Alexander Franz Perhal - Academic Curriculum Vitae

Personal Data

Title and Name: Dr. sc. ETH Zurich Mag. pharm. Alexander Franz Perhal

Address and Contact: Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 (UZA II, Room: 2G449)

A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Telephone: +43-1-4277-55239

E-Mail: alexander.perhal@univie.ac.at

Homepage: perhal.univie.ac.at

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-franz-perhal ↗

Summary of Professional Profile

Key Experimental Expertise

Key Personality Assets & Strengths

Professional Experience

• since October 2021: Lecturer and Course Leader of the module „Microbiology“ of the postgraduate course „Pharmaceutical Quality Management“
  (Postgraduate Center, University of Vienna)
  
  Experiences: Independent delivery of lectures and exercises on the topic of “General and Pharmaceutical Microbiology” designed for non-pharmaceutical natural scientists aiming for a position as a “Qualified Person” in the pharmaceutical industry
  
  More information on the postgraduate course ↗



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• since October 2020: University Assistant / Postdoctoral Researcher
  (Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna)
  
  Research focuses:
  
  • Investigation of anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory compounds with special emphasis on immune cell-specific receptors, i.e., nuclear receptors (RORγ) and GPCRs (TGR5, GPR84) and intracellular enzymes (PDE4)
  • G protein-coupled receptor and second messenger pharmacology (i.e. cAMP signalling and downstream effectors) in the context of immune-cell regulation
  • Identification and pharmacological characterization of novel bioactive compounds in cellular models
    → Research Focuses and Projects
    
  
  
  Key research findings:
  
  • Identification of Leoligin-derived lignans as TGR5 agonists and PDE4 inhibitors with anti-inflammatory potential
  • In silico-aided discovery and pharmacological characterization of small-molecule TGR5 agonists and positive allosteric modulators (PAMs)
  • Identification of the nuclear receptor RORα/γ as a molecular drug target of the natural compounds primulagenin A and diosgenin in vitro
  
  
  Key Experimental and Methodological Experiences:
  
  • Assay development and establishment of cellular screening assays (FRET-based biosensor assays, luciferase reporter gene assays and generation of stable cell lines, CRISPR-Cas9 KOs)
  • Screening and pharmacological characterization of compounds in functional cellular assays (e.g., gene expression analysis, cytotoxicity assays)
  • Isolation, cultivation and differentiation of primary immune cells
  • FACS analysis of immune cell populations
  • Establishment of a transwell neutrophil migration assay
  
  
  Research Output - Publications:
  10 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including 5 first author and 3 corresponding author papers
  (Google Scholar Profile ↗, ORCID Profile ↗)
  
  Teaching and Supervision Experiences (BSc study program Pharmacy):
  
  • Practical Courses: “Laboratory Course in Microbiology” (Course Leader with budget responsibility)
  • Lectures: ”Biochemistry and Immunology”, “Hygienics, Microbiology and Infectiology“
    → Overview Teaching
    Course Catalog UNIVIE ↗
    
    
  • (Co-)Supervision of one PhD thesis and a total of 7 Master theses and 12 Bachelor theses (including five practical Bachelor's theses)
  → Theses Supervision (MSc and BSc Pharmacy)
  


Applications for third-party funding:

• Experience in the conceptualization, preparation, and (re-)submission of competitive FWF research grant proposals



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• March 2017: Approved Pharmacist in Hospital Pharmacy (Anstaltsapotheke “Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen”, Wels, Upper Austria)
  
  



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• March 2016 - February 2017: Practical Year in the Hospital Pharmacy (Anstaltsapotheke “Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen”, Wels, Upper Austria)
  
  Experiences: Pharmaceutical production, sterile production, analytics and quality assurance, logistics, pharmaceutical controlling, pharmaceutical consultation
  
  Teaching Activties: Presentations for medical doctors and nursing staff in pharmacology (pharmacokinetics, drugs in geriatric patients, and introduction of newly approved medications in the hospital)
  
  Approval as a Pharmacist: Aspirant Examination with "Excellent Qualification" (February 28, 2017)
  
  

Academic Education

• Since October 2025: Postgradute Master (MSc CE) in Clinical Pharmacy
  (Postgraduate Center, University of Vienna)
  

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• April 2017 - September 2020: Doctoral studies (PhD)
  (Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
  
  Topic: „Elucidation of Signal Transduction Mechanisms with Pathological Relevance for Cardiovascular Diseases in vitro and in vivo”
  (DOI: 10.3929/ethz-b-000440925 ↗)
  
  Major relevant findings:
  
  • Identification of a pro-atherogenic role of the bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R) in atherosclerosis in vivo
  • Assay development and validation of a cellular real-time cAMP biosensor
  • Investigation of the role of GRK2 in the development and progression of Alzheimers disease
  
  
  Experimental and Methodological Experiences:
  • In vivo: Genotyping und phenotyping of transgenic mice, isolation and processing of organs (e.g. aorta, hippocampus), protein isolation and detection, immunohistology
  • In vitro: Molecular Cloning, cell culture, transfection and expression analysis, protein isolation and western blot, confocal fluorescence microscopy, FRET assays, Fura-2 ratiometric measurements of intracellular calcium
  
  
  Teaching and Supervision Experiences:
  • Lecture „Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences“ (BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences)
  • Tutorial lecture „Pharmacology for Medical Students“ (BSc Human Medicine)
  • Practical Course „General Chemistry“ (BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences)
  • Supervision of Master and research-project theses (MSc Pharmaceutical Sciences)
  
  

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• October 2011 - February 2016: Diploma study Pharmacy (Mag. pharm.)
  (University of Vienna)
  
  Completion of all three diploma sections with distinction within the minimum study period (9 semester)
  
  Diploma Thesis at the Department of Pharmacognosy:
  Topic: “Establishment of a Protocol for obtaining FT-IR fingerprints of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells”
  
  Teaching Experiences:
  2012 – 2015: Tutor in the practical course “Qualitative Pharmaceutical Analytics” (Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Division of Clinical Pharmacy and Diagnostics)
  
  Extracurricular Activities and Engagement:
  Member of the Pharmacy Student Representatives (2015 – 2016): participation in weekly meetings, student advising, organization of events such as first-semester get- togethers, “UniOrientiert” and the “StudierenProbieren” program
  

Awards and Scholarships

• „Würdigungspreis des Bundesministers für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Wirtschaft 2016“
  
  Austrian state award for excellent study achievements and innovative diploma thesis for the 50 best graduations from approximately 16.000 graduations at all universities throughout Austria yearly (29. November 2016).
  
  

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• Performance Scholarships of the University of Vienna
  
  received for all study years: 2011/2012, 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016
  weighted average grades per study year: 1.56; 1.08; 1.06; 1.06; 1.05
  

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• Performance Scholarship of the General salary fund of Austrian Pharmacists
  
  received for excellent study performance in the first 2 diploma sections
  (total 2 scholarships per semester for the University of Vienna, December 2015)
  

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• Achievement of the „Golden Best Presentation Award“
  
  received for the best presentation delivered in the PhD journal club „Cell Signaling“ (summer term 2015)

Languages, Certificates and Memberships

• Languages
  
  
  • German: fluent (native)
  • English: fluent (C1)
    Language course „Writing at doctoral level: Natural sciences and engineering C1”
    (grade 5.75/6; Fall semester 2018, Language Center University of Zurich/ETH)
  
  

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• Certificates
  
  
  • Introductory Course in Laboratory Animal Science - Rodents (FELASA category B), University of Zurich (2017)
  • „Learning to Teach“ didactic workshop for ETH teaching assistants (ETH, 2019)
  
  

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• Memberships
  
  
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie e.V.

Contributions to Scientific Conferences

• HMPPA Symposium - “Next Generation in Pharmacognosy”
  (03.07. – 04.07.2025, Vienna, Austria)
  
  
  1. Alexander F. Perhal, Patrik F. Schwarz, Thomas Linder, Marko D. Mihovilovic, Michael Schnürch, Verena M. Dirsch. Identifying Nature’s c(h)AMPions – Investigation of natural products on cellular cAMP levels for immunomodulation.
  2. Christine Coffey*, Alexander F. Perhal*, Wito Richter, Thomas Linder, Stefan Schwaiger, Marko D. Mihovilovic, Michael Schnürch, and Verena M. Dirsch. Leoligin-inspired lignan as a novel PDE4 inhibitor with anti-inflammatory activities in vitro.
  3. Lorenza Bertaina*, Alexander F. Perhal*, Patrik F. Schwarz*, Panagiota Stamou, Ioannis Kostakis, Maria Halabalaki, Verena M. Dirsch. Tetracyclic triterpenes from Chios Mastic Gum as dual RORγ and TGR5 modulators.
  4. Sigrid Adelsberger, Alexander F. Perhal, Lorenza Bertaina, Patrik F. Schwarz, Verena M. Dirsch, Judith M. Rollinger, Ulrike Grienke. 2D NMR-based biochemometrics for deciphering bioactive compounds in multicomponent herbal mixtures.
  
  

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• International Congress On Natural Products Research (ICNPR)
  (13.07. – 17.07.2024, Krakow, Poland)
  
  
  1. Alexander F. Perhal, Patrik F. Schwarz, Thomas Linder, Marko D. Mihovilovic, Michael Schnürch, Verena M. Dirsch. Identification of a Leoligin-inspired synthetic lignan as a novel TGR5 agonist.
  2. Christine Coffey*, Alexander F. Perhal*, Lorenza Bertaina, Thomas Linder, Marko D. Mihovilovic, Michael Schnürch, Verena M. Dirsch. Leoligin derivatives as novel potential Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors.
  3. Benjamin Kirchweger, Patrik F. Schwarz, Ulrike Grienke, Alexander F. Perhal, Karmen Kapp, Verena M. Dirsch, Judith M. Rollinger. Lanostane triterpenoids of Inonotus obliquus are modulators of inflammation regulators RORγ and GPBAR1.
  
  

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• FASEB SRC Conference “G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases and Arrestins: Key Modulators of GPCR Signal Transduction”
  (21.08. – 26.08.2022, Jupiter, Florida, USA)
  
  
  1. Joshua Abd Alla, Andreas Langer, Stefan Wolf, Alexander Perhal, Ursula Quitterer. Targeting of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Tg2576 Alzheimer Disease Model by a GRK2 Function Modulator.
  2. Christian Weinmann, Alexander Perhal, Andreas Langer, Ursula Quitterer. Determination of GRK2 Effects on the Kinetics of beta-adrenoceptor-stimulated cAMP Signaling by an EPAC- based cAMP Biosensor
  
  

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• 4th ERNEST Conference - "Insights from structures of signalling complexes and computational modelling on GPCR function"
  (12.04. - 14.04.2021)
  
  
  1. Giovanna Papadopoulos, Angela Ladurner, Alexander Perhal, Verena Dirsch, Karin A. Zipse, Peter Kolb. In silico investigation of the bile acid receptor TGR5.
  
  

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• 4th German Pharm-Tox Summit
  (25.02 – 28.02. 2019, Stuttgart, Germany)
  
  
  1. YF Jamous, A Perhal, U Quitterer, J Abd Alla. Transgenic mice with myocardium-specific expression of SCD1 develop symptoms of heart failure.
  
  

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• “KININ2018CLE”
  (17.06. – 20.06.2018, Cleveland, Ohio, USA)
  
  
  1. AbdAlla J., Langer A., Perhal A., Quitterer U. Deficiency of the bradykinin B2 receptor decreases atherosclerotic lesion formation in ApoE knockout mice.
  
  

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• FASEB SRC Conference “GRKs and Arrestins: From Structure to Disease”
  (11.06. – 17.06.2017, Saxtons River, Vermont, USA)
  
  
  1. Perhal A., AbdAlla S. and Quitterer U. Inhibition of GRK2 triggers amyloid beta generation and Tau hyperphosphorylation in experimental Alzheimer’s Disease.
  
  
  

Extracurricular Activities, Outreach and Commissions of Trust

• PostDoc Representative for the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (since 2022)
  
  Representation of PostDoc interests at the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna. Organisation of networking events and support of the onboarding process for new Postdocs.
  (Postdoc Network - Faculty of Life Sciences ↗)
  

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• Science Communication Event „Pint of Science“ 2024
  
  Interactive presentation at the sold-out “Pint of Science” 2024 event on the topic “Vom Naturstoff zum Arzneistoff” (From Natural Product to Drug), delivered to a general science-interested audience in a bar setting.
  (Pint of Science Event 2024 ↗)
  

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• Programming and Webdevelopment (intermittently since 2009)
  
  Experiences in Webdevelopment: voluntary work in an association for development and maintenance of an social media platform (2009 –2011), Development of an Online-System for selection of elective courses (Fachbereichsarbeit, BRG Vöcklabruck), Development and Maintenance of a research group homepage with own internal online ordering system and several online grading and bonuspoint tools (University of Vienna), Development and Maintenance of several company , event and private homepages
  Programming skills: PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS (very good); R und Python (basics)