Steering committee
Dr. Sherin Hassan Bran and Dr. Tom Doerffel who has been elected as spokespersons, along with two coordinators on behalf of each working group, represent the Leibniz PostDoc Network. These spokespersons, the financial officer, and the working group coordinators together constitute the Leibniz PostDoc Network Steering Committee.
Spokespersons
Dr. Sherin Hassan Bran
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS)
Sherin Bran is a postdoctoral research associate at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) in Leipzig, with a PhD in Environmental Science from Chiang Mai University, Thailand. He studies atmospheric pollutants, multiphase chemistry, and aerosol–climate interactions using cutting-edge models and observations. In his new role as spokesperson for the Leibniz Postdoc Network, Sherin is passionate about fostering open dialogue, supporting well-being, and building stronger connections across the postdoc community.
Dr. Tom Doerffel
Leibniz Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP)
As a physicist with a background in astrophysics and fluid dynamics, Tom joined the Leibniz Postdoc Network as its newly elected spokesperson. After completing his studies at the University of Jena, he pursued a PhD in Mathematics at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he explored the complex dynamics of hurricanes.
Currently, Tom is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP), focusing on modeling the upper atmosphere and its role in global climate systems.
As a spokesperson for the Leibniz Postdoc Network (LPN), Tom is dedicated to strengthen LPN’s role in the topics of professional career development and power abuse.
Alumni:
Dr. Ngoc Duyen Tanja Tu (IDS), Dr. Shyam Krishnan (Leibniz-HKI), Dr. Mine Altinli (BNITM), Dr. Peter Amer Arrabiyeh (IVW), Dr. Rajini Nagrani (BIPS), Dr. Marta-Ferreira-Gomes (DRFZ), Dr. Steve Doo (ZMT), Dr. Sami Ullah (DSMZ), Dr. Gitta Heinz (DRFZ), Dr. Lydia Repke (GESIS)
Working Group Coordinators
1. Survey
Dr. Paula Torre Zaffaroni
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
Paula is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. As part of the ODER~SO project, she studies the multivariate interactions between physicochemical, climatic, and hydrological conditions integrating extensive environmental and Earth observation records. She studied Environmental Sciences and got her PhD at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), where she developed a strong interest in the interplay between landscape, regional and global patterns of surface water dynamics. Within the LPN, she hopes to contribute by translating the concerns and interests of postdoctoral researchers into actionable plans within and across institutes.
2. Communication
Dr. Christian Nehls
Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center (FZB)
Christian belongs to the division of Biophysics at the Research Center Borstel. Since his physics studies, he has been particularly fascinated by interdisciplinary collaboration on questions with medical relevance. One of his major research interests has been membrane-associated mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity factors and host defense molecules. As a postdoctoral researcher in a current project of the Leibniz Cooperative Excellence, he is investigating the physical basis of bacterial propagation strategies (A risk index for health effects of mineral dust and associated microbes). Christian engages in the Leibniz PostDoc Network to strengthen the scientific mid-level staff, identify blind spots in the system, and address them through communication.
3. Infrastructure
Dr. Maya Giridhar
Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)
Maya moved to Germany in 2014 to pursue her Master’s at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Further, she completed her Ph.D. in Plant Cell Biology from the University of Bonn in 2021. Since then she has been working as a Postdoctoral researcher at LSB@TUM. Her current research is to use spatial transcriptomics to profile the morphological and transcriptional data in crops using high resolution microarrays. As a member of the Leibniz Postdoc Network, she is thrilled to be a part of the “Machine room” and expand the network.
Dr. Bastian Seelbinder
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)
Bastian currently works as a PostDoc in the Microbiome Dynamics department at Leibniz-HKI. He studied theoretical bioinformatics and applies his knowledge of multi-OMICs integration to the study of microbiomes in different human metabolic diseases as well as different environments.
4. Work & health
Dr. Judith Boldt
German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH (DSMZ)
Judith initially studied bioinformatics and received her bachelor’s degree from the TU München and LMU. She then moved to Paris to combine lab experiments and computational analyses during her master studies ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Life Science’ at Université Paris Descartes. During her PhD work at College de France in Paris and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas she focused on coevolution of genes, as well as protein thermal stability. For her postdoc, Judith is back in Germany, working at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ in Braunschweig. Her projects revolve around natural products from bacteria and brought her back to her roots in bioinformatics.
5. Career Development
Dr. Razieh Abdollahipour
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bio-economy e.V. (ATB)
Razieh completed her PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2022, specializing in Control and focusing on the consensus of uncertain multi-agent systems. She began her role as a scientist at ATB Institute in 2023, with research interests that span Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, and Control Systems and she is passionate about advancing AI-driven solutions. Razieh is now thrilled to coordinate the Career Development group, where she is dedicated to supporting and empowering her peers in navigating their career paths.
Dr. Thi Huyen Trang Dam
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bio-economy e.V. (ATB)
Dr. Thi Huyen Trang Dam earned a doctorate in Agricultural Economics from Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in climate change impact assessment. Since 2022, Trang has been a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Potsdam, where she combines project coordination and research work, focusing on advancing the bioeconomy to enhance soil health and sustainability through innovative approaches for sustainable farming practices. Recently, Trang joined the Coordination Team of the Career Development Group and looks forward to contributing to supporting and empowering fellow researchers in their professional growth.
6. Diversity and Inclusion
Dr. Rita dos Santos Natividade
Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)
Rita is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, where she investigates mechanoreceptors that mediate how we perceive mouthfeel. She completed her PhD in Biophysics at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium, focusing on virus interactions with cellular receptors. As a member of the Diversity & Inclusion working group within the Leibniz PostDoc Network, Rita is committed to fostering more inclusive environments across Leibniz institutes in Germany, particularly for international researchers.
7. Sustainability
Mario is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT). Operating primarily within the cleanroom environment, his research centers on advanced micro- and nanofabrication techniques, with a specific focus on atomic layer deposition (ALD). His scientific interests explore the intersections of plasmon-based catalysis and the properties of disordered superconductors, pushing the boundaries of nanoscale material synthesis and functional device integration. He focuses on decreasing experimental effort and using fewer resources by implementing AI to operate a hybrid software/hardware-based material characterization system. As a member of the Sustainability working group, Mario aims to raise awareness within the Leibniz Association and encourage more sustainable research practices through small impulses and practical ideas.