Benedikt Markus

Experience

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  Institute for Molecular Bioscience

  Jul 2011 - Oct 2011

  Research Intern

  Wainwright Laboratory | Characterizing a novel mouse model for cerebellar ataxia.

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  Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine

  Jul 2012 - Sept 2012

  Research Intern

  Spielmann Laboratory | Protein and lipid trafficking in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

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  Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge

  Oct 2012 - Nov 2012

  Research Intern

  González-Suárez Laboratory | Oncogenic transformation and cancer metastasis.

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  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

  Jan 2013 - Mar 2013

  Research Assistant

  Marine ecology field study on food preferences of the coral predator Coralliophila.

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  Whitehead Institute

  Mar 2014 - Oct 2021

  During my postdoctoral research, I generated the first genome-wide experimentally-derived definition of transcription start sites in Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite of humans and animals, and conducted an exploratory computational study into the structure and sequence motifs that govern gene regulation in this organism. My research represents a major advance in understanding the molecular basis of gene regulation in this organism, and has provided a critical resource for functional genomics studies in the field. 👉 Developed a 5′-end RNA-sequencing protocol to generate comprehensive genome-wide data on transcription initiation activity in Toxoplasma gondii.👉 Utilized Python and R programming for analyzing next-generation sequencing data, developing custom workflows tailored to the unique structure of the data.👉 Mapped transcription start sites for 91% of Toxoplasma genes, correcting 69% of previously annotated gene models (5′ UTRs).👉 Defined the nucleotide and nucleosome-positioning patterns that direct transcription initiation at Toxoplasma promoters.👉 Published 4 research articles in peer-reviewed journals (including two first-author) and contributed my data tracks to the official Toxoplasma genome database, making it readily accessible to the research community. Show less As PhD student, I established new CRISPR-based molecular tools for genome engineering in Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite of humans and animals. The goal of my work was to aid antiparasitic drug development by facilitating drug mechanism of action and resistance studies. My dissertation was titled "Chemical-genetic approaches for drug target identification in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii". 👉 Critically enhanced the efficiency of CRISPR-mediated gene-essentiality screens by refining systems for Cas9 expression.👉 Pioneered novel CRISPR-based molecular tools (CRISPRi & CRISPRa) for transcriptional modulation in Toxoplasma gondii and defined guidelines for their effective use in this organism.👉 Won €64,000 PhD fellowship by Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (among top 7% of applicants).👉 Published 2 first-author research articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at 4 international conferences (3 talks, 1 poster), winning Best Poster award at Toxoplasma Congress 2017.👉 Taught 2 practical laboratory courses (>30 students each); mentored and trained 3 students on our team; served as expert reviewer for scientific journals. Show less In an interdisciplinary molecular biological study, I coordinated research efforts among three other laboratories to investigate the structural activation mechanism of a Toxoplasma gondii kinase that is critical for the parasite's pathogenesis.👉 Discovered a new allosteric mechanism of kinase activation mediated by calcium binding, which we termed “molecular-splint”.👉 Dissected the kinase activation mechanism by rationally mutagenizing and purifying >25 kinase variants, and assaying their enzymatic activity.👉 Identified an antibody (nanobody) that effectively blocks kinase activation by disrupting the newly-discovered "molecular-splint" mechanism, opening new avenues for antiparasitic drug development.👉 Published a first-author research article in a peer-reviewed journal and presented my findings at an international conference. Show less

  • Postdoctoral Researcher | Lourido Lab

    Apr 2020 - Oct 2021

  • Doctoral Researcher | Lourido Lab

    Apr 2015 - Mar 2020

  • MSc Researcher | Lourido Lab

    Mar 2014 - Mar 2015
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  Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)

  Nov 2018 - Dec 2019

  Visiting Scientist

  With the ultimate goal of developing new antiparasitic drugs, I secured a highly competitive Novartis grant and led an industry-academia collaboration aimed at identifying novel allosteric inhibitors of a critical parasite kinase. This work built upon my prior discovery of an effective antibody (nanobody) inhibitor of a key Toxoplasma gondii kinase. 👉 Developed novel biochemical assays for macromolecular complex formation and kinase activity (Alpha- and fluorescence-based).👉 Adapted biochemical assays for high-throughput screening, and analyzed >40,000 chemical compounds for activity. Show less

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  Sportfabrik

  May 2021 - Mar 2023

  After leading the economic turnaround of this fitness center company, I transitioned into the role of In-House Consultant & Project Manager. I tackled structural challenges in our 33-year-old family-owned business, driving modernization to improve operational efficiency and performance. These initiatives resulted in sustained net membership growth for the first time in five years, far surpassing the industry average.🔷 Achieved a 12.8% net membership increase in 2022, the first growth since 2016, vastly exceeding the industry average of 2.6% by refining digital marketing strategies and customer service workflows to boost loyalty and acquisition.🔷 Increased financial team productivity by 33% through streamlining accounting processes with digital workflows.🔷 Cut response times for repairs and customer interactions, improving our Google rating from 3.8 to 4.2 stars in two months by migrating to cloud-based work order and complaint management systems.🔷 Led a company-wide rollout of Microsoft 365, enhancing operational efficiency, communication, and collaboration with tailored setups for Exchange Server, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.🔷 Reduced energy consumption by over 15% during the 2022 energy market crisis, with minimal impact on customer satisfaction, through a thorough analysis of customer traffic, energy usage, and expenses. Show less Amid my ongoing postdoctoral research, an unforeseen call to action redirected my career trajectory. Our family’s fitness-center company, severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, needed urgent leadership. With membership down by over 20% and significant financial deficits, my mission was to stabilize operations, restructure the 32-year-old family business, initiate recovery, and ensure continuity by hiring and training a successor CEO.🔷 Led a team of over 50 employees, including 8 direct reports.🔷 Managed operations of two fitness and wellness centers with over 4,500 members, daily foot traffic of 500+, and €3.7 million in annual revenue.🔷 Reopened the business in my first month after a 7.5-month mandated closure, instituting safety protocols and re-engaging the membership base.🔷 Redesigned the product strategy to meet post-pandemic market demands and launched targeted online marketing campaigns, halting customer attrition and achieving net growth.🔷 Managed the company’s financial health, collaborating with advisors to secure government COVID-19 relief funds, reducing expenditures, and optimizing resources to mitigate financial strain.🔷 Led the digital transformation of key operations, including accounting, sales, work orders, and customer service, enhancing efficiency and service quality.🔷 Cultivated personal and transparent communication with all employees, assuring and motivating staff during a period of widespread uncertainty.🔷 Stabilized the business without layoffs, maintaining high service standards and reversing the economic downturn.🔷 Ensured seamless leadership transition by recruiting and training a successor CEO. Show less

  • In-House Consultant & Project Manager

    Jan 2022 - Mar 2023

  • Interim Chief Executive Officer

    May 2021 - Dec 2021
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  Arthur D. Little

  Apr 2023 - Aug 2023

  Management Consulting Intern – Life Sciences | Telecommunications & IT

  During my management consulting internship, I engaged in strategic and operational projects across two distinct industry sectors. Starting with the Life Sciences Practice, I leveraged my biomedical background for business development. Subsequently, I pivoted to the Telecommunications & IT Practice, seeking to refine my consultant skillset in an unfamiliar domain.𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 & 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲🔷 Co-conducted commercial due diligence and devised a business development strategy for a Swedish biotech firm in the drug discovery services field◆ Conducted market analysis via desk research and 20+ interviews with industry experts and customers, synthesizing key insights on competition, customers, and technology trends◆ Collaborated with stakeholders from the investor client and the biotech company being evaluated for funding, co-creating a growth strategy that leverages advanced product/service offerings𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮, & 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲🔷 Enabled a major German provider of fiber optics and 5G infrastructure to achieve expansion goals◆ Monitored 100+ infrastructure projects, curating insights for weekly client's steering board presentations; Developed prioritization framework to resolve critical project stalls, enabling strategic portfolio management◆ Coordinated project reassignments between client and contractors, developing a manual and co-moderating a five-person workshop to facilitate the transfer of critical data and materials◆ Led a study assessing the feasibility of integrating incoming fiber-optic lines with legacy copper wiring within buildings; Established criteria for copper adaptability through desk research and expert interviews; Estimated per-building costs and total market size for copper adaptation or fiber-optic upgrade; Summarized findings in a project proposal Show less

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  ATV GmbH

  Apr 2024 - Sept 2024

  Trainee in Life Science Management

  Through this postgraduate training program, I gained comprehensive insights into the health sector, including the interplay among healthcare industry, pharmaceutical & medical device markets, insurers, and health systems & policies. This training equipped me to manage projects and drive product development within this industry, while refining my skills in strategic & operational business management, as outlined below.⭐️ Graduated top of class (98%)⭐️ Elected to lead 9-member team for 3-week case study assessing the market potential of the drug candidate NOX-A12 (TME Pharma AG)🔷 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴◆ Financial accounting (balance sheets, income statements, cash flow)◆ Managerial accounting (cost accounting, forecasting)◆ Capital budgeting for investment evaluation◆ KPIs for performance evaluation🔷 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁◆ Traditional & agile (Waterfall, Scrum, Kanban)◆ Tools: MS Project, Jira, Asana◆ Managing timelines, resources, stakeholder communication🔷 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁◆ Developing mission, vision, & brand strategies aligned with corporate objectives◆ Devising marketing plans via the marketing management process: situation analysis, SMART goals, strategy, 4Ps, implementation, control◆ Market research using tools like PESTEL, SWOT, BCG Matrix🔷 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀◆ Clinical trials management (ICH GCP, Arzneimittelgesetz)◆ Market authorization in Germany & EU (NP, CP, DCP, MRP)◆ Medical device regulations (MDR, IVDR)◆ Intellectual property protection (patent law, market exclusivity, orphan drug status)🔷 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀◆ Pricing & reimbursement mechanisms (e.g., AMNOG in Germany)◆ Health Technology Assessment (HTA) & health economic evaluations (e.g., cost-effectiveness, budget impact)◆ Stakeholder engagement strategies (regulators, payers, healthcare professionals)🔷 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁◆ GxP guidelines, ISO standards Show less