Melissa Mattern

Position: MSc Student

Home Town: Hamm, Germany

Freetime Favourites: Ultimate Frisbee, Traveling, Arts & Crafts

Portrait of a woman with long red hair styled in braids, wearing a black shirt and a silver necklace, smiling at the camera with a neutral background.

I did my Bachelor’s in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Rostock, where my thesis focused on developing better platforms for spheroid research in regenerative medicine related to electrically active bone implants. Since then, I have enjoyed working across disciplines rather than limiting myself to one particular field. My background is in cell biology, biotechnology and biochemistry, with a particular interest in research that connects molecular biology and biotechnology with cellular systems, bioengineering and translational applications.

After gaining experience at Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes, I joined the IMPRS Molecular Biology programme to engage with challenging questions and dive deeper into the complex cellular systems that have fascinated me ever since, particularly the ubiquitin system. The versatility of the ubiquitin system especially sparked my interest, and I am excited to contribute to the field throughout my current master project and beyond. I am particularly interested in how we can harness the ubiquitin system for biomedical applications, from molecular engineering to new approaches in molecular medicine. What motivates me is the combination of fundamental research and the possibility of turning new understanding into something useful. I thrive on challenging questions and especially enjoy finding creative solutions to problems that do not yet have an obvious answer.

Outside the lab, I enjoy a good mix of being active and getting creative. You’ll usually find me running, swimming, doing fitness or playing Ultimate Frisbee, but I also enjoy literature, art and travelling, especially hiking and discovering new places. At home, I like spending time on creative projects, from crocheting and knitting to cooking and baking. I’m always up for a good conversation, a bit of laughter during long lab days and sharing some homemade goodies, preferably over a nice cup of tea. :)