DISSERTATION

I would like to thank all colleagues from my group, from older members like Lutz (whose
cheerful spirit and singing in our office always made me very happy), Piyanut and Fangyuan,
to the new ones like Danea and Nergis, for the pleasant and always dynamic intercultural
atmosphere, and for making long days in the lab not difficult. During this period I developed
an especial fondness for a few people from the group. I would like to thank Jan and his wife
Kathi for the great moments spent together, usually by cooking good food and listening to good
records. My biggest appreciation goes to the members of my “fantastic 4” – Grecia, Felipe and
Uğur, with who I shared the most beautiful and the most difficult moments of this period of
my life. We became brothers and sisters.
In the end, there are not enough words to show gratitude to my family, old and new, for their
unconditional love and support during the ups and downs throughout my stay in Germany.
Even though it was difficult to be separated from my grandma, my mom and dad, and especially
my sister, they encouraged me and cheered for me in every step of my chosen way. Hvala vam
na svemu, volim vas! My warmest thanks go to my husband – my best teammate, for giving
me peace, stability and the biggest support in pursuing my goals. VTNNSC!