Post Doctoral Fellows

Dr. Gordon Honeyman

From Glasgow, Scotland
Gordon's Story

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

Ashvin Gopalasingam

From Biberist, Switzerland
Ashvin's Story

Martin Schümann

From Lausanne, Switzerland
Martin's Story

Evelyn Sgroi

From Firenze, Italy
Evelyn's Story

Ashvin Gopalasingam

From Biberist, Switzerland
Ashvin's Story

Those that shared the journey

Thanks for visiting us!

We always publish something on our social media, check them out 😉

connect with us

Gordon Honeyman

About me

I completed a Master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow in 2001. From 2001 to 2004 I went on to obtain a PhD in Polymer/Organometallic Chemistry under the joint supervision of Professors David Sherrington and Robert Mulvey. I then took up a one year postdoctoral position in Strathclyde working on the applications of zinc compounds for functionalisation of organic molecules. I then moved to industry working as a scientist in the design of pigments and inks at Ciba/BASF until 2009. I subsequently took a senior scientist position in Controlled Therapeutics (Glasgow, UK) where I applied my knowledge in polymer chemistry to design and synthesise PEG based polyurethanes for medical device applications. In 2012, I joined the team at Ocutec (Bellshill, UK) where I focussed on PEG based contact lens technology, project managing, designing and developing material formulations for both the PEG and silicone-PEG based contact lenses.

Research Area

After moving to Bern, Switzerland in 2019 I first joined the Paradisi lab at the University of Bern as a visiting researcher and since January 2021 I have taken up the position as Laboratory Manager. 

Mail: [email protected]

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

Ashvin Gopalasingam

About me

After finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Bern, I decided to continue my studies in Bern to obtain a Master’s degree in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences. For my Master thesis, I joined the Paradisi group due to my interest in synthetic organic chemistry and biocatalysis. In my spare time you can find me at the gym, on the basketball court, spending time with friends, or at home enjoying a good anime or series.

Research Area

My research focuses on the redox biocatalytic synthesis of cyclic chiral amines. The project starts with a purely synthetic part, where I will synthesize 6-aminohexan-2-ol analogues. These will be used as substrates for the redox biocatalysis, which is based on an elegant interplay between an alcohol dehydrogenase and an imine reductase, allowing for cofactor regeneration.


Mail: [email protected]

Martin Schümann

About me

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the university of Geneva before joining the university of Bern due to its overall medicinal aspect. I am interested in the enzymatic and sustainable perspective of biosynthesis and the potential application in pharmaceutics. In my spare time I am a gymnastics coach and practice climbing/mountaineering. I recently have taken on various challenges such as marathon or triathlon to push myself further, but you can also find me relaxing by the lake or around a bonfire with my friends, enjoying a cold beer.

Research Area

My research focuses on investigating L-Lysine Cyclodeaminase analogues and their potential use for production of L-Pipecolic acid. LPA is an important building block for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals such as anaesthetics and immunosuppressants, but its chemical synthesis is unsustainable. A key point the Paradisi group is focusing on.

Mail: [email protected]

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]