Scientist Structural Biology / Biophysics
Degree(s)
MChem in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry (2015), University of Edinburgh
Dr. sc. nat. in Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism (2021), University of Zurich
Staff email
Profile
Born and raised in Czechia, Alena first came to Scotland for her undergraduate studies in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. She then pursued her PhD in the lab of Prof. Martin Jinek at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Here, she focused on the structural characterization of RNA-processing enzymes, discovering the mesmerizing world of X-ray crystallography and protein biochemistry. Fed up with the good weather and beautiful snowy mountains, she moved back to Scotland in September 2021 to join the exciting PROTAC field as a structural biologist/biophysicist within the Ciulli group – Almirall collaboration. When not in the lab Alena enjoys swimming, hiking, snowboarding, and sewing.