Meet Germán Camargo Ortega working on haematopoietic stem cells
The Colombian-German biologist in the Cell Systems Dynamics group of Timm Schroeder investigates the intracellular processes that lead to the development of blood-delivering stem cells. The interdisciplinarity at D-BSSE as well as the latest discoveries and technologies developed by the Schroeder group convinced Germán to move to Basel. Enchanted by the beauty and style he fell in love with the city at first glance.
What did you know about D-BSSE before you came here, and what was your motivation to come to ETH Zurich?
ETH Zurich is renowned as a world-leading institution in science and engineering. Besides, ETH Zurich has many excellent laboratories in the field of stem cell research and cellular dynamics, including the D-BSSE group headed by Professor Timm Schroeder, where I am doing my post-doctoral training. Before joining his lab, I was well aware of his scientific interests, his latest discoveries and the powerful technologies he is developing. In addition, I learnt that D-BSSE’s philosophy is to combine Biology, Engineering and Computational Sciences, which are key disciplines in modern research. Hence, the D-BSSE for me is an excellent environment to further grow and develop my scientific career.
What were your expectations and were your expectations met since you arrived in Basel?
After some weeks down the road of my postdoc studies, I can certainly say that my expectations were met. Firstly, I was warmly welcomed by my colleagues and my integration into the team was immediate and smooth. I enjoy the great international environment of keen-minded researchers, and an institution with large resources that make possible ground-breaking discoveries. Secondly, as expected, Basel is an excellent location within Europe that allows me to travel to my home place in Germany (and of course other regions) very easily. This has been very helpful.
What were your first impressions?
I came to Basel only once for my post-doc interview and already at that point I felt enchanted by the beauty and style of the city. Although being a relatively small city I was surprised to find a large multicultural society. The very high living standards and the many options for extracurricular activities within Basel, and in general in Switzerland, were also something I found very impressive at first instance. One good first impression of D-BSSE was to see the department’s many efforts and ways to bring together scientists from the different labs and external institutions. This is particularly important in science and, in general, it makes a lot of fun to chat and exchange knowledge with these colleagues.
Which research will you pursue at D-BSSE?
I will investigate basic biological aspects of blood generating cells. Specifically, I try to find answers to the questions if and how the skeleton within the cell influences the fate of these progenitors. Interestingly, despite the fact that cytoskeletal research dates back more than a century, in the context of hematopoiesis, i.e. the production of blood cells, our current knowledge is rather limited. There is accumulating evidence, however, that aberrations in cytoskeletal components, such as centrosomes and microtubules, can be linked to pathological disorders such as cancer, including hematopoietic malignancies. We aim, thus, to further contribute to the understanding of hematopoiesis in development and disease, and in doing so, open new avenues for the possible generation of new approaches in tissue repair and other practices in regenerative medicine.
Which hobby or private interests do you hope to pursue in Switzerland?
Hiking in the nature is one of my favorite activities, as it gives me the time and space for relaxation but also for peaceful meditation and inspiration. The Swiss Alps, with all their natural beauty, are the perfect place to continue pursuing my hobby. I also enjoy plastic arts and good music, and Basel as well as many other Swiss cities offer excellent galleries and concerts.
Thank you and all the best with your research!
Germán Camargo Ortega studied biology at the Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Germany, and completed his PhD studies on cell and molecular mechanisms of embryonic neurogenesis at the Institute of Stem Cell Research in the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich and the Department of Physiological Genomics at the University of Munich. During his studies, he spent some months acquiring methodological and intellectual knowhow at the Hematopoiesis Group at the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, University of Toronto, Canada, the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory in Kobe, Japan, and the Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Notch-Signaling Groups at the Karolinska Institute Stockholm, Sweden. He completed his PhD with a publication in Nature on a new protein that plays a role in regulating the balance between neural stem cells self-renewal and neuronal differentiation. As of January 2019, he is a postdoctoral researcher in the Cell Systems Dynamics group of Professor Timm Schroeder.