I have been a PhD student at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the research group of Professor Dr. Grünweller since 2022. I completed my bachelor's degree here in Marburg in the Department of Biology, in the field of microbiology, where I investigated the plasmid segregation of a waterborne bacterium. Subsequently, I pursued my master's thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in the research group of Professor Randau. There, I conducted research on a CRISPR-Cas system, aiming to use it as a new "tracking tool" for RNA analysis. After my biology studies, I wanted to continue working in a medically relevant and application-oriented research field, which led me to join Professor Grünweller's research group.
Currently, my research focuses on the antiviral activity of pateamines against Human Coronavirus 229E. Pateamines are specific inhibitors of the RNA helicase eIF4A, which block the translation of specific mRNAs. Additionally, I am investigating the mechanistic importance of RNA structure and sequence elements in the 5'UTRs (untranslated region) of different coronaviruses regarding the translation of viral mRNAs in cells. To accomplish this, I employ various molecular biology techniques such as cloning, transfection, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay.
