Sander Lab

Principal Investigator

Prof. Dr. Maike Sander | Principal Investigator | she/her

Prof. Dr. Maike Sander is a leading expert in diabetes research, focusing on the development and function of pancreatic islets. With a background in medicine and molecular biology, her groundbreaking work has advanced understanding of beta cell biology and diabetes pathogenesis. As a professor and director at MDC, Dr. Sander oversees innovative research using cutting-edge technologies like single-cell genomics and proteomics to unravel mechanisms of insulin production and beta cell failure. She is dedicated to mentoring young scientists and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to drive transformative discoveries that pave the way for novel diabetes treatments.

Scientists

Dr. Ulrika Beitnere | Senior Scientist | she/her

Research Interests: Genome Editing, Stem Cell Maturation, Organoids

I am a senior scientist and project lead in Prof. Maike Sander's lab at the Max-Delbrück-Center. My background spans pharmacology, genome editing, and neuroscience, with a focus on translational science. I earned my Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Latvia, working on neurodegenerative diseases, and completed a postdoc at UC Davis, using CRISPR in Angelman Syndrome research. Currently, I aim to enhance the functionality of stem cell-derived pancreatic islets using CRISPR. In the future, I plan to integrate these advancements into organ-on-chip platforms to explore interactions between pancreatic islets and other organ systems.

Dr. Somesh Sai | Postdoc | he/him

Research Interests: Single-cell sequencing, Diabetes, Metabolism

I received my doctoral degree from Frei Universität Berlin in October 2024, wherein I focused on studying the adaptive responses of β-cells to metabolic stressors using scRNA-seq. In the Sander lab, I am currently working as a post-doc on several single-cell collaboration projects and establishing data analysis and data management strategies for the group.  I am passionate about science communication and strategic decision-making in scientific policy. I hold an MSc in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics from ETH Zürich, Switzerland and a B.Tech in Bioinformatics from VIT University, India. Outside of the lab, I like swimming, running and exploring the multitude of restaurants in Berlin.

Dr. Alexis Shih | Postdoc | she/her

Research Interests: IAPP, Organoids

I am interested in the hormone islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), which is co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic islet beta cells. IAPP plays a crucial role in regulating glucose homeostasis, but it can also aggregate into amyloid deposits, contributing to beta cell dysfunction, cell death, and the progression of type 2 diabetes. Current drug discovery methods often rely on synthetic human IAPP peptides and fail to account for the physiologically relevant levels of endogenous IAPP. Therefore, my goal is to utilize human pluripotent stem cell-derived beta cells (SC-beta cells) to model islet amyloid more accurately.

Yasat Hacibaloglu | PhD Student | he/him

Research Interests: Islet Cell Subtypes, Multi-omics

I am a bioengineer turned biologist who is interested in adapting cutting edge methods to fasten bench-to-bedside research. My specific interests include islet cell subtypes and their multi-omic characterization, I work with Kempa Lab at BIMSB to realize this goal. In my free time I like taking care of my plants, swimming, and discovering new and niche Berlin cafes.

Till Janotte | PhD Student | he/him

Research Interests: Organ-on-a-chip, Islet Maturation, Organ Crosstalk

I studied molecular biology in my Bachelor and graduated from Hannover Medical school with a MSc in Biomedicine, focusing on genetic modification and differentiation of iPSCs. In my PhD, I am working on the establishment of a differentiation protocol for intestinal organoids. I want to use these SC-derived intestinal models to investigate organ to organ interactions with our SC-derived pancreatic in an organ-on-chip system. When I am not at work, I like to explore Berlin, read a good book or play some Volleyball. Of course, I enjoy meeting new friends, which is why I thoroughly enjoy the international environment at MDC!

Snigdha Nadagouda | PhD Student | she/her

Research Interests: Stem Cell Maturation, Multi-omics, Metabolism

For my PhD project, I am exploring how the cellular metabolism of embryonic stem cell- derived pancreatic beta cells regulate their functional maturity with the help of metabolomics and proteomics, live-cell imaging, and other experimental approaches. Outside work, you’ll find me reading fiction, walking around the city or trying new hobbies.

Deborah Kogan | Student Assistant | she/her

Luka Ugulava | Student Assistant | he/him

Annika Wuddel| Student Assistant | she/her

Technicians & Support Staff

Antje Brouwer-Lehmitz | Technician | she/her

Michael Schlichting | Technician | he/him

Madlen Kramer | Technician | she/her

Eleonora Corrias | Administrative Assistant | she/her