Minor Internship title: “Building a cell specific promoter and testing an optimized AAV production method for CAR-T therapy via molecular biology techniques”For my minor research project, I got the chance to work as an intern for 6 months at NanoCell Therapeutics under the supervision of Dr. Ator Ashoti and Dr. Martijn Evers. The aim of the project was the generation of a T cell specific promoter for the enhancement of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) gene expression specifically in T cells. During my internship, I worked in the designing and production of plasmid vectors containing potential T cell specific promoter elements and the production of recombinant adeno-associated viruses for the eventual viral delivery of the CAR in T cells. I was introduced to the in-Fusion bacterial cloning method and lipid-based nanoparticle production with the method of microfluidics and also improved my knowledge on PCR, Western Blotting, cell culture and flow cytometry of different cell lines. I will be forever grateful for this first opportunity that I got to work in an rising start-up company like NanoCell, specializing in a very promising gene therapy concept and working among a lot of brilliant multinational co-workers that made my experience memorable.

Major Internship title: “Dendritic cell-targeted anionic liposomes for the induction of antigen-specific tolerance towards the spCas9 protein and other antigens”.As a first-year MSc Drug Innovation student, I performed my major research internship at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of UU, at the group of Prof. Dr. Enrico Mastrobattista and the daily supervision of Ph.D. candidate Johanna Walther. The aim of the project was to induce spCas9 specific tolerance via the co-delivery of the protein alongside the immunosuppressant dexamethasone disodium phosphate into dendritic cells. During this 9-month internship I learnt several new for me techniques, such as liposome production with the method of extrusion, DLS particle characterization, SDS-Page electrophoresis, Western Blotting, HPLC, cell culture and flow cytometry of the DC2.4 dendritic cells and the bone-marrow derived primary dendritic cells. As a member of the Pharmaceutics Department, I had the opportunity to collaborate with people of various cultures and improve my interpersonal communication and teamwork skills.

Diploma Thesis: “Investigation of the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis fermentative ability and detection of indigenous bacteria in local varieties must”. Thesis Grade: 10 out of 10My first lab internship experience took place when I performed my Bachelor’s/Integrated Master’s thesis internship for the Biological Applications and Technology Department of the University of Ioannina at the Laboratory of Genetics, under the supervision of Assistant Prof. Amalia Afendra and MD Dr. Evangelos Sfikas. The aim of the project was to the fermentative capability of the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis in the alcoholic fermentation of local variety must of Debina wine. During this internship, I worked with three different strains of Zymomonas mobilis and got the opportunity to learn how to perform microbiological analyses and restriction enzyme bacterial cloning amongst several molecular genetic techniques, such as genome DNA extraction, plasmid DNA extraction, PCR and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis. I can honestly admit that it was a very positive and fruitful experience that introduced me in the world of a researcher.