Celebrating the achievements of our members who continue to push the boundaries of knowledge

Dr. Vlera Fonda - Metabolism & Gene Regulation

Dr. Vlera Fonda successfully defended her PhD thesis following her doctoral research at the Helmholtz Munich Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology. Her work investigated how the liver adapts to changes in nutrient availability, focusing on how the glucocorticoid receptor and its partner proteins regulate gene expression and hepatic metabolism under different nutritional conditions. Her research contributes to a deeper understanding of mechanisms relevant to obesity, diabetes, and liver disease.

Helmholtz Munich· 2026

Dr. Kemal Can Struja- Earthquake Engineering

AlbPhD Circle warmly congratulates Dr. Kemal Can Struja for successfully completing his PhD in Earthquake Engineering at ETH Zürich. His doctoral research explored rocking structural systems "an earthquake-resilient design strategy for precast concrete bridges" examining both their seismic performance and how they can be applied in practice to minimize residual displacement and post-earthquake damage.

ETH Zürich· 2026

Dr. Jezerca Hodaj- Applied Statistics

AlbPhD Circle is proud to celebrate Dr. Jezerca Hodaj on the successful completion of her PhD in Applied Statistics at Oakland University. Her research focused on developing statistical methods for identifying the most reliable populations or systems using lifetime and reliability data, with applications in reliability engineering, manufacturing, and materials science.

Oakland University · 2026

Dr. Vanisa Petriti- Medicinal Chemistry

Dr. Vanisa Petriti earned her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Florida. Her research explored how enzymes can be harnessed to build complex molecules more efficiently and sustainably, with a focus on biocatalysis, cytochrome P450 enzymes, and natural product biosynthesis. Her work provides insights into greener approaches to chemical synthesis with potential applications in pharmaceutical research and drug discovery.

University of Florida · 2026

Dr. Kristi Buzo- Molecular Medicine

Dr. Kristi Buzo successfully defended his PhD in Molecular Medicine at the University of Turin, where he explored targeting the DNA damage response and replication stress to overcome resistance to targeted therapies in colorectal cancer. His research advances our understanding of cancer therapy resistance and opens new possibilities for more effective treatment strategies.

University of Turin · 2026

Dr. Donikë Sejdiu- Evolutionary Biology

Dr. Donikë Sejdiu successfully defended her PhD in Evolutionary Biology, exploring herbarium genomics to study crop pathogens. Her work opens new doors for understanding plant diseases and their evolution.

University of Zurich · 2025

Dr. Bardhyl Miftari- Optimization Modeling

Dr. Bardhyl Miftari completed his PhD with groundbreaking work on graph-based optimization modeling tools. His research is set to shape new approaches in computation and applied mathematics.

Université de Liège · 2025

Dr. Xhoela Bame- Neuroscience

Dr. Xhoela Bame earned her PhD in Neuroscience at Dartmouth, uncovering the dynamics of brain cells and mitochondria. Her journey reflects excellence in research and advocacy for international scholars.

Dartmouth College · 2025