Lisa Skroblin - PhD profile

"... going through such a formative experience as the PhD with a group of other students, sharing the breakthroughs as well as the setbacks, I’m sure we will make friendships and connections for life!"

Can you tell us a little about yourself and where you’re coming from, both academically and geographically?

Hi, I’m Lisa, and I’m from Berlin in Germany. I got my bachelor’s degree in biology at the Humboldt Universität in Berlin and my master’s in bioinformatics at Universität Potsdam which is just around the corner from Berlin. During my master’s, I came to Bergen for an internship and stayed to do my thesis in theoretical modelling of hormonal systems here. I loved both the topic and the city, so I am super happy to be back for my PhD as part of Endotrain!

What motivated you to pursue a PhD, and what drew you specifically to Endotrain as a doctoral network?

I loved working on my master’s thesis, and with this project I can learn even more about theoretical modelling of endocrine systems while contributing to what we know about how the human body works. As a member of Endotrain, I get to work with people from different disciplines and with different approaches, and I hope to learn a lot from them too!

Where will you be based during your PhD, and what are you most looking forward to about living and working there?

I will be based in Bergen, Norway, and I am very happy with that! Bergen is a cute and picturesque town where mountains and ocean meet culture and history. The weather is a little bit too rainy for my taste but the lively city center with its many events and the stunning nature that is just a short bus ride away make more than up for it.

At this very early stage, how would you describe your PhD project in broad, non‑technical terms?

Theoretical modelling of endocrine systems might sound like a mouthful, but the idea is actually quite intuitive: Hormonal levels in the body change constantly, for example with the time of day, the meals that we eat, or because of changes in other hormonal system in the body. In modelling, we try to understand these links so we can reproduce and investigate the changes in computer simulations. 

In my project specifically, I will try to link two hormonal systems: The HPA-axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal), that is the hormones produced by the adrenal cortex (and the focus of the Endotrain project), and the female sex hormones that govern the menstrual cycle. Hopefully, my work will help to improve both fertility and quality of life for female PAI (Primary Adrenal Insufficiency) patients!

During your PhD, what specific skills, methods, or areas of expertise are you most looking forward to learning?

Apart from learning a lot more about the human endocrine system and how to model it (both of which are super fascinating!), I am really looking forward to the international and interdisciplinary cooperations. Learning how to present my work in a variety of formats and settings and to audiences of different backgrounds will be challenging but also very rewarding!

What are you most looking forward to about learning and working within an international doctoral network like Endotrain?

Despite the high internationalization of scientific research, there are still differences in how research is conducted in other countries, and experiencing this firsthand through the secondments will be very interesting and enlightening. Working in an international team will also bring a lot of different perspectives and approaches to the table that everyone will benefit from. But mostly, going through such a formative experience as the PhD with a group of other students, sharing the breakthroughs as well as the setbacks, I’m sure we will make friendships and connections for life!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work that helps you relax and recharge after a long day of research?

I love being outside in nature to recharge, be it hiking, climbing or kayaking (did I mention how great of a location Bergen is?). But during the dark and rainy winter seasons here, I’m sure I’ll also get to read many sci-fi books, try out new recipes and play endless hours of D&D!

As you begin your Endotrain journey, what are you most curious or enthusiastic about right now?

Right now, I’m eager to get into the project and learn more about the state of the art in HPA-axis modelling. The first highlight though will of course be the starting meeting in September in Zurich where we will all meet each other in person for the first time and get a better idea of what each of us is doing in Endotrain!