Eva Schmid, Ph.D., leads the Scientific Training Unit at the Vienna Biocenter. Her team designs and implements innovative and comprehensive training programs for all levels at the Vienna BioCenter to benefit a cohesive and thriving community. Eva holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, UK and worked for more than a decade on various interdisciplinary projects at UC Berkeley in the US. Besides her passion for science, she is motivated by a deep interest in people and communities. This led to a transition in her career to enable groundbreaking research on a broader level – by empowering curious young researchers to acquire the skills to succeed in the modern scientific landscape.  

Jean-Paul currently serves as Head of Human Resources at CeMM, an interdisciplinary research institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences committed to advancing the understanding of human diseases through basic and biomedical research. Before that he worked as Human Resources Manager for the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) with more than 110 independent research groups and service teams covering the spectrum of molecular biology at six sites in Barcelona, Grenoble, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Hinxton (EMBL-EBI), and Rome. Following his law studies, he was also educated in France at the Sorbonne University where he earned an MSc in Human Resources Development, has an Advanced Certificate in Strategic Human Resources Management from Cornell University, and is a Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Kanako Aono MSc, is a student recruiter at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), where she guides prospective students in pursuing PhD opportunities. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Japan and a Master's degree from the UK. Previously, she led the Student Recruitment Team at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) and worked at the Japanese Embassies in Saudi Arabia and Hungary, managing the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship Program to support international students studying in Japan.

Antonia completed her Bachelor's and Master's studies in Life Science at the University of Konstanz, Germany. Following this, she relocated to the IMP in Vienna to pursue her PhD in Molecular Biology. During her doctoral research, she focused on unraveling the structure and function of the protein interaction network of myosin. In 2021, Antonia completed her PhD and subsequently decided to transition into Doctoral Education. She currently is the executive manager of the Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Vienna. Drawing from her own experience in Life Science research, Antonia is dedicated to ensuring that PhD students enjoy a fruitful and rewarding journey throughout their Doctoral Studies.

Nadja Holzleitner has worked as the coordinator of the Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science since its establishment in 2020. In that time, the team of the docschool established teaching on the doctoral level, provided a soft skill curriculum to the students, and set up an extensive student support system, both in the administrative and personal context. Prevously Nadja worked as an administrator at the University of Vienna, gaining in-depth insight into the workings of the university as well as budgetary and personnel management. She completed a master's degree in Microbiology and has personal knowledge and experience of the field.

Dr. Katja Hellekes, is an experienced academic professional and Coordinator of the Doctoral Program CoBeNe with a strong background in neurobiology. She completed her diploma and doctorate at the University of Cologne, specializing in Neurobiology, followed by postdoctoral research at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and the University of Freiburg. Alongside her role as Coordinator of the Doctoral Program, Katja Hellekes lectures in cognitive science, providing students with a strong foundation in the field. With a passion for fostering the growth of early-career researchers, she provides dedicated support to PhD candidates, guiding them through their doctoral journey and helping them transition into independent research roles.

Ester Jarour is a specialist in international relations and strategic partnerships in the research and higher education sector. She currently serves as Head of Strategic Partnerships and International Relations at CEITEC Masaryk University, where she coordinates Alliance4Life, a consortium of twelve leading biomedical research institutes from Central and Eastern Europe focused on strengthening institutional capacity, research management, and cross-border collaboration.

She is also an experienced career development expert, with a strong background in supporting researchers at all stages of their careers. As former Training Coordinator at CEITEC, she was responsible for designing and implementing career development programmes, including soft and transferable skills training for doctoral candidates, postdocs, and senior researchers.

Ester collaborates with the global science leadership company hfp consulting, delivering training and development activities for scientists across Europe.

She also contributed to science engagement policy at the European level and served on the evaluation panel of the European Research Council’s Public Engagement with Research Award, supporting initiatives that bring science closer to society.

Brenda Stride is Deputy Head of Internal Scientific Training and Fellowship Programmes Lead at EMBL. She and her team are responsible for EMBL's International PhD and Postdoctoral Programmes. She did her PhD in Biochemistry at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. She has held positions in both industry and scientific publishing and enjoys using her diverse experiences to support EMBL fellows in her current role.

Dr. Marta Cipinska is a coordinator of the MDC PhD Exchange Program in Medical Systems Biology and works closely with the MDC Graduate Office, organizing seminars and lecture series, and facilitating international partnerships.

She pursued her studies in Poland, Germany, and the UK before earning her doctoral degree in the field of molecular biology from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany.

Previously, she served as the IMPRS coordinator at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, where she refined her skills in managing and developing doctoral education programs.

Lucia Sironi currently holds the position of Scientific Coordinator for the IMPRS-LM PhD program. She started her academic career in Italy and trained as a biochemist, earning her PhD at the European Institute of Oncology in Milano. She then moved to Germany and worked first as a postdoctoral researcher at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg and then as a staff scientist at the University of Konstanz. During her journey Lucia realised that she enjoyed more mentoring students and young scientists rather than doing her own experiments. As a PhD program coordinator, she can now focus on guiding students during their initial steps towards scientific independence.

Aligned with our IMPRS, our Head of Academic Office has an interdisciplinary background. Cassandra’s PhD work was in computational cognitive science, leveraging Bayesian models to query the nature of human decision-making. Since then, she has focused on investing in the next generation of academics: Establishing quality PhD Program structure and infrastructure to guide all of the complex decisions that make up an excellent PhD. 

Dr. Arantxa Sánchez Fernández has served as the Chief Coordinator of DIGS-ILS at TUD Dresden University of Technology for over a decade. In this role, she leads a team responsible for managing doctoral training, recruitment, and the relocation of international candidates across nearly 100 life sciences research groups. After earning her degree in Biotechnology from Universidad del País Vasco and completing a research project at the University Hospital in Cádiz, Spain, she moved to Dresden to pursue her PhD at the former IMPRS-MCBB (now IMPRS-CellDevoSys). Her research explored the cellular crosstalk involved in the bone remodeling process. Following her postdoctoral work in the same field, she moved to her current position, ensuring that all aspects of the PhD program run efficiently and thereby creating a high quality doctoral experience for the next generation of innovative research leaders.

Karolin Eifler-Olivi is one of the IPP coordinators and head of the Professional Development Office at IMB in Mainz. Her academic journey includes doctoral studies at the Max Planck Institute in Cologne and the Vienna Biocenter (2006-2010), followed by postdoctoral research at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands and the IMB in Mainz (2010-2017). Her research focused on post-translational protein modifications and their impact on DNA repair and cell cycle control in different model organisms. This rich background as a scientist has led her to her current position, where she guides and supports young researchers since 2018.

Maria Francesca is a scientist with 10 years of research experience across international institutes, a strong understanding of research management, academia, and higher education, and a deep passion for coaching and personal development.

As Coordinator of Scientific Training at Human Technopole, Maria Francesca empowers researchers through impactful initiatives, including training courses and PhD and postdoc development programs. Maria Francesca combines the analytical, rational and structured approach of a scientist with empathy, curiosity and a solution-oriented attitude. 

Maria Francesca also champions inclusivity as part of the HT Gender Equality Team and Women Network. Committed to innovative training and mentorship, she strives to inspire researchers at all career stages to reach their full potential.

Tina holds a PhD in cell and developmental biology complemented with several years of professional experience in research and science management. At Human Technopole, she manages the Scientific Training area, designing and delivering advanced scientific programs for researchers, PhD candidates, and the broader scientific community. Tina enjoys managing complex projects, shaping career development strategies, and guiding her team to implement initiatives that empower the next generation of scientists.

Anna Solé Amat is the Academic Coordinator at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), where she is part of the Training and Academic Office — a department dedicated to fostering high-quality training, career development, and the comprehensive support of early-stage researchers. In her role, she is responsible for coordinating the entire recruitment process for PhD students at the CRG, managing and coordinating international PhD recruitment calls, candidate selection, onboarding procedures and university liaison. Beyond recruitment, she ensures the continuous follow-up of PhD students throughout their four-year journey at the institute, acting as a key point of contact and support. Her work plays a central role in maintaining the excellence, structure, and personalized guidance that defines the CRG International PhD Programme, while also contributing to the overall academic and professional development of the institute's vibrant doctoral community.

Gemma Pascual holds a background in biomedical sciences and extensive experience in research management and doctoral education. As the PhD Program Manager at IDIBAPS, she oversees the academic coordination, student support, and strategic development of the program. She is committed to fostering a supportive environment for PhD candidates, promoting excellence, and enhancing international visibility for young researchers.

Susanna Bachmann, Dr. phil., is the managing administrator of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School and a coordinator of the PhD program in Molecular Life Sciences. Together with her colleagues she runs the transferable skills training program, recruits PhD candidates and is responsible for all kinds of administrative and organizational tasks that come with a graduate school. Susanna is a literary scholar by training with strong interests in science communication and education. She also holds a MAS in education management and considers coaching young researchers at the early stage of their professional career an utmost privilege.

Dr. Sarah Martin joined the Crick in April 2024 to lead the student team. She provides strategic and academic oversight to the Crick PhD and undergraduate student programmes.