Preview of Video pitches - 2nd cohort PhD students
Yesterday on September 22th, 2026 was all about research in short formats. Our PhD students of the 2nd cohort showcased their research at the Video Pitch Preview.
We were thrilled to see what the students were able to put into practice in front of the camera following this year's intensive presentation skills workshop. The jury faced the difficult task of scoring the pitches. Ultimately, three PhD students stood out for their exceptional scientific impact, clarity and creativity:
- 1st Place & Best Video Pitch Award: Sophia Hartmann (RP2.2) impressed the jury about “Enabling long-term high-resolution functional imaging in excitable cells” and demonstrating outstanding communication skills.
- 2nd Place: Laura Alacán Ricardo (RP8.2) delivered a powerful presentation on “Enlightening the interplay between heart failure and post-operative cognitive dysfunction”.
- 3rd Place: André Mendes Costa (RP11.2) impressed the judges with a very suprising and creative look into “Non-invasive analysis of the heart – brain axis using a novel Zebrafish model”.
Congratulations to Sophia for winning the Best Video Pitch Award 2026 🏆 alongside our 2nd and 3rd place finishers, Laura and André and all the runners-up for their incredible achievements!
Our sincere thanks goes to our Principle Investigators Prof. Maria-Patapia Zafeiriou who was present on site, as well as Prof. Melanie Wilke and Prof. Mathias Bähr, who participated via Zoom for their valuable input and strengthening the jury team.
Also a lot of thanks to our IT expert Daniela Proto Salvador who supports us on each event in the HBCG Building and stayed yesterday behind to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Missed the preview? Don't worry, all video pitches will be officially published on our homepage. We will announce as soon as the videos go live so you can watch and get inspired by the next generation of “Heart & Brain” research.