In 2026, Sandra Tenisch conducted research at the Australia Institution of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Brisbane for her bachelor's thesis.
What made you decide to go abroad?
I wanted to do my bachelor thesis abroad because I was really interested in gaining new experiences, both scientifically and personally. Working in a different lab and environment gave me the chance to learn new techniques and see how research is done somewhere else.
Australia, especially the lab here, was a great opportunity because of the strong focus on stem cells and organoid research, which fits very well with my project. At the same time, I also liked the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone, improving my English, and experiencing a completely different culture.
Why did you choose your host institution/country?
I chose my host institution because I heard about it from another chemistry student who also completed his bachelor’s thesis at AIBN, albeit in a different research group, and had a really good experience. That motivated me to look more closely into the institute.
While researching, I came across the organoid group, which immediately caught my interest because it aligns very well with my background in cell biology and my focus on neurodevelopmental models. The work they are doing is highly relevant and closely matches what I wanted to learn for my bachelor’s thesis.
Choosing Australia was then a combination of this excellent research opportunity and the chance to experience living and working in a completely different country.
What does a typical day at the host institution look like?
It's a mix of lab work, data analysis, and planning. A typical day usually starts in the morning when I come to the lab and first take care of my brain organoids, especially doing medium changes and checking if everything looks healthy.
Depending on the schedule, I then prepare and perform experiments, for example immunostaining, cryosectioning, or setting up OGD. In between, I also spend time analysing images in Fiji or working with data in Excel or GraphPad.
I usually have lunch with my lab colleagues, which is a nice break and a good way to exchange ideas. In the afternoon, I either continue experiments or focus more on analysis and writing. Overall, it’s a good mix of hands-on lab work and data analysis.
Tell us about your research and your research findings during your residency.
During my bachelor’s thesis, I worked with human cortical organoids to model hypoxic injury, similar to what occurs in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. I used an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) setup to mimic this condition and then analysed how different neural cell populations respond over time.
My main focus was on neuronal and progenitor markers. I found that mature neurons showed clear vulnerability early after OGD, with a reduction in NeuN and MAP2 signals that persisted even at later time points. In contrast, some progenitor populations, such as SOX2 and PAX6, remained relatively stable.
Interestingly, intermediate progenitors marked by TBR2 showed a strong decrease, suggesting that this population is particularly sensitive to hypoxic stress. Overall, the results indicate that hypoxia affects different cell types differently and may have long-term effects on brain development.
What surprised you the most about your stay abroad?
What surprised me the most was how comfortable I felt so quickly. The people were very open, friendly, and supportive—both in the lab and outside—which made it really easy to settle in.
I also really appreciated how welcoming and relaxed the atmosphere was, while still being very productive scientifically.
Outside of work, I was amazed by the nature. Being able to spend my free time in such a beautiful and diverse environment made the whole experience even more special.
What tip would you like to give to future exchange students.
If I had known at the beginning you are a bit on your own, I think I would have been a bit more prepared for that. You have a lot of responsibility for your own project and progress, which can be challenging at times.
At the same time, this also gives you a lot of freedom and space for your own ideas and initiative, which is a really valuable experience.
My advice for future exchange students would be to be proactive, ask questions, and not be afraid to take responsibility. It also helps to stay organised and manage your time well, especially when you are balancing experiments, analysis, and writing.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I think what I enjoyed most was actually the everyday life. I had a lot of freedom to plan my experiments and organise my own schedule, which made my days feel very independent and rewarding. Even though I had a strong routine and responsibility, like checking on my organoids almost every day, I still managed to find time to enjoy everything around me.
Outside the lab, I really took the chance to explore the beautiful nature in Australia and experience the wildlife. One of my highlights was feeding wild dolphins on Moreton Island, and also seeing wild kangaroos and going for long walks on the beach.
Overall, it really felt like the time of my life, and I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone.
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