Meet the first generation of tenure track DIAS Fellows

Apoorv Tiwari

Fellow of Science

Apoorv Tiwari is an Assistant Professor at SDU’s Centre for Quantum Mathematics. He holds degrees from the University of Delhi and IIT Delhi and earned his PhD under Shinsei Ryu at the University of Illinois. His accolades include prestigious academic positions across Europe and awards such as the Villum Young Investigator and the Marie Curie Fellowship. He is also a celebrated educator, recognized multiple times for teaching excellence. 

A theoretical physicist, Apoorv Tiwari’s research spans condensed matter, high-energy, and mathematical physics, focusing on generalized symmetries in quantum field theories and quantum lattice models. 

Carolin Kilian

Fellow of Health Sciences

Carolin Kilian is an Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Public Health, SDU. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Technische Universität Dresden and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. She has contributed to several international research projects and is currently building her own research group to further explore the intersection of substance use, social inequality, and public policy. 

Carolin Kilian’s research explores alcohol epidemiology, public health policy, and the social determinants of health. She is particularly interested in how alcohol-related harms contribute to health inequalities. 

Di Wu

Fellow of Technical Sciences

Di Wu is an Assistant Professor at SDU Robotics. He holds a dual PhD in medical robotics from Delft University of Technology and KU Leuven through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program. He is dedicated to advancing robotic-assisted procedures and enabling a shift toward autonomous surgical systems, with a vision to see these technologies widely adopted in hospitals to reduce invasiveness, minimize trauma, and accelerate recovery. 

Di Wu’s research focuses on surgical robotics, particularly robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries for complex disease treatment. He integrates robotics, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality to develop innovative technologies that enhance surgical precision and improve patient outcomes. 

Julius Koschnick

Fellow of Business and Social Sciences

Julius Koschnick is an Assistant Professor at SDU’s Department of Economics. He holds a PhD in Economic History from the London School of Economics, where his research focused on the role of early science in driving innovation during the Industrial Revolution. He has taught extensively across several institutions and has received multiple academic awards, including the Referee Prize from The Economic Journal and the Hunt Prize for best dissertation in his MSc program.

 Julius Koschnick’s research explores topics such as economic history, innovation and knowledge diffusion, the Industrial Revolution, and teacher-directed scientific change. 

Pat Treusch

Fellow of Humanities

Pat Treusch is an Assistant Professor at SDU’s Department of Design, Media and Educational Science. She holds a binational PhD from TU Berlin and Linköping University and has held roles such as MSCA Fellow at Trinity College Dublin and Deputy Professor at the University of Paderborn. 

Pat Treusch’s research explores human-machine relations through the lens of feminist science and technology studies, particularly in human-robot interaction. She critically engages with AI-driven technologies, tech futures, and user-tech interfaces, and her work includes hands-on projects like a book on robotic knitting. 

Sanjeeb Kumar Sahu

Fellow of Health Sciences

Sanjeeb Kumar Sahu is an Assistant Professor at SDU’s Department of Molecular Medicine. He holds a PhD from Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz, Germany, and has expertise in cancer metastasis, cortical neurogenesis, cellular aging, rejuvenation, and targeted partial reprogramming. His work has been published in leading scientific journals. 

A distinguished molecular biologist and epigenetics researcher, Sanjeeb Sahu’s research has significantly advanced our understanding of senescence regulation and strategies to combat age-related diseases. He is also actively involved in mentoring young scientists and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across biomedical fields. 

Tiago da Silva Medina

Fellow of Health Sciences

Tiago da Silva Medina is an Assistant Professor at SDU’s Department of Molecular Medicine. He holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of São Paulo and completed postdoctoral training at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. He has received several accolades for his work, including recognition as a “Rising Star in Science” and awards for scientific innovation. 

Tiago Medina’s research focuses on unraveling the spatial organization of tumor-infiltrating immune cells within tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) across various cancer types. He has also explored epigenetic strategies to enhance the antitumor efficacy of CAR-T cells against both hematological malignancies and solid tumors.