Julia Schwarzpaul

I completed my bachelor’s degree in Biology at Goethe University Frankfurt, where I developed a strong interest in neuroscience. This led me to pursue a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, further exploring neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. 

During my bachelor’s thesis, I worked with human cell cultures for the first time, which sparked my passion for advanced cellular models.

For my Master’s thesis, I focused on the developmental impact of the ASD-associated gene QPRT in embryonic stem cell derived cerebral organoids, using both morphological and transcriptomic analyses. I also gained valuable experience working with mouse hippocampal cultures during a research internship at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, where I studied how amyloid-β affects synapses.

Now, as a PhD student in neuro-oncology, I’m excited to dive into research on glioblastoma. My project involves analyzing a library of specific protein kinase inhibitors using patient-derived tumor organoids under conditions that mimic the tumor microenvironment. 

I’m eager to contribute to the development of more effective treatments for this aggressive cancer.