Researcher's Profile

Research interests: 

• Optical imaging, biophotonics
• Diffraction-unlimited optical imaging, STED microscopy
• Synapse nanoarchitecture, molecular neuroscience
• High-content tissue imaging 

 Career highlights:

• Since 2017: Assistant Professor, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
• 2017: Habilitation (Priv.Doz.) for Biophysics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
• 2012 – 2017: Postdoctoral Researcher with Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell, Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany. Biophotonics, High resolution optical imaging
• 2010 – 2012: Postdoctoral Researcher with Prof. Dr. H.-C. Nägerl, Institute for Experimental Physics, University of Innsbruck. Ultracold quantum physics
• 2007 – 2010: PhD (Dr.rer.nat.) in experimental quantum physics, Prof. H.-C. Nägerl, Univ. of Innsbruck (ultracold quantum gases).
• 2005: Medical doctor (Dr.med.univ.), Medical University of Innsbruck Selected 

 Grants and Awards:

• 2018 – 2021: Joint French/Austrian ANR/FWF project: Optical control of synaptic function via adhesion molecules; French project partner: Dr. Olivier Thoumine, Bordeaux
• 2018: Otto-Kraupp Prize for best medical Habilitation in Austria awarded by the Society of Physicians in Vienna (Gesellschaft der Ärzte in Wien)
• 2012-2014: Marie Curie Intra-European Postdoctoral Fellowship: group of Prof. S. W. Hell, Project title: "Intravital optical super-resolution imaging in the brain"
• 2009/2010: PhD Thesis selected as one of the 4 best theses in the years 2009 + 2010 by AMO (Atomic, Molecular, Optical) section of the German Physical Society, DPG Spring Meeting 2011
• 2009: Liechtenstein Prize awarded by the Principality of Liechtenstein, Vaduz, for production of a quantum gas of deeply bound molecules
• 2009: Skinner Prize, Faraday Discussion 142, Durham, England

Ongoing projects as supervisor:

• Nathalie Agudelo: Super-resolution analysis of nervous tissue
• Mojtaba Tavakoli: Expansion microscopy for molecular interrogation of neuronal specimen

Ongoing projects as co-supervisor:

• Lisa Knaus: The role of Slc7a5 in neurodevelopment and neuronal survival
• Lena Schwarz: Elucidating the functional role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system during neurodevelopment

Completed projects as supervisor:

• Julia Michalska: Analysis of nervous tissue across scales, finished 12/2022