Group Members
Matthias Altmeyer
Research Group Leader
Born and raised in
Germany
Scientific education and research experience
2020 – present: Associate Professor of Quantitative Cell Biology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2014 – 2020: SNSF Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2010 – 2014: Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Danish Cancer Society & Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Copenhagen, Denmark
2007 – 2010: Ph.D. Candidate (Molecular Biology), University of Zurich, Switzerland
2001 – 2006: Diploma Candidate (Biology), University of Konstanz, Germany
Research interests
Genome instability in cancer and aging
Chromatin modifications in response to DNA damage
Cancer-specific alterations in the cellular DNA repair network and their therapeutic potential
Ralph Imhof
Research Technician
Born and raised in
Switzerland
Scientific education and research experience
2007 – present: Lab Technician mbA, IT-Management & Support, Financial Controlling, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2005 – 2007: Lab Manager & new Lab Establishment, Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Dept. of Biochemistry & Dept. of Molecular Genetics, Canada
1998 – 2005: Lab Technician, IT-Management & Support, Institute for Veterinary Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Research interests
Protein Purification & Protein Interaction Methodologies
Molecular Biology
Analytical & preparative HPLC
Marco Gatti
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Born and raised in
Italy
Scientific education and research experience
2017 – present: Postdoctoral Research Scientist, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2013 – 2017: Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale, Italy
2014: Triennial Fellowship, FIRC, Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro
2009 – 2013: Ph.D. student (Pharmaceutical and Food Biotechnology), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale, Italy
2009: Doctorate Scholarship, Progetto Lagrange, Fondazione CRT (Torino)
2007 – 2009: M.Sc. (Pharmaceutical and Medical Biotechnology), Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale, Italy
2004 – 2007: B.Sc. (Biotechnology), Universita’ del Piemonte Orientale, Italy
Research interests
Role of the ubiquitin system in genome stability
Chromatin modifications after DNA damage
Andreas Panagopoulos
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Born and raised in
Greece
Scientific education and research experience
2020 – present: Postdoctoral Research Scientist, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2014 – 2019: Ph.D. student, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece
2017: Visiting Ph.D. student, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
2012 – 2014: M.Sc. Applications in Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece
2008 – 2012: B.Sc. Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece
Research interests
Checkpoint maintenance
DNA replication & DNA repair
Functional imaging
Aswini Krishnan
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Born and raised in
Kerala, India
Scientific education and research experience
2020 – present: Postdoctoral Research Scientist, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2014 – 2019: PhD Student, Cell Biology Unit, University Medical Center Johannes Gutenberg- University Mainz, Germany
2012 – 2014: Junior Research Fellow, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore, India
2010 – 2012: Scientific Officer, The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
2008 – 2009: Master of Science, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
2005 – 2008: Bachelor of Science, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Botany, Bangalore University, India
Research interests
Cancer biology
Translational research
Aleksandra Lezaja
PhD Student (Cancer Biology Program)
Born and raised in
Serbia
Scientific education and research experience
2016 – present: Ph.D. student (Cancer Biology), University of Zurich, Switzerland
2014 – 2016: M.Sc. (Biology, Curriculum: Genetics, Development and Evolution), Master Excellence Fellowship, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Switzerland
2010 – 2014: B.Sc. (Molecular Biology and Physiology), University of Serbia, Belgrade
Research interests
DNA replication
Signaling pathways involved in DNA damage repair, cancer genetics, cell cycle progression
Vincent Spegg
PhD Student (Molecular Life Sciences Program)
Born and raised in
Germany
Scientific education and research experience
2018 – present: Ph.D. student (Molecular Biology), University of Zurich, Switzerland
2014 – 2017: M.Sc. (Biology), University of Konstanz, Germany
2011 – 2014: B.Sc. (Biology), University of Konstanz, Germany
Research interests
Signaling pathways involved in the DNA damage response
Regulation of the cell cycle
In vitro toxicology
Yanlin Wen
PhD Student (Molecular Life Sciences Program)
Born and raised in
China
Scientific education and research experience
2020 – present: Ph.D. student (Molecular Life Science) , University of Zurich, Switzerland
2017 – 2019: M.Sc. Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
2014 – 2017: B.Sc. Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Research interests
DNA replication
Signaling pathways involved in DNA damage response
Merula Stout
PhD Student (Molecular Life Sciences Program)
Born and raised in
Austria
Scientific education and research experience
2020 – present: Ph.D. student (Molecular Life Science), University of Zurich, Switzerland
2018 – 2020: M.Sc. Technical Chemistry (Biotechnology and Bioanalytics major), Technical University Vienna, Austria
2014 – 2018: B. Sc. Technical Chemistry, Technical University Vienna, Austria
Research interests
DNA replication & DNA repair
DNA damage response
DNA/RNA sequencing and microscopy techniques
Lab Alumni
