News/Teaser
- For upcoming "Termine/Events" and "News" of the current month: see teasers on the right
- For past "Termine/Events" of the current and former months: click here or see below
- For "Termine/Events" and "News" of the last years: click on Archiv/Archive:
December 2024
Career Perspectives talk by former PharMetrX student Dr. André Schäftlein
Are you interested in hearing about different career options after your doctorate? Then join us on 12 December 2024 at 17:00 for a talk in the series Career Perspectives by former PharMetrX student Dr. André Schäftlein. He has a background in pharmacy and is currently heading the Clinical Pharmacy at Havelland Kliniken, where he also has a role as Deputy Medical Director.
November 2024
PharMetrX doctoral program: Personal interviews
On the 25 and 26 November 2024, the personal interviews with the selected candidates to enter as doctoral students the PharMetrX Research+ doctoral program will take place: Day 1 (25 Nov.) and Day 2 (26 Nov.) online via WebEx. The start of the PharMetrX module curriculum and PharMetrX doctoral student network will be in March 2025.
We are looking forward to welcoming and getting to know this year’s candidates!
October 2024
Prof. Dr. Charlotte Kloft at the Faculty of Pharmacy - Alexandria Pharos University
From 14-24 October 2024, Prof. Kloft has been invited as Research Dean to visit the Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University of Alexandria/Egypt. She will engage in scientific exchange meetings and discussions as well as in lectures and seminars for students. There will also be lively exchange with colleagues from Pharmacy Boards.
The AK Kloft is glad to welcome a new member!
In October 2024, a new doctoral studentLeon Grasmaier will join our Department. He studied pharmacy and obtained his degree at Ludwig-Maximilian Universität, Munich. He will have his PhDproject in the area of antibiotic combination therapy optimisation and follow an integrated experimental & modelling approach. A very warm WELCOME!
Doctoral Thesis Defense of Yomna Nassar
On 29 October 2024 at 16:30, Yomna Nassar will be defending her doctoral thesis at Freie Universität Berlin. The defense will take place in a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend either in person or virtually. The event is open to the public, providing an opportunity to hear about her exciting research in ‘Pharmacometric-guided optimisation of early clinical decision-making in oncology’
Successful TEAM Summer School!
From 30 September to 02 October, 18 pharmacy and medical students studied together during the third interprofessional “TEAM” Summer School. Within those three days, the students worked in interprofessional teams in seminars, workshops and roleplays addressing the topics of depression, therapy safety and interprofessional collaboration. A very memorable and inspiring event!
We wish to thank the Berlin Pharmacy Chamber (Apothekerkammer Berlin) for financial support and the collaborating colleagues at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
September 2024
The evaluation of the Automatic Model Development tool was published!
Developing population pharmacokinetic (popPK) models is a complex and time-consuming task. Duvnjak et al. evaluated Pharmpy AMD tool, one of the first tools for automatic model building. The AMD tool was shown to be a useful asset in early clinical drug development settings.
Find out the details of this manuscript published in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (CPT:PSP), titled "Simulation-based evaluation of the Pharmpy Automatic Model Development tool for population pharmacokinetic modeling in early clinical drug development".
PharMetrX A4 Module will continue the summer modules
This September we continued the PharMetrX module curriculum with the A4 module "Introduction to Systems Biology" for the PharMetrX PhD student from 02-09 September. This module of our Graduate Research Training Programme will take place at the University of Potsdam. For further information on the modules and the PharMetrX programme please visit our homepage www.PharMetrx.de.
PharMetrX A5 Module including for the first time an AI part
In September, the next PharMetrX module will happen with the biennial A5 module for the PharMetrX PhD student years 2023 and 2024. The PharMetrX A5 module "Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis" will be held at the University of Potsdam from 23 to 27 September 2024. For more information about the modules and the PharMetrX programme, please visit our homepage www.PharMetrx.de.
Invited talk at 22nd International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Clinical Toxicology (IATDMCT)
From 15-18 September 2024, the 22nd IATDMCT conference will take place in beautiful Banff/Canada. Our PharMetrX doctoral student Fenja Klima will give an invited talk on “Towards understanding CAR-T cell kinetics and dynamics: Optimization of clinical trials and clinical practice using modelling and simulation”. We are looking forward to getting into fruitful discussions and potential new collaborations.
Interprofessional Summer School together with Charité
From 30 September – 02 October 2024 the third interprofessional Summer School (TEAM II) will take place at Kelchstr. During three days, pharmacy and medical students will learn and discuss in interprofessional seminars, workshops and roleplays. The summer school focusses on depression – detection | treatment | prevention, including topics such as medication safety, communication and interprofessional cooperation. We are looking forward!
August 2024
“Featured stories“ on PharMetrX PhD Student Network released
We are excited to see a featured story on our PharMetrX PhD Student Network. Enjoy reading about the network and what alumni and alumnae ofh the PharMetrX PhD program will tell you: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/featured-stories/campus/2024/pharmetrx/index.html
We join the 12th Uppsala Pharmacometrics Summer School
From 12-23 August, the 12th Uppsala Pharmacometric Summer School will take place in Uppsala, Sweden. Our doctoral student Fenja Klima has the chance to participate in the Summer School on advanced methods in pharmacometrics. Besides lectures, hands-on sessions and group works the students will also present and discuss their current research work and exchange with other PhD students from all over the world.
Be part of our team: Open PhD position!
Are you interested in doing your PhD in our very nice and creative group? Now is the time! We have an open position for a PhD project within an international collaboration project that combines in vitro (experimental) and in silico research. Find more information on the website. Please note, the financing is secured also for the entire duration of a PhD project. Interested? We are looking forward to your application!
PharMetrX A3 Module: we continue the module curriculum
During the upcoming semester break, we will continue the PharMetrX Module Curriculum with three modules for the PharMetrX PhD student year 2024. From 12-19 August 2024, we start with the PharMetrX A3 module “Introduction to population analysis” of our doctoral program that will take place at our Institute. For more detailed information on the module and the structured Graduate Research Training program PharMetrX please visit our homepage www.PharMetrx.de.
Master Thesis Defense by Kholod Shahin
On 08 August 2024 at 4 pm, our co-supervised master student Kholod Shahin will defend her master thesis entitled "Detection of Opioid Receptors DOR, KOR, and MOR and their Endogenous Ligand PENK in Human Myocardial Tissue Depending on the Severity of Heart Failure." Kholod conducted her work in collaboration with Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Michael Schäfer from Charité – Universitaetsmedizin Berlin.
Appy now! – Application period for doctoral studies within the PhD program PharMetrX now open
Are you about to finish or have you just finished your studies in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences? The PharMetrX program (www.PharMetrX.de)calls for applications for the:
PharMetrX Research+ Program: You are looking for a PhD: in a fascinating and prosperous research area +++ within two truly trans-disciplinary research groups +++ supervised by leading experts in their fields +++ with an industry mentor +++ in vibrant Berlin/Potsdam area +++ with a specifically tailored training program of academic and industry modules +++ network of 115 peers to exchange and interact with +++ 3.5 year competitive fellowship or
PharMetrX Training+ Program: You have already started a PhD in the field (or will do soon, latest Mar 2025) and are looking for: a specifically tailored training program of academic and industry modules conveying foundations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, systems biology, statistics, methodological approaches of modelling & simulation, etc. +++ network of 115 peers to exchange and interact with
The application period is open until 06 September 2024.
The AK Kloft is glad to welcome a new member
In the beginning of August, a new Master student Hannah Schambil joined our Department. Hannah studied Environmental science at University of Greifswald. She will have her 6-month master thesis project in the area of anti-infectives and investigate the inoculum effect against piperacillin and tazobactam. A warm WELCOME!
Welcome Hannah Stenbjelke!
The AK Kloft is happy to welcome a new member, Hannah Stenbjelke. Hannah completed her pharmacy studies at the Philipps-University Marburg in April 2023 and is joining our group for a four-month internship in the area of therapy optimisation in oncology.
July 2024
2 months research stay in Leuven/Belgium
From mid-July until end of September, Amrei Konrad will work on her research project with the group of Prof. Pieter Annaert at the Unit Drug Delivery and Disposition at KU Leuven, Belgium. During her stay, she will focus on performing advanced in vitro techniques including hepatocyte assays, exchanging knowledge and learn as much as possible about the Belgian (research) culture! Enjoy Amrei!
New insights into cortisol replacement therapy optimisation. See our latest article!
Our manuscript “A quantitative modeling framework to understand the physiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and interaction with cortisol replacement therapy “ by Bindellini et al. has been published online in the Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, and is now online available. In continuation of our work from Johanna, Davide expanded her hydrocortisone pharmacokinetic model to include endogenous ACTH and cortisol, allowing to study the impact of disease and therapy on the endogenous system. His work continues the collaboration with our partners from Charité-Univeristätsmedizin Berlin and University of Sheffield.
Oral and poster presentations at Day of Pharmacy 2024
On 05 July, the scientific symposium at the Day of Pharmacy 2024 “Der wissenschaftliche Nachwuchs stellt sich vor – Young scientists present“ took place at our Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin. Within an excellent oral presentation, Miriam Happ introduced parts of her doctoral work on “How to quantify the host-drug-disease interplay: Modelling approaches to support development of new treatment strategies in resistant bacterial infections” to the academic audience. Within the poster session, 8 further AK doctoral students presented their work. We highly enjoyed the lively scientific exchange and are looking forward to the next Day of Pharmacy.
June 2024
We are active at the ”Long night of science/Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft” (LNDW24)
On 22 June 2024, many research institutes in Berlin and Potsdam open their doors for a night full of science. This year, we are participating together with our collaboration partner from our ‘GlobalResist’ project. Our booth is located at the PTZ of the TU Berlin, where you can learn more about our research work on forecasting antibiotic resistance evolution.
https://www.langenachtderwissenschaften.de/programm/detail?tx_aaevents_programmpunkteshow%5BbackPid%5D=18&tx_aaevents_programmpunkteshow%5Bprevaction%5D=list&tx_aaevents_programmpunkteshow%5Bprogrammpunkt%5D=1340&cHash=74af4ab17df0d2b1dee248d16b3682ea
We present at PAGE meeting in Rome
From 25-28 June 2024, the 32nd PAGE meeting will take place in Rome/Italy. In addition to the oral talk by our PharMetrX doctoral student Davide Bindellini on “From physiology to disease: A quantitative framework for system-disease-drug interaction in cortisol replacement therapy”, posters will be presented by Fenja Klima, Franz Weber, Marian Klose, Miriam Happ and Felix Müller on their research projects. We look forward to exciting days of professional and scientific exchange, networking and inspiration!
https://www.page-meeting.org/default.asp?id=49&keuze=meeting
May 2024
Visit from Dr. Jess Tait from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
On 08 May 2024, Dr. Jess Tait from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, visited our working group. We had a lab tour in our infection lab and an introduction to the projects of our group. We look forward to further collaboration!
Welcome Leon Grasmaier!
AK Kloft welcomes Leon Grasmaier who joined our Department. Leon studied pharmacy at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. He will join us for a 3 months internship focusing on data evaluation and modelling of in vitro data in the field of anti-infectives. A warm welcome!
New publication in European Journal of Cancer
Read about our latest publication in the European Journal of Cancer, detailing the Phase I trial of TLD-1, a new liposomal doxorubicin formulation for advanced solid tumors. This study focuses on the methodical dose escalation and expansion within a multicenter, open-label setting. Discover the trial's findings and implications for patient care in the SAKK 65/16 trial under https://www.ejcancer.com/article/S0959-8049(24)00064-9/pdf
April 202
We join the 34th ECCMID in Barcelona/Spain
From 26-30 April 2024, the34th ECCMID will take in Barcelona/Spain. Presentations and discussions will focus on various topics around clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. From our department the doctoral students Malin Andersson, Amrei Konrad and Nicole Zimmermann will attend and present a poster each. For more information, see: https://www.eccmid.org/scientific-programme
AK offsite meeting/scientific retreat 2024
On 12 April 2024, the working group will meet for a scientific retreat. We anticipate an enriching day filled with group activities and discussions aimed at shaping the upcoming year within our AK. We look forward to concluding the day with a nice dinner together.
March 2024
Yomna Nassar wins prestigious Hans Günter Schäfer Science Award
In March, Yomna Nassar, one of our PhD students, was awarded the prestigious Hans Günter Schäfer Science Award 2024 for her innovative research published in the journal Cancers. Her research - "C-Reactive Protein as an Early Predictor of Efficacy in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients" - provides evidence for the use the easy-to-measure C-reactive protein (CRP) as inflammation biomarker and early prognostic factor in lung cancer therapy. The award is endowed with 1,000 € donated by the Frankfurt Foundation Quality of Medicines (FFQM).
The award, a tribute to Dr. Hans Günter Schäfer, one of the founders of the PK/PD Expert Meeting and passionate scientist and mentor in the field, was handed to Yomna Nassar by Dr. Andreas Kovar (AGAH) and Dr. Alexander Staab (host of meeting) after her presentation on her publication at the 26th PK/PD Expert Meeting in Isny/Allgäu, Germany, under the auspices of the Association for Applied Human Pharmacology (AGAH).. The FFQM chairman expressed hope that this recognition would inspire Yomna Nassar to continue contributions to science. Congratulations, Yomna!
https://www.bcp.fu-berlin.de/en/pharmazie/faecher/klinische_pharmazie/arbeitsgruppe_kloft/publikationen/originalbeitraege/index.html;
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15225429;
http://pkpd-expertentreffen.de
We are excited to see an article our PharMetrX PhD Student Network meeting in Berlin on the occasion of “15 years PharMetrX” published in the online magazine CAMPUS.LEBEN of Freie Universität. Approximately 70 former and present PhD students met in Berlin for scientific exchange and networking. Are you interested in learning more about what our Graduate Research Training Program PharMetrX means to current and former students and how it brought them forward? Then have a look here: https://www.fu-berlin.de/campusleben/lernen-und-lehren/2024/240222-pharmetrx-15_-durchgang/index.html
PharMetrX A2 Module: “Introduction to physiologically-based pharmacokinetics"
We are looking forward to the second part of the PharMetrX curriculum: From 18 – 22 March 2024, the PharMetrX A2 module “Introduction to physiologically-based pharmacokinetics” will take place at the University of Potsdam. For more detailed information on the module and the structured Graduate Research Training program PharMetrX, please visit our homepage www.PharMetrx.de.
Kick-off of PharMetrX Module Curriculum
On 04 March 2024, the PharMetrX Module Curriculum for the new doctoral student year 2024 of our PhD program will kick off with the PharMetrX A1 module “Introduction to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics” taking place at our Institute, Freie Universitaet Berlin, from 04 – 08 March 2024. For more detailed information on the module and the structured Graduate Research Training program PharMetrX, please visit our homepage www.PharMetrx.de
26th PK/PD Expert Meeting in Isny/Allgäu
From 14-16 March 2024, the 26th PK/PD Expert Meeting will take placeunder the auspices of AGAH in Isny/Allgäu. Presentations and discussions will focus on the topics “Advancements in classical topics: Recent approaches in pediatrics”, “How do PK/PD principles support new modalities? – Contributions and challenges” and “Beyond traditional models: New approaches with high impact on PK/PD”. From our Department, Prof. Dr. Charlotte Kloft, Dr. Robin Michlet and the doctoral students Marian Klose and Yomna Nassar will participate. For more information: see link below.
https://www.pkpd-expertentreffen.de/
Franz Weber to promote model-informed precision dosing in clinical practice at DGAI2Torial 2024
We are pleased to announce that Franz Weber, a PhD student of our group, will present at the DGAI2TORIAL 2024 from the German Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI), a digital training event to prepare physicians from anaesthesia, intensive care, emergency, pain and palliative medicine for their medical specialist examination, in Berlin from 18 to 21 March 2024. The presentation “TDM & model-informed precision dosing – tool or toys?” will be part of the infectiology session and will focus on the evidence, guideline situation and current practice of model-informed precision dosing (MIPD) for antiinfectives. We look forward to a fruitful exchange with the clinical audience and are happy to promote MIPD within next generation of clinical practitioners.
Thanks to Dr. Uwe Liebchen and Johannes Starp from Pharmacometrics Munich for the initiation and support during the preparation.
The AK Kloft is glad to welcome new members
In March 2024, two new doctoral students, Mgambi Gamba and Yersultan Mirasbekov, have joined our Department. Mgambi will have her PhD project in the area of model-informed precision dosing of antifungal therapy and Yersultan in therapy optimisation for special populations, leveraging systems-based modelling approaches. A warm WELCOME!
February 2024
Three abstracts accepted for poster presentation at ECCMID conference
The research abstracts of our PhD students Malin Andersson, Amrei Konrad and Nicole Zimmermann have been accepted for poster presentations at ECCMID conference in Barcelona and online, 27-30 April 2024. Congratulations!
Fenja Klima to present at 44th EORTC-PAMM Meeting about ON-TARGET study
We are pleased to announce that Fenja Klima, a PhD student of our group, will be presenting a Short Talk at the 44th EORTC-PAMM Meeting in Marseille, taking place from 7-10 February 2024. Her presentation "Towards precision dosing of oral anticancer drugs in clinical routine: Feasibility of a closed-loop Therapeutic Drug Monitoring process within the ON-TARGET study" will be a part of the Young Investigators session, focusing on advancements in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and precision medicine. Join us in supporting Fenja's contribution to this important field of our research.
https://www.eortc.org/event/eortc-pamm-meeting/
January 2024
Welcome Christin Nyhoegen!
This January, our new Postdoc Dr. Christin Nyhoegen joined our Department. Christin Nyhoegen studied applied mathematics in Lübeck, Germany and gained her doctoral degree in Theoretical Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany. She will work in the GlobalResist project in the area of new strategies against antimicrobial resistance; a collaboration within the Berlin University Alliance. A warm welcome!
Scientific workshop with Prof. Meibohm, UTHSC/USA
On 30 January 2024, Prof. Bernd Meibohm from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA, will visit our Department again for a scientific workshop. He will give insights about new aspects of PK/PD of therapeutic proteins and three members of our working group or University Potsdam, Zrinka Duvnjak, Malin Andersson and Johannes Tillil will present their research.
PharMetrX I1 module
From 22 – 26 Jan 2024, the PharMetrX I1 module “Drug discovery and development: Walking along the value chain” of the Module Curriculum of our doctoral program will take place. In this special industry model, we will visit the research, development and production sites of our industry partners Boehringer Ingelheim in Biberach a.d.R, Germany and Sanofi in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. For more detailed information on the module and the structured Graduate Research Training program PharMetrX, please visit www.PharMetrx.de.
https://www.pharmetrx.de/training/curriculum/drug-discovery-development.html
Article on our TEAM Summer School in DAZ online
An article about our interprofessional TEAM Summer School, entitled „Was wir aus der interprofessionellen Summer School an der FU Berlin mitnehmen können.“ was published in DAZ online. It was written by Clara Meiners, who is BPhD Responsible for Interprofessional teaching and she participated in our summer school in October 2023. Make sure to read through it!
Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year
The whole AK Kloft wishes you a healthy and happy new year 2024 with a lot of joy and scientific as well as private success!
We kindly appreciate all the support and trust throughout this exciting year and joyfully think back of wonderful joint moments such as defences, conferences, publications, get-togethers, and so much more. May your end of the year season be merry and bright!