MEET THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATES
I obtained a Master’s degree in Photonics and Communication Systems from the University of Montpellier in France. I have carried out experimental work on VECSEL-based THz emitters, and I have also worked with ultrafast spectroscopy using a femtosecond laser to study dye-sensitized solar cells. After these projects, I decided to focus on integrated photonics, semiconductor lasers, and optical sensing.
I am now a Marie Curie fellow working within the PROTEMIC network, pursuing a PhD on the Development of interband cascade laser arrays for protein sensing. My project is a collaboration between Munster Technological University and Nanoplus Advanced Photonics, with registration at the University of Würzburg in Germany.
Beyond research, I have a strong passion for traveling. I have visited many countries across Europe, and I truly enjoy discovering new cultures and meeting people from different backgrounds. I also love hiking, especially exploring new trails and spending time in nature.
I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. My academic training focused on optics, ultrafast laser physics, and spectroscopy. After graduating, I joined the R&D department at Sensirion AG, where I contributed to the development of a carbon-dioxide gas sensor. My current research centers on semiconductor devices, with particular emphasis on interband cascade detectors and interband cascade lasers operating in the mid-infrared spectral range, as well as their applications in spectroscopic sensing.
My name is Yael, I am 24 years old. I first got my BSc in Electronics & Optics in 2023 from the University of Limoges (France) and then got my MSc in High Frequency Electronics & Photonics in 2025 from the same university, with a major in photonics.
During my studies, I conducted different internships and research projects focusing on photonics devices for biomedical applications and I wanted to stay in a similar field. I then heard of the PROTEMIC project, joining photonics sciences and protein sensing, and had the chance to be selected as one of their PhD students.
Elyas is a PhD researcher in the PROTEMIC project, jointly based at Munster Technological University (MTU) and the University of Valencia, working within the Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis (CAPPA). He holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Guilan, Iran, and an MSc in Optics and Lasers from the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran. His PhD research focuses on the development of infrared spectroscopic techniques for biomedical applications, with particular emphasis on Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and photothermal spectroscopy.
Nadezhda Nikiforova is a Doctoral Candidate hosted at IIS La Fe (Valencia, Spain) and TU Wien (Austria). She holds an MSc in Chemistry from Saint Petersburg State University and has over six years of experience in extracellular vesicle (EV) research. Her work focuses on developing analytical methods for EV isolation, detection, and molecular characterization for cancer biomarker studies. Her current research investigates the physicochemical properties and bioactive lipid cargo of human milk extracellular vesicles using advanced techniques including AFM-IR imaging, mass spectrometry, and nanoparticle characterization approaches. Her work aims to advance the development of EV-based nutritional strategies to help prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.
Marie is a PhD researcher in the PROTEMIC project, based at Tyndall National Institute in Cork and working within the Photonics Centre. She holds a BEng in Physical Engineering from TH Wildau, Germany, and an MEng in Laser- and Optotechnologies from Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena, Germany. In her current work, she focuses on optical packaging of photonic integrated circuits and 3D printing of micro optics for advanced photonic applications.
AHMED SALAMA
Ahmed Salama is a doctoral researcher at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg and Tyndall National Institute. Salama received his bachelor’s degree in Nanotechnology with photonics specialization from University of Science and Technology at Zewail City (Egypt). He has done his master’s degree under the EMJM Photonics for Security Reliability Sustainability and Safety (PSRS) program at University of Eastern Finland (Finland) and Jean Monnet University (France). Throughout his journey, he built strong background in integrated photonic devices and circuits. Salama’s current work focuses on solving the challenges of 6-um Interband Cascaded Lasers (ICLs). He will later integrate his lasers in an integrated photothermal spectroscopy to build an instrument for real-time monitoring of protein structural changes.
Ashutosh Pratap Singh, from India, is a doctoral candidate jointly affiliated with the Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien) and Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg with a background in quantum information science and photonics. He completed his M.Sc. at Banaras Hindu University, where his research focused on the analysis of coupled quantum systems. His research interests span quantum information, photonics, spectroscopy, and advanced optical technologies for biomedical and analytical applications. Through the PROTEMIC project, he aims to contribute to the development of innovative optical sensing and process analysis methods. He is particularly interested in translating fundamental concepts of physics into practical, real-world technological solutions.
GABRIEL MARINO DE OLIVEIRA
Gabriel is originally from Maringá, Brazil. He holds B.Sc. (2024) and M.Sc. (2025) degrees from the State University of Maringá. In 2025, he joined as one of twelve doctoral candidates in the PROTEMIC project, an MSCA double-degree network. He has experience in condensed matter physics, having worked extensively with spectroscopy and spectrometry experiments in free-space optics, as well as the theory of photothermal spectroscopy techniques. Additionally, his interests span the continued development of theory and experiments of photothermal phenomena in free-space optics, photonic devices, and microscopy. Currently, in the PROTEMIC network, he is working on the optimization of photothermal spectroscopy for use within connectable and scalable microreactors.
Prachi is a PhD researcher in the PROTEMIC project, jointly based at Munster Technological University (MTU), Ireland, and Nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH, Germany, working within the Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis (CAPPA). She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electronics in Ahmedabad, India, studying at St. Xavier’s College and the School of Sciences, Ahmedabad. She later earned a second Master’s degree in Quantum Engineering from Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany. Her PhD research focuses on developing External Cavity Interband Cascade Lasers with high-speed, wide tunability for applications in photothermal spectroscopy and laser absorption spectroscopy for advanced sensing technologies.
Sebin K. Binu is from Kerala, India. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Physics and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from CMS College Kottayam. During his master’s research at Cochin University of Science and Technology, he worked on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), gaining hands-on experience in laser–matter interaction and spectroscopic analysis. Beyond his academic pursuits, Sebin has a keen interest in drawing and photography, which he enjoys in his free time.
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