Neuroscience
Team BDB
Advanced Biomarker Detection for Pharmacological Monitoring in the Brain
The objective of the research group is to develop an in vivo continuous monitoring biosensor for direct detection of small molecule biomarkers in brain tissue of rodent models for elucidating pharmacodynamic (PD) effect and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of drugs against neuropsychiatric diseases. The team will explore the multifaceted task of continuous monitoring biosensor development, including molecular design and assay development, biocompatible sensor architecture, and sensor integration for in vivo monitoring.
Mentors
- Prof. Dr. Bastian Hengerer
Director CNS Diseases Research at Boehringer Ingelheim (Industry mentor) - Prof. Dr. Heather A. Clark
Director, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, USA (Academic mentor)
Our Team Members
Dr. Khulan Sergelen
Group Leader
Short Bio
- 2019 – 2022: Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
- 2018 – 2019: Postdoctoral researcher at Molecular Biosensing for Medical Diagnostics (MBx) group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
- Continuous monitoring biosensors based on particle mobility for inflammatory biomarkers monitoring application
- 2012 – 2017: PhD joint degree in Bionanotechnology (IGS-BioNanoTech) at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
- Reversible biosensors using aptamer-based surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy and hydrogel architectures towards therapeutic drug monitoring application
- 2009 – 2012: MSc Molecular Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria
- Protein microarray screening of tumor autoantibodies for early colon cancer detection- Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna
Dr. Simone Hageneder
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2020 – 2022: Junior Scientist at Biosensor Technologies, Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Tulln, Austria
- 2016 – 2021: PhD in Nanobiotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Tulln, Austria, on interfaces and plasmonic nanostructures for detection of biomarkers
- 2013 – 2016: Master of Science in Biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
Dr. Cátia Monteiro da Santa
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2013 – 2020: PhD in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine – Neuroscience and Disease from the University of Coimbra, Portugal
- 2009 – 2011: Master of Science in Biochemistry – Biomolecular Methods from the University of Aveiro, Portugal
- 2006 – 2009: Bachelor in Biochemistry from the University of Aveiro, Portugal
Dr. Pragnya Satapathy
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2016 – 2022: PhD in Physics, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, India. Broad Area: Soft Condensed Matter Physics. Thesis title: “Photo-driven effects in nano-soft composites with liquid crystal/polymer hosts”
- 2014 – 2016: Master of Science in Physics, Pondicherry University, India. Result: First Rank holder (Gold Medallist). Dissertation: “Study of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Effect and Reusability of Ag/ZnO/Ag Hybrid Structure Based SERS substrate”
- 2011 – 2014: Bachelor of Science in Physics (Hons.), Berhampur University, Odisha, India. Result: First class division with distinction
Meret Kaliske
Intern
Short Bio
- 2021 – present: Master of Science in Biochemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany
- 2018 – 2021: Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany. The final thesis was conducted at the division of “Signaling and Functional Genomics” of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany