Meet the Lab
Our Team
Dr. Roland Schwarzer
Group Leader
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Dr. Roland Schwarzer
Group LeaderWith broad expertise in viral persistence and immune regulation, Roland Schwarzer is a virologist who, together with Hannah Schwarzer-Sperber, leads the Schwarzer Lab. His work centers on understanding how viruses such as HIV establish long-term reservoirs and evade immune control, aiming to translate these insights into innovative cure strategies.
Dr. Hannah S. Schwarzer-Sperber
Group Leader
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Dr. Hannah S. Schwarzer-Sperber
Group LeaderHannah Sabeth Schwarzer-Sperber (née Sperber) is a virologist with deep expertise in viral persistence and translational virology. Since January 2024, she has co-led the Schwarzer Lab together with Roland Schwarzer, focusing on HIV latency, immune regulation, and emerging virus mechanisms.
Dr. Zehra Karaköse
Postdoc
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Dr. Zehra Karaköse
PostdocZehra Karaköse is a virologist and postdoctoral researcher in the Schwarzer Lab at University Hospital Essen, where she has worked since February 2024. She leads research on host factors influencing HIV pathogenesis and the molecular regulation of pyroptosis.
Dr. Luisa Betke
PostdocLuisa Betke is a virologist and postdoctoral researcher in the Schwarzer Lab at University Hospital Essen, where she joined in April 2025 after transitioning from the Fleischhauer Lab. Her current focus is quantifying HIV reservoir size and transcriptional activity in clinical samples, contributing to the lab’s ongoing efforts in understanding viral persistence.
Eva Müller
Doctoral Student
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Eva Müller
Doctoral StudentEva Müller is a doctoral candidate in the Schwarzer Lab at University Hospital Essen, where she joined as a PhD student in October 2022. Her research investigates HIV latency and its links to cellular lipid metabolism, using cell models of HIV latency.
Tamara Mussfeldt
BTA
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Tamara Mussfeldt
BTATamara Mussfeldt is a highly experienced BTA with a background spanning cell culture, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, transfection, PCR, and more. She also supports student training and SAP-based ordering, keeping complex lab workflows running smoothly.
Lisa Weber
Doctoral Student
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Lisa Weber
Doctoral StudentLisa Weber investigates how HIV persists in female-specific tissues. As part of a Jürgen Manchot Foundation project with Obstetrics and Gynecology, she studies endometrium and placenta in the context of infection and latency.
Tina Dluzak
Doctoral Student
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Tina Dluzak
Doctoral StudentTina Dluzak studies how hantaviruses interact with host cells to identify new targets for antiviral therapies. Her DFG-funded work focuses on cellular structure remodelling during infection.
Nahara Souza Leite
Master's Student
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Nahara Souza Leite
Master's StudentNahara investigates transcriptional regulation of immunomodulatory and antiviral proteins by human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), bringing molecular biomedicine training from Düsseldorf and prior experience at FIOCRUZ.
Alumni Timeline
Frederic Borkamp
Bachelor Student & Research Assistant
Apr 2021 – Apr 2022
Laila Smaina
Master's Student
Sep 2021 – Jun 2022
Carolin Kruth
Master's Student (jointly with Sutter lab)
Vivienne Schneider
Master's Student
Apr 2022 – Feb 2023
Maria Leonhardt
Bachelor Student
Apr 2022 – Nov 2022
Balkissa Mountessoumoun
Master's Student
Sep 2022 – Aug 2023
Forooz Afiuny
Bachelor Student
Oct 2022 – Apr 2023
Rieke Wingenfeld
Bachelor Student
Apr 2023 – Sep 2023
Katharina Hock
Master's Student
Apr 2023 – Nov 2023
Samson Folami
Guest Student
Sep 2023 – Jan 2024
Julia Graute
Master's Student
Oct 2023 – Mar 2024
Yasmin Yusuf
Master's Student
Mar 2024 – Jul 2024