The PDI PLUS Team

Kristjan Plaetzer PhD: Head of the laboratory. Contact: kristjan.plaetzer(at)plus.ac.at

Andreas Fellner MSc: PhD student. Expertise: plant ecology, bacterial plant pathogens. Contact: andreas.fellner(at)plus.ac.at

Annette Wimmer MSc: PhD student. Expertise: antimicrobial resistance, ecology. Contact: annette.wimmer(at)plus.ac.at

Linda Jerney MSc: PhD student. Expertise: antimicrobial resistance, post harvest treatment. Contact: linda.jernej(at)plus.ac.at

Anna Mueller MSc: PhD Student. Expertise: photosensitizer formulations, pharmacokinetics, fluorescence microscopy. Contact: anna.mueller(at)plus.ac.at

Anabel Santiago Cenit MSc: PhD Student. Expertise: application of PDI for food safety. Contact: anabel.santiagocenit(at)plus.ac.at

Sonja Gschwendtner BEd:

Bachelor students / theses:

Leonie Forstner: Photodynamische Inaktivierung bei diabetischen Wunden. Thesis approved in August 2023.

Carola Knollmann: PDI goes green: comparison of different formulations of sodium-magnesium-chlorophyllin for treatment of Erwinia amylovora and Staphylococcus capitis. Thesis approved in January 2023.

Julian Grill: Photodynamische Inaktivierung im Biologieunterricht. Thesis approved in August 2020.

Barbara Schwarzl: Die Gefährdung der Weltgesundheit durch Antibiotikaresistenzen und die Notwendigkeit einer umfassenden Aufklärung der Bevölkerung. Thesis approved in July 2020.

Julia Hofmann: Photodynamic Inactivation for blood sterilization. Thesis approved in July 2019.

Christina Obermayer (in collaboration with Prof. Krammer and Dr. Verwanger, Biosciences, University of Salzburg): Photodynamic characterization of microglia following PDT with hypericin. Thesis approved in January 2019.

Magdalena Thomeczek: Technologie-Evaluierung von Sensoren zur Fahrerbeobachtung im Automotive-Umfeld. Thesis approved in March 2018.

Hieu-Hoa Dang: A comparison between photodynamic therapy (PDT) against tumor and bacteria. Thesis approved in August 2016.

Ruben Gerrit Scheuring: Kaltplasma-Technologie, Photodynamische Inaktivierung und Phagentherapie – Entkeimungs- und Wundapplikationspotential mit Diskussion über ihre Anwendungsfähigkeit im Zellkulturlabor.  Thesis approved in December 2015.

Melanie Steinbauer: Photodynamische Inaktivierung von Escherichia coli auf Tomaten mittels SACUR. Thesis approved in October 2015.

Bernhard Hausegger: Photodynamische Inaktivierung (PDI) als alternativer Lösungsansatz zur Bekämpfung von Blattpathogenen auf Vitis vinifera. Thesis approved in November 2015.

Sandra Zeitlhofer: Konventionelle Entkeimung und Photodynamische Inaktivierung von Lebensmitteln. Vergleich der Methoden an einem pflanzlichen und einem tierischen Nahrungsmittel. Thesis approved in August 2014.

Merlin Rosenmayer: Die Anwendung pflanzlicher Photosensibilisatoren. Thesis approved in July 2013.

Former team members and approved theses:

Mariana Sampaio Graça Thudichum Vasconcelos MSc. Title of the master thesis: Comparison of different photosensitizer formulations on the Photodynamic Inactivation of Erwinia amylovora^WT and Erwinia amylovora^SmR. Degree earned in February 2024.

Sophia Sattlecker MEd, BEd. Title of the master thesis: Meat me halfway. Einsatz und Potenzial von Fleischersatzprodukten – Lösung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung und der Klimakatastrophe? Degree earned in June 2023.

Linda Jernej MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: Implementation of bacterial whole genome sequencing at the Austrian National Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance including an outbreak investigation of carbapenemase producing Escherichia coli. Collaboration with Heidrun Kerschner MD, Ordensklinikum der Elisabethinen Linz. Degree earned in April 2022.

Bernadette Eppensteiner MEd, BEd. Title of the master thesis: Consumption in the discrepance between the demand-creation-society and sustainability – Concept for sustainable behavior based on three examples: plastic consumption, clothing and food. Degree earned in April 2021.

Anja Kumpfmueller MEd, BEd. Title of the master thesis: Global change in nutrition an climate. Degree earned in July 2020.

Michael Glueck PhD, Dipl.-Phys. Title of the doctoral thesis: Photodynamic Inactivation along the food production chain. Degree earned in November 2019.

Markus Hoerl MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: Natural and naturally-derived photosensitizers for Photodynamic Inactivation of the microbial pathogens Aspergillus niger and Listeria innocua. Degree earned in September 2019.

Peter Posch MSc, BSc. (in collaboration with Prof. Krammer, Biosciences, University of Salzburg). Title of the master thesis: Efficacy of two distinct formulations of polyvinylpyrrolidone-curcumin in photodynamic therapy of selected eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Degree earned in December 2018.

Christoph Hamminger MSc. Title of the master thesis: Photodynamic Inactivation of Erwinia amylovora and Xanthomonas axonopodis by natural and natural derivative photosensitizers and establishment of a plant compatibility assay on Fragaria vesca. Degree earned in September 2018.

Verena Ziegler PhD, MSc. (in collaboration with Prof. Krammer, Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg). Title of the PhD thesis: „Gaining advantage from PS characteristics – new applications off the beaten tracks“. Degree earned in August 2017.

Jennifer Mayböck MSc, BSc. (in collaboration with Dr. Lyudmyla Kedenko and PD Dr. Gernot Wolkersdörfer, SALK/PMU). Title of the master thesis: „The role of the adiponectin and insulin signaling pathways in colon epithelial proliferation“. Degree earned in July 2017.

Barbara Schamberger MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Cationic derivates of curcumin as photosensitizers for Photodynamic Inactivation of fungi“. Degree earned in March 2016.

Nicole Tortik PhD, MSc. Title of the PhD thesis: „Ex vivo studies on possible applications of curcumin-mediated Photodynamic Inactivation“. Degree earned in February 2016.

Christian Mayr PhD, MSc. (in collaboration with PD Dr. Tobias Kiesslich, SALK/PMU). Title of the PhD thesis: „The polycomb repressive complexes as potential targets for treatment of biliary tract cancer“. Degree earned in July 2015.

Samurdi Poddiwelamarage MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Cationic photosensitizers based on natural substances for Photodynamic Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus„. Degree earned in April 2015.

Sandra Winter MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Photodynamic Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using curcumin or hypericin bound to polyvinylpyrrolidone“. Degree earned in December 2014.

Andre Graeler MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Photodynamic Inactivation of Escherichia coli: A structure-activity relationship study of curcuminoids“. Degree earned in September 2014.

Doris Bach MSc, MSc, B.rer.nat.  Title of the master thesis: „Effects of Photodynamic Therapy on Cancer Stem Cells and the miRNome“. Degree earned in April 2013.

Julia Fuereder MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Role of microRNAs in Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Bile Duct Cancers“. Degree earned in November 2012.

Alexandra Rettenbacher BSc. Title of the bachelor thesis: „Photodynamic Inactivation of Candida albicans using natural photosensitizers“. Degree earned in July 2012.

Verena Lunzer MSc, BSc. Title of the master thesis: „Photodynamic treatment using PVP-Curcumin as photosensitizer induces apoptosis in a human cancer cell line“. Degree earned in June 2012.

Victoria Engelhardt PhD. Title of the PhD thesis: „In-vitro experiments towards Photodynamic Inactivation of bacteria“. Degree earned in November 2011.

Barbara Stritzinger BA. Title of the bachelor thesis: „Photodynamische Inaktivierung von Mikroorganismen unter Verwendung von Naturstoffen als Photosensibilisatoren“. Degree earned in July 2011.