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News 2022
School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology welcomes new staff
The School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology recently welcomed the following new staff members to their team.
Dr Katja Burk - Academic Staff
Dr Katja Burk studied biology at the University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart) and completed her diploma thesis at the Max-Planck-Institute for Neurobiology in Martinsried, Munich. She then moved to Cardiff, UK to obtain her PhD in developmental neurobiology, followed by two postdoctoral positions at the IBDML in Marseille, Luminy, France. In 2014, Katja returned to Germany for another postdoctoral position at the European Neuroscience Institute (ENI) in Göttingen. Since 2017, Katja was a group leader within the department of Neurology at the University Medical Centre Göttingen.
The main focus of Katja’s research is in the area of Receptor Dynamics in Development and Disease. The Burk Lab investigates and specialises at the interface of receptor trafficking and signalling as well as the integrity of the cytoskeleton—and how one affects the other.
Dr. Carolyn O’Driscoll - Programme Co-ordinator, Higher Diploma in Design and Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals.
Dr Carolyn O'Driscoll is a UCC graduate with a BSc Biochemistry (1997), PhD in Biochemistry (2007) and Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2007–2011) so will be familiar to some staff in the School. Carolyn has most recently worked as a Senior Demonstrator and tutor in the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Carolyn has a broad range of experiences that she brings to her new role as Programme Co-ordinator, Higher Diploma in Design and Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals.
Dr Martina Yordanova - Academic Staff
Dr Martina Yordanova completed a BSc in Molecular Biology (2008) at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Bulgaria. She then moved to UCC to obtain her PhD in Biochemistry (2016), followed by two postdoctoral positions in the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, UCC. In 2020, Martina was appointed as a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher and in 2021 was appointed as a visiting Assistant Research Professor at University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Martina will now establish her research laboratory with a focus on characterising the mechanisms of regulation of mRNA translation, and in particular those employing non-canonical translation for their use to benefit the Society through application of the gained knowledge in technologies such as mRNA therapeutics.
Dr Alexander Zhdanov - Technical Officer
Alex obtained a PhD in Immunology & Biochemistry from Moscow State University (1997), and was a Postdoctoral researcher in Russia, Germany and Ireland (1997–2013). Alex has most recently worked as a Research Support Officer in Professor Dmitri Papkovsky’s lab, so will be familiar to some members of staff. Alex's research profile on Google Scholar can be viewed here. He has a broad range of research and technical expertise that he brings to his new role in the School.
Congratulations to these new staff on their appointment. We look forward to working with them in the coming year!