Project: Elucidating the Human Beta Cell Translatome in Health and Disease

HIRN New Investigator Award Recipient

►Where are you from originally, and where did you go to school?

I am from Stuttgart in the south-west of Germany. After receiving my Diploma in Biochemistry from Mannheim University for Applied Sciences, I joined Shimon Efrat’s lab at Tel Aviv University for my PhD studies.

►What is your current position?

I am an Assistant Professor at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes in Colorado.

►Why did you decide to become a researcher?

Overall I believe, researchers get to learn new things all the time. It’s a diverse profession merging many different aspects/skill sets together that are needed to comprehensively address unknown mechanism/phenomenas. However, I don’t think I concisely decided at some point to become a scientist, it just was the natural progression for me to follow what I love doing.

►What is the “Big Picture” of what you study?

I hope that our efforts will contribute to a better understanding of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms resulting in T1D that can be translated into prevention and cure.

►What is your favorite aspect of your research?

Getting to meet and work with bright and inspiring minds. Being able to push the limits of whats know. Seeing trainees develop.

► What do you hope to achieve with your research?

Have a positive impact on human health. Guide and enable the next generation of emerging scientist to love research in all its aspects.