About
Konrad received his doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.) in February 2026 from Freie Universität Berlin. He carried out his research with Stefan Mundlos at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics and Michael Robson at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology. There, he developed single-cell multi-omic technologies to study genome regulation in vivo. In the limb, he found that heterochromatin is released from the nuclear lamina in early progenitors several days before gene activation, suggesting that chromatin is repositioned in advance to prime later cell-fate decisions. He then used the same technology in retinal rod photoreceptors to elucidate which chromatin features determine genome-lamina interactions. He also led a collaboration that identified "antibody trapping", a widespread artifact affecting both imaging and genomics.
Konrad is driven by the conviction that the epigenome will let us understand, and ultimately treat, diseases that have so far resisted intervention. This drew him to aging, where loss of epigenetic fidelity is increasingly implicated as a driver, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In the Rando Lab, which he joined in July 2026, he is mapping how chromatin is remodeled in muscle stem cells as they age, using single-cell multi-omic technologies. In the long term, he aims to develop (epi)genetic interventions that stabilize, or even rejuvenate, aging chromatin.
In his spare time, he enjoys cooking ambitious meals, spending time in nature, and training in the gym. He also likes to stay on top of current events and read broadly, from history and psychology to science fiction.