THIS IS US!
Karolina Pircs, PhD – Group Leader, Assistant Professor
e-mail: pircs.karolina@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459 15 00/60168
Ágnes Varga, PhD – Researcher
e-mail: varga.agnes1@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60369
mobile: +36 30 016 4787
Ági is a Researcher in our lab. She graduated as a biologist, specializing in molecular biology, genetics at Eötvös Loránd Science University. Ági obtained her PhD in the field of cell biology, focusing on the autophagic degradation system of Drosophila melanogaster. She has experience in a wide variety of molecular biological tools, cell culturing and microscopy. Previously she was the coordinator of the Semmelweis Onkobank, an oncologic tissue repository. She is the head of our FACS and Viral Vector Core Facilities. In her free time she likes to hike with her family, practice yoga and sewing.
Lea Danics, PharmD, PhD – Researcher
e-mail: danics.lea@semmelweis.hu
Lea is a Researcher in our lab, who investigates post-transcriptional regulation of induced neurons derived from Huntington’s disease patients and is also interested in studying immunological and stress tolerance mechanisms during ageing and age-related neurodegenerative diseases by using the iN model. Lea obtained her PhD at the doctoral school of Theoretical and Translational Medicine Semmelweis University in cancer research, focusing on tumor immunity and stress tolerance-related surviving mechanism. Her background and further plans are opening new perspectives in the research group. As a pharmacist, she is particularly interested in identifying new therapeutic targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of the work, she likes to spend time in the nature with her dog and making potteries as a hobby ceramist.
Ármin Sőth, MSc – Assistant research fellow
e-mail: soth.armin@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60369
mobile: +36 20 670-1162
Ármin is an Assistant research fellow in our lab. He graduated from the Eötvös Loránd University in 2019 as a biologist, specializing in molecular cell biology. He continued his research at the Doctoral School of Biology ELTE, focusing on autophagy, endosomal trafficking, vesicle tethering and fusion. He has tremendous experience in cloning, cell culturing, yeast two-hybrid immunoprecipitaiton, immuncytochemistry and different kinds of microscopy. Ármin will widen his scope by continuing to study autophagy in ageing and age-related neurodegenerative diseases using induced neurons.
Kinga Vörös, MSc – PhD student
e-mail: kinga.voros@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60168
Kinga is PhD student in our lab. She graduated from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in 2018 as a pharmaceutical engineer with a master’s degree. She is especially interested in drug development, due to her focus on helping people. Kinga has experience in working with cancer cells and neuronal cultures. Besides cell culturing, she has a lot of experience in toxicological measurements and gene expression. Her favourite work field is immunostaining, where we can detect the amazing world of cells. Her project focuses on drug repurposing in Huntington’s disease. In her free time, she likes gardening and traveling.
Anna Abbas, MSc – PhD student
e-mail: abbas.anna@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60369
Anna is a PhD student in our laboratory. She graduated from BME (Budapest University of Technology and Economics) in 2021 as a bioengineer with a masters degree. Anna has experience in working with adenoviruses and she is also skilled in virus diagnostics. Anna is interested in virus vector related genetic modification. Her research focuses on establishing and testing a new drug screening strategy for age-related cognitive disorders using induced neurons directly reprogrammed from patient’s fibroblasts and to study how neuronal autophagy declines during physiological healthy ageing. Her future goal is to use gene therapy in an effort to treat or halt diseases. Her hobbies are painting and hiking in the nature.
Balázs Kis, MSc – PhD student
e-mail: kis.balazs@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60369
Balázs is a PhD student in our laboratory. He graduated as a bioengineer and later chose Info-bionics engineering for his MSc degree. Balázs studied a wide range of subjects from neurobiology to spin wave based computing during his studies. He has experience in cell culturing, magnetic simulations and with analytical chemistry. His current project focuses on the pathophysiological effects of age-related neurodegenerative diseases in induced neurons on autophagy and his goal is to provide a solid foundation to novel treatment strategies concerning these diseases.
Melinda E. Gazdik, MSc – PhD student
Melinda is a PhD student in the labo. She graduated from Eötvös Loránd University. During her BSc, she studied general Biology and after that, she specialized in Neurobiology and Human Biology during her MSc. Melinda continued her studies at the ELTE Doctoral School of Biology, where she is working on the functional characterization of genetically modified human neurons with electrophysiological techniques. She has experience in whole-cell patch clamp measurements on acute brain slices and also on different cell cultures.
Bendegúz Sramkó – Medical student
e-mail: sramko.bendeguz@stud.semmelweis.hu
Bendegúz is a medical student at Semmelweis University. He was awarded with a 6-year Scholarship from NTA (National Academy of Scientists Education), which provides him with an opportunity to do research during his studies as a medical doctor. His project focuses on direct neuronal reprogramming using dental pulp cells. In the future, Bendegúz would like to be a medical doctor with special interest in precision medicine and neurology. His hobbies are canoeing and making ethnographical trips.
Roland Zsoldos – Master student
e-mail: zsoldos.roland@ext.semmelweis.hu
Roland is a master student student in our laboratory from ELTE. He is currently continuing his biologist MSc studies specializing in molecular biology. He is specifically interested in the molecular aspects of neurobiology and age-related diseases. His project focuses on neuronal autophagy during physiological ageing using CRISPRi gene editing in induced neurons. In his free time, he likes to cycle and to play video games.
Pálma Zsolnai – Research assistant
e-mail: zsolnai.palma@semmelweis.hu
phone: +36 1 459-1500/60369
mobile: +36 30 016-4491
Pálma is a lab assistant in our team. She graduated as a biologist, specializing in microbiology and received her Master’s degree from ELTE in 2015. Pálma is performing a wide variety of duties to help the lab running, and also ensures all errands connected to the new Viral Vector Core facility. In her free time she likes to hike and play board games.
Diego Baena Lopez – ECTP awardee, guest researcher, PhD student
Diego is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Seville, Spain. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Physiology and Neuroscience, both from the same institution. During his undergraduate and Master’s studies, Diego focused on the unique properties of motor neurons in the oculomotor system, which are known for their remarkable resistance to neurodegeneration. His research specifically examined the developmental changes in the expression of Choline Acetylesterase (ChAT) and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) proteins in the rat oculomotor system. Now in the early stages of his PhD, Diego’s research will investigate the potential beneficial effects of various natural compounds with antioxidant properties on aging. He has been selected as an awardee of the Early Career Training Programme (ECTP) and will undertake a two-week internship with us.
Manka – Lab dog
Alumni:
Mateusz Skawski, MS – assistant research fellow
Dorina Jamniczky – Master student
Kinga Sándor-Bajusz – Guest researcher