Beyond the Lab

Life Outside
the Pipette

Science is what I do — but it's not all of who I am. Here's the rest: the trails, the slopes, the canals, and the people who make it worthwhile.

Konxhe relaxing on a sofa

Growing up between Greece and Albania, then studying across Germany and the Netherlands, movement has always been part of my life — both the literal kind and the geographic kind. I've lived in Munich for six years and now call Amsterdam home.

Outside the lab I run, ski, hike, and travel as often as I can. There's something about physical effort in a beautiful landscape that gives the mind exactly the reset it needs.

Amsterdam in particular has a way of making everyday life feel like an adventure — whether it's the first snowfall on the canals, a terrace beer in the golden hour, or a spontaneous weekend trip somewhere with good cobblestones and better ice cream.

This page exists because science is a human endeavour. These photos are a small window into the human behind the research.

Konxhe running a road race through a Dutch city, arms wide open
Running Race day — arms wide, nothing left to lose
Konxhe on a snow-covered Amsterdam canal bridge in winter
Amsterdam The city in its rarest form — a white Amsterdam morning
Konxhe on a wooden bridge over a rushing stream in an autumn forest
Hiking Somewhere in the Ardennes — water always wins
Konxhe on a ski slope on a sunny winter day
Skiing Perfect snow, blue sky — the only prescription that works
Konxhe at a terrace café in Amsterdam with a beer in the foreground
Amsterdam Golden hour terrace — the Netherlands at its best
Konxhe sitting on the steps of Aachen Cathedral with an ice cream, peace sign
Travel Aachen Cathedral — history tastes better with gelato
Konxhe with a group of friends laughing together at a social event
People The ones who make a new city feel like home
Things I Care About

Running

A reliable way to think through a hard problem. Race days included.

Mountains & Trails

Hiking and skiing — the outdoors as reset button and perspective machine.

Travel

Four countries of education, countless detours. Always curious what's around the next corner.

Community

From Munich lab mates to Amsterdam friends — good science needs good people.

Reading

Papers by day, everything else by night. Fiction, biographies, and the occasional rabbit hole.

Languages

Greek, Albanian, English, German — and Italian somewhere in between. Each one a different way of thinking.

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