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Current Lab Members:
06/2008
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Nariman BALENGA
M. Sc. Ph. D.
nariman.balenga @ medunigraz.at
Nariman Balenga is from Iran and got his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Tehran, Iran, in 2005.
In 2006 he got a year of training at the Immunology Department of the University of Manitoba in Canada. In April 2007, Nariman
started his Ph.D. project in the "Molecular Medicine" Ph.D. program
at the Medical University of Graz. Nariman is working on the characterization of novel cannabinoid receptors.
Nariman's latest, but nonetheless most time-intensive and important side-project is called "Arya".
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Julia KARGL
M. Sc., PhD
julia.kargl @ medunigraz.at
Julia Kargl is from Upper Austria and studied Molecular Microbiology at the Karl Franzens University of Graz. After one semester studying and
working in a Molecular Biology lab in Atlanta/USA, she joined our lab to conduct her master thesis. In a 'speedy' 6 months period (after all,
she is a really fast swimmer!) she graduated as Mag.rer.nat. in August 2008. She will now start her Ph.D. thesis on the trafficking properties
of GPR55.
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Elisabeth MOSER
Mag. pharm., PhD
Ph.D. student
e.moser @ medunigraz.at
Elisabeth Moser ('Lisi') is from Feldkirchen in Carinthia (where they speak a real funny dialect!). She got her M.Sc. (Mag. pharm.)
in Pharmacy at the University of Graz in 2005. She did her diploma thesis at the School of Pharmacy in London. After graduating she
worked in a pharmacy in Graz to get her pharmacist's diploma and continued working in a pharmacy in Carinthia. In April 2007 she joined
the lab to start her Ph.D. project in the "Molecular Medicine" Ph.D. program
at the Medical University of Graz. Lisi is studying the effects of the HCMV encoded chemokine receptor US28 on melanoma growth. This is a
joint project with the lab of Helmut Schaider
at the Department of Dermatology of the Medical University of Graz.
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Wolfgang PLATZER
Technician/Vice-Chief Lab manager
wolfgang.platzer @ medunigraz.at
Wolfgang Platzer ('Maxi') is from Glatzental (Styria), a little, green, idyllic village close to the "streets of vine" and the "hills of pigs".
He finished his education to a technician at the Academy for Medical and Technical Laboratory Service of Graz in 2006. In January 2007 he joined
the MUG to become the best "DNA Purification Technician" of all time (now he is at "Maxi-Level"). Together with the chief lab-manager Veronika he
is responsible for a "good running lab" and supporting the Ph.D. projects as good as possible.
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Veronika POMMER
Technician/Chief Lab manager
veronika.pommer @ medunigraz.at
Veronika Pommer ('Chief Lab manager') is from Mürzzuschlag (Styria). She finished her studies as a chemical assistant in 1986 in Graz. She got
1½ years training in at the Department of Endocrinology of the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney Australia. She is working at this Institute
since 2005 and our group since Oktober 2006.
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Miriam SEDEJ
M.Sc., PhD
miriam.sedej @ medunigraz.at
Miriam is from Göttingen – the city of science – Germany. She got her B.Sc. in Molecular Medicine at the Georg August University Gouml;ttingen
in 2006 and her Masters in 'Molecular Medicine' in May 2008. Before and during her studies she worked as MTA at the European Neuroscience Institute in
Göttingen. Miriam joined our group in October 2007 to do her master's thesis on prostaglandin receptors. In October 2008 she started her Ph.D.
project in the "Molecular Medicine" Ph.D. program at the Medical University of Graz,
her co-supervisor is Ákos Heinemann.
The "1st milestone": Janosch →
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Pia Maria TSCHISCHE
Mag. pharm., PhD
pia.tschische @ medunigraz.at
Pia Maria Tschische is born in Carinthia and studied Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Karl-Franzens University in Graz. She conducted her master
thesis in Bangkok/Thailand and concluded her studies with first-class honours in 2006. Afterwards, she worked as a trainee at the University
Health Network of the University of Toronto, where she gained more experience in the field of Molecular Biology and Enzymology. In April 2007,
she joined the lab to start her Ph.D. project in the "Molecular Medicine" Ph.D. program
at the Medical University of Graz. Pia is working on virally encoded chemokine receptors and characterizing these proteins in vitro and in vivo.
Since she loves travelling to far away places (see above), she right away earned a BA/CA visiting scientist fellowship
to spend a few weeks in Jennifer Whistler's lab in San Francisco.
On 11 June 2010 she successfully defended her PhD thesis. Congratulations!
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AWARDS:
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Julia KARGL
Startup award 2011 of the Medical University of Graz.
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Nariman BALENGA
EPHAR Young Investigator Award, 2010
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Elisabeth MOSER
Poster Prize, 15th Scientific Symposium of the Austrian Pharmacological Society (APHAR), 2009
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Miriam SEDEJ
Poster Prize, Joint ZMF/DoctoralDay 2009
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Maria WALDHOER
Science Award 2009, Austrian Pain Society (ÖSG), 2nd place
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Maria WALDHOER
Heribert Konzett Award 2008, Austrian Pharmacological Society (APHAR)
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Nariman BALENGA
Hans Horst Meyer Award 2008, Austrian Pharmacological Society (APHAR)
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Pia Maria TSCHISCHE
Best Poster Presentation, 1st Doctoral Day PhD Program "Molecular Medicine"
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Current Friends of the Lab:
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Andre MELNIK
Undergraduate student
andre.melnik @ sbg.ac.at
Andre Melnik ('Lab-slave in training') is originally from Ukraine. Andre studies cell biology & physiology at the University of Salzburg.
In July 2007 he started as a summer-trainee in the lab to collect experience in cell and molecular biology techniques.
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Ex-Lab members:
(still Friends! – but off-to-new-endeavours)
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Kristina KOSENBURGER
M. Sc.
Ph.D. student
kristina.kosenburger @ meduniwien.ac.at
Kristina Kosenburger is from Kapfenberg, Styria (i.e. one of the few 'natives' in the lab). She studied biology at the University of Vienna
and got her diploma in Zoology (!!!) in 2005. Since 2005 she has been working on her Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of
Stefan Boehm at the Medical University in Vienna focusing on neuronal G-protein coupled receptors and
Klaus. Like Klaus, she was dragged to Graz by Stefan in Spring 2007, where she is part of the
Ph.D. program "Molecular Medicine" at the Medical University of Graz.
Here, she is harassing the FLEX II device to study the pharmacology of metabotropic P2Y receptors.
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Carmen PRENN
Mag.
Technician (March–December 2006)
Carmen moved to Vienna and now works for BAXTER.
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Klaus SCHICKER
M. Sc.
Ph.D. student
klaus.schicker @ meduniwien.ac.at
Klaus Schicker was born in Vienna. He studied Zoology (see a common 'trait' here?!) and got his Master's degree in 2004. Since then he has
been working on his Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of Stefan Boehm and Kristina.
When Stefan started his 'Graz-Intermezzo', he carried along Klaus and Kristina. Klaus is currently working on his Ph.D. project
'Interactions of neurotransmitter receptors' in the "Molecular Medicine" Ph.D. program
at the Medical University of Graz.
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Hannes SEIDL
Ph.D. (Post-doctoral Fellow, April–November 2006)
Hannes got a job at the Department of Dermatology, MUG.
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Stefan BÖHM
Professor, M.D. (Univ.-Prof. for Neuropharmacology at the MUG, Acting Head of the Department of Experimental
and Clinical Pharmacology, September 2006–July 2007)
stefan.boehm @ meduniwien.ac.at
Stefan Boehm ('Ex-Boss') was born in Vienna where he studied Human Medicine. After a short research stay in Frankfurt/Main,
Germany, and experience as group leader at the Medical University of Vienna, he joined the MUG as Professor for Neuropharmacology
in September 2006. Besides fostering his expertise in Styrian White Wine, such as Morillon or Sauvignon Blanc, he gave the incentive
to implement the Research Unit 'High Throughput Screening in Signal Transduction'. Moreover, during his stay, the department was
up-scaled with 2 new cell culture labs, an ultracentrifuge, a FLEX device, a TOPCOUNTER, a fluorescence microscope, an RT-PCR machine,
modern lab-benches, air-condition and new paint in most labs and numerous other pieces of equipment for all PIs at the Department.
Unfortunately, Stefan was recruited back to the Medical University of Vienna in August 2007 (where he is now focusing on Ottakringer and Grüner Veltliner).
Stefan's stay in Graz made all the difference – and we are happy to continue working with him.
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Maria WALDHOER
Gerald Peter PARZMAIR
