Neurogenetics Lab

Roman Praschberger

PI

Roman studied Medicine and Philosophy at the Medical and Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck. He obtained his PhD in Neuroscience at University College London under the supervision of James Jepson, Jim Rothman, Dimitri Kullmann and Henry Houlden uncovering at the biophysical, cellular and neuronal levels how rare mutations in the Golgi SNARE protein GOSR2 lead to a severe and selective neurological disorder. As an EMBO post-doctoral fellow and staff scientist in the laboratory of Patrik Verstreken at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Neuroscience he established a new approach to uncover neuron-subtype-specific vulnerability and resilience mechanisms in response to neurodegeneration-causing toxic proteins by combining brain-wide single-cell sequencing with in vivo genetic modifier screens in Drosophila. In December 2023 he joined the Medical University of Innsbruck as a Tenure-Track PI in Neurogenetics as well as Medical Genetics resident.

Christopher Dunworth

TA

Chris is originally from Ireland, now based in Innsbruck working as Lab Manager in the Praschberger Lab. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and focuses on understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal vulnerability in neurogenetic and neurodegenerative diseases. His work comprises Drosophila and cell culture work to facilitate the ongoing projects in the lab.

Outside the lab, Chris is passionate about spending time outdoors. Mostly cycling, whether it's road rides, gravel biking, or exploring the Tirol countryside. Also hiking in the Alps and trying to get into the mountains whenever he can. When Chris is not biking or hiking, you'll find him gaming, reading fantasy novels, or listening to comedy podcasts.

Always happy to chat about molecular biology, fly work, the best cycling routes around Innsbruck, or why Pokémon still holds up after all these years.

Julia Unterkalmsteiner

Clinical PhD student

Julia grew up in a small rural town in northern Italy. Early on she became interested in the natural sciences, which led her to attend a science-focused secondary school. She then moved to Innsbruck to study medicine at the Medical University of Innsbruck, developing a particular interest in human genetics. After graduating, she joined the Neurogenetics lab in December 2025 and conducted experiments with Drosophila melanogaster. She now pursues a clinical PhD on neuronal repeat expansion diseases, conducting research and improving diagnostic methods. She will undertake clinical training to qualify as a specialist in human genetics while continuing her research. Outside the lab, Julia enjoys photography, reading books, cooking, and going on long walks—preferably in the company of good friends.

Ida Weiss

MD student

Ida is a student currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Genetics at the University of Vienna, while also studying Medicine at the Medical University of Innsbruck. In her bachelor’s thesis research project, she analyzed small fiber neuropathies at a molecular level, applying histological methods to further characterize the underlying pathology. As part of her medical diploma thesis, she is investigating neurological repeat expansion disorders.