Innsbruck Doctoral College Ageing and Regeneration (DC AGE_REG)

Department of Molecular Biology
Research area(s): Lysosomal storage disorders, stem cell biology, Neurodevelopmental modelling, neurodegeneration
Thesis: Stem cell-based disease modelling of Batten Disease using patient-specific iPSC-derived 2D and 3D models 
First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer

Department of Molecular Biology
Research area(s): Regeneration, Disease models, Metabolism
Thesis: Matrix Metalloproteinases (Mmps) in Diabetic Retinopathy
First supervisor: Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Robin Kimmel

Elia Cappuccio 

Research area(s): cellular senescence, drug discovery, cancer

Thesis: Drug discovery across model systems: from breast cancer to senescent yeast

First supervisor: Univ.-Doz. Dr. Pidder Jansen-Dürr

Research area(s): Cell Metabolism and Differentiation Research 

Thesis: Analysis of the weight loss target gene Insulin-response element binding protein-1 in white adipose tissue 

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Werner Zwerschke 

Research area(s): Immunosenescence and Vaccination 

Thesis: Role and function of CD4+ and CD8+ regulatory cells in age and vaccination 

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Birgit Weinberger

Research area(s): Computational bioogy, omics data analysis
Thesis: Computational reconstruction of cell trajectories from multi-omics data to advance regenerative
medicine and cancer immunotherapy
First supervisor: Ass.-Prof. Francesca Finotello

Research area(s): Plant Biochemistry and Metabolism; Plant Physiology 
Thesis: Unravelling molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of the maternal environment on seed quality traits, with a special focus on seed longevity
First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ilse Kranner

First supervisor: Univ.-Doz. Dr. Pidder Jansen-Dürr

Thesis: The role of MNX1 in human pancreas development

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dirk Meyer

Research area(s): Neurodevelopment, Regenerative Medicine, Ageing, Stem Cell Biology

Thesis: Modelling Neurulation employing fetal neural stem cells

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer

Research area(s): Immunology, Molecular Biology
Thesis: Investigating the role of miR-142 locus during B cell development in young and old mice
First supervisor: Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Derudder

Research area(s): Developmental biology
Thesis: Molecular regulation of beta-cell fate determination and maintenance
First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dirk Meyer

Research area(s): neuroscience, stem Cell Biology and neurodevelopment

Thesis: TBA Characterization of human-specific cell cycle regulators in hNSCs using CRISPRi

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer 

Lena Böhnke

Department of Molecular Biology
Research area(s): Neuronal aging, Reprogramming of human fibroblasts into induced neurons (iN), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Transcriptome analysis, Alzheimer's Disease
Thesis: From normal aging to dementia: A patient-specific neuronal reprogramming approach for the progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's disease
First supervisor  Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer (Co-supervisor: Jerome Mertens)

Research area(s): Stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, neuroscience

Thesis: Establishment and application of human stem cell derived 3D in vitro brain models
First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer

Research area(s): Molecular Biology

Thesis: Age-induced organoid models for deciphering risk factors of Parkinson’s disease

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer

Research area(s): Plant Biochemistry and Metabolism

Thesis: Interactions between hormones, antioxidants, and reactive oxygen species during seed germination

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ilse Kranner

Research area(s): Evolutionary and developmental biology, regeneration
Thesis: WNT/β‑Catenin signaling in Hydra regeneration ‑ deciphering ancientgene regulatory mechanisms

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof Dr. Bert Hobmayer

Research Department for Biomedical Aging Research
Research area(s): Humoral Immunity

Thesis: Mir-142 – a key player in B cell development and function

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Birgit Weinberger

Research area(s): Molecular cell biology

Thesis: FAHD Proteins as potentailly druggable onco-targets

First supervisor: Univ.-Doz. Dr. Pidder Jansen-Dürr (Co-supervisor: Ass.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Alexander K. H. Weiss)

Research area(s): Evolutionary and developmental biology, regeneration

Thesis: Role of Myc associating factor x (Max) in Neoblast maintenance in flatworms

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bert Hobmayer

Research area(s):DNA methylation, gynecological cancers, molecular biology
Thesis: Epigenome-based risk prediction and detection of gynecological cancers

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Widschwendter

Research area(s): Stem Cells, developmental biology

Thesis: The role of MNX1 in human lineage determination

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dirk Meyer

Research area(s): Stem Cell biology, Neuroscience, Autism-Spectrum-Disorder
Thesis: Pathophysiological Effects of Autism-Spectrum-Disorder risk Mutations in Human Cell Culture Models

First supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Edenhofer

Research area(s): Senescence, skin aging, molecular biology

Thesis: Using in vitro models to study extrinsic skin aging associated with air pollution and cigarette smoke to understand mechanisms of cellular senescene

First supervisor: Univ.-Doz. Dr. Pidder Jansen-Dürr

Research area(s): Bioadhesion research on Ascidian, Ciona intestinalis

Thesis: Bioadhesion in Ascidian

First supervisor: Assoz. Prof. Dr. Ute Rothbächer