Former group members
(page under construction)
 |  | Rachel Harris Undergraduate student DAAD-RISE fellow (June – Aug 2024) | Artificial cells and nanotubes, a step towards primitive neural networks |
|  | Philip Stabler Undergraduate student DAAD-RISE fellow (June – Aug 2024) | Exploring mechano-sensitive channels on photoswitchable membranes |
 |  | Shahenda Ramadan PhD student, IMPRS fellow (Jan 2021 – July 2024) | Understanding protein-protein interactions on model membranes (collaboration with Daniel Varon Silva and Heiko Möller) |
 |  | Petra Maleš DAAD-funded visiting PhD student (July 2024) | The process of demyelination on molecular level: the lipids and the myelin basic protein (collaboration with Danijela Bakarić) |
 | | Lea Pašalić DAAD-funded visiting PhD student (June 2024) | Controlling the domain formation in model lipid membranes by interaction of lipids and peptides (collaboration with Danijela Bakarić) |
 |  | Shreya Pramanik PhD student Max Planck School Matter to Life (Sept 2019 – Dec 2023) | From giant vesicles to smart membrane compartments (cosupervision with R. Lipowsky and J. Steinkühler) |
 |  | Carmen Remde Chemical engineer (Jan 2005 – Jul 2023) | Maintenance of the confocal microscopes and other equipment in the lab |
| | Lea Pašalić DAAD-funded visiting PhD student (June/July 2023) | Controlling the domain formation in model lipid membranes by interaction of lipids and peptides (collaboration with Danijela Bakarić) |
| | Petra Maleš DAAD-funded visiting PhD student (June/July 2023) | The process of demyelination on molecular level: the lipids and the myelin basic protein (collaboration with Danijela Bakarić) |
 | | Mareike Stephan PhD student, IMPRS fellow (Aug 2019 – Nov 2022) | Bacterial mimetic systems for the study of bacteriophage infection (in collaboration with S. Barbirz and T. Robinson) |
 |  | Rafaela Cavalcanti Keller Lab manager (Sept – Oct 2022) | Microscopy and membrane studies |
 |  | Emilia Krok Visiting PhD student NAWA-STER fellow (July – Sept 2022) | Development of bacterial model membranes as a first step for unraveling prokaryotic anhydrobiosis (collaboration with Łukasz Piątkowski) |
 |  | Polina Vyniavska Internship student (July – Aug 2022) | Model membrane preparation and characterization |
 | | Alexander Becker Undergraduate student DAAD-RISE fellow (June – August 2022) | Vesicle transport in hydrogel environments |
 |   | Denis Krivic Visiting PhD student, (since March 2022) | Mechanical properties and behavior of membranes with photoswitches (collaboration with Klaus Groschner) |
 | | Dominik Drabik Visiting postdoctoral fellow (since March-May 2022) | Mechanics of asymmetric membranes enriched with phosphatidic acid (collaboration with Aleksander Czogalla, University of Wrocław) |
 |  | Patrick Mathews Delgado Visiting postdoctoral fellow (April-May 2022) | Interactions of cubosomes with model membranes (in collaboration with Omar Mertins) |
 | | Lars Hansen Undergraduate student Max Planck School Matter to Life (March 2020 – Dec 2021) | Towards minimal cell division: Shape oscillations & controlled budding of GUVs (in collaboration with R. Lipowsky, T. Litschel and P. Schwille) |
 |  | Vasil Georgiev PhD student IMPRS fellow (Sept 2013 – March 2017); postdoc (April 2017 – Nov 2021) | Light-induced changes in biomembranes; ESCRT-mediated membrane reshaping |
 |  | Elias Sabri Visiting PhD student (Sept-Vov 2021) | Numerical calculations on vesicles in electric fields (in collaboration with Christian Brosseau) |
 | | Anna Wagner Visiting PhD student (Oct 2021) | Assessing the electrical properties of dendrimer membranes (in collaboration with C. Rodriguez-Emmenegger) |
 | | Anton Joseph Visiting PhD student (Sept-Oct 2021) | Characterization of dendrimersomes via micropipette aspiration (in collaboration with C. Rodriguez-Emmenegger) |
 |  | Ziliang Zhao Postdoc (April 2016 – Aug 2021) | Morphology of membranes in contact with aqueous two-phase systems; Imaging specialist (STED) |
 | | Fernanda S.C. Leomil visiting PhD student (Sept 2020 – Aug 2021) | Material properties and stability of anionic membranes with different levels of complexity (in collaboration with Karin A. Riske) |
 |  | Anna Vikulina Alexander von Humboldt fellow (Jan – Aug 2021) | The influence of extracellular microenvironment on molecular transport across cell membrane |
 | | Luiz Schubert Visiting PhD student, IMPRS fellow (Sept 2020 – Jul 2021) | Proton translocation in the light-driven inward pump Xenorhodopsin (in collaboration with Joachim Heberle) |
 | | Aneta Wójcik Visiting PhD student (Jan – June 2021) | Influence of persistent organic pollutants on model membrane phase state, fluidity and bending rigidity (in collaboration with Marcin Broniatowski) |
 |  | Maria-Anna Kirmpaki Undergraduate and MSc student (March 2020 – April 2021) | Undergraduate project: Material properties of photoswichable membranes MSc thesis: Understanding the effects of septins on the generation of membrane curvature, in collaboration with Helge Ewers |
 | | Tripta Bhatia Postdoc (Feb 2016 – Jan 2021) | Assessing membrane mechanics with micropipettes |
 | | Nannan Chen Postdoc (Nov 2019 – Oct 2020) | Mechanism of the liquid-liquid phase separation of soy glycinin, protein droplets-to-microcapsules transformation and their interaction with model membranes |
 |  | Camilla Fabiani Visiting PhD student (Feb – March 2020) | Lipid-protein interaction in model systems, in collaboration with Silvia Antollini (National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires) |
 |  | Mehdi Ravandeh Visiting PhD student, RTG 1947 BiOx fellow (Oct – Dec 2019) | Effect of reactive species generated by cold atmospheric plasma on biomimetic membranes |
 |  | Eleanor Ewins PhD student, IRTG fellow (Sept 2015 – Oct 2018) Postdoc (Nov 2018 – Sept 2019) | Membrane-particle interactions |
 | | Rafaela Cavalcanti visiting PhD student (Sept 2018 – August 2019) | Fusion of model lipid membranes (in collaboration with Karin A Riske) |
 |  | Hammad A. Faizi visiting PhD student (August – September 2019) | Fluctuation spectroscopy and electrodeformation of vesicles (in collaboration with Petia Vlahovska) |
 |  | Yunuen Avalos visiting scientist (August – September 2019) | Role of ESCRT proteins in remodeling membranes |
 | | Marzie Karimi PhD student (Oct 2015 – Feb 2019) Postdoc (March 2019 – July 2019) | Mechanical properties of membranes exposed to physiological buffers |
 | | Rafael Lira postdoc (Feb 2017 – July 2019) | Interaction of surfactant-stabilized oil droplets with biomembranes |
 | | Tripta Bhatia postdoc (Feb 2016 – August 2017) | Assessing membrane mechanics with micropipettes |
 | | Petia Vlahovska Humboldt research fellow (Oct 2017 – August 2018) | Electromechanics of membranes |
 | | Yusheng Wu (Sunny) undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (May – August 2018) | Cell membrane reshaping by transmembrane asymmetry |
 |  | Shelli Frey on sabbatical visit (March – August 2018) | Interaction of Huntington-protein particles with giant vesicles |
 | | Anne Voigt PhD student (May – July 2018) | temporary visit |
 | | Hammad A. Faizi visiting PhD student (April – July 2018) | Fluctuation spectroscopy of polymer membranes (In collaboration with Petia Vlahovska) |
 | | Jan Steinkühler PhD student, IRTG fellow (Jan 2013 – March 2016); postdoc (April 2016 – March 2018) | Adhesion-induced domain formation |
 | | Yunuen Avalos postdoc (July 2016 – March 2018) | Role of ESCRT proteins in remodeling membranes |
 | | Natalia Wilkosz visiting PhD student (Oct 2017 – Feb 2018) | Polymersomes and liposomes as drug carriers (collaboration with Jagiellonian University in Krakow) |
 | | Debjit Roy postdoc (Nov 2015 – Oct 2017) | Reference systems for spontaneous curvature measurements |
 |  | Katherine Davies visiting PhD student (September 2017) | Interactions of MLKL proteins with membranes In collaboration with James Murphy and Emma Petrie, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne |
 | | John Brezovec undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (May – July 2017) | Interactions between membranes and PIL particles |
 | | Bastian Kubsch PhD student (May 2014 – April 2017) | Membrane fusion and fission |
 | | Amanda Jack undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (May – August 2016) | Membrane fusion |
 | | Chathuri Wijekoon visiting PhD student (May – July 2016) | Reconstitution of CopA in giant vesicles In collaboration with the Xiao/Wedd group at the University of Melbourne |
| | Rafael Lira visiting PhD student (Nov 2015 – May 2016) | Droplet-supported giant vesicles |
 | | Roland Knorr PhD student (Nov 2006 – Aug 2010), postdoc (Sept 2010 – Apr 2016) | Domain formation and stability in cell membranes |
| | Yunuen Avalos visiting PhD student (August 2014 – Jan 2016) | Reconstitution of ESCRT proteins in model membranes (in collaboration with Esther Orozco) |
 | | Tom Robinson postdoc (April 2014 – Jan 2016) | Membrane domains with different functionalities |
 |  | Ibai Artetxe visiting PhD student (Sept – Nov 2015) | Mechanical properties of ceramide-doped membranes (collaboration with Félix Goñi) |
 |  | Vaida Matulevičiūtė undergraduate ERASMUS student (July – August 2015) | Optical characterization of giant vesicles |
 |  | Tomo Murovec Visiting PhD student (May – June 2015) | Vesicle-vesicle interactions in electric fields |
 |  | Andrea Gramatica postdoc (Jan – June 2015) | Multidomain vesicles with designed domain pattern |
| | Ziliang Zhao visiting PhD student (Sept 2014 – April 2015) | Polymer depletion and adsorption to membranes (in collaboration with Yonggang Liu) |
 | | Raktim Dasgupta postdoc (May 2013 – April 2015) | Optical manipulation of giant vesicles |
 | | Nisha Sosale postdoc TEE fellow (Sept 2014 – Feb 2015) | Cell rigidity and shape override CD47’s ‘self’ signaling in phagocytosis by hyperactivating myosin-II (in collaboration with Dennis Discher) |
 | | Ha Dang undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (June – August 2014) | Membrane adhesion and fusion |
 | | Philippe DeTillieux undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (May – August 2014) | Confocal microscopy of giant vesicles |
 | | Russi Gurov PhD student (Oct 2011 – July 2014) | Adhesion of model membranes |
 | | Rafael Lira visiting PhD student (since July 2013) | Electro-poration and -fusion of giant vesicles (in collaboration with Karin A Riske) |
 | | Denitsa Mitkova visiting PhD student (March 2014) | Electrochemical properties of cell-mimetic lipid membranes |
 | | Eva Rzad visiting PhD student (January – February 2014) | Confocal microscopy of giant vesicles |
 | | Ursula Kwolek visiting PhD student (January – February 2014) | Confocal microscopy of giant vesicles |
 | | Nico Fricke PhD student, postdoc (July 2009 – January 2014) | Properties and interactions of membranes decorated with glycolipids |
 |  | Salome Pataraia PhD students, postdoc (July 2009 – September 2013) | Protein partitioning in intramembrane domains |
 |  | Oksana Travkova postdoc (March 2011 – March 2013) | Interaction of antimicrobial peptides with model membranes |
 | | Tatiana Moreira Domingues visiting PhD student (September – November 2012) | Interaction of the antimicrobial peptide gomesin with model membranes (in collaboration with Karin Riske) |
 | | Natalya Bezlyepkina PhD student (June 2005 – 2012) | Domain formation in model membranes induced by electrofusion of giant vesicles [read more] |
 | | Matthew Kheir undergraduate student RISE-DAAD fellow (May – August 2012) | Interaction of the protein cytochrome c with multicomponent lipid membranes |
 | | Paul Salipante visiting PhD student (September 2010 – September 2011) | Polymersomes in AC fields [read more] (in collaboration with Petia Vlahovska) |
 | | Pavlo Shchelokovskyy postdoc (May 2008 – May 2011) | Effect of the HIV peptide FP23 on the membrane mechanical properties [read more] Software development for automation and carrying out micropipette vesicle aspiration experiments and corresponding data analysis |
 | | Yonggang Liu postdoc (June 2009 – August 2011) | Membrane transformations in vesicles with two-phase aqueous solutions |
 | | Philipp Walch trainee (May – June 2011) | Electrodeformation of vesicles in the presence of salts |
 | | Karim Hamdi PhD student (June 2009 – June 2011) | Molecular motor transport and regulation role of nucleotides |
 | | Janina Beeg PhD student (September 2002 – September 2007) postdoc (October 2007 – May 2011) | Cooperative behavior of motor proteins [read more] after Janina’s defense |
 | | Benjamin Klasczyk PhD student (January 2008 – February 2011) | Interactions of ions with membranes (in collaboration with Volker Knecht) [read more] |
 | | Omar Mertins postdoc (December 2009 – December 2010) | Chitosan adsorption on liposomes [read more] |
 | | Margarita Staykova postdoc (January 2007 – October 2009) | Electric-field induced effects on cells and multicomponent membranes [read more] |
 | | Yanhong Li PhD student, postdoc (March 2006 – February 2010) | Phase separation in giant vesicles [read more] |
 | | Sanat Karmakar postdoc (August 2008 – November 2009) | Interaction of NK2 peptides with model membranes |
 | | Thomas Portet visiting PhD student (April – June 2009) | Membrane electroporation and pore lifetimes [read more] |
 |  | Yael Katsir visiting PhD student (June – July 2009) | Entropic effects in titrations of D2O-H2O solutions with different D/H ratios [read more] |
 |  | Tetsuya Yamamoto postdoc (May 2008 – May 2009) | Contribution of electrostatic forces to the interactions between domains in membranes (in collaboration with R. Lipowsky) [read more] |
 | | Said Aranda Espinoza PhD student (January 2004 – February 2009) | Electrical effects on model lipid membranes: electrodeformation, electroporation and electrofusion [read more] after the defense |
 | | Cintia Vequi-Suplicy Visiting PhD student (November 2008) | Vesicles with charged domains [read more] |
 | | Lei Xu visiting PhD student (July – September 2008) | Implementation of a QPD in an optical trapping system (from the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Lene Oddershede’s group) |
 |  | Marie Domange Visiting PhD student (June – September 2008) | PhD student from the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen (Lene Oddershede’s group) on a student exchange visit, part of Marie Curie funded network on biomimetic systems |
 |  | Andrew Richardson Visiting PhD student (June – August 2008) | PhD student from the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen (Lene Oddershede’s group) on a student exchange visit, part of Marie Curie funded network on biomimetic systems |
 | | Peng Yang postdoc (October 2006 -September 2007) | Giant vesicles as microreactors [read more] |
 | | Petia Vlahovska visiting scientist (September 2005 – September 2006) | Adhesion of vesicles to chemically modified surfaces |
 | | Pavel Kraikivski ‘part time’ postdoc in 2005-2006 | Single versus double beam optical trapping: challenges and solution [read more] |
 | | Christopher Haluska PhD student (started January 2002 defended Jan. 2005) postdoc (from February 2005 till September 2005) | Adhesion and fusion of model membranes financed by DFG (project number DI878/1-1, 1-2)  after the defense |
 | | Antje Reinecke Technician (with us between March 2000 and March 2005) | Lab maintenance |
 | | Cornelia Sinn PhD student (started March 2002; defended Dec. 2004) in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Markus Antonietti | Water structure, ion condensation on polymers and membranes after the defense |
 | | Vesselin Nikolov PhD student (started 2001 defended June 2004) | Membranes grafted with long polymers after the defense |
 | | Karin Riske Postdoc (with us between May 2003 and May 2004) | Electro- deformation, poration and fusion of giant vesicles |
 | | Thomas Franke PhD student (with us between August 2003 and April 2004) | Adhesion of model membranes to structured surfaces financed by DFG (project number LI431/2-3)  after the defense: coronation by Dr. Karin |
 | | Jeremy Pencer Postdoc | Domains on membranes Effects of membrane curvature and composition on lipid raft formation |
 | | Xinzhao Zhang PhD student | Adhesion of model membranes to structured surfaces |
 | | Eva Codina Technician | Lab maintenance |