Post Doctoral Fellows

Dr. Laura Kqiku

From Stuttgart, Germany
Laura's Story

Dr. Emmanouil Broumidis

From Athens, Greece
Manos' Story

Dr. David Lim

From Christchurch, New Zealand
David's Story

PhD and Master Students

Beatrice Rassati

From Monza, Italy
Beatrice's Story

Roja Aziziyan

From Lahijan, Iran
Roja's Story

Glenn Bojanov

From Kleve, Germany
Glenn's Story

Laura Monte

From Bellinzona, Switzerland
Laura's Story

Evelyn Sgroi

From Firenze, Italy
Evelyn's Story

Thordis Snaedal

From Akureyri, Iceland
Thordis' Story

Tommaso Canelli

From Vignola, Italy
Tommaso's Story

Marco De Corti

From Udine, Italy
Marco's Story

Those that shared the journey

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Laura Kqiku

About me

I studied Chemistry at LMU Munich, where I received both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. After the first COVID lockdown in 2020, I moved to Tarragona, Spain, to start my PhD at ICIQ with Professor Paolo Melchiorre. During this time, I became fascinated by the potential of enzymatic catalysis in non-natural transformations. Since February 2024, I’ve been a postdoc in Professor Paradisi’s group. I enjoy spending my free time outdoors, particularly hiking and swimming.

Research Area

My current research is directed towards the development of novel photobiocatalytic methodologies and their implementation in continuous flow systems.

Mail: [email protected]

Emmanouille Broumidis

About me

I am from Athens, Greece, where I also completed my undergraduate studies in Chemistry in 2012. I then participated in a EU-funded Erasmus+ traineeship program as a research intern at the University of Cyprus with Prof. Koutentis, focusing on the organic synthesis of Canthin-4-one alkaloids.
Following that, in 2017 I moved to Heriot-Watt University (Scotland, UK) to pursue a PhD, focusing on the development of photoactive materials for ROS generation enabled by mechanochemistry and flow chemistry techniques. In 2022, I moved to Bern to start my postdoc at the Paradisi group.
Besides chemistry, I enjoy listening to 80s music, going scuba diving, and motorbike trips.

Research Area

During my postdoc, I will work on the development of photobioactive 3D printed monolithic inserts that can be used to halogenate a series of biologically important organic substrates under continuous flow conditions.
Mail: [email protected]

David Lim

About me

I hail from the land of Kiwis and Hobbits with a Ph. D in Biochemistry from the University of Canterbury, NZ. After a stint as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Basel, I am now working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern in the Paradisi group. In my spare time, I am very passionate about playing guitar and am also into long-distance cycling.

Research Area

Protecting groups are typically unavoidable in synthetic carbohydrate chemistry. Their use inevitably leads to multiple synthetic steps, leading to loss of material and the creation of large amounts of waste. In the lab, I am currently developing methods for the protecting-group-free derivatisation of unprotected sugars in water to mitigate these problems and use this methodology to form medicinally-interesting compounds.

X: @daveylimnz
Mail: [email protected]

Beatrice Rassati

About me

After my bachelor’s degree in Medical Biotechnology, in December 2022 I obtained my master’s degree in Safety Assessment of Xenobiotics and Biotechnological Products at the University of Milan. During my studies I became fascinated by the field of structural bioinformatics and the idea of proteins as versatile tools for the generation of innovative products. In my master’s thesis project I investigated, exclusively using in silico methods, the relationship between protein structure and sensitivity to toxic proteins. In my spare time I like reading books, knitting and dancing.

Research Area

In March 2023 I joined the group as a PhD student. My research, which lies at the intersection of biotechnology, bioinformatics and chemical engineering, is focused on the development of innovative biocatalysts for sustainable and efficient synthetic processes.

X: @BeatriceRassati
Mail: [email protected]

Roja Aziziyan

About me

After obtaining my bachelor’s in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Guilan, I decided to pursue my studies at Tarbiat Modares University with a master’s course in Biochemistry, which I completed in 2021. After working for a few years in the same field, I joined the Paradisi group as a Ph.D. student in 2023. Apart from science, in my leisure time, I enjoy listening to old Iranian music, watching movies, going to cafés and shopping with my friends. I am also passionate about cooking for my family and spending time with them in my free time.

Research Area

In August 2023, I joined the group as a PhD student. I am currently working as a part of the MetRaZymes project, which gave me the opportunity to join the Paradisi Research group. I am passionate about the study of proteins as powerful tools for the generation of recombinant products. My research, which lies at the intersection of biotechnology, bioinformatics, bioinorganic and polymer chemistry, and bioprocess engineering, is focused on enzymes with radicalic mechanisms.

X: @r_aziziyan
Mail: [email protected]

Glenn Bojanov

About me

Born and raised at the German-Dutch border, I obtained both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Molecular Science the Radboud University in Nijmegen. During an Erasmus internship at CSIC in Madrid I got fascinated by sustainable catalysis. Outside the lab, I dive into music production, enjoy cooking delishes meals and going for hikes.

 

Research Area

I joined the Paradisi group for my PhD, where my focus lays on the interface of chemistry and biocatalysis. My research aims to create high-value chemicals from renewable materials, contributing to a more sustainable future. 

Mail: [email protected]

Laura Monte

About me

After finishing the Bachelor in Biochemistry at the University of Fribourg, I moved to Bern for the Master in Molecular Biology with specialization in Chemical Biology and finally, I stayed to pursue a PhD degree. I am passionate about cinema and informatics and in my spare time I enjoy playing music.

Research Area

My reasearch area is the interface between organometallic catalysis and biocatalysis, with a specific focus on investigating the potential of an Iridium PYE complex to function as a NADH mimic. 

Mail: laura.monte@unibe.ch

Evelyn Sgroi

About me

I graduated in 2024 with a degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, completing my thesis in organic synthesis. My research focused on developing innovative linkers for controlled drug release under ionizing radiation. Sustainability has always been at the core of my scientific interests, and in biocatalysis, I found a way to advance traditional synthetic processes toward a greener and more efficient future. Beyond research, I love listening to music, especially at live performances, going to the cinema and spending time outdoors, hiking or simply enjoying good company with friends.

Research Area

In February 2025, I joined the group as a PhD student, starting my research on the enzyme tryptophanase to develop efficient and sustainable biocatalytic strategies for synthetic processes.

Mail: [email protected]

Thordis Snaedal

About me

Coming from the land of fire and ice, Iceland, I earned my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Tampa in Florida. It was there that I first discovered the potential of using enzymes in green chemistry. Driven by a desire to deepen my knowledge, I pursued a master’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology at KTH in Stockholm, Sweden, with a focus on enzyme technology. During my time in Stockholm, I had the opportunity to work in a fast-paced biocatalysis startup, further strengthening my passion for the field. Beyond my academic pursuits, I have a pet sourdough starter and enjoy baking bread and sewing clothes. I also love spending time in nature and skiing during the winter season.

Research Area

In March 2025, I joined the Paradisi group as a PhD student in Biocatalysis. My research is focused on enzyme discovery and application in chemical synthesis. I am passionate about transforming the chemical industry by integrating more sustainable processes for the betterment of the planet.

Mail: [email protected]

Tommaso Canelli

About me

I am from Vignola, Italy. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Bologna. Then, I continued my education in the field of Industrial Chemistry and in 2015 I obtained the Master’s Degree from University of Bologna focusing on synthetic organic chemistry. After a couple of years spent as Research Scientist in two different companies, in 2018 I joined Evotec in the API Development group in Verona, Italy, where I’m still employed as Principal Scientist. There, I had the opportunity to combine my passion about chemical processes and organic synthesis. Outside the lab, I like hiking and reading. I’m also passionate about basketball, football and motorcycles.

Research Area

In 2025 I joined the Paradisi group as an industrial PhD student. My research is focused on biocatalysis application in the synthesis of API and pharmaceutically relevant compounds and intermediates.

Mail: [email protected]

Marco De Corti

About me

Born and raised in Italy, I pursued my Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry in Trieste. I then moved to the beautiful city of Bologna for my Master’s in Synthetic Chemistry, which I completed in 2025. My master’s project focused on photodynamic therapy, where I worked on the synthesis of new molecules and investigated their electronic properties through computational studies. During my time in Bologna, lectures and seminars sparked my interest in green catalysis and showed me how enzyme-catalyzed reactions can be industrially viable. Outside the lab, I enjoy working out at the gym and listening to music.

Research Area

In January 2026, I joined the Paradisi group as a PhD student. My research focuses on the integration of chemo-enzymatic processes, combining the strengths of chemical catalysis and biocatalysis to design efficient and more sustainable synthetic routes, thus bridging “the best of two worlds” to support greener chemical manufacturing.

Mail: [email protected]