Where Are They Now? Alumni Stories

I joined Balance of the Microverse in October 2022 as a postdoctoral researcher in the “Innate Immunity” project, focussing on host–pathogen interactions and innate immune sensing mechanisms in infectious and inflammatory diseases. Although formally employed at Universitätsklinikum Jena under the supervision of Prof. Michael Bauer and Prof. Ignacio Rubio, I carried out most of my experimental work at UConn Health (USA) in the laby of Prof. Vijay Rathinam. This global framework allowed me to bridge two scientific environments, strengthening collaboration between Jena and the United States.

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at UConn Health (USA), where I work on vaccine development strategies against Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis. My current research builds directly on the scientific foundations and collaborations developed during my time within the Microverse Cluster, as it provided an intellectually stimulating and collaborative environment that fostered scientific independence, interdisciplinary dialogue, and international cooperation. Working within this framework strengthened my ability to manage complex research projects and coordinate cross-institutional collaborations.

During my PhD in Prof. Steinbeck’s group, my research focused on computational metabolomics, developing the fully automated Metabolome Annotation Workflow (MAW) to analyze LC-MS/MS data. I was also a data staward for the Microverse RA-A subgroup during that time. I collaborated with Prof. Pohnert’s group for analytical chemistry guidance and data and also with Prof. Birgitta for computational workflow FAIRification, within the Microverse cluster.

I am currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg. In this role, I am collaborating with Roche Pharma and ChEMBL team to enhance the gut microbiome driven small-molecule drugs biotransformation. The Microverse cluster provided a collaborative environment which helped me understand how to bridge the gap between computational engineering and the practical needs of chemists and biologists. I also found my passion in the development of reproducible software and the "FAIRification" of data. These are the skills that I rely on today for my industry and academic collaborations.

I was involved in the Project “Dynamics in the synthetic microhabitats” mainly collaborating with the group of Prof. Stallforth and group of Prof. Hertweck. After the group of Dr. Hillmann moved to Wismar, I started working as Marketing & Sales Manager at the ASKION GmbH. Here I own a fluorescence microscopy platform lifecycle, taking full responsibility for its market success.

The Microverse cluster played a meaningful role for my current career. Through exposure to a network of professionals in biotechnology and research, I gained deeper insight into how advanced technologies—such as fluorescence microscopy platforms and automation systems—are applied in real lab environments. Engaging with this community also helped me better understand the needs, challenges, and decision-making processes of researchers and lab operators. This has been particularly valuable in my sales role, where translating complex technical capabilities into clear customer value is essential.