Head of Research Group
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Silja Weßler
AG-Leiterin, Professorin für Mikrobiologie
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7210
E-Mail: SilE6GiZvfja.Wessll1_4cqCer@F@N8S.eplusXgwrphz.ac.a_4cqCHuttnD3JUW
Senior Scientist
Mag. Dr. Gernot Posselt
Senior Scientist
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7211
E-Mail: Gerc_uUnot.Poa@lLsselwk1Rt@plxegjus.ac.LO-Yats0wk
PostDoc
Dr. Sebastian Diechler
PostDoc
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: Sebasbjpytian.bjpyDiecnv7ZhleXN.nr@plusFA8a.ac.a4mREtv7Z2
Technical Assistance
Christian Daniel Ferner
Technischer Assistent
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7215
E-Mail: chrfAlDG9istianAlDG9odaniepOS3vul.fKIC._2erner2pOS3v@plu60MwXjs.ac.at0MwXjH
PhD Students
Saruchi Wadhwa
PhD student
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: saruT_Fbschi.BvtOywadH2UZ7hwa@p6n49alustOyzr.ac.atQVxed
Saruchi completed her undergraduate degree in microbiology from Gargi College, University of Delhi, India, in 2015. She was enrolled in the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research (A.C.B.R.), University of Delhi, India, for the master’s degree program in biomedical sciences, which was completed in 2017. She worked as a Research Fellow at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, India, with a focus on the role of type II toxin-antitoxin systems in Mycobacterium tuberculosis persistence. She then worked as a senior research fellow at the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), India, where she characterized the novel mutation in the PRKG2 gene responsible for acromesomelic skeletal dysplasia. As part of a three-month EMBO exchange program, she also worked at the University of Helsinki, Finland, where she learned gene editing of patient-specific mutations using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology in patient-derived iPSCs.
Paul Wätzig
PhD Student
Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: pau4ELXCsl.wa61ankgetzIOHQvNig@pWqAYIOlus5MxP0i.ac.xP0ijfat61ankg
Paul earned his Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) degree in 2016 from the Munich University of Applied Sciences. During his bachelor thesis, he worked at the Institute for Translational Cardiac Surgery at the German Heart Centre Munich, where he focused on investigating the direct reprogramming of murine primary fibroblasts into induced cardiac progenitor cells. For his Master’s studies, Paul moved to the Technical University of Munich, completing a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Molecular Biotechnology in 2024. As part of his academic journey, he undertook a six-month industrial internship in the Cell Technologies department at Roche in Penzberg and participated in a semester abroad at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon. His master thesis was conducted at the Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics at TranslaTUM, where he worked on validating a CasRx-based lncRNA screening platform. In 2025, Paul joined Silja Weßler’s group, where his research focuses on developing organoid-based advanced infection models for carcinogenic pathogens.
MasterstudentInnen
Vanessa Albert
Masterstudent
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7216
E-Mail: vaneshj69sa.al0lDAberbSXyt@studGdbS.plusyJWP.ac.atCqQ_
Mohamed Elattar
Master Student
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7216
E-Mail: mohamer0fbzd.elattar@stK81EAud.plknv4Jus.UGWS_ac.0fbziatfbzix
StudienassistentInnen
Lea Heringlehner
Studienassistentin
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg
E-Mail: lea.hp4jOneriMqfFgngl1CeXLehneo7YNur@stud6d9K0.plxZ.-Rus.acvhAtJ.at4jOnk
