We Care
We believe that scientific discovery flourishes in an environment where curiosity, integrity, collaboration, and mutual respect come together. Our goal is to create a laboratory where every member is valued, supported, and inspired to pursue ambitious scientific questions while being excited about the process of discovery. We strive to foster a culture of openness, transparency, and teamwork where ideas are shared freely, questions are encouraged, and successes are celebrated together. Research can be challenging, and we believe that overcoming those challenges is easier when we support each other.
We recognized that every individual and trainee has unique strengths, interests, and career goals. Through regular guidance, constructive feedback, and increasing responsibility, we help lab members reach their goals and develop into confident, independent scientists equipped for successful careers in whatever sector they may choose to go.
We are committed to creating a laboratory where everyone feels welcome, respected, and empowered to contribute. By fostering open communication, mutual support, and appreciation for distinct perspectives, we believe that both our science and our community become stronger.
We encourage every lab member to think critically, ask bold questions, and take ownership of their research while developing their own scientific identity. At the same time, we value teamwork and believe that sharing ideas, expertise, and resources leads to more innovative discoveries and a more rewarding research experience for everyone.
We are committed to rigorous science through thoughtful experimental design, transparent data analysis, reproduction, and careful interpretation. We believe that scientific integrity is the foundation of impactful and trustworthy research.
UW Madison
Mayo Clinic
& Mayo Clinic
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA)
Ines Sturmlechner, PhD
Dr. Ines Sturmlechner is an immunologist and molecular cell biologist and is particularly excited about aging biology and geroscience. She studies how aging changes the immune system across scales: molecules, cells, functions, and physiology.
Originally from Austria, Ines received her BSc and MSc degrees from the University of Vienna in Austria. Subsequently, she received her PhD degree from the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) in 2021 while performing her thesis work externally at the Mayo Clinic. She focused on understanding the molecular vulnerabilities of senescent cells and their surprising immunogenic properties. These studies ignited her excitement for the immune system particularly how immune cells change during aging.
In 2021, she continued her research path investigating T cell aging as a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Jörg Goronzy, who had just moved his lab from Stanford to the Mayo Clinic. Her focus has been to understand the defects of memory T cell generation and maintenance seen with advanced age and to identify ways to preserve or restore T cell function despite aging.
Ines is the recipient of multiple fellowships including an AFAR Postdoctoral Fellowship, a Kogod Center on Aging Career Development Award, NIH K99/R00 award, as well as of several honors such as the Young Scientist Award from ASciNA (Austrian Scientists & Scholars in North America) and Edward C. Kendall Award for Meritorious Research from the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association.
Ines is a Butler-Williams Scholar, active member of the American Aging Association and the Gerontological Society of America, and proud fellow of Leading Edge.
Learn more about Ines' background and research through her participation in the Alliance for Longevity Initiatives podcast and her Mayo Clinic Alumni Association interview as part of her Edward C. Kendall Award here.
Our Team
The Sturmlechner Lab is opening in January 2027. We welcome inquiries from prospective team members.
We are actively recruiting. Check back as the lab opens in early 2027, or reach out directly to express your interest.
Contact Us →Join the Lab
We are actively building our team. If you are motivated, dependable, responsible, and curious about how immunity ages, contact us.
We seek postdocs with a background in immunology, molecular biology, or aging biology. Experience with spectral flow cytometry, human samples, mouse models, or single-cell sequencing is valued. We prioritize intellectual independence, scientific rigor, and a collaborative spirit.
Candidates should contact Dr. Ines Sturmlechner with a complete CV, PDFs of 1–2 of your prior publications, and a cover letter detailing your interests in the lab and your prior research experiences.
Prospective students need to apply through UW–Madison graduate programs. Rotation projects may be available. Please reach out to Dr. Ines Sturmlechner via email detailing your motivation and interests to rotate in the lab and your future goals. Please also include your complete CV.
Opportunities for UW Madison veterinary students or undergraduate students may be available once the lab opens in 2027 – check back here then! Laboratory experience is valued but not required, while curiosity, commitment, responsibility, and attention to detail are essential.
We are open to host visiting scholars — for example those who would like to conduct part of their graduate research or postdoctoral research in the lab, or who aim to conduct an external research project as part of their Master's program. The length of your scholarly visit and whether you bring (partial or full) funding with you will be deciding factors in your candidacy.
Candidates should contact Dr. Ines Sturmlechner with a complete CV, PDFs of 1–2 of your prior publications, a cover letter detailing your plans and interests in the lab, and any requirements about your scholarly visit, if any.