News 2026
May
Retreat of the Hake Research Group to Frankfurt
In May, the Hake Research Group once again proved that they work remarkably well not only in the lab, but also outside of it. The occasion was an invitation from our collaboration partners at the Institute of Legal Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt — which quickly turned into a legendary group outing.
After a solid breakfast (scientifically proven to be the most important meal of the day), the group headed to Frankfurt by train to visit the “Bash Rooms.” There was puzzling, running, aiming, laughing, and probably even a few unexpected athletic achievements along the way. Four teams competed in challenges involving skill, general knowledge, tactics, and sportsmanship. Congratulations to Tim, Leoni, and Kate Alanis for taking first place! Although, considering the amount of laughter, team spirit, and slightly chaotic enthusiasm, everyone was really a winner.
After a much-needed cooldown on this hot summer day, the group continued on to the Institute of Legal Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt. There, participants received fascinating insights into the facilities, working methods, and remarkable forensic case studies. Between moments of amazement, fascination, and the occasional “Wow, I definitely didn’t expect that,” there was something memorable for everyone.
A special thank-you goes to Valentina Birne, former bachelor’s student of the Hake Research Group, and to Prof. Dr. Richard Zehner, Head of the Institute of Forensic Biology/Genetics, for the wonderful invitation and the exciting behind-the-scenes insights.
After pizza, pasta, and many more fun conversations, the group finally made its way back to Giessen — tired, well-fed, and carrying plenty of new memories home with them. An all-around fantastic day!
April
Birthday Brunch
After the stress of moving, the demanding teaching sessions, and important research deadlines, the Hake research group finally managed to celebrate the “birthday celebrants” of the past four months together over a brunch.
April
Bachelor’s theses in the Hake research group
We are very pleased to welcome Kate Alanis Schmitt, Leonie Stahl, and Markus Geiger as they begin their bachelor’s theses in the Hake research group at the Institute of Genetics. Under the direct supervision of Dr. Tim Marius Wunderlich, they will be introduced to the world of chromatin, the histone variant H2A.Z, and its binding partners. We are confident that we will have a productive, successful, and enjoyable time together!
March
A warm Welcome to Jona Damm!
The Hake team is very pleased to welcome Jona Damm from Philipps University Marburg for an eight-week internship in our new laboratories. Jona will be supervised by Felix Diegmüller and Johannes Groos, and will learn to work with human cell lines and mouse stem cells, as well as genome-wide mapping of chromatin factors and the bioinformatic analysis of the acquired data. Best of luck, Jona!
February
Anastasiia Khomutovska wins 3rd place at the “Jugend-forscht” regional competition
On February 20th, 2026, Anastasiia Khomutovska presented her research project on the “Influence of sugar type and concentration on telomerase and DNA integrity” at this year’s “Jugend-forscht” competition at the Congress Hall in Giessen. Anastasiia, an outstanding student from the Goethe School in Wetzlar, conducted her research in July 2025 in the Hake research group to scientifically test her self-developed ideas. For her exceptional work, Anastasiia was awarded third place. Congratulations!!! A great scientific future lies ahead of her. The Hake team is extremely proud of Anastasiia’s achievements and has welcomed her as an honorary member of the team.
