Thomas Kroneis studied Technical Chemistry at TU Graz and received his doctorate in Medical Sciences at the Medical University of Graz (PhD equivalent; distinction) in 2009. During his thesis, he worked on rare cell analysis in the context of non-invasive prenatal diagnostics, focusing on fetal cells circulating in the peripheral blood of pregnant women. In 2014, he was awarded a 3-year Marie Curie Fellowship, allowing him to join the lab of Prof. Stahlberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, where he expanded his knowledge of single-cell RNA analyses. Back in Austria, he habilitated in Cell Biology, Histology, and Embryology (venia docendi) in 2018 and was appointed 2nd deputy chair of the Division of Cell Biology, Histology, and Embryology. In 2021, he started a research group and became the leading principal investigator of an international consortium running a 5.3 M USD project on microchimerism
(https://microchimerism.info/).
Since 2022, Dr. Kroneis has been an assigned faculty member of the PhD Program Molecular Medicine at the Medical University of Graz.
Research interests: microchimerism, single/rare cell analysis
E-mail: thomas.kroneis@medunigraz.at
Team website:
Dr. Johanna Pirker is a computer scientist and professor specializing in game development, virtual reality, and data science. She leads the Game Lab Graz at TU Graz and is also active in Munich. Previously, she held a professorship at LMU Munich and served as a visiting professor at ETH Zurich. Her research focuses on the use of immersive technologies and game-based learning to enhance education and foster social engagement.
She began exploring virtual worlds during a research visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she worked on collaborative virtual environments. Her first experiences in the games industry were with Electronic Arts, and she continues to consult for game studios today.
Beyond academia, Johanna is a strong advocate for diversity in technology and gaming. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe (2018), the Futurezone Women in Tech Award (2019), the Käthe-Leichter-Preis (2020), and the Hedy Lamarr Prize (2021). She is also the founder of Game Dev Days Graz, Austria’s largest conference for game developers.
In addition to her research and teaching, she is active in science communication through her YouTube channel and as a Twitch partner under the alias "JoeyPrink", where she shares insights on computer science and game development.
Roi Shternin's background is a patchwork of patient advocacy, tech innovation, and hard-won personal experience. He has lived the challenges of navigating chronic illness, often finding himself forced to become his own advocate.
This experience led him to create patient-led communities, as he understands the power of shared experience and collective voice. On the tech side, he dove headfirst into the world of medical device startups and developed the Help+ app, driven by a desire to use technology to bridge gaps in healthcare.
He is not a traditional “expert”; he is a patient who has become a problem-solver, a disruptor, and a relentless advocate for a better healthcare system.
He believes that by combining lived experience with innovative thinking, real, lasting change is possible.
Sahra Tasdelen is a molecular biologist with a background in cardiovascular biology and tissue engineering, and hands-on experience in cardiac surgery models and experimental surgical procedures.
She investigates how to develop the next generation of heart valve bioprostheses and explores new approaches for treating heart disease.
A passionate science communicator, she has co-hosted science shows on national television, spoken at high-profile festivals and innovation summits, and was honored on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Hannah Gelbart is an award-winning BBC News presenter, podcast host, and investigative journalist. She is the lead presenter of ‘What in the World’, a daily global news podcast and radio show for 16-25-year-olds. Since its launch, she’s helped grow the programme to reach millions on podcast platforms, YouTube, BBC World Service radio, and social media. It won Silver for Best Daily at the 2024 British Podcast Awards.
Previously, Hannah was the BBC’s Global Disinformation Reporter, leading investigations into online harms including exploitation on TikTok, revenge porn on Telegram, crypto scams, and Russian influence campaigns. Her reporting on Syrian children livestreaming on TikTok was followed by platform policy changes and was shortlisted for an Amnesty Media Award.
Since joining the BBC in 2015, Hannah has worked on making news accessible for younger audiences. She helped launch BBC My World, which was exec-produced by Angelina Jolie, and produced and reported content for the BBC’s social and digital news teams. She won an ‘Inspiring Women in News’ award at the 2025 Global Women in News Awards and a ‘Rising Stars in Media’ award for her work on the BBC’s CEO Secrets series.
Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Hannah has reported for the BBC from Latin America, Nigeria, the Philippines, Malaysia, Europe, and the US, covering stories on gender, digital culture, migration, and identity. As an ambassador for the BBC, she has also hosted panel discussions in the UK and abroad.
