Twice the labs, twice the cake: A shared PhD journey at the Vienna BioCenter

In September 2025, a joint publication from the Brennecke lab at IMBA and the Plaschka lab at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) revealed how PIWI proteins protect animal genomes from transposons. Júlia Portell i de Montserrat, a shared PhD student of the Brennecke and Plaschka labs, was the study’s first author. Her unusual PhD path between two research groups in different institutes embodies the collaborative spirit of the Vienna BioCenter. In this interview, Júlia reflects on her journey, her discoveries, and her personal experience of this unique setting.

Read the full interview at the Vienna BioCenter's website.