Meet the IgG4-TREAT PhD Students
Cansu Elmas
R1 Student, Supervised by Inga Koneczny
Cansu Elmas is a neurologist and PhD student at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Within the IgG4-TREAT project, she contributes to the IgG4-AID databank and investigates the serological, histological, and genetic characteristics of IgG4 autoimmune diseases. Her work aims to bridge clinical insights with basic research to improve understanding of these conditions.
Maria Pla Gran
R2 Student, Supervised by Rozen Le Panse
Maria Pla Gran is a PhD student at Sorbonne University in Paris, with a background in biotechnology and drug innovation. Her research focuses on IgG4-associated autoimmune diseases, investigating shared patterns of cellular dysregulation and identifying serum biomarkers linked to IgG4-mediated autoimmunity. Her goal is to contribute to the development of improved diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.
Nawara Faiza Ahsan
R3 Student, Supervised by Frank Leypoldt
Nawara Faiza Ahsan is a PhD student at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Kiel, Germany. Her research combines immunology and genomic medicine to investigate the genetic and transcriptomic features of IgG4 autoimmune diseases, with a particular focus on autoimmune encephalitis.
Joan Faus Camarena
R4 Student, Supervised by Maartje G. Huijbers
Joan Faus Camarena is a PhD student at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Netherlands. His research focuses on developing and characterizing preclinical animal models that mimic human IgG4 antibody responses to advance understanding of disease mechanisms and support therapeutic development.
Inès Mountadir
R5 Student, Supervised by Vuslat Yalmaz
Inès Mountadir is a pharmacist, researcher, and PhD student at Istanbul University, Turkey, within the IgG4-TREAT consortium. Her work focuses on IgG4 autoimmune diseases, building on her background in translational immunology and neuroimmune research, and integrating both murine and human models to better understand disease mechanisms and identify novel therapeutic targets.
Júlia Castellón
R6 Student, Supervised by Theo Rispens
Júlia Castellón Teixell is a PhD student at Sanquin Research and the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her research focuses on the early characteristics of IgG4 immune responses, aiming to better understand their development and role in IgG4 autoimmune diseases.
Maddalena Giomi
R7 Student, Supervised by Harald Prüß
Maddalena Giomi is a PhD student at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Her research focuses on the isolation and generation of autoantibody from patients with IgG4 autoimmune diseases.
Diego Asensio-Wandosell
R8 Student, Supervised by Pilar Martinez-Martinez
Diego Asensio-Wandosell is a PhD student at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, in the field of translational neuroscience. With a background in medicine, his research aims to bridge preclinical and clinical approaches in neuroimmunology to improve understanding of disease mechanisms and patient care.
Francisca Faber
R9 Student, Supervised by Inga Koneczny
Francisca Faber is a PhD student at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Her research focuses on the molecular characteristics of IgG4 autoantibodies, including Fab-arm exchange and glycosylation, and how these features influence IgG4 autoimmune diseases.
Sofia-Natsouko Gkotzamani
Sofia-Natsouko Gkotzamani is a PhD student at Tzartos Neurodiagnostics, the Hellenic Pasteur Institute and at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Her research focuses on the development of novel IgG4-specific immunoadsorption therapies to advance treatment strategies for IgG4 autoimmune diseases.