Detail

What I offer

As a junior group leader at the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery, I work on developing advanced primary tissue-derived co-culture models to study the impact of the tumor microenvironment on the therapeutic response and progression of various types of solid tumors. As a mentor, I want to be your strategic discussion partner and offer an independent, outside perspective to help you deal with everyday PhD challenges. Having also completed my PhD at the Medical University of Vienna, I have first-hand experience of studying at our university, but have also experienced challenges of moving/studying abroad and balancing family life with an academic career, as mother of 2 children. As a mentor, I want to support you on your personal journey and help you find the courage to ´carve´ your own path. 

I can offer you:

• A trusting, supportive and confidential environment
• Discussing challenging interpersonal relationships
• Advice on planning critical PhD milestones and time-management
• Discussing good scientific practices and application of appropriate methodologies for your research
• Guidelines on writing scientific papers or your thesis
• Advice for scientific presentations/conference talks
•  Advice on studying/doing research abroad
• Grant writing possibilities for early career researchers
• Discussing managing caregiving obligations/family with a PhD 

I offer also the topic "Studying with a child".

What I expect from the students

• Genuine interest in personal and professional development
• Respectful and open communication
• Exchange of ideas
• Openness to feedback
• Team spirit
• Implementation of agreed-upon steps
• Punctuality and reliability

Time constraints for meetings

Six meetings (lasting 1–2 hours) are planned over the course of one academic year. Meetings will be held at the Anna Spiegel research centre.

During the first in-person meeting held in November (after the registration phase), we will discuss initial goals, your personal agendas and schedule the remaining sessions.

The majority of meetings will be held in groups, however, 1:1 coaching will be offered at least once for each student and planned in a topic-wise manner.

We will have one informal outing as a group, with drinks and/or dinner.

What else I would like to say

I am a molecular and cell biologist by training. I completed bachelor and master studies at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, in Croatia, with an exchange semester at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, and an internship at the Children´s Cancer Research Institute in Vienna, funded by ERASMUS. During my PhD at the Medical University of Vienna (MUV), I specialized in cancer signalling networks and drug screening, with a short stay at the University of Toronto Mississauga, funded by an EACR fellowship. My PostDoc, also at the MUV, focused on the establishment of a complex organoid system to study the role of the tumor microenvironment in chemotherapy resistance.

At the beginning of 2026, I started my own research group at the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery, which is integrated into an LBG-funded Clinical research group, with the goal to conduct clinical trials based on findings generated by our established advanced preclinical models. I am very devoted to self-development and have recently enrolled in a masters in bioinformatics, to further my expand my skills. I received several awards during my studies and academic career, both for my writing and presentation skills, and based on my overall experience, want to support you in making the maximum out of your PhD. A PhD is more than completing a research project—it is a unique period of self-development and reflection. It would be a pleasure to join you on your journey!