Two IMP-Postdocs receive Hertha Firnberg Grants

Last year, two IMP-Postdocs, Ursula Schöberl and Renping Qiao Coudevylle, each were successful in securing one of the highly competitive Hertha Firnberg grants. On March 8, they received their certificates during a festive ceremony at Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. 

The Hertha Firnberg Programme for post-docs is a career development scheme by the Austrian Science Fund FWF. It aims to support extremely well qualified female scientists of any discipline who have completed their university studies and are either starting their scientific career or resuming it following maternity leave. The allocation of the grants is based on an international review process.

Renping Qiao Coudevylle is a postdoc in the group of IMP-director Jan-Michael Peters. She is interested in the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control. In particular, Renping studies how the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) initiates anaphase, and how APC/C activation is regulated by phosphorylation. To address this question, she uses a combined approach including biochemistry, electron microscopy and cell biology.

Ursula Schöberl works as a postdoc in Rushad Pavri’s group at the IMP. Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms that regulate the production of the numerous different antibodies by the body’s immune system. Ursula is particularly interested in certain factors (Spt5, AID) and mechanisms controlling gene expression that are important to assure antibody diversification and maturation.

Under the Hertha Firnberg scheme, both scientists will receive generous funding for three years.