Detail

What I offer

I work as a postdoctoral researcher in a neurosurgical research laboratory, an experimental and translational research group focused on brain tumors, particularly embryonal tumors. Our work addresses both the development of new therapeutic strategies and fundamental questions regarding tumorigenesis and the development of resistance. My projects involve working with cell cultures, human samples, and animal models, as well as performing bioinformatic analyses of sequencing data, such as (single-cell) mRNA sequencing, which we place in a translational context. There is no patient contact, and clinical work is therefore not possible.

As a mentor, I see my role primarily as a strategic discussion partner – especially for PhD students who are navigating through an intensive research phase. Topics such as doubt, shifting perspectives, or dealing with setbacks are just as welcome as concrete questions around grant writing, presentations, international networking, research funding, or long-term career planning. I offer an independent outside perspective and aim to support mentees in shaping their own scientific paths with confidence and reflection.

I am also happy to support the planning of research stays abroad – based on my own experience as a postdoc at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard.

What I expect from the students

I expect students to have a genuine interest in scientific questions and to be reliable in our collaboration. Open and respectful communication is important to me. I aim to support the development of scientific thinking and critical reading, and to help students identify and pursue their own interests and goals within a research environment. A lack of reliability or commitment can negatively affect the quality of supervision and should be avoided.

Time constraints for meetings

I offer mentoring meetings once a month from October to June, preferably on weekday afternoons. The meeting duration will be one hour. The first one or two meetings should ideally take place in person at the MedUni Campus AKH; afterwards, meetings outside the campus are also possible. During stays abroad, parental leave, or travel, mentoring can be continued in a hybrid or online format if needed.

What else I would like to say

I work exclusively in research and am involved in various teaching formats – including the PhD program Malignant Diseases, journal clubs, thesis seminars, and Block 8 Tumor Biology in the human medicine curriculum. In addition, I have (co-)supervised several PhD students, as well as Master's, diploma, and Bachelor's theses, and PhD rotation students at the Medical University of Vienna and abroad.

My own experiences as a mentee – through programs such as FemTech, ASCINA (USA), or the Schrittweise curriculum at the Medical University of Vienna – have shown me how valuable honest dialogue, openness, and reliability can be in mentoring. These are values I also strive to pass on as a mentor.