Our Team Of Highly Qualified Experts
Reinhold Horlacher, PhD, Managing Director
Reinhold holds a PhD in biology from the University of Konstanz (1996). After his postdoctoral research in Konstanz and Boston, he was supported by the “Young Innovators” grant from the federal state of Baden-Württemberg (1998 – 2000). Reinhold founded the company trenzyme in 2000. Until today, he acts as the managing director and CSO of trenzyme and is always highly motivated to find the ideal solution for the individual requirements of trenzymes clients.
Antje Fuhrmann, PhD, Application & Sales Manager
Antje holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Hohenheim (2010). She worked in various biotechnology companies before joining trenzyme as Application & Sales Manager in 2015. Antje is an expert in mammalian cell culture and has deep insights into general cell culture, primary- and 3D cell culture. As Application Manager at trenzyme, she supports biotech, pharma and academic clients with tailored services in cell culture and protein expression. With over two decades of hands-on experience in biotechnology, she combines scientific expertise with a strong service mindset to help clients advance their projects with precision and efficiency.
Camilla Balkema, M.Sc., Senior Project Manager
Camilla holds a Master of Science degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Konstanz. Prior to joining trenzyme in 2022 as a Junior Project Manager, she worked in the gene synthesis and molecular biology department at Eurofins Genomics, where she built strong foundations in customer communication and project management.
At trenzyme, Camilla guides our clients’ projects from the initial planning phase through to final delivery, ensuring smooth coordination and acting as a direct contact for customer inquiries. In 2025, she advanced to Senior Project Manager and took on the leadership of our project management team.
Christine Bauer, Dipl.-Biol., Project Manager
Christine holds a „Diplom“ (M.Sc. equivalent) in biology from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (2011). In her most recent roles as Inside Sales Representative at New England Biolabs and as Customer Care Manager for Sanger and Next Generation Sequencing at Eurofins Genomics, she gained experience in customer communication and project management.
Since joining trenzyme in 2025, Christine is part of the project management team, coordinates projects from initiation to finalization and is one of the direct contact persons for our customers.
Nadine Thurow, Administrative Manager
Nadine is a Foreign Language Correspondent, training completed at the ESO Euro-Schulen Organisation in Halle/Saale in 2003. She achieved administrative experience at Ecron Acunova in Konstanz before entering trenzyme in 2008. At trenzyme, Nadine is the personal assistant to the managing director Dr. Reinhold Horlacher and she is responsible for the administrative management.
Yvonne Heim, M.Sc., Inside Sales & Marketing Manager
Yvonne holds a Master of Science degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Konstanz (2013). She gained initial experience in marketing by an internship in the Marketing and Communications Department of GATC Biotech before joining trenzyme in 2014. As Inside Sales and Marketing Manager, Yvonne is responsible for trenzymes external communication and customer acquisition.
Lumnie Bytyqi, Dipl. Bio. Ing., Quality Manager
Lumnie holds a “Diplom” degree in Bioengineering (equivalent to an M.Sc.) from the Technical University of Dortmund. She is a trained Quality Expert with a focus on quality management and auditing. With her structured approach and strong analytical skills, she supports trenzyme in upholding high quality standards and driving continuous process improvements.
Alexander Brosig, PhD, Department Head Expression & Purification
Alexander obtained his PhD degree from the University of Konstanz in 2008 for his successful work on the characterization and X-ray structure determination of membrane proteins. As a postdoc he continued working in the field of protein biochemistry including both structure determination by X-ray crystallography and functional studies by NMR. Alexander then joined trenzyme’s Expression and Purification department in 2013 and is our expert for bacterial protein production and downstream processing.
Katharina Stadelhofer, B.Sc., Research Assistant Expression & Purification
Katharina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology (2011) from the University of Furtwangen. She is also a well-trained biological technical assistant and worked several years at University of Konstanz. Katharina joined trenzymes Expression and Purification department in 2011 and temporarily left 2013 for a parental leave. Since 2016 she is back in the laboratory and supports our client’s protein expression and purification projects.
Jens Breyer, Dipl.-Biotech., Research Assistant Expression & Purification
Jens holds a diploma degree in biotechnology from the Fachhochschule of Mannheim (2000). After his studies, he entered a career in a global pharmaceutical company. Jens has experience in protein purification, establishing of stable cell lines, expression of cell lines in suspension (upscaling) and target screening (automation). Since 2017 Jens is part of trenzyme’s team and supports our expression and purification department.
Anita Schnabel, Research Assistant Expression & Purification
Anita is a biological technical assistant and gained her first professional experience with analytical assays like ELISA at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. After returning to the Lake of Constance, she worked for several years in a HPLC laboratory of a medium-sized pharmaceutical company. Since joining trenzyme in 2021, Anita is one of our technical experts in the area of protein expression and purification.
Armin Günther, Dipl.- Biol., Scientist Molecular Biology & Safety Officer
Armin holds a “Diplom” degree (M.Sc. equivalent) in biology from the University of Konstanz (2001). As a visiting scientist he spent time at Cambridge University and at Edinburgh University. Since 2004, Armin is one of trenzymes Molecular Biology experts and is responsible for all kinds of methods related to molecular cloning, like gene synthesis, PCR cloning and RT-PCR. In addition, he serves as trenzyme’s safety officer.
Tanja Köppl, Dipl.-Biol., Research Assistant Molecular Biology
Tanja holds a diploma (M. Sc. equivalent) in biology from the University of Konstanz (2000). After her studies, she first entered a career in a biotech company and later in a global pharmaceutical company. Tanja has experience in molecular biology as well as in cell biology like isolation of primary cells and stable cell line development. Since 2016, Tanja is part of trenzyme’s molecular biology team.
Joshua Komm, Research Assistant Molecular Biology
Joshua completed his vocational training as a state-certified biotechnology assistant at the Justus-von-Liebig-Schule Waldshut and is supporting molecular biology department since 2022.
Dietmar Lenz, PhD, Department Head Cell Culture
Dietmar holds a PhD in biology from the University of Saarbrücken (2004). He is an expert in mammalian cell culture and has deep insights into sophisticated technologies like the isolation of primary cells, stable cell line development or 3D cell culture. As co-inventor of a transfection system for mammalian cells, he is an expert for electroporation and other transfection methods. In 2013, he joined trenzyme as Department Head Cell Culture.
Petra Schildknecht, Research Assistant Cell Culture
Petra received her MTLA degree at the “Naturwissenschaftlich-Technische Akademie, Prof. Dr. Grübler” Isny. After working for several years in academia (Johannes Gutenberg- Universität Mainz), she took the opportunity to move to Lake Constance and enter a career in a biotech company and later in a global pharmaceutical company. By training-on-the-job, she obtained the qualification “Senior Assistant for Molecular Biology and Cell Biology”. Since joining trenzyme in 2013, Petra is one of our technical experts in the area of cell culture and cell line development.
Katharina Gerstmair, Dipl.-Biol., Research Assistant Cell Culture
Katharina went to University of Konstanz and Univeristy of Rostock and holds a “Diplom” degree (M.Sc. equivalent) in Biology. While being a student, she spent a year at Trinity College Dublin. Katharina joined trenzyme in 2009 and is one of our technical experts in cell culture and cell line development. Ever since joining, she has been a vital part of the company’s expanding cell culture department.
Julia Krause, M.Sc., Scientist Cell Culture
Julia obtained her Master of Science degree in “Cellular and Molecular Biology” from the University of Konstanz in 2022. During her master thesis, she gained experience in various molecular cloning methods and in establishing stable cell lines. While being a student, she spent a semester at the University of Glasgow. In 2022, Julia joined trenzyme to support our cell culture team.
Janina Brückner, M.Sc., Scientist Advanced Cell Systems
Janina holds a Master of Science degree in Biology (Major: Neuroscience) from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern (2019). During her studies, she gained practical experience abroad at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, she worked as research assistant at the University of Tübingen (Department: Experimental pharmacology), where she broadened her knowledge in cell culture techniques such as isolation and cultivation of primary neurons. Since 2023, Janina is part of trenzyme’s Advanced Cell Systems team.
Hannes Veihelmann, M.Sc., Scientist Advanced Cell Systems
Hannes holds a Master of Science degree in “Disease Biology” from the University of Konstanz (2023). During his master thesis at trenzyme, he worked on the development of a test system for NAFLD and gained experience on the cultivation and differentiation of iPSCs, as well as in vitro toxicity testing and quantitative image analysis. Hannes joined trenzyme after the completion of his master studies and is since then part of the Advanced Cell Systems team.
Bérénice Horlacher, M.Sc., Junior Marketing Manager
Bérénice earns her Master of Science in Life Science from the University of Konstanz (2026). During her studies in Aarhus, Denmark and her thesis at the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, she worked on developing a hiPSC neuron-based model of Frontotemporal Dementia.
Having grown up with trenzyme as Reinhold´s daughter, she has been working here since 2016, gaining lab experience across all departments. Today, she combines her scientific background with creative communication as part of the marketing team.