What did you study/learn and where?
Biology studies (diploma) at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
 
What is your current professional position and where is it located?
Group Leader of the Cell and Molecular Biology Unit at Fraunhofer IZI
 
What is the focus of your current research and what aspects are you interested in?
Development of CAR immune cells using non-viral vectors and delivery methods
 
Please finish the following sentence: "SaxoCell is for me..."
... a great platform to collaborate with academic as well as industry partners to move cell and gene therapies forward.
 
Have you had the opportunity to travel or live in different places? What was that experience like?
I did my Postdoc in the US at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lived there for almost 2 years. It was an exciting experience for all situations in life: language, new scientific topic and methods, different way of life, American “easiness”, outside-the-box thinking – but it also helped to think about Germany and the advantages of Germany over the US.
 
Outside of academics, what are some of your hobbies or interests?
I’m totally into watching different kind of team sports either in stadiums and sports halls but also on TV – above all American Football, but we also watch Handball, Soccer or Hockey
 
What is your favourite way to start the day?
In general: the day should start late – I love sleeping in. Alone: Having a coffee on my couch watching TV. With family/friends: Coffee and a rich breakfast or brunch
 
If you were given a year's paid holiday, what would you do during this time?
I would travel around the world.
 
What is an important lesson or piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to do everything exactly the same again, except for two things: don’t pick German and English as main courses in high school again and don’t change both - scientific field AND methods – from PhD to Postdoc – either stay in the field and learn new methods or transfer your PhD methods to a new scientific field – otherwise it will become very challenging.
 
What was your favourite cartoon series to watch as a child?
Mila Superstar

Interested in attending workshops and sessions as a guest participant? You can register here to join GeneNovate 2026 | Region East and explore innovations in gene and cell therapy, biotech, and medicine: Register here.

After vaccination, only certain “killer” T cells multiply — specifically those whose receptors bind strongly enough to the viral protein. This selective process shapes a diverse army of immune clones ready to fight infection, increasing the chance the body can handle mutated pathogens. Understanding how the immune system chooses these most effective cells could help improve future vaccines and therapies.

The European Commission has launched RAISE — the Resource for AI Science in Europe, a new initiative to bring together data, computing power, talent, and research funding to accelerate AI‑driven scientific breakthroughs. With a pilot funded at €107 million under Horizon Europe, RAISE aims to help researchers apply powerful AI tools to challenges from health and climate to earthquake prediction, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and innovation ecosystem. By pooling resources and expertise across the EU, the initiative seeks to keep European science at the global forefront of AI‑enabled discovery.

After a stem cell transplant, donor T cells can sometimes attack the patient’s tissues, causing dangerous GvHD. Researchers discovered that these harmful T cells use the “Don’t eat me” signal, CD47, to hide from the immune system. Targeting CD47 could allow the body to clear these cells, offering a promising new approach to prevent complications and improve transplant outcomes.