Steffen Tiedt, Principal Investigator

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Vanessa Granja Burbano, PhD student

Originally from Ecuador, I obtained my BSc degree in Biology at Cayetano Heredia University in Peru and worked as a research assistant at the Department of Neurobiology, Genetics and Biochemistry. In 2016, I moved to Germany to pursue a MSc degree in Experimental and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Regensburg. My master thesis was focused on the analysis of mitochondrial dysfunction in induced neurons obtained from patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Obtaining a DAAD scholarship from the iPUR program, I was able to work at the University of Regensburg as guest researcher with Dr. Oliver Bosch. My main research interests include neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and age-related diseases. I have joined the Tiedt Lab at the ISD in 2020 as a PhD student at the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN). Primary focus of my work is to investigate the impact of the circadian rhythm on stroke. Outside the lab, I enjoy dancing salsa, reading tons of books and hiking.

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Michael Karg, MD student

Born and raised in Munich I am, as we say, a “Münchner Kindl”. After I passed my A-levels in 2016, I started my medical studies at the LMU in Munich in the following semester (16/17). Since 2018 I am glad to call Dr. Konstantinos Dimitriadis (senior physician in neurology at LMU) my mentor. I am very thankful for the mentorship, which allowed me to gain a deeper understanding in the field of neurology and the scientific research which is done at the ISD. In October 2018, I started my own research under the leadership of Dr. Steffen Tiedt. My subject is the the prevalence of systemic complications and prediction of thrombectomy success, interventional complications, and functional outcome after thrombectomy. Besides from my passion for medicine and its research, I am a big fan of intercultural exchanges in Europe and the whole world, which is why I speak four languages and of course I support the world’s best soccer club FC Bayern München.

Linjie Zhang, PhD Student

Originally coming from Henan province of China, I started my medical studies in 2012. And in 2021, I finished my master’s degree with the thesis ’Dynamic changes of inflammatory CD4+T cytokines in patients with acute ischemic stroke’. I have already worked in neurology department as a resident doctor for one year, and with the understanding of ischemic stroke, I found I have a great passion for biomarkers of ischemic stroke. I am so lucky to be one of the members at Tiedt Lab to further explore the mechanism of biomarkers of ischemic stroke. Outside the lab, I like hiking and yoga most. But recently I am trying to learn to dance Jazz.

Naomi Vlegels, Postdoctoral fellow

With a fascination for the (dys)functioning of the brain, I obtained my Master’s degree in Neuroscience and Cognition at Utrecht University. Following my graduation in 2017 I pursued my PhD under supervision of Prof. Dr. Geert Jan Biessels at the University Medical Center Utrecht. My PhD focused on the microstructural integrity of the white matter in Alzheimer’s disease and small vessel disease with the goal to better understand brain injury and cognitive decline in these conditions. During my PhD I got interested by systemic effects of brain injury and I am therefore happy to have joined the Tiedt lab in September 2022 as a Postdoc. Here I will study metabolomic changes after stroke. Outside of work I enjoy taking long walks on the beach, reading books and to meet family and friends. ​

Dr. Aldo I. Martinez-Banderas - Biomarker Hub Coordinator

I studied Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where I explored the nongenomic role of testosterone in asthma for my bachelor thesis (2013). I then pursued postgraduate studies at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, earning an MSc in Bioscience (2016) and a PhD in Bioengineering (2020). My research focused on magnetic nanowires for biomedical applications, including a multi-modal cancer therapy platform and an MRI-based tracking system for cell therapy. Most recently, I led a project at Roche Diagnostics GmbH to identify high-performance biosensors for biomarker detection developed in academia and industry for potential partnership. In 2025, I joined the Tiedt lab as Biomarker-Hub Coordinator, where I apply my interdisciplinary background to optimize biomarker workflows and support biobank users and researchers.

Yasin Eshraghi, PhD Student

Originally from Iran, I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees in biotechnology and medical biotechnology, respectively. While pursuing my master's degree, I became increasingly absorbed in the field of systems biology as well as the analysis of big data, which led me to implement proteomics data analysis in my master's thesis on kidney illness. I joined the Tiedt lab in September 2022 to follow up on my Ph.D. In this journey, I will focus on deciphering the underlying mechanisms of thrombus propagation via Proteome profiling with a holistic insight. Traveling, listening to music, and playing sports are some of the things I enjoy outside of the lab.

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Lisa-Maria Arnold, MD Student

Born and raised in Amberg in der Oberpfalz, I have always been fascinated by medicine and started my studies at LMU Munich in 2020. Prior to my studies I worked as a paramedic for the Bavarian Red Cross where I got an insight in emergency medicine, including stroke patients, that sparked an interest I haven’t lost since. During my studies I grew increasingly interested in neurology and the complexity of the brain and its pathologies, as well as the research potential this field offers. In my search for a MD project I came across the AG Tiedt research group and was immediately interested in their work to improve the outcome and diagnostics of stroke patients. I joined the research group in February 2025 and primarily work as part of the clinical team in collecting and analyzing samples to determine and further characterize biomarkers associated with brain tissue damage in patients with ischemic strokes. I am thrilled to be part of the AG Tiedt team and look forward to deepening my understanding of the pathology of strokes and potential new ways of improving patient outcomes on this highly relevant medical condition. In my free time I enjoy reading, skiing and play quadball with my team here in Munich.

Gilamo Fabian Atari Kazemi, MD Student

Lars Becker, MD Student

Born in Stuttgart, moved to Munich in 2012, where I have been pursuing my medical studies at the LMU and TUM since 2020.

I have always been fascinated by the brain’s ability to regenerate and adapt, particularly the mechanisms of neuroplasticity and the factors that influence it. This curiosity led me to join the Tiedt Lab as an MD student, where my research focuses on sleep and circadian rhythm disruption in stroke patients.
Beyond my studies and research, I love spending time outdoors, whether on the tennis court, sailing, or cycling through the beautiful landscapes around Munich. I am excited to be part of the Tiedt lab and I look forward to contributing to a better understanding of stroke and brain recovery.

Orsalia-Zoi Veloudiou, PhD Student

During my studies at the School of Medicine in Athens, Greece I developed a connection to patient brain pathology and interdisciplinary collaboration. In 2021, I completed a practical-year exchange at the LMU Klinikum and after my graduation in Greece, I moved back to Munich to chart a path that bridges clinical neurology with biomedical neuroscience. Inspired by the concept of circadian rhythm dysregulation, I joined the Tiedt lab in March 2023 to conduct an MD thesis on the role of the core circadian clock genes in the progression of ischemic stroke both at a clinical and experimental level. After completing my thesis, my Ph.D. research now focuses on sleep and circadian rhythm disruption in stroke patients. Except for the lab work, I’m also excited to discover the hidden gems in Munich.

Nicoló Luca Knuth, MD Student

Originally from Darmstadt, I moved to Munich in 2020 to study medicine at Ludwig-Maximilians-University. After my first state exam in 2022, I continued my medical studies at Technical University of Munich and fortunately came across Tiedt Lab while looking for an experimental MD program. In my project I am examining molecular biomarkers for cerebral injury due to stroke in collaboration with Kaj Blennow's group at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. In my free time I play field hockey professionally and depending on the season I like to go surfing or skiing.

Apolline Vix, MD Student 

Born and raised in Munich with German-French roots, I began my medical studies in 2019. My fascination with neurology grew throughout my studies in Munich, where I became inspired by the complexity of the brain and the potential for research to improve patient outcomes. I completed an Erasmus exchange in Budapest, which not only deepened my understanding of healthcare but was also an unforgettable experience meeting people from various backgrounds and immersing myself in new cultures. I am thrilled to be part of the Tiedt Lab team, where I can explore the molecular mechanisms of stroke and contribute to advancements in neurological research. In my free time, I enjoy traveling around the world and reading.

Yihan Zhang, Postdoctoral fellow

Originally coming from Guangzhou, Guangdong province of China, I started my medical studies in 2007, and I got both my MD degree and PhD degree in anesthesiology in Sun Yat-sen University. I am currently an attending anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. With the great interest in neurology and biomarker studies. I joined in Tiedt Lab as a visiting scholar in 2024. My work here mainly focuses on mining stroke-specific biomarkers from a multi-omics perspective to explore biomolecular mechanisms related to brain injury and recovery, which in turn would help me further investigate means of perioperative cerebral protection in surgical patients. In my spare time, I like to study foreign languages and travel throughout the world to admire architecture and scenery in different countries.

Ali Rezaei, Postdoctoral fellow

Driven to learn more about brains, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Brown University. Following my graduation in 2017, I worked as a technician for a year at Mass General Hospital, where I conducted research on cytoplasmic dsRNA mechanism of neurodegeneration. Afterwards, I enrolled in the fast-track PhD program of GSN at LMU and after the fast-track year, I started my doctoral work under supervision of Prof. Dr. Edbauer at DZNE Munich. My PhD’s focus was on the discovery of disease-associated oligodendrocytes in an ALS model and a potential therapeutic agent for them. During my PhD I got very drawn to various bioinformatics analyses and I am happy to have joined the Tiedt lab in October 2024 as a Postdoc. Outside of work, I enjoy coding for fun, hiking, video games, movies, and DIY projects with my raspberry pie. 

Arpita Kannihalli, PhD student

I'm originally from India, and in 2021 I earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Biotechnology from Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi, Karnataka. I also completed my Bachelor's thesis at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CIMAP) in Bangalore. I moved to Hyderabad to complete my post graduate degree (Master of Technology) in Medical Biotechnology in 2023 at the Indian Institute of Technology. I conducted in-silico and metabolite level analysis in my master thesis to show how circadian timing affects the effectiveness and side effects of cardiovascular treatments. In 2024, I began my PhD studies at the Tiedt Lab at ISD with DAAD Doctoral scholarship. My project aims to investigate the translational failure of brain stroke research and to identify the potential circadian targets for stroke treatment. Outside the lab, I enjoy dancing, travelling and hiking.

Wei Cao, Postdoctoral fellow

With a strong interest in bioinformatics and computational biology, I began my research journey during my undergraduate studies and have since specialized in these fields. My PhD at Tsinghua University focused on developing advanced computational algorithms for protein structure prediction, providing me with valuable experience in molecular modeling and sparking my interest in multi-omics data analysis for real-world biomedical challenges. I am excited to join the Tiedt lab in October 2024 as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where I will conduct in-depth research in multi-omics analysis in stroke. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling with friends, and my favorite sport is swimming.

Leducq Foundation

Precision Medicine in Stroke (PREMISE): integrating deep phenotyping from 1000 stroke patientes and experimental stroke models

Excellence program for research and funding (FöFoLe, LMU)

LMUexcellent

German Research Foundation (DFG)

Medical & Clinician Scientist Program (MCSP)

European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP RD)

SyNergy Cluster