The Sixt Lab (March 2025)
The Group Leader
Barbara Susanne Sixt
Research Group Leader (Docent in Infection Biology)
barbara.sixt@umu.se
+46-(0)90-785 25 95
Barbara is a dedicated researcher with a strong passion for understanding host-pathogen interactions and cell-autonomous immunity. Originally from Austria, she earned both her Master and PhD at the University of Vienna. Her doctoral work focused on environmental chlamydiae, a group of obligate intracellular bacteria capable of infecting a wide range of hosts, including protozoa. After spending nearly three decades in her hometown, Barbara felt the urge to explore the world beyond Austria. Driven by a desire to shift her focus toward human pathogens and delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions, she embarked on several years of postdoctoral research abroad. Her journey first took her to Duke University in Durham (USA) and later to the Institut Gustave Roussy near Paris (France), where she broadened her technical expertise and refined hypotheses stemming from her PhD work. In April 2018, Barbara embraced the challenge by moving to Umeå to establish her own lab — an adventure she would describe as her most exotic yet. Despite living abroad for many years, she remains deeply connected to her roots and returns to Austria annually for a week of skiing in the breathtaking Alps.
Introducing MIMS-EMBL group leaders: Interview with Barbara Susanne Sixt
Introducing group leaders at Umeå University: Portrait of Barbara Susanne Sixt and her research
Current Group Members
Aakriti Singh
PostDoc (since March 2023)
aakriti.singh@umu.se
Aakriti Singh embarked on her academic journey by pursuing her bachlors and masters studies in the field of biotechnology and later diving into the fascinating world of nanocarriers during her doctoral research. At the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) in Mohali, India, she meticulously crafted lipid-based nanocarriers for treating an infectious disease. Her journey unveiled a potent anti-leishmanial therapy, wherein these nanoformulations weren’t just effective; they were safe, stable, and cost-effective. There, she fine-tuned her research skills but craved new horizons and sought out the thrill of discovery. So, she packed her bags and set sail for Sweden, landing at Umeå University. This bold move wasn’t just about academic growth; it was a chance to explore new landscapes and embrace new cultures. Now, as a postdoc at the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), she is focused on unravelling the mysteries surrounding antimicrobial agents battling elusive intracellular bacteria. Beyond the confines of the laboratory, Aakriti is a true explorer at heart. She seizes every opportunity to journey to new destinations, immersing herself in different landscapes and cultures. Her sweet tooth finds delight in savoring delectable treats from around the world, and the harmonious melodies of music provide solace and inspiration in her daily life.
Project: A multi-strategy approach to find new ways to treat Chlamydia
Karthikeyan Pandi
PostDoc (since Nov 2024)
karthikeyan.pandi@umu.se
Karthikeyan completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Biotechnology in India and earned his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. His doctoral research explored complex Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)–associated protein networks in macrophages infected with the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, employing cross-linking mass spectrometry to uncover novel immune signaling mechanisms. This work fostered a strong interest in innate immunity and pathogen-induced signaling pathways. With a long-term vision to translate fundamental insights in infection biology into strategies to counter chronic inflammation and infection-associated diseases, he joined the Sixt group at Umeå University, Sweden. His current project focuses on applying proximity labeling–based approaches for the global mapping of Chlamydia inclusions. Outside the lab, he enjoys long-term, high-impact experiments in parenting, conducted alongside his favorite co-investigator.
Lana Hellga Jachmann
PhD student (since June 2021)
lana.jachmann@umu.se
Lana was born in Berlin, Germany and studied biochemistry in Greifswald. During her bachelor and master thesis, she focused on the research of the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Thereby, she found novel hints to the function of one of its virulence factors, changing the way how its interaction value in adherence, during infection, can be seen. In parallel to her master thesis, she also worked on the project “KoInfekt” as a research assistant. Caught up in this topic, she joined the project after her master for 6 months, investigating parts of the cellular metabolism, the NLRP3 inflammasome and cell death during co-infections, of IAV and different bacteria. Due to her growing passion for research on bacterial influence and interactions on a cellular level, she joined the Sixt lab in June 2021. Here, she will determine the role of the inclusion in counteracting host cellular defense response and in regulating Chlamydia development.
MIMS Spotlight Series: Interview with Lana Jachmann
Project: Expanding the experimental toolkit for Chlamydia, Molecular action of the inclusion membrane protein CpoS
Former Group Members
Gözde Türköz (PostDoc, March 2022-Feb 2025)
Milica Milivojevic (PostDoc, March 2021-Feb 2024)
Mohammed Rizwan Babu Sait (PostDoc, Dec 2020-Jan 2024)
Karsten Meier (PhD Student, Nov 2018-Dec 2023)
Magnus Ölander (PostDoc, Oct 2019-Nov 2023)
Anastasiia Chaban (Project Assistant, Sept 2020-Feb 2021)
Samada Muraleedharan (PostDoc, Feb 2019-Jan 2020)
Former Project Students
Noha Seddik (Master Thesis Student, Feb-June 2025)
Moa Lundgren (Bachelor Thesis Student, March-May 2024)
Eduard Calpe (Bachelor Thesis Student, Feb-June 2023)
Daniel Rea (Master Thesis Student, Sept 2022-March 2023)
Aycan Öztekin (Project Student, Oct-Dec 2022)
Johanna Fredlund (Project Student, June-Aug 2022)
Leonie Zollmann (Project Student, June-Aug 2022)
Martyna Maria Ciagadlak (Bachelor Thesis Student, March-April 2022)
Lieke Mooij (Graduation Thesis Student, Jan-June 2022)
María Rayón Díaz (Project Student, May-Dec 2021)
Juliette Bieligk (Project Student, Sept-Nov 2021)
Emma Jousseaume (Project Student, April-June 2021)
Lucía Pérez Jiménez (Project Student, June-Nov 2020)
Partha Mohanty (Bachelor Thesis Student, Jan-June 2020)
Nelumika Panagoda (Bachelor Thesis Student, March-May 2020)
Celia Llorente (Bachelor Thesis Student, Jan-June 2019)
Pedro Dias (Project Student, Dec 2019-Jan 2020)
Sepideh Farmand Azadeh (Project Student, July-Aug 2019)