Nationality: Ecuadorian
Master degree: The University of Tokyo, Japan
What was the title of your master thesis?
Study of Glucose-Installed Drug-Loading Polymeric Micelles Directed to Enhance Tumor Targeting
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Develop a drug delivery formulation for bispecific antibodies.
What do you like best about your new location?
Groningen is a beautiful city. Eventhough it is small, it offers great opportunities to learn and do cancer research.
What do you still need to get used to?
I still need to get used to the weather in Groningen as it can often be unpredictable and with frequent rain.
ESR 2: Natasha Ustyanovska Avtenyuk
Nationality: Spanish
Master degree: University of Granada, Spain
What was the title of your master thesis?
Bimodal nanoparticles systems for the amplification of the limit of detection in the Lateral Flow assay.
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Cancer immunomodulation by tumour-selective targeting of innate immune checkpoints
What do you like best about your new location?
The city’s cultural activities, the friendly people and that it is a great place for carrier development.
What do you still need to get used to?
I still have to get used to the weather and to the lunch and dinner times.
ESR 3: Jimena Álvarez Freile
Nationality: Spanish
Master degree: MS, Oncology and Cancer Biology (University of Salamanca, Spain)
What was the title of your master thesis?
Development of a protocol for antigen-specific B cells identification through flow cytometry
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
The development of Adenosine-2A-Receptor (A2AR)-targeting bispecific antibodies and preclinical validation tools
What do you like best about your new location?
Berlin is probably one of the most surprising cities I have ever been to. The streets are a mixture of history and street art, they are surrounded by large green areas and full of people from all over the world. In addition, Surflay is located in the Technology Park of Adlershof, where there are a lot of biotech companies creating a good atmosphere and making the experience even more exciting.
What do you still need to get used to?
When you move to another country it is always difficult to adapt to some cultural habits. In my case, I still need to get used to the lunch/dinner times, which are really different to the ones in my country, and also, of course, to the language. Learning German is without doubt one of my biggest challenges for the next months.
ESR 4: Ghizlane Choukrani
Nationality: Moroccan
Master degree: Bionanosystem Engineering (Chonbuk National University, South Korea)
What was the title of your master thesis?
Biocompatible superparamagnetic sub-micron vaterite particles for thermo-chemotherapy: from controlled design to in vitro anticancer synergism
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Development of stimuli-sensitive particles for tumour-selective targeting of TIM-3/Galectin-9.
What do you like best about your new location?
Berlin offers everything a student wants; I like its beauty, multiculturalism, affordability and the good quality of life that comes with this. Surflay Nanotec has a team of very experienced researchers who have guided me through my experiments and have given advise since my arrival. I am overwhelmed by the help I am receiving from all the members to get my documents sorted and settle in my new home.
What do you still need to get used to?
I still need to learn the German language and get used to living in Berlin overall.
Nationality: Syrian
Master degree: Ecole des Mines d’Albi-Carmaux, France
What was the title of your master thesis?
Development and Optimization of New Pharmaceutical Formulation by Hot-Melt Extrusion
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Validation of novel immune checkpoints and Development of targeted immunotherapeutics
What do you like best about your new location?
I like UMCG because is a very modern hospital with high standards and an innovative approach to research.
What do you still need to get used to?
I need to get used to the load of information I receive everyday.
Nationality: Dutch
Master degree: Drug Innovation (pharmaceutical sciences), Utrecht University, the Netherlands
What was the title of your master thesis?
The effect of human milk oligosaccharides on mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Create an improved cancer treatment
What do you like best about your new location?
Würzburg is a very picturesque city.
What do you still need to get used to?
Everything is closed on Sunday and paying in cash.
Nationality: Chinese
Master degree: University of Copenhagen, Denmark
What was the title of your master thesis?
Investigation of proteins as excipients for the performance of poorly soluble drugs and development of new formulations
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Develop a novel generation of anti-cancer drugs & practice for future scientific career
What do you like best about your new location?
The people.
What do you still need to get used to?
The lab system and working style.
Nationality: Syrian
Master degree: University Wuerzburg, Germany
What was the title of your master thesis?
Development of antibody fusion proteins with dual specificity for death receptors
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Development of dual antibody fusion proteins with specific targeting and release at the site of tumor
What do you like best about your new location?
Prague is such a very nice and active European city
What do you still need to get used to?
The work style of the company and the multiple tasks
ESR 9: Lisa Johanna Jacob
Nationality: German
Master degree: Furtwangen University, Germany
What was the title of your master thesis?
Establishment and evaluation of a quantum-dot based lateral flow immunoassay system for sepsis marker detection
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Development of immunomodulatory Dual Signalling Proteins (DSPs) for cancer immunotherapy
What do you like best about your new location?
That everybody is excited about science. I feel like I found my natural environment.
What do you still need to get used to?
To the not so straight forward official procedures.
Nationality: Dutch
Master degree: Nanobiotechnology, Msc in Engineering (AAU, DK)
What was the title of your master thesis?
Characterization of 12 kDa PVP-OD nanocarriers and the influence of their size on the uptake in mammalian cells
What is the key objective of your PhD project?
Encapsulation of bioactive molecules in nanocarriers for improved, targeted immunotherapeutic delivery
What do you like best about your new location?
Prague is a beautiful city.
What do you still need to get used to?
The language barrier.
