Tobias Blank is a PhD student at the University of Basel since 2024 dedicated to the isolation and characterization of natural products targeting glioblastoma cells. Before, he earned his Bachelor's degree in 2021 from the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany, where his thesis focused on investigating parameters that describe microbial functionality in soils following repeated cultivation of apple trees. In 2023, he completed his Master's degree at the same institution, analyzing secondary metabolites and their response to salinity in hairy roots of Lycium humile. His thesis was recognized by the German Society for Plant Sciences as the best Plant Science Master's thesis from the Leibniz University of Hannover in 2023.

Tobias has diverse work experience, including optimizing bioassays to test the efficacy of Moringa oleifera extracts on thrips in collaboration with the Centro de Bioplantas in Cuba. He also contributed to writing and submitting a HORIZON Europe research proposal aimed at promoting biodiversity in agriculture. In the startup arena, he worked as a business planner for the biofertilizer company Plantilizer, where he developed business plans and pitch presentations. Additionally, he assisted in product development and conducted literature research for online content at a natural cosmetics startup.

Currently, Tobias's PhD research involves screening a library of plant extracts for activity against glioblastoma brain tumors. His work focuses on the fractionation and isolation of these extracts, as well as the identification and structure elucidation of potential lead compounds. He is also involved in isolating compounds from specific plants that show activity against other cancer types.