Selected Professional References

• Irving L. Weissman, Stanford University, USA
  Professor Weissman highlighted my work on VLA-4-mediated adhesion of metastatic melanoma cells and described the resulting findings as an important and publishable contribution. He emphasized my scientific independence and ability to develop the project into a substantial research program.
  In 2026, after reviewing preliminary figures from my current single-molecule cancer cell adhesion study, he commented: “another excellent study.”

• Eugene C. Butcher, Stanford University - Stanford University, USA
  Professor Butcher emphasized that I independently initiated and conducted studies on CD44 and α4-integrin involvement in metastatic melanoma cell interactions with vascular endothelium under shear flow. He particularly noted the independence of this work and its contribution to understanding the metastatic process.
• Paul Kleihues - University Hospital Zurich / International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
  Professor Kleihues emphasized my ability to rapidly acquire new experimental techniques, my conceptual approach to scientific problems, and the productivity of my work in molecular neuro-oncology. Eleven publications resulted from my work in his laboratory.
• Heinz Höfler, Technical University of Munich
Professor Höfler described my use of atomic force microscopy to investigate adhesion between living cells at the single-molecule level as pioneering work and emphasized my ability to develop independent scientific projects and make important contributions to research.

Additional Scientific Reference
Vincent T. Moy, PhD — University of Miami, USA
Professor Moy specifically highlighted my expertise in atomic force microscopy and single-molecule biophysics acquired in Hermann Gaub's group at LMU Munich.