Head of Research Group

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Silja Weßler

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Silja Weßler
AG-Leiterin, Professorin für Mikrobiologie

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7210
E-Mail: SiljhUO6a.Wessleram.T@pl2XGMus.z3nhac.atr1By

Senior Scientist

Mag. Dr. Gernot Posselt

Mag. Dr. Gernot Posselt
Senior Scientist

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7211
E-Mail: GernvsoRktot.PosOlS9VQselt@poRktIqlus.ac-Xuf8W.atbFg72i

PostDoc

Sebastian Diechler

Dr. Sebastian Diechler
PostDoc

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: Sebas1Sm_MHtian.TB3K1SDiechgcwPY.ler@TB3K1Splus.XAZVxtac.atSm_MH9

Technical Assistance

Daniel Ferner

Christian Daniel Ferner
Technischer Assistent

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7215
E-Mail: chriUMTystiandanielYkg5.ferner@plEl8qus.aUMTyc.atN9Ie

PhD Students

Sabine Bernegger

Saruchi Wadhwa
PhD student

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: saruchX50huvi.wad1@jKbYhwa@plus.ay2SJ.Wc.atcm3R1@

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

Paul Wätzig
PhD Student

Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7212
E-Mail: paul.wgTC-bnaetzn5Yu1lig@pNUhHEjlusLm@Zd0.ac.D4RfXoatgTC-bn

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

Vanessa Albert
Masterstudent

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7216
E-Mail: vanessWf5oa.a2cT8lbert@_MkZstug2cTd.p9HtKlus.aC-ldc.atf5o3

Mohamed Elattar

Mohamed Elattar
Master Student

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044-7216
E-Mail: mohan4@ymedHojr.elattd_Jgar@s3Xn4tud.O-Tbplus.Xn4@ac.atCO-T

StudienassistentInnen

 
Lea Heringlehner

Lea Heringlehner
Studienassistentin

Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg

E-Mail: lea.heeuRFHringlSlPCNehneqE4kar@studX@ZOs.plusdnX@Z.ac.87omdatFHytq