible aspects of life. In my spare time I like to sing in choirs, I take pictures of nature, cities, birds and other animals, I travel, I'm engaged in science communication, science slams and science journalism, I try to get myself involved with politics, I craft and I go swimming or diving.
Science - Work
My undergraduate thesis dealt with the structure and function of a protein complex, called the Elongator complex. This complex is involved in chemically modifying transfer RNAs (tRNAs). These are the couriers for decoding information stored in messenger RNAs (mRNAs) into amino acid chains during the process of protein synthesis or translation. It is known that its dysfunction is implicated in neurological disorders. I studied Elongator in the "social amoeba" Dictyostelium discoideum in the group of Prof. Christian Hammann.
For my Master's project, I stayed in the field of translation and translational control and worked on the novel process of protein-transactivation of programmed ribosomal frameshifting in the group of Prof. Ian Brierley. In this process, the information stored in a single mRNA is expanded to produce two or more distinct proteins or polypeptides from a single mRNA in a controlled fashion. While reading through an mRNA to decode three nucleobases into one amino acid, the ribosome recognizes a specific signal (in this case a protein complex bound to the mRNA) and switches into reading the triplets in an alternative frame. This mechanism is of particular research interest since many viruses use and hijack it during their life cycle.
During the course of my studies, I pursued three internships in cancer research / oncology for example on transcription, the process by which mRNA is synthesized in cells. I worked on transcriptional control and epigenetics in the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, dkfz) in 2014, the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute at Cambridge University in 2015 and in the Genome Institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore in 2016. Oncology still remains my main science interest.
After I finished my studies in Cambridge, I moved to Tübingen in October 2017 to work at the Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology. I worked on the control of translation initiation using structural biology approaches (X-Ray Crystallography) and protein interaction studies. Unfortunately, my principal investigator, Elisa Izaurralde, passed away unexpectedly after fighting cancer in April 2018. Her legacy as a brilliant female scientist has been recognized around the globe and her smile, dedication and rigor will be missed.
I relocated to Basel to start a new PhD project in bioinorganic chemistry in August 2018. In the Department of Chemistry in the group of Prof. Thomas R. Ward, I work on artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs). I'm engineering ArMs with unnatural amino acids, rational design, directed evolution and high-throughput screening.
Social Service
I like science but I also very much enjoy political work.
During my time in high school, I co-founded and co-organized an ecumenical church group for young people and oversaw kids in camps in collaboration with the local YMCA. I also served as the organizer of my school's medical service for many years.
After high school, I did a political voluntary service in my hometown to work with politicians, foreigners, international students and refugees. During my time in Bremen, I was involved with the Environmental Club and helped out in a local refugee camp. In Cambridge, I conducted studies and interviews on student satisfaction as the Master's student representative of Christ's College Cambridge.
In 2018 and 2019, I served in the selection committee for the Germany Scholarship in Tübingen and for new DAAD scholars in Bonn. It's quite fun to experience being on the other side of the interview table.
I also served as the student representative in the Universitätsrat of Tübingen University and I held the chairmanship of the board of the RCDS Tübingen until April 2019.
At Basel University I started as a student representative in the departmental council and the teaching council.
Teaching
Thus far, I used every opportunity to improve my presentation skills and share my enthusiasm for biochemistry. In my undergraduate, I worked as a teaching assistant for seven courses. I corrected exams and quizzes, lab reports and taught lab courses. In Basel, I also teach in lab courses in general chemistry and I assist my professor with teaching a bioinorganic chemistry lecture.
Since September 2019, I'm additionally working as a tutor at the distance learning university of the Springer Campus for undergraduate students in chemistry.
Freetime
I started singing in my freetime during high school and continued singing in various university and church choirs. Aside from singing I love traveling and being outside. I started scuba diving in Singapore in 2016 and (since I'm living in Switzerland) I of course also enjoy hiking, skiing, climbing and so on and so forth..
