Bernkop-Lab Logo

Members & Alumni

A multidisciplinary team pushing drug delivery forward

Head of Department

Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch
Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch

Head of Department

andreas.bernkop@uibk.ac.at

Secretary

Sabine Sanoll

Secretary

sabine.sanoll@uibk.ac.at

Associate Professor

Flavia Laffleur
Flavia Laffleur

Associate Professor

flavia.laffleur@uibk.ac.at

Assistant Professor

Gergely Kali
Gergely Kali

Assistant Professor

gergely.kali@uibk.ac.at

PhD Student

Khush Bakhat Afzal
Khush Bakhat Afzal

PhD Candidate

khush.afzal@student.uibk.ac.at

Ilaria Polidori
Ilaria Polidori

PhD Candidate

ilaria.polidori@uibk.ac.at

Annika Postina
Annika Postina

PhD Candidate

annika.postina@uibk.ac.at

Ilaria Cesi
Ilaria Cesi

PhD Candidate

ilaria.cesi@student.uibk.ac.at

Lena Werner
Lena Werner

PhD Candidate

lena.werner@uibk.ac.at

Gabriel Stern
Gabriel Stern

PhD Candidate

gabriel.a.stern@student.uibk.ac.at

David Gintsburg
David Gintsburg

PhD Candidate

david.gintsburg@uibk.ac.at

Luca Maurice Richter
Luca Maurice Richter

PhD Candidate

luca.richter@uibk.ac.at

Melanie Lena Ebert

PhD Candidate

melanie.ebert@uibk.ac.at

Annabelle Knoll
Annabelle Knoll

PhD Candidate

annabelle.knoll@uibk.ac.at

Lana Molnar
Lana Molnar

PhD Candidate

lana.molnar@uibk.ac.at

Odile Fernández Romero
Odile Fernández Romero

PhD Candidate

odile.fernandez-romero@student.uibk.ac.at

Stefan Keim
Stefan Keim

PhD Candidate

stefan.keim@uibk.ac.at

Marlene Ramona Schmidt
Marlene Ramona Schmidt

PhD Candidate

marlene.schmidt@uibk.ac.at

Magnus Andre Kiechle
Magnus Andre Kiechle

PhD Candidate

magnus.kiechle@uibk.ac.at

Andi Nafisah
Andi Nafisah

PhD Candidate

andi.adjeng@student.uibk.ac.at

Frederic Patka
Frederic Patka

PhD Candidate

f.patka@thiomatrix.com

Katharina Langen
Katharina Langen

PhD Candidate

katharina.langen@student.uibk.ac.at

Effrosyni-Maria Kosti
Effrosyni-Maria Kosti

PhD Candidate

effrosyni.kosti@uibk.ac.at

Agnes Kestler
Agnes Kestler

PhD Candidate

agnes.kestler@uibk.ac.at

Annika Gronstedt
Annika Gronstedt

PhD Candidate

a.gronstedt@thiomatrix.com

Zainab Abdullah
Zainab Abdullah

PhD Candidate

zainab.abdullah@student.uibk.ac.at

Alexandra Rieß
Alexandra Rieß

PhD Candidate

a.riess@thiomatrix.com

Amber Dhooge
Amber Dhooge

PhD Candidate

amber.dhooge@student.uibk.ac.at

Alexander Nestl
Alexander Nestl

PhD Candidate

alexander.nestl@student.uibk.ac.at

Alessa Thomé
Alessa Thomé

PhD Candidate

alessa.thome@uibk.ac.at

Magdalena Kraler
Magdalena Kraler

PhD Candidate

magdalena.kraler@uibk.ac.at

Ridwan La Habibu

PhD Candidate

ridwan.la-habibu@student.uibk.ac.at

Lab Technician

Yvonne Hagleitner

Lab Technician

yvonne.hagleitner@uibk.ac.at

Rafael Waltl

Lab Technician

rafael.waltl@uibk.ac.at

Alumni

  • 2025
    Ricci, Fabrizio
    Dissertation: Dry Reverse Micelles as a Versatile Tool for Effective Oral Biological Macromolecule Delivery via SEDDS
  • 2025
    Lindner, Sera
  • 2025
    Stengel, Daniel
    Dissertation: From Design to Destination: Impact of surface modification on the behavior of lipid-based nanocarriers
  • 2025
    Veider, Florina
    Dissertation: Breaking Barriers in Drug Delivery: Exploring the Efficacy of Nanocarriers and Thiolated Polymers in Mucosal and Cellular Drug Delivery
  • 2024
    Sandmeier, Matthias
    Dissertation: SEDDS for oral administration: Towards painless and efficient drug delivery targeting the intestinal absorption membrane
  • 2024
    Jörgensen, Arne Matteo
    Dissertation: Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems : strategies for optimizing payloads of small and macromolecular drugs
  • 2024
    Claus Victor
    Dissertation: Hydrophobic ion pairing in lipid-based nanocarriers: Advancing oral drug delivery strategies.
  • 2024
    To Dennis
    Dissertation: Advances in Polymeric and Lipid-Based Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.
  • 2024
    Fürst Andrea
    Dissertation: Surface design of polymers for mucosal drug delivery.
  • 2024
    Haddadzadegan Soheil
    Dissertation: Thiol-modified excipients: Versatile auxiliary agents addressing the complexity of mucosal drug delivery.
  • 2024
    Hock Nathalie
    Dissertation: Design an evaluation of interactive nanocarrier systems: A new approach for targeted and controlled drug delivery.
  • 2024
    Le Nguyen Nguyet Minh
    Dissertation: Design and characterization of novel multifunctional polymeric excipients.
  • 2024
    Le Vinh Bao
    Dissertation: Functionalized nanocarrier systems for more efficient drug delivery.
  • 2024
    Summonte Simona
    Dissertation: Enzyme-responsive nanocarriers: meeting the challenge of targeted drug delivery.
  • 2024
    Zöller Katrin
    Dissertation: Design of lipid-based nanocarriers for oral delivery of hydrophilic drugs.
  • 2023
    Akkus-Dagdeviren Zeynep Burcu
    Dissertation: Phosphatase-responsive Nanocarriers: A promising strategy to overcome the polycation dilemma in drug delivery.
  • 2023
    Knoll Patrick
    Dissertation: Thiolated drug delivery systems: Multifunctional excipients overcomming the challenges of mucosal drug delivery.
  • 2023
    Spleis Helen
    Dissertation: About the role of surfactants in lipid-based formulations.
  • 2022
    Christoph Federer
    Dissertation: Charge reversal nanocarriers: Design and Evaluation of phosphorylated PEG-surfactants
  • 2020
    Felix Prüfert
    Dissertation: Novel zeta potential changing nanocarriers and mucoadhesive polymers for mucosal drug delivery
  • 2020
    Hung Thanh Lam
    Dissertation: Mucoadhesion and mucus diffusion – two sides of the same coin
  • 2020
    Iram Shahzadi
    Dissertation: About self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) containing hydrophobic ion and hydrogen bond pairs
  • 2020
    Gintarė Leonavičiūtė
    Dissertation: Strategies to improve the mucoadhesive properties of drug delivery systems: Thiomers, SEDDS and combinations thereof
  • 2020
    Baus Randi Angela
    Dissertation: Design and evaluation of adhesive polymeric excipients.
  • 2020
    Asim Hussain Mulazim
    Dissertation: Thiolated Cyclodextrins: Mucoadhesive Oligomers with Great Potential as Drug Carrier for Drug Delivery Systems.
  • 2020
    Lupo Noemi
    Dissertation: Development of innovative self-emulsifying drug delivery systems for oral and topical drug delivery.
  • 2020
    Wolf Julian
    Dissertation: En route to decryption of the full capability of zeta potential changing SEDDS
  • 2019
    Leichner Christina
    Dissertation: Polymeric excipients as auxiliary agents for the rational design of bioadhesives and mucus permeating drug carriers
  • 2019
    Nardin Isabelle
    Dissertation: Novel nanoparticulate systems for sustained and targeted drug delivery
  • 2018
    Grießer Janine
    Dissertation: Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems: Versatile approaches to overcome the mucus barrier.
  • 2018
    Menzel Claudia
    Dissertation: How to avoid syringes by mucosal drug delivery: addressing the mucus gel layer
  • 2017
    Grießinger Julia
    Dissertation: Bioadhesive thiolated polymers as a benefit for drug delivery on mucosal membranes and non-mucosal tissues
  • 2017
    Hetenyi Gergely
    Dissertation: Development and in vitro characterization of novel self-emulsifying drug delivery systems for non-invasive administration.
  • 2017
    Ijaz Muhammad
    Dissertation: Thiolated Cyclodextrins as novel drug carrier systems.
  • 2017
    Köllner Saskia
    Dissertation: Development of novel nanocarrier systems for mucosal drug delivery.
  • 2017
    Mahmood Arshad
    Dissertation: Novel multifunctional excipients for the design of nano- and microcarriers for mucosal drug delivery.
  • 2017
    Rohrer Julia
    Dissertation: Impact of thiol groups on the performance of non-invasive drug delivery systems
  • 2017
    Suchaoin Wongsakorn
    Dissertation: Design of novel drug delivery systems providing a prolonged mucosal residence time
  • 2017
    Zupanic Ozbej
    Dissertation: Self-emulsifing drug delivery systems (SEDDS): new hope in the heart of orally delivered macromolecules.
  • 2016
    Bonengel Sonja
    Dissertation: Novel multifunctional polymers in carrier systems for versatile mucosal delivery.
  • 2016
    Netsomboon Kesinee
    Dissertation: Strategies to imporve drug permeation.
  • 2016
    Partenhauser Alexandra
    Dissertation: Silicone thiomers- conquerers of innovative drug delivery systems
  • 2016
    Pereira de Sousa Irene
    Dissertation: Nanoparticulate oral drug delivery systems : addressing the surface characteristics as key to overcome the mucus barrier.
  • 2014
    Hauptstein Sabine
    Dissertation: Oral drug delivery: Adhesive versus non-adhesive formulations
  • 2013
    Friedl Heike
    Dissertation: Novel approaches in mucosal drug delivery
  • 2013
    Hintzen Fabian
    Dissertation: In situ forming Drug Delivery Systems
  • 2013
    Laffleur Flavia
    Dissertation: Potent(ial) polymeric excipients for mucosal delivery
  • 2013
    Müller Christiane
    Dissertation: Multifunctional Polymeric Materials and Drug Delivery Technologies in Oral Biomedical Applications
  • 2012
    Bano Gul Shahnaz
    Dissertation: Thiolated Polymeric Excipients: Promising Platform for Controlled and Targeted Drug Delivery
  • 2012
    Barthelmes Jan
    Dissertation: Thio-functionalized nanoparticulate drug delivery systems
  • 2012
    Dünnhaupt Sarah
    Dissertation: Drug delivery systems for hydrophilic macromolecules based on novel thiolated polymers and nanocarriers.
  • 2012
    Iqbal Javed
    Dissertation: Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Thiomers
  • 2012
    Rahmat Deni
    Dissertation: Thiolated polymeric excipients based on multiparticulate drug delivery systems
  • 2011
    Sarti Federica
    Dissertation: Macromolecular auxiliary agents: Advances in oral drug delivery
  • 2010
    Millotti Gioconda
    Dissertation: Aromatic thiolated polymers: synthesis, characterization and therapeutic use
  • 2010
    Perera Glen
    Dissertation: Novel thiomers: Designs, synthesis, characterisation, formulation and proof of principle
  • 2010
    Sakloetsakun Duangkamon
    Dissertation: Multifunctional Polymeric Excipients: Thiolated Chitosans
  • 2010
    Vetter Anja
    Dissertation: Multifunctional polymers: Teaching old drigs new tricks
  • 2010
    Vigl Claudia
    Dissertation: Oral Delivery of macromolecular drugs: Different strategies to overcome biological barriers
  • 2009
    Hombach Juliane
    Dissertation: Multifunctional polymeric excipients in non-invasive and targeted drug delivery
  • 2009
    Hoyer Herbert
    Dissertation: Thiolated Polymers for Novel Oral Peptide Drug Delivery systems
  • 2008
    Albrecht-Schgoer Karin
    Dissertation: Thiolated Polymers: Design and in vivo Evaluation of Oral Micro- and Nanoparticulate Drug Delivery Systems
  • 2008
    Deutel Britta
    Dissertation: Evaluation of Thiomeric, Particlutate Systems for Peptide Drug Delivery
  • 2008
    Greindl Melanie
    Dissertation: Oral Drug Delivery: Design and in Vitro / in Vivo Evaluation of Novel Permeation Enhancers and Efflux Pump Inhibitors
  • 2008
    Thaurer Michael
    Dissertation: Thiomers - Development of Nanoparticulate Non-Invasive Drug Delivery Systems
  • 2007
    Loretz Brigitta
    Dissertation: Novel Strategies in Oral Gene Delivery
  • 2007
    Martien Ronny
    Dissertation: Oral nucleic acid delivery systems based on thiolated polymers
  • 2007
    Palmberger Thomas
    Dissertation: Thiolated polymers : multifunctional polymeric excipients in oral and nasal drug delivery
  • 2006
    Föger Florian
    Dissertation: Multifunctional polymers for novel oral drug delivery systems
  • 2006
    Grabovac Vjera
    Dissertation: Polymeric Excipients: Strategies and Achievements in Non-Invasive Drug Delivery
  • 2006
    Schmitz Thierry
    Dissertation: Design and In Vivo Evaluation of Novel Oral Drug Delivery Systems for Hydrophilic Macromolecules
  • 2006
    Werle Martin
    Dissertation: Novel approaches to overcome the barriers of oral drug administration
  • 2005
    Greimel Alexander
    Dissertation: Multifunctional Polymers: Development of Nasal Peptide Drug Delivery Systems
  • 2005
    Kafedzhiyski Krum
    Dissertation: Development and Evaluation of novel excipients for multifunctional drug delivery systems
  • 2004
    Imam Mohammed Elhassan
    Dissertation: Design und Evaluierung von multifunktionellen Polymeren für nicht-invasive Wirkstoffabgabesysteme
  • 2004
    Leitner Verena
    Dissertation: Entwicklung und Evaluierung von nicht-invasiven polymeren Abgabesystemen für Peptid-Wirkstoffe
  • 2003
    Hornof Margit
    Dissertation: In vitro and in vivo evaluation of novel polymeric excipients in the ophthalmic field
  • 2003
    Langoth Nina
    Dissertation: Development of Buccal Drug Delivery Systems for Peptide Drugs
  • 2002
    Kast Constantia
    Dissertation: Entwicklung von Trägersystemen mit verbesserten mucoadhäsiven Eigenschaften
  • 2001
    Clausen Andreas
    Dissertation: Strategien zur Verbesserung der peroralen Bioverfügbarkeit von Peptid- und Proteinwirkstoffen
  • 2001
    Marschütz Michaela
    Dissertation: Der Einsatz multifunktioneller mukoadhäsiver Polymere zur peroralen Applikation von Peptid- und Proteinwirkstoffen