PhD Supervisors

The work in our lab is driven by scientific curiosity: we seek to understand and describe how biology works. We sometimes also engineer biological systems for various useful purposes related to human and planetary health. Our lab started out as a microbiology group, but as our ambitions and curiosity grew, we expanded into several other areas of life science, often using interdisciplinary approaches. Today, in addition to general bacteriology, we work with applications of various nanomaterials in biomedicine and biotechnology, metabolic engineering of microbial cell factories and experimental evolution.

Ivan Mijakovic lab

Our lab performs research in areas of proteogenomics, phosphoproteomics, biological signal transduction and quantitative analysis of protein modifications.We gather an international team of researchers with core expertise in shotgun mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Quantitative workflows are mainly based on stable isotope labeling of cells and tissues and measurements of resulting protein digests using high resolution mass spectrometry. In addition, we possess considerable infrastructure and expertise in protein/peptide separation technologies based on various analytical HPLC methods, as well as bioinformatic analysis of shotgun proteomics data.We apply this technology to a range of biomedical topics such as the influence of point mutations on signal transduction in cancer, influence of the gut microbiome on autism-spectrum disorders, and role of bacterial S/T/Y kinases in persistence.

Boris Macek lab

Professor August Yurgens conducts research on basic properties of various two-dimensional materials and graphene sensor applications. The core competence is in a high-quality graphene grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The applications include sensitive THz-range radiation detectors and bio-sensors, the latter being the subject of this project. His group has for instance developed a very simple by design but at the same time sensitive and fast radiation detector based on the thermoelectric- and electron-heating effects in graphene. Graphene bio-sensor is seen as simple to use and cheap to fabricate in large quantities base element, being at the same time highly specific, sensitive, and easily disposable.

August Yurgens lab

Annikka Polster's research focuses on systems and computational medicine, integrating multi-omics, clinical, and experimental data to advance our understanding of complex and heterogeneous diseases and how we treat them. The Polster Lab develops biologically informed computational models, including biologically constrained deep learning approaches, to uncover the mechanisms underlying disease variability. We are particularly interested in identifying blood biosignatures to diagnose and predict infections and inflammatory conditions. Our goal is to translate these insights into actionable tools for precision medicine.

Annikka Polster lab

Professor Anders Ståhlberg leads a translational research team at University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden. Our core competences are the fields of clinical diagnostics and molecular methods. We are developing molecular tools to analyze different types of nucleic acids with single-molecule resolution. Clinically, we are working with several diseases and sample types. Anders is also heading the Translational Genomics Platform that is a research infrastructure within the field of molecular diagnostics using liquid biopsies. We are a mixed research group that is gender-balanced with researchers at different career stages.

Anders Ståhlberg lab

The research of the Eigler group centres on understanding and controlling the relationships between structure and properties in carbon-based and optoelectronic materials. They explore how molecular interactions, defects and functionalisation influence macroscopic behaviour, ranging from two-dimensional graphene systems to organic semiconductors. They integrate synthesis, characterisation and theoretical insight to develop precise methods for defect engineering, pore design and photonic hybrid materials. Overall, the Eigler group transforms atomic-level complexity into opportunities for creating functional, tunable and high-performance materials.

Siegfried Eigler lab

Our small group at University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology has three members, Professor Damjan Franjević, Assistant Professor Josip Skejo, and technician Nada Vincek. We're enthusiasts dealing with various evolutionary topics, including the origin of life and eukaryotes, endosymbiosis, biogeography, higher classification, cladistics, descriptive and numerical taxonomy, nomenclature, molecular phylogenetics, and human evolution. We are seeking interested & interesting students with good ideas and unconventional ways of thinking, no matter what their main interest is.

Damjan Franjevic lab

AMGT is an SME specializing in the development and prototyping of innovative, application-specific silicon MEMS devices. The company runs its entire business in Bulgaria, incl. operates its own small frontend and backend fabrication facilities, managing the whole process from raw materials to tested microdevices. By harnessing the synergy of its unique in-house technologies and design approaches, AMGT delivers a broad range of cutting-edge, high-performance application-specific solutions. Vladimir Stavrov's primary activities include developing novel high performing force/position MEMS, MEMS technology with sidewall embedded piezoresistors, and MEMS devices with integrated piezoresistive feedback.

Vladimir Stavrov lab

Roger Karlsson's group develops methods in genomics and mass spectrometry-based proteomics (proteotyping) to improve diagnostics for infectious diseases. The concept for proteotyping is based on the discovery of biomarkers, used for the direct detection of disease-causing microorganisms in clinical samples, without prior culture, as the molecular methods do not require the isolation of pure cultures. The proteotyping enables the detection of expressed phenotypic antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors including toxins (not just genetic potential). We use quantitative proteomics to study the underlying molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in model systems where microorganisms are exposed to antibiotics, as well as virulence where microorganisms infect human cells.

Roger Karlsson lab

Prof. Margarita D. Apostolova leads the Medical and Biological Research Laboratory (MBRL) at the Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The MBRL conducts robust interdisciplinary research with significant potential to advance regenerative medicine, targeted therapeutics, and biomedical nanotechnology. The team’s diverse expertise in proteomics, genomics, tissue engineering, and smart drug-delivery systems underpins the development of innovative strategies for bone and vascular tissue regeneration, as well as the design of targeted therapeutic platforms for diseases such as atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.

Margarita D. Apostolova lab

The Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) participates in the BUG-ID consortium through its Nanophotonics Technology Center (NTC), a leading institute advancing research and innovation in optics and photonics. Professor Jaime García-Rupérez’s group develops next-generation photonic biosensors, leveraging porous materials and graphene to enhance light-analyte interaction and achieve high levels of sensitivity and specificity. With state-of-the-art facilities, including a 500 m² cleanroom for wafer-level fabrication, the NTC offers an exceptional environment for technological development and interdisciplinary collaboration. Joining UPV-NTC provides the opportunity to work within an active research team contributing to advances in the field of photonic biosensing technologies.

Jaime García Rupérez lab