Doctoral Candidates (DCs)

The PICKED project focuses on training 10 doctoral candidates across Europe in developing innovative approaches for personalized medicine targeting chronic kidney disease (CKD). Given the massive and growing impact of CKD on global health, PICKED aims to provide DCs with interdisciplinary skills to advance detection, progression monitoring, and treatment interventions for CKD. With a collaborative consortium of 10 beneficiaries and 10 associated partners spanning 7 countries, this program equips DCs with cutting-edge skills across biomarker research, bioinformatics, legal, ethical, and quality-of-life considerations to address CKD's unmet needs in personalized healthcare.

Jeremy Power

"My name is Jeremy and I am a PhD candidate at CERPOP (Centre d'épidémiologie et de recherche en santé des populations) and Université de Toulouse.

I have completed a Bachelor in Neuroscience at the University of Melbourne, an Honours project in Bioethics at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, and a Master in Bioethics at KU Leuven. I worked lots of fun part-time jobs while studying, like growing organic vegetables for restaurants and driving a delivery van for a bakery. 😊

I am interested in researching the bioethical issues of paediatric and prenatal decision-making, implementing new technologies and their effect on clinical relationships, and the ethics of personalised medicine and diagnosis.

In the PICKED project, I will be analysing the ethical, legal, and quality of life aspects of implementing personalised medicine in research and clinical settings of chronic kidney disease. I will do this by conducting interviews and focus groups with patients, clinicians, and researchers. This analysis will contribute to a framework to provide ethical guidance to professionals and patients."

Siavash Sohan Gir

"With an enthusiasm for fluid mechanics and a commitment to improving human health, I am currently a doctoral student at the University of Montpellier, participating in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions doctoral networks project named PICKED. This opportunity gave me the chance to collaborate with RD Nephrologie on personalized convection prescriptions in haemodiafiltration.

My background includes three years as an R&D engineer at EuroTurbine, working on rotary machines and gas turbine equipment. Additionally, I served as a teaching assistant in fluid mechanics and material design for six semesters during my MSc and BSc. I also led the Society of Science in Mechanical Engineering during my undergraduate studies.

An interesting fact about me is that I am a vocalist and an electric guitar player.

Through the PICKED project, I aim to leverage my experiences while learning from RD Nephrologie’s expertise to contribute significantly to personalized medicine for chronic kidney diseases."

Ágota Nóra Kazup

"My name is Ágota, and I am the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions doctoral candidate for Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC) in the PICKED project.

I graduated as a medical doctor in 2012. I have a clinical background in anesthesia and intensive care, as well as virology and laboratory medicine. I also have experience in scientific research and teaching medical students.

In the frame of the PICKED project, my research focuses on diabetic kidney disease, as it is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease. Specifically, it aims to further investigate how individuals’ urine proteomic profiles play a predictive role in the personalized response to standard-of-care drug treatment in diabetes. This approach has the potential to enable early detection and prevention of diabetic complications within the field of precision medicine.

My research in diabetes is fueled by my passion for baking and pastry. 😊"

Julia Byrska

"My name is Julia, and I am a PhD candidate at IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid.
I completed a Bachelor’s in Biotechnology at Jagiellonian University and a Master’s in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at the University of Warsaw, with an Erasmus exchange at the University of Trento.

My research background blends wet lab experience with computational data analysis, especially in neuroscience and biomedical applications.

In the PICKED project, I will focus on identifying and validating biomarkers in body fluids that signal early-stage kidney disease or predict its progression.

This research aims to advance biomarker-based early intervention, helping to reduce the need for kidney replacement therapy.

I also have a deep love for genealogy! Through data analysis, I have successfully traced my family tree back to the 18th century."

Sheila Murunga

“As a dynamic and results-driven Researcher, I am currently pursuing my PhD within the prestigious Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network at Heidelberg University. My academic journey, enriched by an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BSc in Applied Statistics with Computing, has equipped me with a powerful blend of data science, epidemiology, and biostatistics expertise.

My research, embedded in the innovative PICKED Doctoral Network, focuses on unravelling the complexities of childhood-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD). I am passionate about identifying critical clinical factors and biomarkers that influence kidney health, using cutting-edge data analytics to predict disease progression and optimize personalized treatment strategies. By analyzing phenotypic and genotypic data, I aim to contribute to ground-breaking advancements in CKD management and patient care.

Previously, I led transformative data projects at Queen's University Belfast and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, securing competitive grants and collaborating for a decade with leading institutions such as the Wellcome Trust, Oxford University, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Fuelled by curiosity and a relentless drive for excellence, I bridge the gap between data science and clinical research, transforming complex datasets into actionable insights that shape the future of global health.

Fun fact: Beyond my research, I have a passion for resistance training, ocean exploration, travel, and exploring new technological innovations. I am also fascinated by car engineering, geopolitics, and enjoy listening to thought-provoking podcasts. As an advocate for mental health, sustainability, and innovative, tech-driven healthcare solutions, I am driven by a curiosity for discovery and a commitment to harnessing the power of data to revolutionize healthcare and improve lives globally.”

Enrico Bono

"I am passionate about Multi-omics data and AI-driven computational approaches, I am currently a Computational Biology PhD candidate at the Medical University of Vienna, working at Delta4, a Digital Drug Discovery & Development company.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the University of Turin and a Master's degree in Biomedical Omics from the University of Milan. Throughout my academic journey, I have worked on both wet-lab and bioinformatics projects.

After completing my studies, I joined the Data Analytics and AI team at BioLizard as a graduate intern, where I contributed to the development of their AI-driven Multi-Omics Integration Platform for therapeutic target discovery.

As part of the PICKED project, my research focuses on unravelling the molecular mechanisms driving the transition from acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD). By integrating Multi-omics data and network modelling, I aim to identify biomarkers and potential drug targets for CKD.

Beyond research, I am a travel enthusiast, often jet-setting ✈️ around the globe. After all, I’m always in the ☁️—just like my data!"

Cansenem Özkan

My name is Cansenem, and I am currently a PhD candidate within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network at BRFAA (Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens) and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

I completed a Bachelor's degree in Bioengineering at Yıldız Technical University and then joined the SD-BGT LAB at Yeditepe University for five semesters. The focus of my research was to understand the effect of chronic and intermittent caloric restriction on the cardiovascular aging process and to reveal the material behavior of arteries by developing a model. Additionally, as a TÜBİTAK 1004 scholar, I contributed to the development of lateral flow assay diagnostics for point mutations.

In my pursuit of seeing the bigger picture, I joined the PICKED project. My research focuses on validating plasma protein biomarkers for predicting chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and treatment response, utilizing multiplex mass spectrometry-based assays.

Beyond the lab, I love reading philosophical books, and if you ask me how I’m doing, a simple but funny answer might be:

"I’m currently overthinking a fossilized philosophical question."

Kleanthi Voutsadaki

"Hi, my name is Kleanthi, and I come from Greece. I am happy to have joined the RF lab at I2MC in Toulouse and the PICKED consortium as a PhD candidate to investigate how pre- and post-natal biomarkers can contribute to the diagnosis and progression of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in the pediatric population.

I studied Biology at the University of Crete, and my interest in Computational Biology led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics and Data Science at the University of Athens. In my thesis, completed at BSRC Alexander Fleming, I performed network analysis on viral protein families at a phylogenetic and functional level after enrichment with metagenomes.

After my studies, I had the chance to participate in more projects involving biomedical data analysis, such as studying fetal inflammatory response in pre-term newborns (Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona) and developing risk-assessment models to predict adverse drug reactions from polypharmacy as part of the EU project SafePolyMed (FORTH, Heraklion).

In my free time, I enjoy dancing jazz and traveling."

Sajjad Biglari

As a physician, I took great satisfaction in breaking down and explaining diseases to my patients, witnessing how their initial fear transformed into reassurance as they gained a clearer understanding of their condition. These experiences reinforced my belief in the words of Marie Curie, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

With time, I came to realize that the true purpose of medicine extends beyond treating illness, it lies in trying to create a future where suffering is prevented by avoiding disease altogether.

During my research internship in the Netherlands, I developed my programming skills and worked on refining Pre-implantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A), integrating genomic and clinical data to improve reproductive medicine outcomes.

Now, as a doctoral candidate in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie PICKED Doctoral Network, my research focuses on integrating machine learning with omics data to enhance early detection and treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease.

Outside of academia, I find rhythm in music, discipline in the gym, perspective in nature, and clarity in writing.

Maija Motivane

My name is Maija Motivane, and I am a qualified nephrologist and Head of the Hemodialysis Department.

Since I strongly believe that an innovative approach to kidney replacement therapy will reduce the disease-related burden and improve patients' quality of life, I have joined the Optofluid Technologies group and started my PhD studies at Tallinn University of Technology.

My background includes a medical degree with further specialization in nephrology from Riga Stradins University in Latvia. I have been working as a nephrologist at Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital in Riga, Latvia. Additionally, I am a lecturer at the university and a board member of the Latvian Nephrology Association.

My PhD studies at PICKED focus on optical signatures of peptides—biomarkers to develop algorithms for the personalized assessment of uremic peptide removal kinetics in end-stage kidney failure patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT).

An interesting fact about me is that I truly enjoy conversations with my patients. Surprisingly, sometimes this has a positive effect on both the doctor and the patient.