Julia Stebani and Nina Willnhammer are doctoral candidates at the Chair of Medicinal and Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), under the supervision of Prof. Angela Casini. In addition to their research, they are dedicated to fostering young talent through the TUM Entdeckerinnen program, which is aimed at female students and provides them with hands-on insights into scientific research fields.
Together, Julia and Nina led an exciting chemistry project focused on medicinal and bioinorganic chemistry. The participants carried out experiments themselves, discovered chemical reactions from everyday life, and learned how to create new substances with simple means.
We spoke with Julia and Nina about their motivation, their experiences in the project, and their personal journeys in science.
Hi Julia & Nina – thank you for taking the time for this interview. How did you hear about the TUM Entdeckerinnen?
Nina: As part of our SmartDrugs project, we wanted to carry out some initiatives for the general public. We quickly came across the TUM Entdeckerinnen program. Through this program, we can give girls direct contact with science and show them what we do in chemistry.
Julia: I heard about the program from Nina and decided to join in.
You took part in the program for the first time. What did you enjoy about it, and would you participate again?
Julia: I would definitely do it again. I really enjoyed being able to show the girls our research directly here in the lab. This immediate, non-abstract insight was very well received.
Nina: Absolutely, I would participate again. What impressed me most was how genuinely interested the girls were. This was also because they had to actively choose a project – and they chose ours.
How important is science communication to you?
Nina: In my opinion, science progresses less if you don’t communicate. Many ideas only emerge through exchange with others.
Julia: I completely agree. I also notice that we live in a “science bubble” and it can be challenging to explain to friends or family what we actually do in the lab. This makes communication to the outside world especially important.
Nina: For our TUM Entdeckerinnen project, Julia created a presentation and put a lot of thought into using language and visuals that would also be understandable to a general audience.
What research are you focusing on right now?
Julia: Nina and I work on metal–organic cage complexes designed to encapsulate chemotherapeutics and deliver them specifically to cancer tissue. I focus on computer simulations, studying the molecular-level interactions of the complexes – for example, which molecule is better encapsulated.
Nina: I, on the other hand, work mainly in the lab: synthesizing, functionalizing, and analyzing these cage molecules. Depending on the functionalization, they can acquire different properties, such as for imaging purposes.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Nina: I usually start with a literature search to stay up to date on the latest developments and to find reactions that could be adapted to my work. Then I head to the lab for synthesis, purification, and analysis of the complexes. If the parameters are right, I can test them in the cell lab on both healthy and cancer cells.
Julia: I also start with literature research, but I don’t perform lab experiments afterwards. My “synthesis” is running computational chemistry calculations to determine molecular properties of the compounds we want to synthesize. These calculations are often time-consuming. Since I’m currently at the end of my PhD, I also spend a lot of time writing my dissertation.
What excites you about your research, and what are your goals?
Julia: It’s important to me that our research has a clear application, even if part of it is basic research. The cell studies give us concrete first results, and cancer research in general is a very dynamic and exciting field. Being part of it is highly motivating. I’m still undecided about what comes after my doctorate, but I’d like to stay in computational chemistry – perhaps through a postdoc or directly in industry.
Nina: The application-oriented aspect was also the reason I chose to do my PhD in Angela Casini’s group. Having a concrete application in mind makes the research more tangible. I especially enjoy that there are often several possible ways to reach a goal – I like “puzzling” over the best synthesis route. I’d also like to continue working in cancer research and could imagine a career in pharmaceutical R&D.
What makes a good scientist in your eyes?
Nina: Above all: curiosity, openness, critical thinking – and, of course, motivation for scientific questions.
Julia: And communication – both in exchange with colleagues and in being open and honest when things in the lab aren’t going as planned.
Would you recommend the TUM Entdeckerinnen program?
Julia: Absolutely! It was a lot of fun, and we could certainly offer even more in the future. It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic the girls were about working in the lab – that’s highly motivating.
Nina: I also think it’s great that the participants can explore different research fields and get a feel for what they like and what study options are out there. The appreciation we received from the girls was very motivating.
Dear Nina, dear Julia – thank you for your commitment and for this interview!
Further Information & Links
- TUM Entdeckerinnen
- Prof. Angela Casini, Chair of Medicinal and Bioinorganic Chemistry
- Project: SMARTdrugs
Press Contact
communications(at)nat.tum.de
Team Website