Predocs

PhD student

email: kevin.dervishispam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-72458

room: 6A26 (sixth floor)

Kevin Dervishi earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Verona, where his thesis explored pharmacogenetics in cancer patients. He continued at Verona for a Master’s degree in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, culminating in a thesis on strategies to improve the data quality from Illumina Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).

Following his Master’s, Kevin undertook a post-graduate research fellowship with the Biomolecular Research Group for Degenerative Diseases in Verona, focusing on osteosarcoma. This experience deepened his passion for biomedical research and reinforced his decision to pursue a doctoral degree.

In July 2025, Kevin joined the Feil Group as a PhD candidate working on the mechanosensitive cGMP signaling of vascular smooth muscle cells and atherosclerosis under the supervision of Dr. Susanne Feil. He is part of the 4th cohort of the GRK2381 cGMP: From Bedside to Bench program.

PhD student

email: alisa.grohspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-72458

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Alisa Groh completed a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Here, she developed a strong interest in molecular oncology and for her thesis explored the mutation profile of molecular and clinical subgroups in follicular lymphoma. Continuing her academic journey, Alisa pursued a Master’s degree in Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology at the University of Tübingen.

During her studies, Alisa spent a semester abroad at National Taiwan University in Taipei. Here, she was first introduced into the topic of stem cells and regenerative medicine while experiencing a vibrant new culture and academic environment. Because of this, she decided to complete her master thesis working with hiPSC-derived retinal organoids.

In October 2024, Alisa joined the Feil Lab to pursue her PhD, focusing on shear stress induced cGMP signaling in tumor vessels.

In her free time, Alisa enjoys creative pursuits such as sewing, crafting or music, as well as staying active through sports like dancing and aqua fitness.

PhD student

email:  timo.hinnenthalspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Timo Hinnenthal's scientific education began at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he completed his bachelor's degree in biochemistry. In his bachelor's thesis at the German Rheumatism Research Center in Berlin, he pursued his interest in immunology and focused on super-functional T helper cells in systemic lupus erythematosus. Timo then continued his studies at the University of Tübingen, where he joined the master's program in biochemistry. During a four-month research stint at the SciLifeLab in Stockholm, he started working with macrophages on a phagocytosis assay, which sparked his interest in this unique cell type. During his master's thesis at the Werner Siemens Imaging Center in Tübingen, Timo established an electroporation protocol to generate macrophages that transiently express a chimeric antigen receptor and tested their potential for cancer immunotherapy.

In May 2024, Timo joined the Feil Lab, to do his PhD. Following his passion for macrophages, Timo aims to decipher the true identity of macrophage-like cells in atherogenesis and atherosclerosis using fate-mapping.

Outside of the lab, Timo is passionate about food and cooking and likes to stay healthy with swimming and bouldering.

PhD student

email:  julia.hoffmeisterspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-73393

room: 6D26 (sixth floor)

Julia obtained her Bachelor's degree in Biology at the University of Hamburg, where she developed an interest in microbiology and metagenomics. In her bachelor thesis she performed functional screenings of gene libraries in the search of novel glycosyltransferases. Julia continued her studies with a consecutive Master's program and completed her Master thesis at the Leibniz Institute of Virology. Here, she investigated the influence of H3N2 influenza A virus on the expression of aromatase, which is the enzyme that converts testosterone to oestradiol.

In July 2024, Julia joined the Feil Lab to pursue a PhD and follow up on the exciting research on the role of cGMP signaling pathways in cancer.

In her free time Julia relaxes by reading a good book and watching true crime documentaries.

PhD student

email: shahzad.munirspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Shahzad Munir completed his Bachelor in Biological Sciences at the University of Heidelberg where he demonstrated a potential interaction betwenn ERM protein family members and membrane-bound activated leucocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) which plays a crucial role in axonal guidance and pathfinding during development. Continuing his studies at the University of Heidelberg, he characterized a novel zeolite-based monoaminergic sensor, which culminated into his Master thesis. His interest in fundamental neuroscience research led him to join the group of Dr. Hannes Schmidt to investigate the functional relevance of CNP-induced cGMP signalling in the hippocampus.

PhD student

email:  simon.nestelespam prevention@student.uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Simon Nestele is a medical student at the University of Tübingen, where he successfully completed his first state exam in 2022. He is particularly interested in intensive care medicine and anesthesiology. Due to his enthusiasm for basic research, he decided to do his doctorate at the Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry. In February 2024, Simon joined the Feil Lab as a medical doctoral student under the supervision of Prof. Robert Feil and Dr. Moritz Lehners. His research focuses on the interactions between cGMP and cAMP signaling pathways, which he investigates using fluorescence-based cGMP and cAMP sensors in living cells of the vascular system.

Simon is a member of the Research Training Group 2816 “Non-canonical G-protein signaling pathways”. In his spare time, Simon is passionate about handball and enjoys playing the violin, especially chamber music.

PhD student

email:  asli-pektas@student.uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Asli earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey, where she developed a strong interest in the biological mechanisms underlying brain function. This interest motivated her to pursue a Master’s degree in Neuroscience at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in Germany. During her master’s studies, Asli focused primarily on the sensory system, and in her thesis, she investigated age-related changes in olivocochlear efferents in the gerbil cochlea. Alongside her work in sensory neuroscience, she developed a growing interest in molecular biology through several elective courses, which deepened her understanding of cellular signaling pathways. 

In July 2025, Asli joined the Feil Lab to begin her PhD under the supervision of Dr. Hannes Schmidt. Her current research focuses on the CNP-induced cGMP signaling cascade and its role in kidney development and skin physiology.

PhD student

email: katharina.koeppespam prevention@student.uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Katharina Pertoll-Köppe is a medical student at the University of Tübingen, where she completed her first state exam in spring 2024. Early in her academic journey, she gained research experience through competitions such as Forschen auf See and Jugend forscht, investigating the effects of microplastics in ocean sediment. Driven by her interest in biochemistry, Katharina joined the Feil Lab in September 2025 as a medical doctoral student under the supervision of Prof. Robert Feil and Dr. Moritz Lehners. Her research focuses on the interplay between cGMP and cAMP signaling pathways in vascular smooth muscle cells. She is also a member of the Research Training Group 2816, Non-canonical G-protein Signaling Pathways.

PhD student

email: daniel.pinto-quinterospam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel.: (+49) 7071 29-74772

room: 6M34 (sixth floor)

Daniel Pinto Quintero obtained his Bachelor's degree in Human biology from Phillips University in Marburg where he developed a special interest in tumor biology. During his Bachelor thesis, he investigated the aberrant expression pattern of GAPDH on salivary gland tumors. Following his interest in biomedical research, he then continued his Master studies in Human biology at the University of Marburg. For his Master thesis, Daniel was working in a radiation oncology laboratory investigating a putative detrimental role of serum amyloid A limiting the success of radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

Daniel has now joined the laboratory of Prof. Robert Feil, where he focuses on the investigation of the relationship between shear stress and cGMP signaling in platelets. In the future, this might lead to improved treatment options for patients with blood clotting disorders (thrombosis). 

PhD student

email: anja.turnschekspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-72458

room: 6P34 (sixth floor)

Anja earned her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Medicine from the University of Freiburg, where her thesis focused on immune cell infiltration in lung carcinoma. Using multiplex imaging analysis, she characterized distinct cell types within the tumor microenvironment.

She continued her studies at the University of Freiburg in the master’s program in Molecular Medicine, where she developed a strong interest in the cardiovascular system. For her master’s thesis in molecular cardiology, she examined the impact of different doses and delivery routes of a single siRNA on gene expression in animals, aiming to determine the optimal administration approach for future studies.

In October 2025, Anja joined the Feil Lab as a PhD student. Building on her background in cardiovascular research, she now investigates how mechanical forces modulate cGMP signaling in blood vessels and how this process changes under pathological conditions.

In her free time, Anja enjoys reading, cooking, and jogging.

PhD student

email:  mahdie.zarespam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

tel: (+49) 7071 29-73393

room: 6D26 (sixth floor)

Mahdie began her academic journey in Iran, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Nursing from Qom University of Medical Sciences. She then enrolled in a Master's program in Medical Physiology at Iran University of Medical Sciences to study human physiology. In her master's thesis, Mahdie investigated the possible effect of valproic acid on the expression of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus of chronically stressed male rats. This inspired her to continue her education with a Master's program in Neuroscience at the University of Oldenburg. There, at the Neurogenetics department, she completed her master's thesis on the structural and functional analysis of the potassium chloride cotransporter (KCC4). In July 2024, Mahdie joined the The Feil Lab to pursue a PhD under the supervision of Dr. Hannes Schmidt, investigting the mediators of CNP-induced cGMP signaling in axon bifurcation of sensory neurons.

In her free time, Mahdie enjoys reading, listening to classical music, playing card games, and exercising.