Young scientists

Doctoral candidate network

Student network within the ScienceCampus Chronic Inflammation

We are Robin (AG Chang) and Jordan (AG Hauser), your DRFZ PhD representatives. In our term, we would like to support the DRFZ PhD candidates through the organization of scientific events focusing on scientific topics, career orientation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

You’re a PhD student and not part of the PhD Newsletter yet, but would like to get informed about events in the future? Then write us phd-reps@drfz.de to add you to the mailing list of doctoral students.

We are excited to build a strong network of PhD students at the DRFZ and would love to hear your suggestions for changes or events you’d like to see at the DRFZ. So please don’t hesitate to come by our offices or send us an email. We are here for you!

Hallo!

Hello! My name is Robin Kempkens, and I am second-year PhD candidate in the lab of Prof. Hyun-Dong Chang. Before starting my PhD at the DRFZ, I studied medicine at the Charité in Berlin. In my PhD project, I am investigating the influence of the microbiome on the production of pathological antibodies in the context of the chronic inflammatory kidney disease IgA nephropathy. A better understanding of the onset of the disease will enable us to develop more targeted therapies to treat patients. In my free time, I enjoy bouldering, cooking and practicing yoga.

Howdy!

Howdy everyone! My name is Jordan Sloan, and I have recently begun working at the DRFZ in Dr. Anja Hauser’s group. I am originally from Dallas, Texas, and I completed my bachelors from Texas A&M in genetics and my master in molecular biology. My current project is the study of the recruitment and maintenance of long lived plasma cells in bone marrow niches. In my free time I enjoy traveling, playing racquetball, hiking, and playing piano. I am glad to be here and look forward to working with you all!

Leibniz PhD network

Facebook PhD Network

Blog des Leibniz PhD networks

N² Network of Doctoral Researcher

The PhD network was established in 2016 as part of the Leibniz Science Campus Chronic Inflammation.

We thank our predecessors for their commitment:

Former doctoral students representatives at the DRFZ

Aleandra Forrai, Emilia Schneider Revueltas, Anastasiia Kirilenko (2022-2023)
Sandy Bauherr and Alexander Fiedler (2021-2022)
Tejal Karmalkar and Kevin Heiking (2019-2020)
Rebecca Cornelis and Lukas Heiberger (from August 2017 to July 2018)
Marie Urbicht and Jonathan Stefanowski (from August 2016 to July 2017)

Former representatives in the steering committee of the Leibniz PhD Network

Marie Urbicht (from 2017 to 2018)
Jonathan Stefanowski, spokesperson (from 2018 to 2019)
Lukas Heiberger (from 2018 to 2019)

Events

First Doctoral Students and Post Doc Meet & Greet

It was no April Fool’s joke: on April 1, 2025, the doctoral students and postdocs of the DRFZ met with the Executive Board to exchange ideas in a relaxed atmosphere. From now on, we want to meet regularly so that we can get to know each other and our research and, above all, our daily experiences better. Be part of it!