The team in August at SMLMS 2023 (hosted at the IMP)
Francisco Balzarotti
Group Leader
Francisco studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Buenos Aires, where he then pursued a PhD in Optics and Plasmonics. As postdoctoral researcher, he worked in the field of Super Resolution Microscopy, developing innovative microscopy concepts at the Department of NanoBiophotonics at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, led by Nobel Laureate Stefan W. Hell.
Since 2020, he is a Group Leader at the Research Institute for Molecular Pathology and also counts with the support of the European Research Council
Karina Arellano Ayala
Senior Research Assistant
Karina studied Chemistry at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico, where she then pursued a Master in Biotechnology. She got her PhD in Microbiology at Handong Global University in South Korea. As postdoctoral researcher, she studied the link between pks+ E. coli and H. pylori infection and the development of colon and stomach cancer at the Infection oncology group at the University Universitäts Klinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Germany. Since September 2023, she has been senior research assistant in the Balzarotti Lab.
Santiago Federico Barrera Boada
Msc Student
Santiago studied Electronic Engineering at the National University of Colombia and later pursued an MSc in Advanced Optical Technologies at Friedrich Alexander Universität in Germany. There, he gained hands-on experience with various microscopy setups and developed a passion for super-resolution techniques. This led him to join Balzarotti Lab for his master’s thesis. In his free time, Santiago enjoys playing ultimate frisbee and biking with friends.
Jakub Dokulil
MSc Student
Jakub and physics was a love at first sight. He did his bachelor’s in Physical Engineering and Nanotechnology at TU Brno. He also helped in the FabLab Experience mobile workshop, presenting the new technologies to the pupils. Jakub is doing his master’s in physics at University of Vienna. He is enthusiastic about new technologies. He likes to spend his free time climbing with friends or hiking in the mountains.
Alba Gómez-Segalàs
PhD Candidate
Alba holds a B.Sc in physics from the University of Barcelona and continued with M.Sc in Optics and Photonics at the Karlsruher Institute of Technology. In her Master’s Thesis she worked on non-invasive optical detection technologies for skin spectra in the mid-infrared.
Juan Augusto Maya
Researcher
Juan Augusto studied Electrical Engineering in the University of Buenos Aires, where he then pursued a PhD in Statistical Signal Processing. Since 2018, he is an Assistant Professor at University of Buenos Aires, and since 2019 he is an Adjunct Researcher at the national council for scientific research (CONICET) in Argentina. Since September 2023, he joined to the IMP. His background is on algorithms design for digital communication systems, localization and tracking problems. On the personal side, he has a beautiful family, and he has played basketball for more than 30 years.
Alessandro Passera
PhD Candidate
Alessandro studied Molecular Biology at the Scuola Normale Superiore (Pisa). He worked on piRNAs at CRUK Cambridge for his Bachelor’s thesis and did metabolic imaging of neurons for his Master’s. He liked imaging and biophysics so much that now he wants to check just how small you can go in a cell. In his free time, he likes to act, both in the VBC Amateur Dramatic Club and as a main stage improviser at American Improv.
Lennart Piotraschke
MSc Student
Lennart did his Bachelor’s in Physics at the Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz (Germany). He now continues his Master’s studies at the University of Vienna and joined the Balzarotti lab as a research assistant, as he was motivated to use his acquired skills on exciting research. In his free time he likes to go to the movies, socialize with his friends and read a book.
Simon Roschger
Research assistant
Simon received his Bachelor’s degree in Technical Physics and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at the Vienna University of Technology (TU-Wien). For his bachelor thesis he worked in the biophysics group of Gerhard Schütz on single molecule tracking in supported lipid bilayers. During his master studies he started an internship in the Balzarotti-Lab and now supports the group as a research assistant. His specialty is modifying and improving fluorescence microscopy systems. Simon’s other passions are music, building stringed instruments and traveling.
Matthias Teuschl
PhD Candidate
Matthias studied Technical Physics and Biomedical Engineering at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien). He used TOCCSL to measure GPI-AP dimerization in CHO cells and diffusion constants of supported lipid bilayers. These experiments where done as a Bachelor’s Thesis with the Biophysics Group, where Matthias found his passion for microscopy. At the ILSB (TU Wien), he worked on collagen fibril mechanics using AFM-nanoindentation for his Diploma Thesis. Matthias affiliates with the Balzarotti Lab and the Peters Lab as joint PhD student. In his free time, he enjoys sports, especially playing and coaching tennis, cooking, and hiking.
Paul Welzl
PhD Candidate
Paul studied Biochemistry at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). He worked on optical tweezers assays during his bachelor thesis and investigated protein structures of the human E-complex for his Master’s. Paul usually spends his free time climbing, hiking or socializing with friends.
Alumni
Francisco Matos (MSc. student, 2023)
Anna Deputatova (VBC summer school, 2023)
Maximilian Geissman (PhD student, 2020-2024)
José Huertas Pedroche (MSc. student, 2024)